How To Clean Glued Down Outdoor Carpet: The Cheap and Easy Fix
If you have a glued-down outdoor carpet, then the chances are that it is quite dirty. After all, when it comes to outdoor carpets, there’s a lot of footstep traffic. This can cause the outdoor carpet to become dirty and lose its original color as well.
Apart from that, if there are stains and spill marks on the glued-down carpet, then also you need to start cleaning them.
So, if you want your outdoor carpet to look as good as new, you need to start cleaning it whenever it looks dirty. Thankfully, we have covered everything that you need to know when it comes to cleaning your glued-down outdoor carpet.
Let’s get into it!
How To Clean Glued Down Outdoor Carpet?
If you’re planning to clean a glued-down outdoor carpet, there are certain things you need and certain steps to follow. These will help you achieve the best results.
In this method, you’ll make use of basic cleaning equipment, detergent, and shampoo to achieve the desired results.
What You Need:
- Broom
- Vacuum (preferably HEPA vacuums)
- Pre-spray
- Powder detergent
- Shampoo
- Carpet brush
Steps to Follow:
Once you have the required materials, you can start with the cleaning process of the outdoor carpet.
Step 1: Start By Sweeping The Carpet
Before you begin cleaning the carpet, it is essential that you sweep it in long strokes. This will help in cleaning and removing any huge debris or other waste items, like pet hair, and dust. Then, keep the dust all on one side for easy cleaning and vacuuming.
Step 2: Vacuum the Carpet Properly
After sweeping the carpet, you need to vacuum it. This will help in removing any loose dirt, debris, and dust from the carpet that has accumulated over time. Moreover, vacuuming the carpet can remove any dirt that can cause mold and mildew formation as well.
The best type of vacuum that you can choose for this task is a HEPA vacuum. Now, what exactly is a HEPA vacuum? Basically, this type of vacuum can help in removing extremely minute dust particles, pet danders, pollens, smoke, and mites.
Thus, this will help in keeping the outdoor area clean and also reduce any allergic reactions that you may have.
When you’re vacuuming the carpet, make sure that you cover each and every inch of the carpet. If there are any chairs or other things above the carpet, don’t forget to vacuum the areas below them too.
Step 3: Making Use of Pre-Spray
Using pre-spray is an extremely important step if you want to clean the stains from your outdoor carpet. It is because this spray helps in loosening and breaking any stains or greasy substances present inside the carpet.
This will help in cleaning the carpet easily and quickly. Hence, you won’t have to wait for too long for the stains to come off the carpet.
For this step, you can make use of a handheld carpet brush and apply pre-spray on the carpet.
Step 4: Make Use of Detergent and Shampoo
After using pre-spray, you need to make use of detergent and shampoo to clean the stains and debris from the carpet.
So, first take a detergent, either liquid or powder detergent, and apply it on your outdoor carpet. Make sure that you cover every area of the glued-down outdoor carpet.
Once you have applied the detergent, you need to apply shampoo on the carpet. Keep in mind that you go for a shampoo around 7 pH. It is because if you go for too acidic or too basic shampoo, it may ruin the material and texture of your outdoor carpet.
On the other hand, a neutral shampoo can help in cleaning the stains without damaging your carpet.
Step 5: Wash the Carpet and Let It Dry
The last step is to wash the carpet. As it is a glued-down carpet, you can make use of a hose and wash the carpet. Then, let it dry under sunlight. Once it is done, you will surely see that the results are miraculous!
Tips and Recommendations For Keeping Outdoor Carpet Clean
There are certain tips and recommendations that you can follow if you wish to keep your outdoor carpet clean.
Tip 1: Immediately Clean The Oil Stains
One of the best ways you can keep your outdoor carpet clean is by cleaning any oil stains or greasy stains quickly. So, whenever you deep clean your carpet, it won’t take you a lot of time to get the stains off.
Let’s see how you can clean the oil stains from a carpet.
First, get a sponge and apply some liquid or dish detergent to it. Then, start scrubbing the area where you see the oil stains. Keep scrubbing until you see some lather. Once you are done, clean the lather with water and check if the stain is completely gone.
A dish detergent works quite well as it can break the oil stain and remove it from the carpet. If not dish detergent, you can try removing the stain with the help of baking soda too.
Tip 2: Take Care of The Carpet’s Material
Before you clean, it is essential to take note of the carpet’s material. This will help in determining which cleaning method you should prefer and what things to avoid.
For instance, when it comes to outdoor carpets – acrylic, bamboo, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and sisal are some of the common materials. These types of materials are quite coarse and durable.
Now, these materials can be categorized into synthetic and natural materials. Synthetic materials can handle moisture whereas natural materials may not be able to handle moisture. Hence, it is better to keep natural material carpets away from moisture.
Tip 3: Consider The Carpet’s Location
If you want to keep your carpet clean and durable, then consider its location. Some carpets are well-suited for high-traffic areas whereas some are better for low-traffic areas.
For example, if we talk about polypropylene carpets, then these are better for low-traffic areas. It is because they may stretch and get dirty if there are too many footprints on them. On the other hand, Sisal carpets are excellent for high-traffic areas. So, they can bear many footsteps and dirt as well.
Keep in mind that since your carpet is glued down, you may have to get it removed and move it accordingly. This can get quite time-consuming.
Tip 4: Check The Weather On The Cleaning Day
Whenever you decide to clean, make sure that you check the weather on that day. Preferably, it is always a good idea to clean on sunny days, especially if it a glued-down outdoor carpet.
On sunny days, your carpet will become dry easily. Thus, reducing the risk of mold or mildew growth.
Contrarily, if you clean your outdoor carpet on windy, humid, or rainy days, it will take a lot of time for it to become dry. This can definitely increase the risk of mold and mildew.
Tip 5: Make Sure You’re Regular With Cleaning
It is essential to stay consistent and regular when it comes to cleaning your outdoor carpet.
You should make sure that you vacuum your outdoor carpet regularly. This can help in removing any dust and debris. Along with that, you should also clean any stains or spots that you see on a daily basis.
When it comes to deep cleaning, it is suggested that you deep clean your outdoor carpet once a year at least. If it is in a high-traffic area, then you can deep clean it twice a month as well. Just make sure that you give it regular cleaning, vacuuming as well.
Tip 6: Use A Powder Detergent Instead of A Liquid Detergent
If you are planning to use detergent while cleaning your carpet, then it is best to go for a powder detergent.
Here’s why: Powder detergent has more power compared to liquid detergent. Hence, it can help in removing stubborn stains. Moreover, this type of detergent is known to be better for removing mud and dirt too!
So, with the help of the above tips, you can easily keep your outdoor carpet clean.
How Do You Keep Outdoor Rugs From Mildewing?
You may think that your outdoor rug is mold and mildew-resistant. However, keep in mind that it is only true to a certain extent.
The fabric of the outdoor rugs may trap moisture. Along with that, the rugs may also have dirt, dust, and debris. This could definitely lead to mold and mildew formation on your rugs.
So, in order to avoid this from happening, consider following the below tips:
Tip 1: Store The Rug When Not In Use
During the cold months of winter, the snow may accumulate on the rugs. Hence, your outdoor rug may accumulate moisture through the snow and develop mildew. So, to avoid this, make sure that you store the outdoor rug during the winter season.
What you can do is roll the rug and keep it in your storehouse or any other free storage space. If you don’t have a storage space, you can roll the rug, cover it with a plastic tarp, and store it in the patio/backyard area too.
Tip 2: Dry The Carpet Well After Washing or Cleaning It
It is necessary that your carpet gets dried fully after you have washed or cleaned it. Hence, it is always advisable to deep clean your carpets on sunny days. This way they will dry up easily.
Contrarily, don’t wash your carpets or rugs on humid or windy days. They will definitely absorb moisture and may develop mildew and mold in some time as well. So, ensure that your rug is dried well before you use it again.
Tip 3: Remove Mold and Mildew Immediately
If you see even a bit of mold and mildew growth, don’t take it lightly as it will keep on spreading. Instead, you need to remove it by following the below-mentioned steps.
- Get some vinegar from your kitchen.
- Pour the vinegar on the area where mildew or mold formation is there.
- Let the vinegar sit on the rug for about an hour or so.
- Then, take a bucket of warm water and add a cup of vinegar to it again.
- With the help of a scrub brush, scrub the area with mold and mildew gently.
- Once you are done brushing, you can wash it off with the warm water and vinegar solution in the bucket.
Tip 4: Vacuum Your Rug or Carpet Regularly
Lastly, did you know that even vacuuming your rug or carpet regularly can limit mold or mildew formation? It is because when the rug traps moisture and dirt, the mold and mildew start growing.
However, if you vacuum your rug regularly, then it can help in removing small dirt and dust particles. Thus, in the long run, it can definitely help in restricting the growth of mildew on your rug or carpet.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that for preventing mildew formation, it is better to go for a HEPA vacuum. Most professionals make use of HEPA vacuum for a variety of reasons.
First of all, it can trap both mold spores along with other allergens as well. They can also clean the carpet or rug more effectively compared to a simple vacuum. So, if you don’t mind spending extra, it is definitely a great idea to invest in a HEPA vacuum over a simple one.
Hence, by following the above four tips, you can prevent excessive mold or mildew formation of your outdoor rug.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, cleaning an outdoor glued-down carpet may sound like a tough task. But, with the perfect equipment and technique, you can keep your carpet spotlessly clean!
Along with that, you can also take some extra caution to keep your outdoor carpet fresh, clean, and mildew-free. So, consider following our cleaning tips and you won’t have to worry about a dirty outdoor carpet!
