Shaggy rugs are lux for the toes and make a room look warm and welcoming. Fluffy rugs can be so soft you’d be happy to plop yourself down in the middle and lie down. Unfortunately, with walking on the rug, pets lying on it, and even furniture sitting on top, the rug can have a flattened appearance and feel.
The end result can leave the rug pile lackluster, flat, and uneven. This is not the aesthetic you were hoping for when purchasing the rug. So, we’ve collated the best ways to revive your rug and make it fluffy and inviting again. Keep reading to learn how to fix a flattened rug.
Rugs can go from luxurious to tacky quickly once they lose their fluff and softness. However, there are plenty of methods to try to revive your rug. First, vacuum the rug thoroughly.
Then, you can steam clean the rug with an iron or steam cleaner or blow dry the area. Alternatively, you can deep clean the rug to revive it using some vinegar and water or baking soda and salt.
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Best Ways to Make Your Rug Fluffy again
There are a few ways to revive a rug. You should select the method best suited to your needs and what you already have in your home. And, if one method doesn’t work, simply try another! For every method, make sure to vacuum the rug first.
Method 1: Vacuum
Before worrying too much about the fluff, you first need to clean the rug. A thick pile can hide a whole pile of dirt, dust, and debris, so vacuum the rug thoroughly.
Furthermore, the suction from the vacuum can do a good job of pulling at the fibers of the rug, fluffing them a little. Although vacuuming will not be enough to rejuvenate the rug fully, it’s a good start.
Give the rug a vigorous vacuum, to and fro, and from different angles to help the fibers stand up.
Method 2: Steam Cleaning
By steam clean, we don’t just mean with a steam cleaner; you can also use household objects like a towel and an iron to get the job done. We want to introduce moisture and heat to allow the fibers to open up, expand and fluff out.
What you’ll need:
- A large bath towel.
- Water.
- A steam iron.
If you have a large rug that needs seeing, this might be the best option. First, grab a large bath towel, wet it, and wring it out as much as possible. Then, lay the towel over the affected area of the rug.
Next, grab a steam iron and set it to medium-high heat. Systematically place the iron on the wet towel, let it heat the section for up to a minute, and then move it to the next section. The steam will heat the towel and allow hot moisture to pass through the rug’s fibers.
Once you have ironed the entire section of rug covered by the towel, move the towel to the next section and repeat. After completing each section, fluff the rug’s fibers with your fingers to help the fibers get fluffy.
Although this method is effective, it can be quite tedious if you are covering a very large area. If you don’t have the patience, or your rug is simply too large, you can use a steam cleaner. Of course, many of us don’t have these in the home, but they do come in handy. You can rent or purchase one online and steam clean the entire rug.
Steam cleaners can be pretty expensive but they are a worthwhile investment if you have a few uses for it in the home. Check out the link below if you’re interested in purchasing a steam cleaner:
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Method 3: Blowdry
A hairdryer can come in handy if you’re not covering a huge area. We essentially want to give the rug a Brazillian blowout; just like in the hairdressers, we want volume. This method works similarly to steam cleaning, but with less moisture and more movement from the blowdryer.
What you’ll need:
- A spray bottle filled with water.
- A hairdryer.
Grab a spray bottle filled with plain water and spritz the squished fibers of the carpet. Next, set your blow dryer to high heat and blow the wet fibers of the rug from a 2-inch distance. Continue moving the blow dryer back and forth to allow the fibers to move around.
Run the fibers through your fibers every so often to help revive them. Then, continue spraying and blow drying until the whole rug looks good as new.
Method 4: Put Some Ice On It
No, this isn’t locker-room talk after the big game. Ice is a great tool to help get stubborn dents out of your rug. Don’t do this to the whole carpet; that would be a total mess. Instead, place an ice cube or two on the dents of divots in the rug and allow them to melt. Once the ice cube has melted, run your fingers through the dented patch to ruffle up the fibers. Afterward, vacuum the area.
Ice is a great way to slowly and continually introduce moisture to the affected area. As the fibers moisten and open up, more moisture is added from the melting ice, gently penetrating deeper into the fibers.
Repeat these steps if the dent remains.
Method 5: Vinegar and Water
Rugs may end up looking flat and lackluster if they’re clogged with dirt and grime. Although the rug may appear clean, the grime may have worked its way deeper into it, encouraging it to clump and flatten. If this is the case for your rug, you should deep clean it.
What you’ll need:
- An empty spray bottle.
- White vinegar.
- Water.
- Microfiber cloth vacuum.
One method of deep cleaning a rug is with vinegar and water. In a spray bottle, combine one part white distilled vinegar and three parts cold water. Shake to combine, then spray liberally onto a defined section of the affected area.
Leave the solution to soak in and get to work for 5-10 minutes, allowing the vinegar to break down the dirt and soil. Then, dab the area with a microfiber cloth, lifting up the solution and the dirt. Next, continually rinse the cloth with water, so you do not press dirt deeper into the rug.
Continue spraying and blotting until the entirety of the affected area has been cleaned. Then, leave the carpet to air dry and finish by going over the rug with a vacuum cleaner.
Method 6: Baking Soda and Salt
Baking soda is a great bacteria neutralizer and is handy for absorbing grease, moisture, and smells. The rug fibers may be moist and saturated with grease particles, making the fibers cling together and flatten. So, collect the following items to clean it:
- Baking soda.
- Table salt.
- Water.
- Nylon bristled brush.
- Towels or cloths.
- Vacuum.
First, clean the area with a vacuum. Then, liberally sprinkle the rug with a mixture of equal parts baking soda and salt. Once the rug is coated, spray some water over the area and begin brushing the solution into the fibers.
Next, grab an old towel or some microfiber cloths and blot the solution and the dirt. Once the entire rug has been cleaned, leave it to air dry. Then, vacuum-clean the rug to pull the fibers upright.
Final Thoughts
Prevention is always easier than deep cleaning, so try to make a habit of not walking on the rug with shoes on. Additionally, you should vacuum clean the rug regularly to keep it clean and to encourage fluffiness. To revive a flat rug, use either a steam cleaner, an iron or a blow dryer.
Alternatively, you can deep clean the fibers with some vinegar and water or salt and baking soda. Whichever method you chose, or if you tried multiple, I’m confident one will have worked for you. Hopefully, your rug is looking and feeling as good as new.