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[house_cat]

I have hardwood flooring throughout my home, with area rugs in the dining room, living room and bedrooms.  The rugs are two years old and in need of cleaning.  I know I can send them out, but that service sounds pricey.  Is there a way I can clean them myself without ruining the floors?

[Lilysmom]

@house_cat, I have a Hoover steam vac that I use to clean my rugs.  I always do it in the summer.  I lay down a sheet of heavy plastic outside or in the garage and clean them.

I usually leave them outside to dry in the sun or put them in the screened in porch.  I don't think I would clean them on the hardwood floors.  

I don't know if you are in a warmer climate.  I wouldn't do them in winter unless I had a place warm and dry to let them dry.  HTH.  LM

[151949]

I've never thought that getting area rugs cleaned was overly expensive. Cheaper than having wall to wall steam cleaned. If you are able to roll them up and take them to be done it is much less than if they send someone to pick them up for you.

[ALRATIBA]

I use one of those sprays --- spray it on and go over with damp sponge mop.  Let it dry and vacuum.

My area rugs are over 20 years old (no pets, no kids, only me here) ... they look fine.

[patbz]

• Depending on what your rugs are made of (mine have some poly in them), I drag them outside on my driveway or patio, wet them down with the hose, put a water solution with a bit of borax or Dawn on them, hose off and use wet vac or rug shampooer (Hoover for me) and put them over a picnic table or rail until dry--only takes a couple of hours.

[house_cat]

@Lilysmom

Drying them isn't a problem, but I live in a townhome and there is nowhere outdoors I could possibly lay them out and clean them.

@151949

We are not able to roll them and transport them ourselves, unfortunately.

@ALRATIBA

Is there a particular product you can recommend?

[house_cat]

@patbz

Mine are large, room size rugs.

[Fressa]

I use my Bissell rug cleaner on mine and they do fine. I have a variety of floor surfaces with the Royal Palace area rugs around the home. Bissell does a great job, especially since I have dogs, kids, etc.

[x Hedge]

@house_cat, I take mine outside to clean them.
Since you state your not able to roll them up or transport them outside for cleaning I would invest in a large heavy duty plastic tarp to go down on the hardwood floor underneath the rug before starting to clean.

Get the protective tarp under the rug the same way you get clean bedding under a patient who cant leave the bed.
Google ' making an occupied bed'. That's easier than me trying to explain how you get the tarp between your rugs and your hardwood floor.