How to Clean Bathroom Rugs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Posted On February 28, 2022

A bathroom rug offers both practical and aesthetic functions in the bath space. It provides a soft, absorbent cushion to your feet while adding a touch of elegance and style in an otherwise plain bathroom.

But particles such as hair and dust can accumulate in its fibers as you leave it in your bathroom longer. It can also become a breeding ground for mildew, mold, and other microorganisms, depending on the ventilation of your bathroom.

Luckily, you can prevent this by cleaning the rug regularly. In this blog, we’ll discuss ways you can wash a bathroom rug with ease and provide tips on maintaining it in good condition.

Cleaning Bathroom Rugs: Initial Steps

Before washing the bathroom rugs, it’s essential to do these things first:

Check the Care Labels

Proper rug care often varies based on the materials used to make the rug. After all, each material has unique qualities that require a different way of cleaning.

Given this, it’s crucial to read the care tags beforehand. All textiles in the United States often have tiny labels attached at the seams. It guides rug owners in cleaning their bath rugs to preserve their quality and longevity.

Shake Off the Dirt

Start the cleaning process by eliminating debris from the surface of your bathroom rug. This process ensures that these tiny particles don’t scrape the bath rug and the washer.

First, bring your bathroom rug outside and hang it on a clothesline. Then, use a broom, a racket, or a rug beater to pat all the loose dirt from the bath rug. Make sure that no visible debris is left behind.

Run a Vacuum

Sometimes, specks of dust can still linger in the bath rug even after shaking them off. In this case, you can remove the remaining hair, lint, sand, and other particles using a vacuum cleaner.

Here’s a simple guide to get it done:

Lay down the bathroom rug on a flat surface.
Vacuum on the rear side of the bathroom rug.
Once done, flip it on its front.
Proceed to vacuum the front part of the bathroom rug.

The Washing Process

After preparing the bathroom rug, it’s time to wash it! You can do this step by hand or use the washer to finish the process. The method will depend on the rug’s fiber material. Let’s expound on these different rug washing methods in this section.

How to Wash Bathroom Rugs by Hand

Hand-washing is best for natural fiber rugs like jute, wool, silk, and related fabrics. In doing so, you can maintain the structural integrity of the rug fibers and extend their shelf life. It also cleans synthetic fiber rugs if your washer breaks down.

There are two ways to do this—a full soak or a spot cleaning. A full soak usually works with both natural and synthetic fiber rugs. Here’s how to do the first method:

Pour warm water into a large tub.
Mix in a few tablespoons of laundry detergent.
Place the bath rug inside the tub.
Use a sponge and gently scrub the area.
Once it’s clean, rinse the bathroom rug with cool water.

Meanwhile, spot cleaning is an effective way to remove dirt in natural fiber rugs like wool. As its name suggests, it focuses on cleaning a particular spot rather than the whole rug surface. Here’s a step-by-step process on how to do it:

Fill a large tub with warm water.
Add one to two tablespoons of laundry detergent to the water.
Mix until the detergent is fully incorporated.
Dip a clean sponge in the soapy mixture.
Dab the soapy sponge on the dirty spots.
Clear away the soap with a clean sponge.
Pat the bathroom rug dry using a towel.
Let it dry.

How to Wash Bathroom Rugs Using a Washing Machine

Luckily, the washing machine is not just for clothes. You can also use it to wash your bathroom rug. This method works well with bath rugs made from cotton, chenille, nylon, polyester, and synthetic fibers.

For most synthetic rugs (except chenille), you can wash using the following steps:

Fold the bathroom rug in half.
Carefully place it inside the washer. You can toss in similar fabrics like towels, but make sure they don’t overload the machine.
Pour warm water and detergent into the washing machine.
Adjust the washer settings to a gentle speed.
Once done, hang the rug over a clothesline, a drying rack, or a shower rod.
Keep it from sunlight as the heat can make the vibrant colors of the rug fade away.

The process becomes slightly different if you have a chenille bathroom rug. Since it is a delicate material, you have to wash it separately. It goes as follows:

Insert the folded bath rug inside the washer. Make sure that no other cloth is inside the washer, as it can destroy the fluff of the chenille.
Instead of hot water, use cool water for washing this bathroom rug.
Mix in the detergent.
Set your washer to its lowest minimum speed.
Place the bath rug in an airy yet shaded area to dry.

Frequently Asked Questions About Washing Bathroom Rugs

How often should I clean my bathroom rug?

The frequency of your rug cleaning will depend on two things: the type of household you have and how often you use the rug. For example, families need to clean their bath rugs weekly. After all, bacteria and other germs accumulate quickly in the rug due to the heavy foot traffic and frequent bathroom use. Meanwhile, if your home consists of only one or two people, you can wash the rug every two weeks.

How do I remove stains on my bathroom rug?

You can eliminate stains and spills using laundry detergent or stain remover. Dab your chosen cleaner on the stained rug surface and let it sit for around 10 minutes. Once done, you can toss it in the washing machine.

Can I put my bath rug in a washing machine?

Yes, but it only applies to select rug materials. This method is best for cotton and synthetic fiber rugs. Meanwhile, natural fiber rugs are susceptible to discoloration and fabric damage if machine-washed. Thus, they are best cleaned by hand or with professional help.

Elevate Your Space With a Pristine Bathroom Rug

A clean bathroom starts with a clean rug. Regularly washing your bathroom rug prevents harmful microorganisms from infesting. But for tougher stains, you can leave it to the professionals.

Cyrus Artisan Rugs offers expert rug cleaning services to keep your luxury bathroom rugs in tip-top shape. Reach out to us via our Bloomington showroom to learn more.

Find rug care tips and design inspiration in the Cyrus Rugs blog.