Terms of UseHow to Wash Bathroom Rugs Explore this Article methods 1 Using a Washing Machine 2 Washing by Hand Other Sections Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Last Updated: January 2, 2026
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This article was co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH. Michelle Driscoll is a professional cleaner based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With over 7 years of experience, Michelle is the founder of Mulberry Maids, specializing in cleaning homes and small offices. Mulberry Maids services Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins and Loveland, and offers a variety of services, including commercial cleaning, move-in and move-out cleaning, and regular home cleaning. Michelle holds a Master's in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. This article has been viewed 12,072 times.
In most homes, you'll find bathroom rugs positioned right outside of the bathtub or shower. Although they're definitely life-savers that can prevent you from getting the floor wet and slipping, they're also easy to forget about. If you think you're overdue to wash your bathroom rugs, toss them in the washing machine or wash them by hand—either way, you should make an effort to clean them every now and then to keep them in top shape!
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Using a Washing Machine
1 Check your rug's care tags for washing instructions. Before you do anything, check the cleaning recommendations. Take note of any cleaning products or washer and dryer settings that you need to avoid.[1]XResearch source
Rug care tags are usually attached to the underside of the rug. If you can't find the tags, they've probably been removed.
If you have multiple different rugs, write down the tag information for each so you don't mix them up!
2 Shake your rugs off outside to get rid of dirt. Hold them vertically by the top 2 corners and shake them up and down. This will get rid of lots of dust, dander, and dirt before you get to the real cleaning.[2]XResearch source
Keep shaking each rug until you don't notice anything visible flying off.
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3 Wipe down rubber or plastic backing with a dry microfiber cloth. If your rugs have rubber backing, give them a good wipe. Don't worry about using water or cleaning solution—a dry clean is good enough so long as you make sure to get the entire surface.[3]XResearch source
Always use a microfiber cloth—its microfibers attach themselves to even the most microscopic dirt particles.
4 Add oxygenated bleach, laundry detergent, and borax to your load. Start by throwing 1 oxygenated bleach pod into your washing machine. Afterward, add your laundry detergent (follow the manufacturer's recommendations) and pour in 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of borax to kill mildew and mold spores.[4]XResearch source
Don't use bleach or vinegar as they can break down rubber backing and damage carpet fibers.
If you're trying to remove stains from your carpet, just add the laundry soap for now and skip the rest.
5 Set your washer temperature to cold. Cold water is always recommended as hot water tends to loosen the cloth that holds the carpet fibers to the rubber backing. Eventually, these carpets will fall apart as the adhesive is destroyed.[5]XResearch source
Double-check your carpet manufacturer's recommendations for water temperature.
If your carpet doesn't have rubber backing, warm water is fine.
6 Wash 1 to 3 carpets at a time on the gentle setting. When you're ready, add your carpets into the washing machine, turn it on, and wait. If you're treating your carpets for stains, add your 1 pod of oxygenated bleach and pour 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of borax into the machine after letting it fill up with water.[6]XResearch source
If you have a front-loading washing machine, add your bleach and borax into the machine with the carpets.
7 Air-dry your carpets in the sun whenever possible. If the weather is warm, place your carpets outside somewhere clean and in the sunlight. This will help sanitize them in addition to drying them. Once they're completely dry, take them inside.[7]XResearch source
If you can't air-dry your carpets, use a dryer.
8 Put your carpets in the dryer for 20 minutes on tumble dry if you can't air-dry. Using heat can damage the rubber backing and carpet fibers. If you want to use heat, put it on low. Once the carpets are dry, remove them immediately so they don't wrinkle as they wait in the dryer.[8]XResearch source
Dry your carpets for another 10 to 20 minutes if they're still wet.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:
Washing by Hand
1 Check the care tags for specific washing instructions. Take note of anything that you're not supposed to use. If you're going to clean more than one carpet, be sure to write down the cleaning instructions for each so you don't forget.[9]XResearch source
Unless they've been removed, you can find rug care tags on the underside of your rug.
Ignore dryer settings.
2 Shake your rugs off outside to remove dirt. Start by holding them vertically by the top 2 corners. Now, shake them up and down vigorously to remove dander, dirt, and dust.[10]XResearch source
Continue shaking your rugs until you can't see dirt coming off.
3 Vacuum the rugs to remove any loose dirt particles. Vacuum across the front and back surfaces thoroughly. Afterward, give it another shake until you don't see any dust, dirt, or dander coming off.[11]XResearch source
When cleaning the front of the rug, take care to avoid any delicate tassels, which are the ball-shaped ornaments of entangled threads.
4 Mix together a warm water and detergent solution and dab your carpet with it. Pour your warm water and detergent into a bowl at a 1:1 ratio. Now, dip a colorfast cloth into the mixture and start dabbing the rug to loosen dirt. Continue dabbing the rag across the entire surface until you've covered everything.
Repeat this process for the back of the rug.
5 Scrub the stained areas with a toothbrush or stiff-bristled brush. After dabbing the entire surface of your rug, use a toothbrush or stiff-bristled brush to scrub the solution into the rug fibers of the stained areas. Press the brush down firmly as you scrub each area and move it in a clockwise circular motion.[12]XResearch source
Repeat the scrubbing process for the back of the rug.
6 Air-dry your carpets or run them through a dryer. If it's warm outside, place your carpets out in the sunlight until they're completely dry. Although air-drying is ideal, you can also place your carpets in the dryer on tumble dry for about 20 minutes. Just be sure to remove them immediately when they're done so they don't wrinkle.[13]XResearch source
Dry your carpets for an additional 10 to 20 minutes if they're still wet after the initial dry.
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Tips
Hang your bath rug up to dry after you use it so it doesn’t develop mold and mildew. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Things You'll Need
Using a Washing Machine
Washing machine
Dryer
Oxygenated bleach pods
Laundry detergent
Borax
Washing by Hand
Detergent
Colorfast cloth
Bowl
Vacuum
Toothbrush or stiff-bristled brush
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Co-authored by: Michelle Driscoll, MPH Professional Cleaner This article was co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH. Michelle Driscoll is a professional cleaner based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With over 7 years of experience, Michelle is the founder of Mulberry Maids, specializing in cleaning homes and small offices. Mulberry Maids services Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins and Loveland, and offers a variety of services, including commercial cleaning, move-in and move-out cleaning, and regular home cleaning. Michelle holds a Master's in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. This article has been viewed 12,072 times. 5 votes - 100% Co-authors: 4Updated: January 2, 2026 Views: 12,072
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Co-authored by: Michelle Driscoll, MPH Professional Cleaner This article was co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH. Michelle Driscoll is a professional cleaner based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With over 7 years of experience, Michelle is the founder of Mulberry Maids, specializing in cleaning homes and small offices. Mulberry Maids services Northern Colorado, including Fort Collins and Loveland, and offers a variety of services, including commercial cleaning, move-in and move-out cleaning, and regular home cleaning. Michelle holds a Master's in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. This article has been viewed 12,072 times. 5 votes - 100% Co-authors: 4 Updated: January 2, 2026 Views: 12,072 
wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. 
589 
1 Check your rug's care tags for washing instructions. Before you do anything, check the cleaning recommendations. Take note of any cleaning products or washer and dryer settings that you need to avoid.[1] 
2 Shake your rugs off outside to get rid of dirt. Hold them vertically by the top 2 corners and shake them up and down. This will get rid of lots of dust, dander, and dirt before you get to the real cleaning.[2] 
3 Wipe down rubber or plastic backing with a dry microfiber cloth. If your rugs have rubber backing, give them a good wipe. Don't worry about using water or cleaning solution—a dry clean is good enough so long as you make sure to get the entire surface.[3] 
4 Add oxygenated bleach, laundry detergent, and borax to your load. Start by throwing 1 oxygenated bleach pod into your washing machine. Afterward, add your laundry detergent (follow the manufacturer's recommendations) and pour in 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of borax to kill mildew and mold spores.[4] 
5 Set your washer temperature to cold. Cold water is always recommended as hot water tends to loosen the cloth that holds the carpet fibers to the rubber backing. Eventually, these carpets will fall apart as the adhesive is destroyed.[5] 
6 Wash 1 to 3 carpets at a time on the gentle setting. When you're ready, add your carpets into the washing machine, turn it on, and wait. If you're treating your carpets for stains, add your 1 pod of oxygenated bleach and pour 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of borax into the machine after letting it fill up with water.[6] 
7 Air-dry your carpets in the sun whenever possible. If the weather is warm, place your carpets outside somewhere clean and in the sunlight. This will help sanitize them in addition to drying them. Once they're completely dry, take them inside.[7] 
8 Put your carpets in the dryer for 20 minutes on tumble dry if you can't air-dry. Using heat can damage the rubber backing and carpet fibers. If you want to use heat, put it on low. Once the carpets are dry, remove them immediately so they don't wrinkle as they wait in the dryer.[8] 
1 Check the care tags for specific washing instructions. Take note of anything that you're not supposed to use. If you're going to clean more than one carpet, be sure to write down the cleaning instructions for each so you don't forget.[9] 
2 Shake your rugs off outside to remove dirt. Start by holding them vertically by the top 2 corners. Now, shake them up and down vigorously to remove dander, dirt, and dust.[10] 
3 Vacuum the rugs to remove any loose dirt particles. Vacuum across the front and back surfaces thoroughly. Afterward, give it another shake until you don't see any dust, dirt, or dander coming off.[11] 
4 Mix together a warm water and detergent solution and dab your carpet with it. Pour your warm water and detergent into a bowl at a 1:1 ratio. Now, dip a colorfast cloth into the mixture and start dabbing the rug to loosen dirt. Continue dabbing the rag across the entire surface until you've covered everything. 
5 Scrub the stained areas with a toothbrush or stiff-bristled brush. After dabbing the entire surface of your rug, use a toothbrush or stiff-bristled brush to scrub the solution into the rug fibers of the stained areas. Press the brush down firmly as you scrub each area and move it in a clockwise circular motion.[12] 
6 Air-dry your carpets or run them through a dryer. If it's warm outside, place your carpets out in the sunlight until they're completely dry. Although air-drying is ideal, you can also place your carpets in the dryer on tumble dry for about 20 minutes. Just be sure to remove them immediately when they're done so they don't wrinkle.[13] 
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