How To Clean A Shag Rug

We all love the feel of a shag rug with its long cozy fibers under our feet. But due to its shaggy nature, the rugs gather a lot of dirt and grime. How do you clean a shag rug? Should you clean it at home or call a professional carpet cleaning service? In this article we will go over the ways you can clean a shag rug so you can enjoy their cozy feelings without wondering what’s really living in it!

What are Shag Rugs?

Shag rugs are characterized by their long, luxurious piles, creating a distinctive and fluffy appearance. They are made from various fibers, but mostly wooly and polyester (learn how to read your shag rug’s tag to find out the material). Shag rugs also come in various styles depending on where they were made and if they were made by hand or a machine. 

Types of Shag Rugs

Greek Flokati

Another popular type of shag rug is the Greek flokati rug. These rugs are made from 100% natural wool fibers and are very durable because they do not shed like other types of natural wool rugs when they are vacuumed. 

Wool Shag Rug

Woolen shag rugs are often made from wool and have a thick pile that makes them soft to the touch. Wool shag rugs can come in a variety of styles from long wool and short wool shags, with different pile types. Some types of wool piles are like thick cylinders, so you have many types to choose from!

Synthetic Shag Rugs

These are the ubiquitous rugs you see in many homes today. They are much cheaper and can be bought at big box stores across the country. Despite their price, they are very comfortable and warm and actually easy to clean as they are usually made from polyester. 

How Often to Clean a Shag Rug

The frequency of cleaning a shag rug depends on various factors such as foot traffic and pets. If the rug is placed under the couch, we recommend having a shag rug deep cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning service at least once every 6 months for them to look new for longer. For low traffic areas, you can get away with once every two years. Due to the nature of shag rugs holding on to a lot of dirt, it’s important to clean them on a regular basis. If left unattended stains and even dark spots from worn areas will become permanent. For high traffic areas or households with pets, it may be necessary to vacuum the rug more frequently, such as every other day. 

How to Clean a Shag Rug at Home

If you want to clean and maintain your shag rugs at home as best you can, explore some of these best carpet cleaning methods for use at home.

Beat and/or Vacuum

Shag rugs need regular vacuuming. Even if you can’t see the dust, it is tucked away deep into the fibers.  Adjust your vacuum to the highest setting and turn on the beater bar if your vacuum has one. Thoroughly vacuum the rug several times and even flip the rug over to vacuum its back as well.  Vacuuming is great for dust removal but also helps maintain the rug’s fluffiness. If you are really keen on getting as much dirt out as possible, take the rug outside and beat it with a broom handle. This is one of the best ways to get dust out of any rug. Prior to placing it back in its original position, shake out your shag rug for a refreshed appearance

Spot Clean

If a spill happens on your shag rug, depending on what was spilled and the fabric of the rug, you can do effective spot cleaning at home. For nearly any spill on a polyester shag rug, except for make-up and grease, this method will work. Yet if your rug is wool, and the spot is more than an inch or two in diameter, we recommend professional stain removal services. 

Grab a towel and blot the affected area until as much liquid is removed. Get a consumer carpet cleaning solution, like Resolve, and spray the affected area. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then blog it again with a damp towel until as much of it is removed as possible. 

Steam Clean

If you have a consumer-grade carpet cleaner, then this is a great tool to use to spot clean your shag rug. Shag rugs are difficult to clean with consumer-grade carpet cleaners as they are so fluffy and absorbent that it is hard for the machine to remove the water it injected into the fibers. Yet for small areas, with not particularly thick shag rugs, these tools are great. 

Spray with a carpet stain remover, let sit, then steam clean. If you are trying to remove months of dirt accumulation or large stains, call a professional area rug shampooer as your machine won’t have enough power to effectively clean your shag rug. 

Bathtub Cleaning

As a last resort and for the adventurous, you can attempt to clean your rug in a bathtub. Fill the tub with warm water and add a cup of regular laundry detergent. Poke and prod the rug in the tub with a broom handle to agitate the fibers and dislodge any embedded dirt. You can even take a handheld brush and scrub the fibers of the shag rug to dislodge even more dirt. Drain and repeat until the water looks relatively clear. Dry the rug outside in strong sun for at least 6 hours. 

You can only attempt this method on a very sunny day as if the rug fails to dry, it will most likely begin to grow mold. Then it may be beyond repair. If you are looking for a deep clean for your shag, it's best to call a professional carpet cleaner. 

Professional Cleaning

If you want to get a truly deep cleaning for your shag rug, call a professional area rug cleaner. Professionals will clean your shag rug in two ways.

Hot Water Extraction

Professionals will use industrial equipment which injects hot,  high-pressure water into your carpet and remove it with a high-suction wet-vacuum. This method essentially rinses and deep cleans the fibers of your shag rug and is generally performed as an in-home service. Coupled with brush agitation and industrial cleaning chemicals, hot-water extraction is a powerful method to deep clean shag rugs right in your home. 

Facility Cleaning

The absolutely best way to have your shag rugs cleaned is have them taken away for facility cleaning. In the facility, the rug is professionally cleaned from top to bottom, meaning that the backing of your rug is cleaned as well. It is initially run through an industrial beater and duster that removes an incredible amount of dry soil. It is then submerged in a shallow pool, drenched in carpet shampoo, and deeply cleaned by hand either with a hand brush or a rotary machine using soft bristles. Once supremely cloned, it is rinsed, hung dry, and brushed out. Facility cleans produce incredible results and should be purchased if you want the best results. 

Hire a Professional

Does your shag rug have dark patches? Are there more than just little stains on your shag rug? Have you not cleaned your shag rug in over a year? If this is the case, it's best to call a professional shag rug cleaning service to deep clean your shaggy rug. We offer both in-home and facility cleaning for your shag rug. Call today or get a quote online!