I’ve been letting dust collect on an old rug that was left behind at our duplex a few years ago. While being a landlord has its challenges at times, finding treasures left behind like this is a definite perk! I knew just by glancing at it that it was very cool and likely, a true vintage rug. I’m still looking into the origin and history of it.
However, I hadn’t been able to reap the benefits of this beauty until just last week as we began putting our home’s spaces back together during our house renovation. Let me just tell you, unrolling this entire rug was so exciting, especially because I was pleasantly surprised by the shape that it was in. And, it is way cooler looking than I anticipated!
However, I still needed to know that bringing this used rug into my home was safe and clean. The tricky thing about oriental rugs/old handmade rugs is that they shouldn’t be cleaned with harsh chemicals or with aggressive cleaning tools.
After looking up and learning about the best practices for these particular types of rugs, I freshened up this beauty in a couple of different ways. Here are the steps I took to freshen up this rug and feel confident in bringing it into our home!
Step 1: LEt the Sun do the Work
One of the easiest (and free) things I learned to do to for old rugs (and many other things, too) is to take it outside, unroll it, and let the sun work its magic on it. Did you know that the sun serves as a natural disinfectant? It’s true.
I hauled this beauty outside and let it air out for an hour or two as my first step in cleaning it up.
Step 2: Clean Any Bad Spots
This was also the first time I got a good look at it in full to see if there were bad spots. There were a few patches that needed some attention so I used this carpet and upholstery stain remover to work those out a bit. After I worked out most of the stains, I let them dry out in the sunshine.
Step 3: Disinfect and Deodorize
Once everything was dry (which didn’t take long in the sun), I then sprayed the whole surface with Lysol to further disinfect and freshen any remaining odors. The rug didn’t have any very strong smells, but it was a bit musty and “old” smelling. Taking the steps to get it out in the sun and spray it down with Lysol really helped to diminish the majority of the smells.
Once these three things were done, it was time to bring the rug back inside!
Step 4: Vacuum
We got the pad and rug placed in the living room. Then it was time to give it a really good vacuuming. Typically, with true vintage rugs, I don’t believe you’re supposed to use the beater bar on the vacuum. However, I used it during this first vacuum session to fluff up the fibers and really suck up any built-up dirt and grime.
I was really pleased with how it was looking after the first vacuum session. I turned the beater bar off and went over it a couple more times just for good measure.
Step 5: Deodorize with Baking Soda
We noticed there was still a bit of the musty/old smell lingering, so I thought I’d try one more thing to see if I could really knock the last bits of musty out of this gem. I use baking soda quite a bit around the house because it’s so versatile. As it turns out, this is yet another great use for it.
I got my large jar of baking soda out, as well as a mesh strainer. Then, I simply shook the baking soda all over the rug. I let it sit for at least half an hour (probably more like 45 minutes). And finally, I vacuumed it all up. Easy peasy. And, it worked!
Now we’re enjoying this old, big beauty of a rug in our living room and it’s awesome! Kicking the dirt and musty smell to the curb wasn’t all that hard. And to top it off, I didn’t spend a dime – on the rug or the cleanup! And if you do need to get ahold of Lysol or the Woolite cleaner, you can get either for less than ten dollars.
I ran across multiple options for freshening up old rugs. If none of these works for you, go take a gander on Pinterest for more ideas. Do you have any old vintage rugs in your home? I think the designs are so neat! And, they last forever because of their quality. Do you have any tricks up your sleeve to freshen up old rugs that I haven’t mentioned already? Do tell in the comments below.
To the Chaos!
-MG
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