Fortunately, most outdoor rugs are made from tightly woven polypropylene or other synthetic fibers that do not absorb water. Not only does this help them withstand spring showers, it also makes them remarkably easy to clean (as we'll see later.)
If your rug is outside in rain or heavy dew, make sure to flip it so it can dry both front and back. When the outdoor entertaining season is through, make sure your rug is dry. Then roll it up and store in a covered area to avoid fading.
Maintaining Your Outdoor Area Rug
Any time you see severe rain coming, roll up the area rug and store it in a dry place, such as the garage. Adding a gazebo or pergola over your outdoor space will help protect your area rug from the elements.
You can put an outdoor rug on a concrete patio without damaging either the rug or the concrete, provided you seal the concrete first and fix the rug down with flooring tape or adhesive. Patio rugs are usually made of polypropylene so are water, mold, mildew, and UV resistant.
Depending on the rug size, it will take anywhere from 2-10 hours for a rug to completely dry. Well, how fast the outdoor rugs dry will depend upon the material type and weather conditions outside.
Although outdoor rugs are typically mold and mildew resistant, the dirt and moisture that accumulates on them is where these pesky fungi can grow. When cleaning an outdoor rug with mildew, dirt, stains and general grime, some common household items that people reach for include dish soap, white vinegar and baking soda.
Most outdoor rugs made of synthetic fibers or polypropylene are perfect for outdoor conditions and will keep your deck in good shape. However, using other outdoor carpet materials can gradually damage your deck and patio. The bottom line is: always go for the best outdoor rugs for wood decks.
Is A Polypropylene Rug Waterproof? Polypropylene rugs are known to be water-resistant, but not completely waterproof. The best way to maintain your rug is by using mats and runners in areas with a lot of moisture around the home! So, Always place your polypropylene rug in a dry area!
Placing just any outdoor rug material may end up damaging your wood deck in several ways. It can stain, rot, cause mold or mildew growth and scratches to your wood deck which is costly to replace. Which means you must be careful when shopping for outdoor rugs especially when you are looking to decorate the space.
How to clean outdoor rugs: Unless the outdoor rug is resin/polyester woven, you most likely will battle green mildew, dirt, or weather stains on your outdoor rugs since they aren't as water resistant. It's actually pretty easy to clean your rugs, but it does take a little muscle work to scrub them!
Polypropylene rugs (also known as olefin rugs) have a natural-fiber appearance, but unlike most natural fibers, they are able to absorb water. This makes them well-suited for the outdoors and areas like the bathroom or basement; polypropylene rugs will not grow mold or mildew when exposed to water.
However, if we're talking about a polypropylene rug that's made from synthetic fibers, then that is a different story. You see, synthetic fibers are susceptible to heat and will absorb it. So the answer is yes—these rugs can get hot in the sun!
All Over Clean
The beautiful thing about polypropylene rugs is that when it's time to give them an all-over clean, all you need is a hose, a brush, and some dish soap. Simply take your rug out to your back patio or another paved area and hose it down with water.
The best way to prevent mold from developing on an outdoor rug is to keep the rug dry. If possible, dry outdoor rugs after rainfall by moving them into the sunlight or placing them over a deck railing. Flip the rug to expose both the surface and the underside to the sun.
How to Clean Mildew & Mold off an Outdoor Rug. Go straight to your kitchen cupboard for the white vinegar, and pour it full-strength onto the mildewy or moldy rug. Let it sit for about an hour. Then, add about a cup of vinegar to a bucket of warm water, and use a scrub or deck brush to brush the carpet clean.
This is because wet environments create the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. You'll know your outdoor rugs have mold growing on them if you see circular stains of brown, green, or black within the fibers, or if you detect a pungent, musty smell.
Unattended wet carpet is prone to mold and mildew. When you leave moisture sitting in a warm, dark place, these toxins will invade your home – and once moisture and mold permeate a carpet pad, it's impossible to eradicate. Mold is incredibly toxic to humans and pets.
Carpet can't stay wet for longer than 72 hours or mold will start to grow, at that point the padding will need to be replaced and the carpet will need to be treated with a microbial agent.
Despite the heat of the warmer months, your carpet will actually dry faster in the colder temperatures. When the air is cold and dry outside, the warmed air inside your home will absorb moisture at a faster rate.
Polypropylene is one of the more durable synthetic rug fibers. It can be washed in the machine or hand-washed outside with a garden hose and a mild dish detergent. As with other synthetic rugs, do not toss in the dryer.
Using an outdoor rug on a paver surface will not damage the surface of the paver nor will it damage the rug. If the paver has a lot of cracks, though, and you have a heavier rug (like one made with coconut fiber), that could cause damage to the paver.
One major drawback of outdoor rugs, however, is the price tag that often comes along with them. Outdoor rugs are made of high-quality materials that are manufactured to withstand all weather conditions, rain or shine, a factor that contributes to the final cost.
Q: What type of carpet can be used outside? Rugs made from both natural and synthetic fibers can be used outdoors. Bamboo, sisal, hemp, jute, polypropylene, nylon, and polyester rank among the most popular materials. Wool rugs don't work outdoors.
Machine made wool rugs and machine made rugs using man made materials such as polyester, acrylic, & polypropylene can often be reliable, non-shedding and cost effective choices, although these too can be susceptible to shedding.