How-To Videos

Outdoor rugs take a beating. Rain, dirt, pollen, foot traffic, leaves, pets, moisture, and everything else that comes with life outside can slowly turn a good-looking outdoor rug into something that looks like it is ready for the trash. That is exactly what happened to Tom’s rug. But instead of replacing it, Tom added Stain Solver to his annual outdoor cleaning routine, and the before-and-after difference speaks for itself. The dirt and discoloration lifted away, helping Tom save a lot of cleaning time and, more importantly, the cost of buying a new outdoor rug. Clean it. Refresh it. Keep it. Can You Clean an Outdoor Rug with Stain Solver? Yes, many water-washable outdoor rugs can be cleaned with Stain Solver. Always check the rug manufacturer’s cleaning instructions first, and test the solution in a small, inconspicuous area before treating the entire rug. Stain Solver is an oxygen-based powder cleaner that is mixed with warm or hot water before application. For many cleaning projects, it is allowed to work for 30 minutes or longer before the surface is thoroughly rinsed. Tom’s rug is a great example of how simple that process can be. Tom’s Outdoor Rug Before Cleaning Over time, Tom’s outdoor rug had developed significant dirt and greenish discoloration. The change happened gradually, which is common with outdoor surfaces. When you see something every day, you may not realize just how dirty it has become until you start cleaning it. The BEFORE photo makes the buildup easy to see. Rather than throw the rug away and buy another one, Tom decided to make it part of his annual outdoor cleaning. How Tom Cleaned His Outdoor Rug Tom kept the process pretty simple. He mixed Stain Solver with warm water, put the solution into a 1-gallon pump sprayer, sprayed the rug, and let Stain Solver work for approximately 30 minutes. Then he thoroughly rinsed the rug with a garden hose. That was it. In Tom’s case, the dirt and stains rinsed away without requiring a power washer or aggressive scrubbing. His experience demonstrates why allowing the cleaning solution enough time to work can be just as important as the application itself. And when the rug dried? Take another look at that AFTER photo. Instead of shopping for a replacement rug, Tom was able to put the one he already owned back into service. How to Clean an Outdoor Rug with Stain Solver If you have a washable outdoor rug that could use some attention, here is a straightforward process to try. 1. Check the Rug First Review the manufacturer’s care instructions to make sure the rug can be cleaned with water. It is also a good idea to test Stain Solver on a small, inconspicuous area before cleaning the entire rug. 2. Remove Loose Dirt and Debris Sweep, vacuum, or shake loose dirt, leaves, and other debris from the rug before applying your cleaning solution. This allows Stain Solver to concentrate on the dirt and discoloration that remains in the rug. 3. Mix Stain Solver with Warm or Hot Water Mix Stain Solver with warm or hot water until the powder is completely dissolved. For most general cleaning applications, our standard ratio is: 1 cup of Stain Solver per 1 gallon of water Smaller batches can be made using 1 tablespoon per 1 cup of water. 4. Apply the Solution Evenly A pump sprayer works especially well for a project like an outdoor rug because it allows you to apply the solution evenly instead of dumping too much liquid onto one area. Spray the rug thoroughly so the areas you want to clean are wet with the Stain Solver solution. 5. Give Stain Solver Time to Work This is important. Do not spray the rug and immediately rinse it. Tom allowed Stain Solver to work for approximately 30 minutes. If you are cleaning outside on a warm or sunny day, keep an eye on the rug. If the solution starts to dry, lightly mist it again. Keeping a cleaning project wet during the dwell period gives Stain Solver more opportunity to work on the dirt and discoloration. 6. Rinse Thoroughly When the dwell time is complete, thoroughly rinse the rug with clean water. Tom simply used a garden hose. You want the rinse water to carry away the loosened dirt along with the remaining cleaning solution. 7. Let the Rug Dry Completely Allow the rug to dry completely before returning furniture to it or putting it back into regular use. And then compare your own before-and-after photos. You may be surprised by just how much dirt had accumulated. Annual Cleaning Can Help You Keep What You Already Own Tom’s outdoor rug illustrates something we talk about frequently at Stain Solver: Sometimes the best cleaning project is the one that keeps you from having to replace something. Outdoor rugs, cushions, patio furniture, decks, patios, and other exterior surfaces are exposed to dirt and weather month after month. Periodic cleaning can help keep those areas looking their best instead of waiting until they look permanently stained or worn. Stain Solver is currently recommended for a range of outdoor cleaning applications, including decks, patios, outdoor furniture, siding, and other washable exterior surfaces. Making those projects part of an annual outdoor cleaning routine can make a big difference. Tom did. And instead of replacing his outdoor rug, he cleaned it. Clean it. Refresh it. Keep it. Have an outdoor rug, cushion, patio, deck, or piece of outdoor furniture that has seen better days? Give Stain Solver a chance to solve the stain before you replace it.   FAQs Can Stain Solver be used on outdoor rugs? Stain Solver can be used on many water-washable rugs and outdoor fabrics. Check the manufacturer’s care instructions first, and test a small, inconspicuous area before cleaning the entire rug. How long should Stain Solver sit on an outdoor rug? For Tom’s outdoor rug, he allowed Stain Solver to work for approximately 30 minutes before rinsing it. Many Stain Solver cleaning projects benefit from 30 minutes or more of dwell time. Keep the treated area wet while the solution is working. Do I need a pressure washer to clean an outdoor rug? Not necessarily. Tom cleaned his outdoor rug using a pump sprayer and rinsed it with a regular garden hose. A pressure washer was not necessary for his project. Should I scrub an outdoor rug after applying Stain Solver? It depends on the amount and type of buildup. Tom’s rug did not require aggressive scrubbing. Giving Stain Solver adequate dwell time before rinsing may reduce the amount of physical cleaning required. Can I apply Stain Solver with a pump sprayer? Yes. A quality pump sprayer can provide more even coverage, help prevent over-application, and make it easier to keep a large outdoor surface wet during the cleaning process. What else can I clean during my annual outdoor cleaning? Stain Solver can be used on many washable outdoor surfaces, including outdoor furniture, cushions, decks, patios, siding, rugs, and other exterior cleaning projects. Always check the surface manufacturer’s instructions and test first.

One of the simplest ways to get better results with Stain Solver is to put it in a quality sprayer. Whether you are cleaning a carpet stain indoors, freshening up outdoor furniture, tackling dirty siding, or working on a patio or deck, a sprayer can make applying Stain Solver easier, more even, and more controlled. The basic Stain Solver process is already simple: Mix. Spray. Wait. Rinse. Using a sprayer makes each part of that process even easier, as long as you use a quality sprayer that won't clog due to the dissolved Stain Solver material remaining in the hot water mixture. We have tried a few sizes and they are available for purchase from us, or you can use your favorite reliable brand. Using a high-quality sprayer is especially important with a powdered cleaning product like Stain Solver because the solution must be thoroughly dissolved and move freely through the sprayer without interruption. The dip tube plays a critical role because it draws the mixed solution from the bottom of the bottle and delivers it to the trigger mechanism and nozzle. Inferior sprayers often use narrow, poorly designed, or low-quality dip tubes and internal components that can become clogged by small amounts of undissolved product or residue. This becomes even more important at the nozzle, where the solution must pass through much smaller openings to create a proper spray pattern. Any undissolved particles or buildup can restrict those tiny passages, causing weak, uneven spraying, sputtering, or stopping the spray entirely. A well-made sprayer with a quality dip tube and nozzle helps maintain steady solution flow, produces a consistent spray pattern, and makes applying Stain Solver faster, easier, and far less frustrating. Shop ours here.  Watch as Luke and Josh briefly discuss why they use sprayers and which ones they prefer in this short video >> 1. Get More Even Coverage When you pour cleaning solution directly onto a surface, it is easy to soak one area while barely covering another. A sprayer gives you much more control. Instead of dumping solution onto a stain, carpet, cushion, deck, or patio, you can apply a consistent layer across the entire area you are trying to clean. That is especially helpful when you are working on larger surfaces. The goal is not necessarily to use as much Stain Solver solution as possible. It is to make sure the cleaning solution reaches all of the area that needs to be cleaned. A sprayer makes that much easier. 2. Keep the Surface Wet While Stain Solver Works This may be the biggest advantage of using a sprayer. Stain Solver needs time to work. For many cleaning jobs, we recommend allowing Stain Solver to remain on the stained area for at least 30 minutes, and some jobs can benefit from a longer dwell time. Stain Solver's oxygen-based cleaning action starts when the powder is mixed with warm or hot water, so giving that solution time to work is important. The challenge, especially outdoors, is evaporation. On a warm day, a deck, patio, siding, outdoor cushion, or piece of lawn furniture can begin drying before your 30 minutes are up. That is where the sprayer really comes in handy. If you notice an area beginning to dry, simply give it another light mist of Stain Solver solution. You do not need to completely re-saturate the surface. You are just keeping it wet so Stain Solver has more time to work. This technique is particularly useful on patios and other outdoor surfaces, where keeping the surface wet during the dwell period can improve the cleaning process. 3. Avoid Over-Applying the Solution More cleaning solution does not automatically mean better cleaning. Pouring Stain Solver onto a surface can make it easy to use far more than you actually need. On carpet and upholstery, for example, you may put significantly more liquid into the material than necessary. A sprayer lets you control exactly where the solution goes and how much you apply. You can wet the entire stained area without unnecessarily flooding it. That means: More controlled application Less wasted cleaning solution Less unnecessary saturation Easier coverage of vertical surfaces Easier reapplication when an area starts drying We have seen the same advantage when using Stain Solver on carpet. Spraying helps distribute the solution across the stained area while reducing the chance of dumping too much liquid into one spot. 4. Mix Stain Solver Right in the Sprayer A sprayer can also eliminate another step. For many jobs, you can mix your Stain Solver solution directly in the sprayer. Stain Solver's standard starting ratio for most cleaning jobs is: 1 tablespoon of Stain Solver per 1 cup of warm or hot water That ratio scales easily: Water Stain Solver 1 cup 1 tablespoon 1 quart 1/4 cup 1/2 gallon 1/2 cup 1 gallon 1 cup These are the standard mixing ratios published in our Stain Solver usage instructions. For a one-gallon pump sprayer, for example, you can add the appropriate amount of warm or hot water and 1 cup of Stain Solver, then make sure the powder is completely dissolved before spraying. For a smaller hand sprayer, simply scale the recipe down. The important part is getting the Stain Solver thoroughly dissolved in the water before you begin spraying. 5. A Sprayer Is Especially Helpful Outdoors If you clean outside with Stain Solver, a pump sprayer may quickly become one of your favorite cleaning tools. Think about the surfaces around a typical home: Decks Patios Concrete Pavers Vinyl siding Railings Fences Outdoor furniture Patio cushions Hammocks Outdoor rugs A sprayer makes it much easier to cover large or irregularly shaped surfaces without continually dipping a brush into a bucket or trying to pour cleaning solution evenly. It is particularly helpful on vertical surfaces such as siding, railings, fencing, and outdoor furniture because you can direct the solution exactly where you need it. For outdoor fabrics, spraying also makes it easy to reapply Stain Solver as necessary to keep the material wet while the solution works. Don't Rush the Wait One of the most common mistakes when cleaning is wanting to scrub immediately. With Stain Solver, patience can actually save you work. Mix the solution, spray the surface thoroughly, and give the oxygen-powered cleaning action time to work on the stain. Check it after about 30 minutes. If you notice the surface beginning to dry, mist it again. Then scrub lightly if the particular job needs it, and rinse thoroughly with clean water. For many jobs, that simple process can reduce how much physical scrubbing you need to do. Mix. Spray. Wait. Rinse. You certainly do not need a sprayer for every Stain Solver job. Soaking is still a great option for clothing and smaller washable items, and some cleaning jobs are easier with a bucket. But when you need to apply Stain Solver across a surface, a sprayer is hard to beat. It gives you: Even application. Better control. Less waste. Easier reapplication. Longer wet contact time. And because you can mix Stain Solver with warm or hot water and get right to work, it keeps the entire process simple. Mix. Spray. Wait. Rinse. That is a pretty easy way to solve a stain. Shop our sprayers here >> FAQs Can you put Stain Solver in a sprayer?Yes. Stain Solver can be mixed with warm or hot water, dissolved thoroughly, and applied with a hand or pump sprayer. How much Stain Solver do I put in a one-gallon sprayer?For most general cleaning applications, the standard mixture is 1 cup of Stain Solver per 1 gallon of water. Why should I keep Stain Solver wet while it works?Keeping the treated area wet gives the mixed solution time to continue working on the stain. A sprayer makes it easy to lightly reapply solution if the surface begins drying. How long should Stain Solver sit before rinsing?Many Stain Solver cleaning applications benefit from about 30 minutes of dwell time, although some stains may benefit from longer treatment. The official guidance allows 30 minutes to 2 hours for many applications. Can I save leftover Stain Solver solution in my sprayer?It is better to mix what you expect to use for the job. Once Stain Solver is mixed with hot water, its effectiveness diminishes over a few hours.