How to Vacuum a Rug

Co-authored by Guy Peters

Last Updated: January 28, 2023 References

Vacuuming may not be fun, but it is an important task to maintain cleanliness and it has several health benefits. By sucking up dirt, dust, and other particles, you will avoid irritating anyone with allergies or asthma. Vacuuming also increases the lifespan of your rugs and carpets, which will save you time and money in the long run when you do not have to replace them.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Vacuuming a Woven Rug

1
Find the pile direction of your rug. Woven rugs can either have heavy pile, thin pile, or no pile at all - it’s just the density of the vertical fibers protruding from the rug. The direction that those fibers naturally lay is called the pile direction.^{[1]
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Research source} To determine the pile direction, brush your hand along the rug. If you are brushing against the pile, you will feel resistance.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.}
- Always dust or brush woven rugs in the direction of the pile. Stroking against the pile can cause softer wools to break.^{[3]
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  Research source}
2
Vacuum perpendicularly to the pile direction. If you vacuum with the pile direction, the fibers will cover and protect the dirt you are trying to remove. If you vacuum against the pile direction, this can provide unnecessary wear on the rug and can cause shedding and damage.^{[4]
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3
Avoid vacuuming the fringe. While vacuuming along the edges, use a hand or foot to hold down the fringe. Vacuuming the fringe can cause damage to both the vacuum and the rug.^{[5]
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Research source} Vacuums without beater bars are best for this task because the fringe cannot get tangled inside the vacuum.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Vacuuming a Tufted Rug

1
Check the underside for peeling. Tufted rugs are held together by a layer of latex glue that secures the tufts and prevents them from falling out. If your rug is particularly old, this layer of glue will show signs of cracking and crumbling, meaning that the tufts are no longer secure. If you notice patches on the underside of your rug that are missing glue, be extra careful when cleaning that portion of the rug. Being too aggressive will lead to fibers falling out and the creation of bare patches.^{[7]
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2
Find the pile direction of your rug. All tufted rugs have a pile, it’s just the density of the vertical fibers protruding from the rug. They will also have a pile direction, which is the direction that the fibers naturally lay.^{[8]
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Research source} To determine the pile direction, brush your hand along the rug. The rug will appear darker and you will feel resistance when you brush against the pile.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.}
- If your carpet is rectangular, the pile direction will be going lengthwise.
- Regular traffic across a rug can change the pile direction in certain places. Rotate your rugs regularly so the pile stays uniform across the whole rug.
3
Vacuum perpendicularly to the pile direction. If you vacuum with the pile direction, the fibers will cover and protect the dirt you are trying to remove. If you vacuum against the pile direction, this can provide unnecessary wear on the rug and accidentally remove tufts from it.^{[10]
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Research source}
- For best results, use a canister vacuum without a beater bar or a similar vacuum that only uses suction.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Vacuuming a Flat Weave Rug

1
Vacuum frequently. Flat weave rugs have no pile and are made from durable materials. Due to their thin but sturdy nature, they will appear dirty more often than other rugs because there is less room for dust and dirt to hide. Although excessive vacuuming can sometimes cause the rug to shed, the durable materials can endure quite a lot before this occurs.
2
Be careful with the fringe. If vacuumed up, the fringe can wrap around the beater bar and cause damage to both the vacuum and the rug.^{[11]
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Research source} For this reason, either temporarily turn off the beater bar when vacuuming the edges, or use a canister vacuum that relies only on suction. If you only have access to a beater bar vacuum, manually hold down the fringe as you vacuum past it.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 12 July 2021.}
3
Vacuum both sides. Flat weave rugs are reversible and both sides are susceptible to becoming dirty. By vacuuming both sides you are removing grit that may wear your rug out early.^{[13]
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Research source} Flip these rugs occasionally to distribute wear evenly to both sides. This will increase their lifespan and decrease shedding.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Vacuuming a Shag Rug

1
Flip the rug and vacuum the underside. By doing this first, you will be able to dislodge dirt and dust that is clinging deep within the rug.^{[14]
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Research source} This should be done using a vacuum with a beater bar. Stand on top of the rug and use your feet to prevent the edges from flipping up as you vacuum along them.
- Alternatively, you and a friend can flip the shag rug upside down and shake it vigorously to shake off dirt and dust. Shag rugs are abnormally heavy, however, so this will be difficult for you to do alone.
2
Vacuum the floor underneath the rug. Roll the shag rug up and set it aside for a moment. There should be dirt and dust on the floor that you dislodged earlier. Vacuum these up then place your rug back where it was, this time face up.^{[15]
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3
Vacuum the topside with light suction. Unlike the underside, vacuums with beater bars are not recommended for use on the topside, as the long fibers will wrap around them and cause damage to the vacuum. Using a vacuum with high suction can also cause damage by pulling the tufts out of the carpet. Instead, use a smaller vacuum with low suction or use the crevice tool to gently clean the topside.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can a vacuum ruin a rug?

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Guy Peters is the Owner of MOP STARS Cleaning Service, a complete house cleaning service for residential and commercial clients, based in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2014, MOP STARS provides regular, move in/out, deep, and commercial cleaning services. Guy has a BA in Finance from the California State University - Sacramento and an MBA from Cornell University.

Guy Peters

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

Yes! Avoid using beater bars (also called brush rolls) when vacuuming. They can work great in some situations, but most area rugs are too fragile for modern beater bars. This is especially true of rugs with frilled edges.
Question

Is there a correct way to vacuum?

Guy Peters
House Cleaning Professional
Guy Peters is the Owner of MOP STARS Cleaning Service, a complete house cleaning service for residential and commercial clients, based in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2014, MOP STARS provides regular, move in/out, deep, and commercial cleaning services. Guy has a BA in Finance from the California State University - Sacramento and an MBA from Cornell University.

Guy Peters

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

Instead of too many back and forth movements, vacuum in the direction of the pile. In other words, you should vacuum in the same direction that the fibers naturally lay.

Warnings

Do not vacuum fur, sheepskin, or hair-on-hide rugs. These require alternate special attention to care for the fur.^{[18]
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