How to Wash a Cowhide Rug: Regular Maintenance & Stain Removal

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Remove stains, dirt, and other debris to keep your cowhide rug pristine

Co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Last Updated: March 25, 2023 Approved

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Regular Cleaning

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Liquid Stains

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Food & Grease Stains

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Expert Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Cowhide rugs are great additions to many rooms and spaces. These natural looking rugs are often quite durable and stain resistant. However, accidents happen. If your cowhide rug has a stain, don't worry. There are many methods that you can use to successfully remove a stain from your cowhide rug and keep it looking great.

Things You Should Know

Keep your cowhide rug clean with regular vacuuming, shaking, or brushing. Sun or air dry your rug if it ever gets water on it.
Blot staining liquids quickly and scrub the spot with as little shampoo and water as you can get away with. Wipe suds away with a damp cloth and air dry.
Scrape off solid matter from food or grease stains, then dab the spot in eucalyptus oil. Scrub the spot clean with a damp cloth and check for remaining stains.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Regular Cleaning

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1
Vacuum the rug. Include the rug in part of your regular cleaning routine. It's safe to vacuum your cowhide rug as you would any other rug in your home. Vacuuming the rug can help keep it clean and prevent dirt or stains from building up in the first place.^{[1]
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- You may also use the hose attachments to vacuum your cowhide rug. However, if the suction is powerful on your vacuum, then you may want to use a dust buster instead.
- Always vacuum in the direction of the hair.
- Make sure the brushes are not spinning on your vacuum.
2
Shake the rug off. It can be a good idea to take the rug outside and shake it off once in a while. Although your vacuum may get a lot of dirt and dust out of the rug, shaking it off outside can knock loose anything that might have been stuck deeper in the rug. Shaking the rug off is a simple method that you can use to keep your cowhide rug clean and lasting longer.^{[2]
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- Try to avoid beating the rug to break dirt loose.
- Shake the rug with only enough force to remove dirt.
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If your cowhide rug is on the floor, it will be subjected to gradual wear and tear over time. If you never change its position on the floor, it may wear unevenly. This can cause your rug to look off-balance or make it look more worn out than it should be. Always remember to reposition the rug to keep any wearing spread out and even.
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Brush the rug. Your cowhide rug may benefit from regular brushing to keep it clean and looking great. Brushing can be a good method of removing dirt from all areas of the cowhide rug, cleaning places that a vacuum might miss. Try to include brushing your cowhide rug in your regular cleaning routine to help keep it looking its best.^{[3]
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- You can use a brush or broom with hard plastic bristles.
- Try to brush with the direction of the hair, instead of against it.
5
Do not get your cowhide rug wet. Although you may use a slight amount of water to steam clean the cowhide rug, you should never get it wet. If your cowhide rug is ever soaked in water, it may be severely damaged. Always keep exposure to water at a minimum when cleaning your cowhide rug to help keep it in great condition.
- Sun or air dry your rug if it does get soaked in water.
- Never put your cowhide rug into a drying machine.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Liquid Stains

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1
Clean up spills quickly. If you have just spilled something on your cowhide rug, you should act quickly to clean it up. Leaving any liquid to soak into the rug will result in stains that are much more difficult to remove. Take these actions as soon as you notice a spill on your cowhide rug to help reduce the staining:
- Soak the spill up with a towel or sponge. Don t wipe the spill away, as this will only spread it.
- Try to use only a dabbing motion while absorbing the spill.
2
Scrape away dried matter. You may find that some areas of the spill have dried and left solid material behind. These can be scraped away with the blunt edge of a knife. Use the blunt edge of a knife to gently break up and remove any areas of dried material until only the stain is left.^{[4]
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- Scrape with the direction of the hair.
- Do not use the sharp edge of the knife.
- You might also try using a hard-bristled brush or spoon.
- Don't scrape or press too hard. Apply only enough pressure to remove the dried material.
3
Use shampoo and water to remove liquid stains. If there is a small stain on your cowhide rug from a spill, you can try using shampoo and water to remove it. The water and mild soapy solution will help to break up the stain and restore your cowhide.^{[5]
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- Use a damp cloth or sponge to apply the soapy water to the cowhide rug. Make sure to use as little soap as possible and add more only if needed.
- You can scrub and rub in any direction.
- Make sure the sponge or towel isn't soaking wet.
- Don't use any alkaline soaps or shampoos.^{[6]
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Finish cleaning the cowhide rug. After you've scrubbed the rug, you will want to remove any soapy residue from it. Take a new cloth and dampen it with only water. Use this damp cloth to gently wipe away any soap or remaining stain. Allow your rug time to dry before placing it back in your room.
- If the stain is still there, you can try cleaning the rug again to remove what's left.
- If you can't seem to remove the stain yourself, you may need to have it professionally cleaned.
Although it may be tempting, using a washing machine or dry-cleaning chemicals will damage your cowhide rug. Remove all stains and spills with gentle hand washing only. Never use a washing machine or dry-cleaning kit on your cowhide rug to remove stains.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Food & Grease Stains

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1
Scrape away solid matter. If food or grease has fallen on your cowhide rug, remove what you can immediately. However, there is likely to be something left behind that will have stained the rug. Wait for this material to dry before gently scraping it away with the blunt edge of a knife.
- Don't use the sharp edge of the knife.
- Remember to scrape with the direction of the hair.
- You can also use a spoon or hard-bristled brush.
- Don't scrape too forcefully. Use just enough pressure to break the solid material away from the rug.
2
Dab the area in eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil is thought to break down food or grease stains, allowing you to fully clean the stained area. Gently apply a small amount of eucalyptus oil to the stained area using a cloth. It's important that you only apply a small amount of eucalyptus oil and only apply it to the stained area.
- Try to gently push the eucalyptus oil into the stain.
- Avoid scrubbing too forcefully.
- You can purchase eucalyptus oil online and in some large department stores.
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Wipe with a damp sponge. After you've dabbed the stained area with eucalyptus oil, you can finish cleaning the stain. Scrub the area with a clean, damp cloth to remove what's left of the stain and the eucalyptus oil. Allow the area to dry and check to see if the stain was removed successfully. If the stain is still visible, apply a small amount of dish soap to the sponge and wipe the area again.
- Use a damp cloth only.
- Let your cowhide rug air dry.
- If the stain is still visible, you may need to have the rug professionally cleaned.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I clean mold off the back of a cowhide rug?

Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Expert Answer

You should first start by flipping over the rug and using a wet/dry vacuum to suck out any remaining moisture from the back of the cowhide. Then you can create a solution by mixing a small amount of laundry detergent with water. Take a rag and dab/blot the solution into the mildew stain. Then, rinse the rug to remove the soap. Spray water onto the stain and use your wet/dry vacuum to fully suck out the water. Repeat this process a couple of times. You can then spritz the back of the rug with vinegar to disinfect the area. Let the vinegar disinfect the rug for about 5 minutes and suck up any remaining liquid with the vacuum once more.

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Question

How do I get dog poop out of my cowhide rug?

Michelle Driscoll, MPH
Founder, Mulberry Maids
Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids, which is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With five years of experience, her business specializes in cleaning homes and small offices. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health. Additionally, Mulberry Maids has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Michelle Driscoll, MPH

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Expert Answer

First, pick up any pieces of solid waste and dispose of it. Then, use the dull side of a knife to extract any pieces that may have blended into the hairs. Finally, you can follow the steps outlined in Removing Liquid Stains section above- apply a small amount of soap into the rug and clean the rug.

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Question

What should you do if the rug gets wet?

Community Answer

You can take the rug outdoors to dry. Hang the rug in a place where the sun can reach it, allowing it to dry more quickly and completely. Make sure the hide is facing the sun, not the hair.

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Tips

Keep up with regular cleaning.

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Clean up spills immediately.

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Warnings

Scrape dirt or other material away in the direction of the hair.

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Never wash your cowhide rug with a washing machine or dry-cleaning chemicals.

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Don't use harsh soaps or cleaning chemicals to clean your cowhide rug.

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Avoid getting your cowhide rug wet while cleaning. Only use damp towels or sponges.

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