Whenever I show a picture of my kitchen with my dining table, I always get questions about it- how do you keep that rug clean? Is it even practical to have a table under where you eat? Yes! To me it is! I love the look, but I also know how to keep the rug clean. If you’re wanting a rug under your table, but don’t want it to look dirty, here’s how to keep a dining room rug clean.
how to keep a dining room rug clean
Rugs under tables don’t have to be impractical! If you love the feel and appearance of a pretty dining room rug, you can have it! Here’s how to keep them clean even if you have kids and dogs ;).
1. choose the right rug
Pick a rug with a pattern and a darker color- it’ll hide stains until you can clean them up. Try an indoor/outdoor rug- it’ll be easier to clean. Or you can try carpet squares so you can switch out a square if it gets dirty. For more tips on choosing out the perfect dining room rug, go here.
2. Vacuum Often
It might not seem like a big deal, but make sure to vacuum the rug at least once a week. Why? This prevents dirt from getting stuck in the rug and getting dirty.
Rug fibers can be home to microorganisms such as dust mites. The weekly cleaning is essential especially in a dining room.
3. Clean up spills immediately
If (or I guess I should say when), you get a liquid spill, make sure to soak it up immediately to prevent staining. Blot the stain until it’s absorbed.
4. Remove Stains
If after the weekly vacuuming, you notice any stains, clean them up. My favorite spray to use on carpets is called Folex. It’s great for upholstery too! Just spray it on, scrub with a clean rag, and it should be gone! It’s worked like a charm on everything I’ve tried it on so far.
5. Get a professional cleaning
Lastly, if you have a major spill or it’s been a year since your last one, get a professional cleaning. It’ll keep your rug looking as clean and pretty as possible!
A quality rug is one of the items that can keep looking beautiful with age. With a little maintenance, it can be in your home for years.
halloween cleaning tips
Since Halloween is this week, I thought I’d also share some tips for how to clean up after Halloween messes! Here’s some tips and tricks for how to handle the most spooky stains around the home. These come from Joshua Miller, Director of Training, Rainbow International, a Neighborly Company.
candy
If candy sticks to the sofa, use a spoon to break up loose candy from the surface. Then, pick up and remove the loose candy and apply a mixture of diluted liquid detergent with water. Rinse or blot with a white cotton towel and clean water.
wax
Halloween is the start of the cozy season- aka candles everywhere! If wax spills, place a paper towel on top of the wax. Turn a blow dryer on high and move it back and forth across the towel. As the heat melts the wax, the towel should absorb the hot wax. Be careful on heat sensitive fabrics, such as olefin.
lipstick
Dressing up kids for Halloween sometimes involves lipstick (which is easy to get on clothes when changing). To get lipstick out, start by scraping off any excess with a dull object such as a spoon. Apply a dry solvent and blot with a white cotton towel. Repeat until dry.
pumpkin
We’ve carved pumpkins at least 5 times this year already! Don is obsessed and I love it too. But, if pumpkin spills on carpet or upholstery, use a dull object to pick up any excess, like pumpkin seeds or rind. Then, blot the area using a white cotton towel with a mixture of warm water and clear liquid detergent. Blot again with a dry clean cloth to finish up.
fake blood
If you need to clean up fake blood, scrape up any excess blood with a dull object. Then, combine a mixture of warm water with a clear liquid detergent. Avoid agitating the stain and instead carefully blot with a clean white cotton cloth. Finish up by using a clean and dry cloth to gently blot again and remove leftover blood.
This post is sponsored by Rainbow International, a Neighborly Company. They are a global franchise organization providing residential and commercial restoration and cleaning services.
Rainbow International damage restoration services deal with water, smoke, and fire damage to carpet and upholstery cleaning deodorization with more than 400 locations worldwide.
Neighborly is a community of home experts worldwide. They provide consumer assistance with nearly all aspects of their home care needs.
This post may contain some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
If you love it, pin it!
