Vacuum a Rug

What is the best way to vacuum a rug so you don't go over the same part twice? And just how do you vacuum so you don't walk over the already vacuumed part? Vacuuming is not usually everyone's favorite chore but it needs to be done regularly and knowing how to go about it efficiently will speed things up, freeing you up sooner for more enjoyable pursuits!

Steps

Preparation

  1. Plug in the cord close to your starting point. The less area the cord needs to stretch and weave through, the better. The longer the cord gets, the greater the chances of knocking things over or getting tangled up. If you're working in a particularly large area, consider doing one half with one power socket and the other half on a socket closer to that area.
  2. Check the rug for debris. Any large pieces of debris that can be collected by hand should be, as this places less pressure on the vacuum cleaner. Pick up pieces of paper, wrappers, balls of fluff or hair, paperclips, etc., anything that you can see and collect with ease. Discard.
  3. Sweep around the rug area. If the rug is sitting on a wooden or similar floor, sweep away debris from this area before vacuuming.

Vacuuming technique

  1. Move the nozzle back and forth. Most vacuums are designed to clean best on the backstroke (when moving towards you). As such, it is best to move the nozzle back and forth, going more slowly when pulling the vacuum backwards and faster when moving forwards.
  2. Move the vacuum straight forward about 4-7 feet (1-2 meters). Then slowly retrace your path back to the original starting point.
  3. Before starting the second stroke, angle the vacuum a couple inches (5cm) to the right to create a second path about 4-7ft (1-2 meters) long parallel to the first.
  4. Work your way across the room until you reach the opposite wall. Then, step backwards 4-7 feet (1-2 meters) so your new path finishes where your previous path started.
  5. Try to set up your paths so you are standing on the un-vacuumed section. This will ensure that you don't create footprints on the pattern created by the vacuum.
  6. Move farther back and back so that by the end, you're at the door.
  7. If the carpet is heavily soiled or sits in a high traffic area, repeat the process working at a 90 degree angle. Or, if you originally worked east to west, now work north to south. This works the carpet fibers from the most directions working out dirt and dust from the lowest levels.

Tips

  • Go slowly as you pull vacuum towards you, because this is the cleaning part of the stroke. Slower movement gives the vacuum time to do the work of sucking dirt from lowest levels.
  • Inspect the bottom of the unit and roller brush for over-sized debris that may be lodged and impeding airflow and suction. Hopefully you've already picked this up before vacuuming but if not, and the air flow seems poor, check for debris.
  • Check to ensure that the bag or drum is not full; fullness greatly reduces air flow or sucking power.

Warnings

  • Always unplug the vacuum when inspecting the bag, drum or underside of the unit.
  • Never use vacuum on liquids unless unit is specifically a wet/dry or shop vac unit. If it's not designed to collect liquids, trying to do so can short circuit and destroy the vacuum cleaner.

Things You'll Need

  • A vacuum cleaner
  • A rug

Related Articles

  • Clean a Carpet Without a Vacuum
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