Cleaning Guides

How to Clean Nylon Carpet

Fantastic Team
Published: Sep 01/2022
Last update: Jul 13/2026
5min read
Views: 584

Nylon carpets are everywhere nowadays. While they are known for their great durability, it’s still important to clean them regularly, especially when you get a stain. With that said…

What is a nylon carpet?

The synthetic material we now know as nylon dates back to the 1930s when it was created as a substitute for expensive silk. The material became a hit in 1939 and onward, finding its way into numerous applications such as clothing, ropes, mechanical equipment, reinforcement in rubber materials and, you guessed it, carpets. Are nylon carpets good? No, they are great, especially for high-traffic areas.

Let’s become familiar with the pros and cons of a nylon carpet:

Pros

High durability – nylon carpets often times outlast other material carpets. The secret is their ability to “bounce back” from compaction. You won’t see compression marks after vacuuming or foot traffic, or at least not for long.
Stain resistance – nylon carpets on today’s market have a stain-resistant treatment. Nylon is not naturally stain resistant, but the treatment makes all the difference in the world.
Nylon doesn’t trigger allergies – nylon doesn’t soak moisture, mildew or dirt, so it’s perfect for people suffering from respiratory diseases.
Resistant to fading – colour is fixed to the fibres during production and not afterwards via dyes as it is with other materials. That makes it resistant to fading, as colour is part of the fibres.

Cons

The price is more hefty – nylon is the most expensive synthetic fibre, so it’s no surprise that it’s more costly than your standard polyester carpet.
Not as soft as other carpets – wool and polyester are much softer than nylon, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Nylon carpets generate static – the properties of nylon are such that friction from walking across the carpet causes its fibres to build up a static charge. Worry not, though, as this happens only when the weather is very dry, and we all know it’s never dry in London.

Is nylon carpet easy to clean?

Yes. Nylon is very strong against abrasion and resilient with its texture retention. Basically, it maintains its original appearance for a very long time. Another benefit is you can steam clean your nylon carpet. Other materials might shrink, while the nylon fibres bounce back to their original shape.

Nylon carpeting can wear well and resist stains and spots as long as the proper cleaning solutions and methods are used. It also feels just like silk but is strong, durable and stain resistant.

Accidentally got your nylon carpet dirty? Fear not, book your professional carpet cleaning today!

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Best way to clean nylon carpet

Even though nylon carpets are easy to clean, that doesn’t mean you should postpone cleaning the stains when they happen. Quite the contrary, time is of the essence when you have a stain and nylon carpets are no exception. Fortunately, they can be cleaned both with home ingredients (dish detergent, white vinegar, even club soda and water) and foam, dry foam cleaning products and steam cleaners.

DIY cleaning is the fastest way to remove a stain once it happens and doesn’t require any hard-to-get materials. Below you will find a simple, but effective method to clean your carpet, using just dish detergent and water as a nylon carpet cleaner.

What you will need:

Several pieces of white cloth
Warm water
Dishwasher detergent

Cleaning the nylon carpet in a few steps

Like mentioned earlier, if you have a stain, do not wait for it to dry. Instead, clean it right away. Here is how to start:

Scoop as much material as you can from the stain.
Blot the stain with a white clean piece of cloth. The cloth needs to be white, so it doesn’t transfer colour to the carpet. Do not rub!
Rinse by applying warm water to the stain via clean white rags. The water shouldn’t be hot, just warm.
Repeat until you no longer see a stain.
If the stain persists – make a solution of ¼ teaspoon liquid dish soap in 1 cup of warm water.
Apply the solution to the stain with a clean white cloth. Work from the outside of the stain towards the centre to avoid spreading it.
Let the cleaning solution soak for about 5 minutes.
Blot with a clean white cloth until no stain transfers to the cloth. Again, do not rub!
Rinse with clear warm water and a white rag.
Blot to remove excess moisture and cleaning solution from the carpet.
Repeat until all the detergent is gone from the stained area.
Absorb the remaining moisture with white paper towels.
When the carpet is finally dry, vacuum and brush the cleaned area to restore its texture.

While nylon carpets can be treated with various products, we advise you to avoid one in particular and that’s bleach. It’s quite strong and could damage the colour and fabric of your rug.

How often should you clean your nylon carpet?

You should vacuum your nylon carpet weekly and even daily if it happens to be in a high-traffic area. Dirt latches onto the fibres very easily the more people step on the fabric. Regular vacuuming removes the dirt particles before they become embedded into the fibres.

Steam cleaning, on the other hand, is recommended every 12 to 18 months. It’s a recognised effective treatment that guarantees in-depth cleaning of the carpet, which can extend the piece’s lifespan significantly.

You may also try fabric protectors as an extra measure against dust and other forms of dirt.

Have some old stains on your nylon carpet?

Hire professional carpet cleaners today!

Takeaways

Nylon carpets are durable and long-lasting, but they need regular vacuuming, so dirt particles will not settle into the fibres.
Always treat a stain as soon as it happens.
You can clean your nylon carpet with liquid dishwasher and water, as well as commercial cleaning methods.

Image source: severija / Shutterstock.com