How to clean bathroom rugs

Choose a gentle cycle setting for all rugs. This setting is key, especially for cleaning large rubber-backed rugs, as it keeps the sticky, slip-resistant surface from deteriorating.

Dealing with an all-plastic mat, like the one in your shower? Look to vinegar, a natural cleaning agent, for a truly clean bathmat. Pour 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar right in with the detergent to give it the ultimate sanitation treatment. Add a few drops of tea tree oil along with it to help rid your rug or mat of any unwanted smells. Plus, the fresh fragrance will leave your bathroom smelling like a spa!

If you have a few bath towels lying around, toss them into the load too. This helps prevent your washing machine from getting off-balance and making those thunderous noises mid-cycle. Just be careful not to overload.

How to hand-wash bathroom rugs

Hand-wash-only materials include bamboo, jute and other natural fibers.

Not only does hand-washing a bathroom rug help maintain its materials, but it also extends its overall lifespan. To get started, grab some rubber gloves and fill your kitchen sink or a large tub with warm water and a few tablespoons of laundry detergent. If cleaning inside, consider laying down a plastic dropcloth or a towel to protect your floor. Add the bathmat to the mix and use a sponge to gently scrub it. Empty the sink or tub and rinse the rug with cool water until the soap is completely washed away.

For bathroom rugs made with bamboo, or other natural-fiber rugs, you’ll want to avoid soaking them completely. Instead, dip a sponge into a bucket of warm, soapy water to spot-clean the rug. (This applies to area rugs, too!)

Step 4: Hang dry or tumble dry.

Drying bathroom rugs is simple. Chances are if you can machine-wash the rug, you can machine-dry it as well. (Again, check the care tag!) One exception: memory foam. For the others, stick to a low tumble dry on a cooler temperature setting to avoid any shrinking, especially if it’s cotton.

Any bathroom rug can use the hang-dry method. To do so, simply hang it in your laundry room over a drying rack, on a shower rod or outside on a clothesline. Just be sure to keep it away from the sun to avoid any discoloration. Most bathmats require the hang-dry method because the plastic underside could melt in the dryer. Once completely dry, place the mat or rug back in the bathroom.

In the market for a new bathroom rug altogether? Remember these tips before you select your material: While cotton is cozy and can easily be thrown in the wash, it’s thin and more susceptible to wear and tear the longer it sits on a wet bathroom floor. Bamboo is a step above, but you sacrifice comfort for durability. For higher-traffic bathrooms, count on polyester and nylon, as they’re longer-lasting and more slip-resistant.

(Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at www.bhg.com.)