How to Vacuum a Shag Rug Easily 2023

Published by Ahmad Jamal on February 26, 2022 | Last updated on May 13, 2023

Using a regular vacuum head can be difficult on a shag rug due to the way both are built, which would require additional steps and tips to perfect.

Shag carpets don’t allow airflow into the vacuum properly, especially if you’re using the aforementioned regular vacuum head.

Therefore, you will need to use a different set of equipment, a certain type of movement, and a set strategy beforehand.

In this Cleaners Advisor article, I’m not going to talk about how to vacuum a shag rug using some ultra-professional equipment that can be found only at professional cleaning facilities, but with usual stuff found inside everyone’s home.

However, those methods will assure you’ll know how to vacuum a shag rug to a high professional standard.

Table of Contents

[show]

What is Shag Rug?

Shag Rug is a high-pile carpet that’s known for the thickness of its surface, as they are made from long fabrics.

It was made first in Greece back in the 15^th Century using goat fur, but it has gained increasing popularity in the second half of the 1900s.

Shag Rugs are usually more durable, provide a long-lasting option for people who don’t like to change their carpets more frequently, in addition to being stylish and easy to store.

The downsides to a Shag Rug include needing high maintenance, in addition to being slightly more expensive than other carpets.

Can You Vacuum a Shag Rug?

Removing the dust and dirt from a rug is the main criteria when judging if a shag rug is clean or still needs cleaning.

The ideal way to achieve that goal is to obtain a vacuum, but can you vacuum a shag rug? Yes, you can.

Some would argue that you can use other methods, like using a leaf blower, using chemical solutions, or any other way, but vacuuming is the most ideal way to clean a shag rug.

Why? Because a leaf blower or a chemical solution will damage the fabrics eventually, and won’t act as a permanent solution to a must-be-cleaned shag rug.

Can You Use a Normal Vacuum on a Shag Rug?

Yes, normal vacuums can provide a decent level of cleaning when used on a shag rug.

To do that, you need to flip the shag rug on its top side, vacuum the other side effectively, doing slow motions on the back of the shag carpet with your normal vacuum.

Once you turn it over on its back again, you can vacuum the floor to clean the dirt that has been dropped after flipping it the first time, then you can go to town on your shag carpet, as long as your vacuum is of a decent height & has decent suction power so as not to damage the fabrics.

Elephant in the Room: How to Vacuum a Shag Rug?

Before diving deep into the process of how to vacuum a shag rug, I have a newly written review on the four best vacuum for shag carpet, in that article you’ll be able to find the main criteria you should search for in a perfect shag rug carpet.

Moreover, the list includes superb vacuums manufactured by great brands, so it’s worth the read if you’re looking for a professional vacuum for shag carpet, it’ll undoubtedly ease the process for you.

Using one of these professional vacuums, or any other vacuum that does the job on a shag carpet can get 70-90% of the dirt and debris inside a shag rug, which is effective, but not efficient enough.

You’d want to get the full 100%, which is why you’ll need to mix up the strategy a bit, you can’t just go turn on the vacuum, do the job, and turn it off and go to sleep.

Shag Rugs require certain types of vacuuming to give it a full 100% cleaning, and they come in two ways:

Flip It Over

In the previous section of this article, I explained how you can Use a Normal Vacuum on a Shag Rug.

You’ll basically flip the shag rug, vacuum its back, vacuum the floor for additional dirt, then flip it back over, and do a casual vacuum of the shag rug.

This method can provide around 75% of the results you need, which is “good” at best.

Bend It Over

In order to increase the efficiency of how to vacuum a shag rug, the job is to make the fabrics open up by bending the whole shag carpet over a wall or an obstacle.

This will create enough space between every piece of fabric, allowing you to dive deeper while vacuuming the shag rug.

Additionally, normal cleaning heads won’t be that effective, so I advise you use a crevice tool, that has enough length to get into those spaces and vacuum.

Using both vacuuming methods for a shag rug will increase the efficiency to at least 95%.

How do you clean fluffy carpet without a vacuum?

Cleaning any piece of furniture without a vacuum can be a bit tricky, especially since vacuums offer a wide set of cleaning options to a wider set of surfaces and flooring types.

However, some people just don’t like to use machines, others hate the noise they make, other people would just like to use chemicals instead.

For that, we have a detailed article on how to perform a professional clean carpet without vacuum guide, make sure to check it out to know how to clean fluffy carpet without a vacuum.

Professional Tips on How to Vacuum a Shag Carpet

Since you’ve gone around the article knowing exactly how to vacuum a shag carpet, I’ll give you some practical tips when you start vacuuming:

Treat Every Shag Carpet Differently
Every Single Fabric Matters
Use the Suitable Equipment
If You’ve Damaged the Shag Rug Stop Immediately
Don’t Use Chemicals Unless a Professional Is Handling It
Try Steam Cleaning, here’s a Guide on how to Steam Clean Carpet
Maintain Your Shag Carpet More Often
Requesting Pro Assistance Is Okay

How to Vacuum a Shag Carpet FAQ

What happens if you don’t vacuum carpet?

It isn’t hygienic if you don’t vacuum carpet as often as you should, unless your cleaning using other methods. Therefore, you should always take care of the carpets inside your house, whether it is via vacuuming or else.

How often should bedroom carpet be vacuumed?

At least once a week. Bedroom carpets are used frequently so vacuuming them is an essential step in maintaining the health of your family.

Should you dust before vacuuming?

Dusting before vacuuming is an important step in doing less effort while vacuuming. The more dust you remove by dusting, the less you’ll have to remove by vacuuming.

To Wrap Up

Shag carpet cleaning is tricky, therefore, mastering the methods of how to vacuum a shag rug is an essential step towards maintaining an integral part of your luxurious house.

To understand how to vacuum a shag rug, you have to start by understanding how sensitive the fabrics are, and how much care they need to be vacuumed.

And the last level of understanding should revolve around mastering the detailed methods of how to vacuum a shag rug that I’ve explained in this guide.

If you’re still wondering how to do specific steps in dealing with your shag rug, leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.