How to Clean & Maintain Natural Jute Rugs

A beautiful timeless rug has the potential to be an investment piece that keeps on giving. Combined with some well-chosen furniture, textiles and a few treasured items, it is often all that is required to set off a space. Natural floor coverings add a layer of comfort and warmth to entryways, halls and living spaces - often adding that special touch that turns a house into a home. Floor rugs are also a fantastic way to delineate areas within your home, providing a framework for how you decorate and use each room.

With all of these important functions, it is important to choose your floor covering well. And after selecting a quality piece, be sure to care for it well. The Dharma Door floor rug and jute runner collections are handmade from natural jute fibres. Each piece has been designed to last. With a little regular love, they can be enjoyed for many years to come. Here’s a few simple, affordable and common sense tips to help you on your way.

A quick, regular vacuum will help to maintain your jute floor rug

We suggest regular vacuuming of both sides of your rug to keep it fresh and free of dirt build-up. Be gentle - a suction attachment will take better care of your handmade rug or runner than a brush, as will following the binding when vacuuming and vacuuming in the same direction of the weave.

In addition to vacuuming during your regular clean, it is good to occasionally take your rug outside on a dry, warm day and shake or beat it to dislodge deeper dirt particles that your vacuum may not get to. Just as bed linen benefits from a bit of fresh air, so will these pieces, but take care to not place your rug or runner in direct contact with the sun’s rays - a shady spot on a line or railings is best.

Protect your natural floor covering from direct sunlight

The Dharma Door works with our not for profit NGO partners to source the highest grade of jute fibres available. That’s because better quality fibres are naturally more blonde in appearance - a tone that works best in light, neutral spaces; alongside a wide array of other colours; or as part of a combination of natural and earthy tones.

Strong sunlight will darken the fibres, making them darker or more orange in appearance. To preserve the beautiful tone of these fibres, it is important to protect them from direct rays wherever possible. Observe how the light shifts in your space and give some thought to how your floor rugs and runners are positioned. You may need to nudge them slightly away from the window at various times of the year or filter light during the height of summer using your window coverings.

How to spot clean your jute floor rug and keep it free from stains

Be sure to tend to your rug as soon as the spill takes place. Using a kitchen paper, absorbent cloth or towel, press firmly on the spot until the spill has seeped through, thereby drawing the moisture out of the rug. Rubbing may spread the stain or loosen the jute fibres, so simply applying pressure using this technique is best.

For red wine stains, dab with a white cloth dampened with soda to neutralise the spill and remove any possibility of a stain. After you’ve tackled the stain, let it dry. If this does not work, try a second time with a mild soap-dampened cloth. Dry immediately with a hairdryer as it is best to not leave your jute rug wet or damp.

For oil-based or coloured spills, please consult a specialist rug cleaning professional. You may also like to use a protection treatment prior to using your rug. We recommend MicroSeal who offer an in-house service in addition to a DIY Protection and Cleaning Kit that is suitable for jute fibres.

Keep your floor rug smelling clean and fresh

Most floor coverings will absorb household odours over time, especially in cooler months when houses are often kept closed for long periods of time. To freshen things up, again sprinkle baking soda on your jute floor rug and runner and allow it to sit overnight to absorb any of these lingering smells. Vacuum up the baking soda the following day, before flipping the floor covering over to repeat on the other side. 

And enjoy those natural fibres and patterns

The Dharma Door floor coverings, including our round floor rugs, have been crafted using a variety of weaving techniques. The Sunda, Kasba and Bhola rugs and runners are crafted by piecing together woven shapes, so they are a vibrant yet neutral way to add layers of texture and warmth to your living spaces. Newer arrivals include the Amada Rug and Lahari Floor Runner. These pared back designs feature a more seamless, neutral design, so they will sit well in almost any style of home.