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Cleaning Up:  Cleaning antique rugs?  |
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Hosanna
True Blue Farmgirl
466 Posts
Hosanna
Alton
Virginia
466 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 23 2009 : 09:53:58 AM
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I have a great old fashioned hooked-type rug my mom picked up at an estate sale. It is the kind that is looped through a canvas...? it is about 3 feet by four feet. Anyway the thing really is dingy and I'd like to clean it, but am not sure how.
I know I shouldn't machine wash it. Should I soak it in the bathtub? What is a good cleaning agent for it, that doesn't damage the old fibers? It is an super shape. Ideas, or experiences, anyone?
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com |
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2009 : 3:08:06 PM
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I remember cleaning rugs with my mother as a chilld. We would drag the wool rugs out to the lawn , soap them up with a special rug soap, though I suspect any kind of soap or even shampoo would work, We scrubbed them gently with washcloths and then hosed them off and put them to dry either draped on the clothesline or the drying racks in the laundry room. You really can't hurt old wool rugs, they last forever. Good luck, and post a picture please...
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2009 : 3:32:54 PM
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I've heard and tried (successfully) that taking them out in fresh snow and whacking them/tromping on them, bottom side facing up, works. I waited for it to be a really cold, dry snow, and the rug was cleaner and undamaged. Icky snow though!
We make a difference. |
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Hosanna
True Blue Farmgirl
466 Posts
Hosanna
Alton
Virginia
466 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2009 : 1:15:10 PM
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The snow idea sounds neat; I'm sure it would work, if -IF we ever got snow here in southern Virginia. Our snow is usually an inch think and glorified slush. Too bad.
I think I'll try a nice mild soap, out on the grass, like you remembered, Karin. I'm not sure if it is wool, though. I though maybe it was cotton, but I have no clue about these things. I'll post "before" and "after" pics, IF I can figure out how to do it.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com |
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JoyIowa
True Blue Farmgirl
273 Posts
Joy
273 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2009 : 08:34:48 AM
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Wait a minute!!!!!!
The snow idea is the very best way, but remember to leave the rug out in the cold first so the rug doesn't melt the snow.
The scrubbing idea is really good too, but be sure you only scrub with the suds part of the soap. Take a whisk to a liberal amount of something like Ivory Snow or Dreft in a bucket of water and whisk up some suds. Also, dry it with a clean sheet top and bottom and put a couple of fans on it to hasten drying even if you have it outside.
quote:
Originally posted by Hosanna
The snow idea sounds neat; I'm sure it would work, if -IF we ever got snow here in southern Virginia. Our snow is usually an inch think and glorified slush. Too bad.
I think I'll try a nice mild soap, out on the grass, like you remembered, Karin. I'm not sure if it is wool, though. I though maybe it was cotton, but I have no clue about these things. I'll post "before" and "after" pics, IF I can figure out how to do it.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com
If it's not illegal, unsafe, or immoral, why not try anything once? Who knows? You may come back for a second helping! |
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Cleaning Up: Cleaning antique rugs? |
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Cleaning antique rugs?
