Wrinkles, Wrinkles, and Waves, Oh My! Area rugs keep your home cozy and add a great pop of color and style to your decor, but it can be very frustrating when you inadvertently buy one with wrinkles or start to develop them over time. Could Don’t worry, wrinkles are a temporary problem that can be easily solved with our 3 effective de-wrinkling methods. Your area rugs will be flat as a board in no time.

[Edit]things you should know

• Lay a white towel over your rug and iron it on medium heat with fast, even strokes to remove wrinkles.
• Get rid of waves and creases by rolling your rug in the opposite direction to when you bought it.
• Leave your rug out in the sun for 1-2 hours to get ripples and creases at the edges.^[1]

[Edit]step

[Edit]ironing your rug

1. Place your rug on a flat surface. Before ironing your rug, set it on a flat surface. Place your rug on your kitchen floor, living room floor, or any flat, clean area near an electrical outlet, as you’ll need somewhere to plug your iron in.^[2]
   
   • If your rug is dirty, shake or vacuum it first to make sure you don’t press into stain-causing dirt or dander.
2. Take a clean, white towel to protect your rug during ironing. You’ll need a clean, white towel to keep your rug fibers from melting when you run your iron over the rug. Do not use colored or patterned towels, as the colors may transfer to your rug when heated under the iron.^[3]
   
   • You can use an old towel or cloth, as long as it’s clean and white, to prevent the stain or color from transferring while you iron.
3. Fill your iron with water, plug it in and set it to medium heat + steam. After you fill your iron with water to the fill line and plug it in, set the dial to medium heat with steam. You can do this by turning the dial clockwise—there should be a picture of a cloud to represent steam, that’s the setting you’re going for.^[4]
   
   • If your iron cord is too short or too far from an outlet, use an extension cord for a full range of mobility and an overall more comfortable ironing experience.
4. Lay the white towel flat on top of your rug. You’ll be moving the towel across the rug during the ironing process, so be sure to lay it flat on top of your rug, in a position that’s right for you. You can work horizontally or vertically—the important thing here is that you never allow the iron to touch the rug without the towel protecting it.^[5]
   
   • Ironing directly on top of your rug will burn or melt holes in it.
5. Iron the entire surface of the rug, moving the towel as you work. Work your rug from top to bottom or side to side, ironing on the towel as you go. Pull and reposition the towel, applying even pressure in short strokes as you move across the rug. ^[6]
   
   • For stubborn wrinkles, apply and hold more pressure on that area for a maximum of 10 seconds. Repeat this technique until the wrinkle is flat.
6. Vacuum your rug to fluff the pile. Hooray! Now that your rug is free of wrinkles, you’ll want to finish the job by vacuuming your rug from top to bottom to fluff your rug’s pile. This final step will ensure that your rug is looking its best.^[7]
   

[Edit]reverse-rolling your rug

1. Lay your flat rug on a sturdy, level surface. You will be rolling your rug as tightly and evenly as possible, so working on a flat surface is important to make it easier for you. Good places to roll your rug include your living room floor, kitchen floor or bedroom. Whatever works best for you!^[8]
   
2. Re-roll your rug in the opposite direction that you bought it. If you’ve bought a rug, taken it home, and placed it on your floor so you can see its creased and wavy appearance, don’t worry! One of the easiest ways to fix these waves is to re-roll your rug in the opposite direction.^[9]
   
   • For example, if you bought a rug that was folded at the top, roll the rug face down next time.
   • Be sure to roll the rug slowly to maintain a tight, even cylinder – rug rolling is easiest with the help of a friend!
3. Tie a string to the middle of your rug. Once you have completely draped your rug, use string or twine to tie it around the center of your rug. This will help keep the roll in place as you wait for the wrinkles and creases to heal.^[10]
   
   • Don’t tie the knot too tightly around the carpet, as this can cause more unwanted indentation and creasing.
4. Leave your rug wrapped for 1-2 days before opening it. Be sure to leave your rug rolled for 1-2 days to make sure the ripples, wrinkles, and creases in your rug are long gone. It is essential to lay your rug on its side in a convenient area of ​​your home for at least 24 hours to properly release imperfections.^[11]
   
   • To help the wrinkles come out faster, you can leave your rolled rug somewhere warm, like near a heater vent. Just be sure not to leave it on top of a heater or radiator, as you could start a fire.
5. Unfold your rug and lay it flat in your preferred position. Voila – wrinkles are gone! Unfold and roll your D-Waved rug to your desired location and admire the results of your hard work.^[12]
   

[Edit]expose your carpet to the sun

1. Choose a sunny day between 75–80 °F (24–27 °C). The best weather to expose your rug to the sun to remove wrinkles is a warm, sunny day between 70–80 °F (24–27 °C). The sun will gradually heat the fibers of your rug like an iron, so they stay flat and even.^[13]
   
   • A warm day with little humidity is also a great option, as the moisture in the air will help soften and relax the fibers of your rug.
2. Leave your rug face up in the sun for 1-2 hours. Wrinkles cannot stand before the power of the sun. Leave your carpet in a sunny area like your driveway, backyard or balcony for 1-2 hours to remove wrinkles, waves and creases.^[14][15]
   
   • Don’t leave your rug in the sun for long periods of time, as sunlight can cause it to fade or fade.
3. Bring your de-wrinkled rug back to your home. After checking that your rug hasn’t been flattened in the sun, you’re all set to bring it back into your home and enjoy your victory. As a bonus, the sun’s rays deodorize and disinfect, so your rug will look and smell its best!^[16][17]
   

[Edit]Video

[Edit]Advice

• Use a rug roller to smooth out those pesky waves and creases. Go over the entire area rug, rolling from top to bottom to release wrinkles—just don’t press too hard.
• Carpet stretcher (heavy-duty wrinkle-releasing tool) can be placed on all 4 corners of a rug to free the rug from annoying ripples.
• Try using a rug steamer to disinfect, deodorize, and remove wrinkles all at once. Use it like you would a vacuum and go over the entire carpet.
• Try wetting the entire carpet, then laying it out on a flat surface and letting it dry to help remove the ripples from your carpet.^[18]

[Edit]expert interview

Thank you for reading our article! If you want to learn more about repairing and cleaning rugs and carpets, check out our in-depth [v162318_b01],

[Edit]Reference