How to steam clean rugs that are over wood flooring?

15 years ago

Hi... I have a couple of large (8 x 10) rugs over my hardwood floors...I would like to steam clean my rugs with a Hoover carpet cleaner machine that i have and have used for my regular carpeting.... I am assuming that I could not do this while the rugs are on the wood flooring....wouldnt it have too much moisture? How do people deal with this? The only thing I can think of is rolling up the rugs and bringing then outside on the patio and then steam cleaning them outside and leave until they dry....what do you think and I'm sure this is a common issue but I never had wood floors before...thanks

Featured Answer

marlingardener

15 years ago

I purchased a plastic/cloth drop cloth intended for painting. I put the plastic side next to the bottom of my carpet and the cloth side next to the floor, then go ahead and steam clean. This means rolling the carpet up, putting the drop cloth down, and then unrolling the carpet, then repeating the process in reverse when the carpet is dry, but I find it is easier than dragging the carpet outside and then back inside. It also avoids the problem of passing birds and their "leavings".

Comments (7)

earthie
15 years ago
Yes, definitely do them on your patio instead. The damp rugs sitting on the hardwood after steam cleaning would not be good for the hardwood floors.

I use a steam mop to clean my hardwood floors, but the steam dries immediately, so it's not a problem. You wouldn't leave a wet bath towel laying on your hardwood floors, so it makes sense that you would not leave a damp rug lying there either.
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carol9999
Original Author
15 years ago
wow i love that idea marlingardner! I will have to try to find a cloth like you have... can i find it anywhere? thanks!!!
marlingardener
15 years ago
I am not sure, but I think we got the plastic/cloth drop cloth at Lowe's. Any paint store should have one--or any good hardware store. Glad you liked the idea and I hope it solves your problem.
carol9999
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi... marlingardener ... I couldn't find the kind of dropcloth you have, but i found a very heavy cloth painting cloth and maybe i can put a large plastic tarp over the heavy cloth tarp and then put rug over it? what do you think? also, how long to dry? i have little ones running around and can't keep them off too long...i figure i would clean rug in evening and hopefully would be dry enough to walk on in morning???? thanks
marlingardener
15 years ago
Carol,
The tarp/cloth idea will work--what you have is two pieces where I have one. Drying time is problematic--it depends on how humid the day is, if you have good air circulation (open all windows that you can and if you have a fan, that helps, too). I steam clean my rugs with a Hoover Steam Vac, which I love, and my rugs are dry in about 4 to 5 hours, even here in humid Texas. I have overhead fans and large windows, though.
Can you convince the little ones that they are following a "forest trail" and get them to walk on the hardwood around the rugs? Or install a trapeze?
sheilajoyce_gw
15 years ago
I have a 10 x 10 rug on the wood family room floor with a pad under it. I just use my carpet cleaner and then put a fan on the rug and it is dry in a couple of hours. You should not be saturating a rug all that much when you clean it.