How to use your pressure washer to clean rugs

Whilst a spillage can be mopped up, and a bit of elbow grease can be effective, these will only touch the surface. Grime, dust and dirt will penetrate and accumulate, and a deeper clean is needed to effectively remove this ‘deeper dirt’.This is where the pressure washer comes into its own.It can penetrate deeply and provide a flow of clean water to ensure the cleaning is deep and thorough.This is where the pressure washer can be more thorough than a carpet cleaner. The latter will circulate a tank of water, usually with detergent in it.This water can soon become soiled, thus the cleaning capacity is reduced until the tank is emptied and refilled.

There are several key aspects to remember when using the pressure washer. Possibly the most important is that you must not use the full pressure the washer can provide.A rug can easily be damaged by such a ‘gung-ho’ approach. Remember, using a pressure washer directly and full-on can easily damage a rug.

One of the key factors of using the pressure washer is that you will need to take the rug outside to clean it. This is a difference to using the carpet cleaner. Find somewhere with a flat surface and drainage for the water to run off to. Before you start, shake the rug (if this is possible), to remove any surface dirt. The more that is shaken off at this stage, the less there is to remove with the pressure washer. You might also want to sweep the rug or use a vacuum cleaner, as this extra bit of preparation will make your job that bit easier in the long run. Finally, ensure that the rug is laid flat.

Approach the rug with the lance tip at an angle of 25-40 degrees, and at a distance from the rug; you won’t need much pressure to do a really effective job. Ideally, the nozzle head of the lance should be about a metre or so from the rug. Begin by dampening the rug, and use a wider spray tip, ideally a low-pressure one. You can use a detergent but avoid using hot water, which can cause damage.

Have a dirty sofa? then use a steam cleaner

Once the rug is wet, begin to move the lance tip methodically across the surface, from one side to the other, and slowly progressing along the length of the rug. This will ensure that dirt and the dirty water will be moved away from the cleaned area, to the edges of the rug and to the far end. You might also need to jet away any surface water or dirt that accumulates around the rug, to stop it running back and spoiling your hard work.

You also might need to change the nozzle head as the work progresses if this gets blocked for some reason, or you need a different spray pattern.

You will soon see the impact of your work as the flow of water leaving the rug becomes notably dirty and the rug gets a lighter shade.

Once the upper side has been cleaned, it makes sense to turn the rug over and pass the jet wash over the underside, just once, as you don’t need to clean the underside to the same degree as the top.

Depending on how dirty the rug is, you might need to wash it again, possibly using a more narrow nozzle. Again, be careful not to get too close to the rug, because this can cause damage.It is better to wash the rug steadily several times in order to get it fully cleaned.

Once the rug has been washed, it will now need to be dried, which is best done by hanging it up outside. Be careful though, as you could cause a crease in the rug when it is hung over a rail or similar structure. The drying job is best done in dry and ideally warm and sunny weather.It may take several hours to complete. However, you will now have a newly cleaned, almost as good as new, rug.

One of the benefits of having a pressure washer for cleaning your rugs is that if it is your own, it is easy to do repeat cleans as required, ideally whenever there is a warm, sunny day!

Want to know how to use a steam cleaner to clean upholstery? - Then read our guide