How to Clean an Outdoor Rug in 6 Steps
Don’t shrug at your outdoor rug
- Hose
- Vacuum
- Soft bristle brush
- Small bowl
- Bucket
- Dish soap
- Baking soda or vinegar
Whether you opt for an outdoor rug with a funky pattern and bright colors or one that has a more neutral look and matches your patio furniture, it’s a great feature to spruce up your outdoor living space. Of course, it being outdoors does mean it’ll have to face the elements—and probably get a little dirty in the process. But no worries, cleaning an outdoor rug is a manageable task, and it will smell daisy fresh and look good as new when you’re finished.
Preparing to Clean an Outdoor Rug
Make sure you’ve given yourself enough space to clean your outdoor rug without impacting anything nearby. It’s also worth checking the tag on your outdoor rug for specific care instructions to ensure you don’t use any products that could harm the material. For instance, certain products may cause the fabric of your rug to become rougher or even dilute the color of the material.
Remove Debris and Dirt From The Surface
Before you get into the nitty gritty of cleaning an outdoor rug, start with the surface. First, consider asking a family member to help you shake it out by hand, or hang it over a railing and beat it with something like a broom or tennis racket to shake out some extra dirt.
After this, there will probably still be a layer of dust on the rug. Use a vacuum to clear the debris and dirt that is on the surface. Make sure you vacuum both sides to make your cleaning process as thorough as possible.
Rinse the Outdoor Rug
Photo: Borisenkov Andrei / iStock / Getty ImagesPlace your rug on an inclined surface—like a driveway or the side of your yard— and use a garden hose to rinse it off. Doing so on an inclined surface will help the water run off quickly so the rug doesn't get too damp.
Any setting on the hose’s head can do the trick, but a stream or shower function will be best to evenly rinse the entire surface.
Treat Tough Stains
Rugs, especially outdoor rugs, take a beating with all the feet trampling across and outdoor activities surrounding them. Before you clean an outdoor rug in its entirety, you should treat any tough stains that need a little more care.
Baking soda or vinegar mixed with a bit of warm water is great to use for a concentrated treatment if you 're trying to get stains out of a carpet.
Mix the stain remover of your choosing in a small bowl and apply it directly to any stains, then scrub it gently with a soft bristle brush.
Lather and Scrub the Rug
Now that any stains have been removed, it’s time for one of the most important steps in cleaning an outdoor rug: scrubbing.
Fill a bucket with a mix of warm water and dish soap—just a few drops of dish soap should do the trick. Dip the soft bristled brush into the diluted dish soap mixture and use it to gently scrub the outdoor rug from top to bottom, making sure not to miss any spots until the rug has been fully lathered.
Rinse the Rug Again
Like in the previous rinse cycle, put the rug on an inclined surface and use a garden hose to rinse out all the suds. It may take a few rounds of rinsing to get all the soap cleared off, just make sure the water is running clear before you move onto the next step.
Let It Dry
Photo: John Elk III / The Image Bank / Getty ImagesTo avoid mildew and having to get mold out of the rug, it’s important to let the rug dry completely after it's clean.
Let the rug air dry in a sunny place while lying flat. If you dry it on an incline, it could warp the outdoor rug’s shape.
Once the top side of the rug is dry, flip it over so the back can dry in the same place. Should you run into some inclement weather—say it starts raining while your outdoor rug is drying—you can opt to let the rug dry indoors on a flat surface. If this happens, turning on fans near the outdoor rug to promote air circulation will help the drying process.
Before returning the outdoor rug to where it came from or putting it in storage, check that it has fully dried so it doesn’t become a host for mold and mildew.
Depending on the size of the outdoor rug, it can take anywhere from two to 10 hours for it to completely dry.
DIY Cleaning an Outdoor Rug vs. Hiring a Pro
In comparison to cleaning indoor carpeting, which would require you to know how to use a carpet cleaner, cleaning an outdoor rug yourself is a breeze. All you need is a few basic tools and about an hour of your time.
Of course, sometimes it’s nice to have a professional give you a hand. But in this case, the cost to clean an outdoor rug professionally might not be worth the extra change.
If you’re curious about the options, you can always check out rug cleaning services near you to see if there’s an option that suits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
While you can use a pressure washer to clean an outdoor rug, it is not necessary as a garden hose can easily do the job. If you do opt to use a pressure washer to clean an outdoor rug, keep it on the lowest pressure setting and adhere to all safety precautions. If you set the pressure washer on too high of a setting, you could run the risk of damaging the fibers and decreasing the longevity of an outdoor rug.
Yes, both mold and mildew can grow under outdoor rugs if they are exposed to water or humidity for a prolonged period of time. This is why frequently cleaning an outdoor rug and checking its state is important.
Hydrogen peroxide can be an effective stain remover for outdoor rugs. However, it is not recommended to use for cleaning the entire surface of the rug as it is a very strong substance. If you’re battling tough stains on an outdoor rug, you can use hydrogen peroxide diluted with some water and dish soap to treat the stained area directly.
