Rug Cleaning Myths Busted: 8 Things You’ve Been Told That Are Dead Wrong

The internet is full of rug cleaning advice. Social media influencers sprinkle baking soda on everything. Your neighbor swears by steam cleaning. Someone on a forum told you to never clean your rug at all.

Some of this advice is harmless. Some of it will destroy your rug. After 47 years of fixing problems caused by well-intentioned bad advice, here are the eight myths we encounter most often — and the truth behind each one.

Myth #1: All Rugs Can Be Cleaned the Same Way

This is the most dangerous myth because it sounds reasonable. A rug is a rug, right?

Wrong. A hand-knotted silk Isfahan requires fundamentally different handling than a machine-made polypropylene rug. The fiber type, dye system, construction method, age, and condition all dictate the safe cleaning approach. Using the wrong method can cause color bleeding, shrinkage, fiber damage, delamination, or structural failure.

The truth: every rug needs individual assessment before cleaning. This is why pre-inspection and testing exist — and why cleaners who skip these steps are taking gambles with your rug.

Myth #2: Baking Soda Is Safe for All Rugs

Baking soda has become the internet’s universal cleaning solution. Sprinkle it on, let it sit, vacuum it up — problem solved. Except it’s not.

Baking soda is a fine, abrasive powder that embeds deep in rug fibers and is extremely difficult to vacuum out completely. What stays behind acts as a grit that wears fibers from the inside. On wool rugs, baking soda’s alkaline pH can strip lanolin. On silk rugs, it’s actively damaging to the delicate protein fibers.

The truth: baking soda has limited, careful applications for odor absorption on some rug types. As a general cleaning product, it causes more problems than it solves — especially on natural fibers.

Myth #3: Steam Cleaning Is Deep Cleaning

Steam cleaning — technically hot water extraction — is excellent for wall-to-wall carpet that’s glued to the floor. For area rugs, it’s a problem.

The high heat can cause dye bleeding, especially with natural dyes common in Oriental and Persian rugs. The moisture can cause shrinkage in wool rugs. The process doesn’t reach the rug’s foundation layer (where 75% of soil lives) and can leave excessive moisture that promotes mold growth. For hand-tufted rugs, the heat and moisture can dissolve the latex backing.

The truth: proper rug cleaning is full immersion hand washing — the entire rug is washed through, not just surface-treated. Our hand-wash process reaches every layer of the rug, something steam cleaning physically cannot do.

Myth #4: You Should Clean Rugs as Rarely as Possible

The logic: cleaning wears out rugs, so less cleaning means longer life.

The reality is exactly backwards. The grit and soil embedded in a neglected rug acts as sandpaper against the fibers every time you walk on it. Professional cleaning removes that abrasive material, dramatically reducing fiber wear. A rug that’s professionally cleaned every 12-18 months will outlast an identical rug that’s never cleaned — by decades.

The truth: regular professional cleaning extends rug life. Neglect is what shortens it.

Myth #5: Vinegar Cleans Everything

White vinegar is a useful household cleaner for some applications. But as a rug cleaner, it has significant limitations.

Vinegar is acidic (pH 2-3). While this makes it effective on some water-based stains, it can damage certain natural dyes, particularly those set with alkaline mordants. On silk rugs, vinegar can cause irreversible fiber damage. And vinegar does absolutely nothing for oil-based stains, pet urine crystals, or deeply embedded soil.

The truth: diluted vinegar can help with some fresh water-based stains on wool rugs as an emergency measure. It is not a cleaning solution and should never be used on silk, antique rugs, or as a substitute for professional cleaning.

Myth #6: Professional Cleaning Shrinks Rugs

This myth has a grain of truth — bad professional cleaning can cause shrinkage. But proper professional cleaning does not.

Shrinkage occurs when cotton foundations are exposed to excessive water temperature, inadequate extraction, or uncontrolled drying. A competent professional controls all three variables — using appropriate water temperature, thorough extraction, and flat drying in a controlled environment.

The truth: shrinkage is a sign of improper technique, not an inherent risk of professional cleaning. Choose a cleaner who hand-washes in a dedicated facility with controlled drying, and shrinkage is not a concern.

Myth #7: Sunlight Kills Bacteria in Rugs

Putting a rug in direct sunlight does kill some surface bacteria. It also causes UV damage that fades colors, degrades fibers, and can cause shrinkage from heat exposure.

The bacterial reduction from sun exposure is minimal and superficial. The UV damage is permanent. It’s a terrible trade-off.

The truth: professional cleaning eliminates bacteria thoroughly — throughout the entire rug, not just the surface — without any UV damage. If you want to sanitize your rug, have it professionally cleaned. Don’t sun-bake it.

Myth #8: New Rugs Don’t Need Cleaning

New rugs often need cleaning more than owners realize. Manufacturing residues (sizing, finishing chemicals, excess dye) can cause odors, fiber stiffness, and even skin irritation. New rug shedding — loose fiber fragments — is normal and accelerated by professional cleaning.

More importantly, new rugs benefit from an initial professional cleaning because it establishes a baseline condition record and allows for proper fiber protection treatment application on a clean surface.

The truth: a new rug cleaning within the first few months removes manufacturing residues, manages shedding, and starts the rug’s life on the best possible foundation.

Get Facts, Not Myths

We’re always happy to answer questions about rug care — even if you’re not sure whether something you’ve read is true. Call (510) 240-7360 and ask. We’d rather spend five minutes on the phone preventing a mistake than five hours fixing one.

Schedule a free pickup and let the professionals handle it right.