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Dianae asked: How do I clean a camel hair rug? My son brought me back a lovely handmade rug (kilim) made with camel hair from Turkey. It has quite a smell, and I have been airing it out in my screen room for close to a month now. How do I clean this?
Generally, it’s not a good idea to clean camel hair rugs yourself. This is especially true for rugs of great sentimental or monetary value. If you elect to clean your own camel hair rug, follow these steps at your own risk.
You Will Need:
- Mild shampoo
- Water (garden hose works well)
- Absorbent towels
Steps to Clean the Rug:
- Choose a mild, sunny day to work outside. Find or set up something to hang the rug such as a porch railing so you can work and rinse the rug.
- Wet the rug thoroughly. Make sure it’s hanging up so the dirt rinses free.
- Camel hair is a natural fiber that is best cleaned with shampoo. Cleaning in small sections will allow you to gradually work through each area without having the soap dry on a previous section. Work mild shampoo into the pile, using your fingers carefully to avoid damaging the fibers.
- Rinse frequently by spraying with a gentle pressure from the hose as you work. Continue until the entire rug has been cleaned.
- If the rug holds a lot of water, spread it on a clean surface (an inexpensive tarp is a good solution) and press the water out. Use absorbent towels to help trap and remove the water. Do not squeeze or fold the rug.
- After removing as much of the water as possible, allow the rug to dry completely. Do not store it until it is completely dry.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If odor remains, you can try a fabric refresher or ideally, have it professionally cleaned.
- Always work gently and monitor the fibers to ensure they are not coming loose or becoming damaged by the cleaning process.
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