Cleaning Viscose Rugs: a How-to Guide
2021/05/10
Oftentimes, one brief moment of distraction is enough to leave nasty stains on your beloved carpet. Red wine, tomato sauce, or even just water: How can you make up for mishaps without rubbing the liquid even further into the fabric? Here, we’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks for cleaning viscose rugs effectively. These will also prove useful to preserve the material’s color, glow, and smoothness for years to come.
1. What makes viscose rugs special?
2. How to keep your viscose rug beautiful
3. DIY for cleaning viscose rugs: step by step
What makes viscose rugs special?
Gentle treatment and regular cleaning are key when it comes to carpet care. In the long run, this will save you a lot of work (and trouble). However, you first need to understand the nature of your carpet. In other words: What are the specific features of viscose rugs, and which cleaning methods are appropriate?
Even though they consist of synthetic fibers, viscose rugs are made from cellulose, a substance sourced from wood. This offers various benefits for their fabrication and cleaning:
durable and biodegradable material
silky gloss on the surface
pleasant feel
easy to handle and process
How to keep your viscose rug beautiful
Washing by hand or machine?
We strongly recommend that you not put your carpet into the washer: Viscose rugs react very sensitively to humidity. Exposed to water, they might lose their shape and be left with bothersome stains. You prefer to clean it by hand? No problem, provided you proceed with caution. Alternatively, a chemical treatment of viscose rugs (performed by a specialist) is also an option.
Cleaning viscose carpets on the surface
Coarse dirt can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner. This helps to keep dirt particles from infiltrating the pile and thus reduces wear-and-tear. In case of high-pile rugs, you should apply the vacuum’s top part carefully so that the fibers won’t be damaged.
Beat the rug outdoors one or two times per year to remove deep-set dust particles. If you leave it in open air for one or two days, lingering odors will evaporate.
You might also clean your viscose rug with a brush – but only one made from soft, natural hair. We recommend brushing gently in the fibers’ direction.
Household remedies and cleaning solutions for viscose rugs
Generally speaking, you can use water, dishwashing detergent, or clear glass cleaner (not colored!) to treat stubborn soiling. A bit of white wine vinegar may help as well – after you have tested its tolerability at an unobtrusive spot. In addition, there are special cleaning agents for stained viscose rugs available in well-stocked retail stores.
DIY for cleaning viscose rugs: step by step
- First, you determine the carpet’s pile direction. This works best by shortly stroking the pile.
- Next, use a hand brush or a vacuum cleaner to remove crumbs and other coarse particles from the surface.
- Mix a bit of dishwashing detergent with water and add some white wine vinegar, if needed.
- To remove stains, dip a clean, lint-free cloth into the mixture and test its tolerability at a covered spot.
- Carefully rub the stain with your wet cloth (always in the fibers’ direction).
- Lastly, dab and absorb the liquid with a dry cloth.
