This TikToker Got Her Rug Clean Using Just Snow — and You Should See the Results

published Jan 19, 2023
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Credit: Tessa Cooper

On winter days, it can be nice to watch the snow fall from the comforts of your warm home. And while you may be inclined to stick to doing all things indoors during this time, there’s actually one thing you can do outside to take advantage of the cold weather: You can clean your rug with the snow. Yup, snow!

Recently, TikToker @casajanara posted a video showing her cleaning her rug out in the snow. The video is overlapped with text that reads, “remembering the time someone told me I could clean an old rug in the snow.”

In the video, she’s seen laying her rug out completely face down on the snow. Then, she grabs a broom and starts whacking the rug all over. She grabs the rug and lays it out on a different area and does this again. Then, she shakes off all the snow from the rug and hangs it up over a door to dry. In the end, she reveals a gorgeously clean rug.

Her TikTok went viral (2 million views and counting!) with many people amazed and bewildered by the process. “No cleaner? Just snow???” said one commenter. That’s right, all you need is snow. She uploaded a second video explaining how it works. 

She shares that the process is referred to as snow washing and is used frequently by people in colder climates because of how effective it is; however, it’s not entirely foolproof. For instance, if you have something with a deeply set stain or smell, you might want to refer to a professional instead. As a small business owner who often gets old vintage rugs, @casajanara started using this process as an inexpensive way to get rid of any lingering odors.

She emphasizes that she’s not a professional cleaner and then shared the learnings she discovered in cleaning her rugs this way. First, she says, you’ll want to do this when it’s 25 degrees Fahrenheit or below because the snow texture is important (you don’t want wet snow) and it’ll allow the oil and dirt to freeze and fall out more effectively. Additionally, she recommends that you take your rugs out an hour before you start this process so that they can acclimate to the temperature. 

This process of snow washing is nothing new by all means, but it’s been pushed back into the spotlight thanks to TikTok. Need another reason to use snow for cleaning? One commenter had this great suggestion: “My dad puts snow in the garage and pushes it around with a broom to clean it. Works so well.”

Have you tried cleaning with snow? Tell us in the comments below.