The Rug Beater
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
THE RUG BEATER (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Sue Kashanski Spark O' Water and Nova Scotia Collection 20171- 8 1s lead down the middle and back to top, remaining in centre facing up, 2s step up Bars 3-4 and face down (1s now between 2s)
9-16 1s+2s turn ¾ nearer hands (Ladies RH, Men LH), 1s+3s turn (Ladies LH, Men RH); 2s+1s+3s advance and retire
17-24 2s+1s+3s set, cross RH and chase ½ round back to own side
25-32 3s+1s+2s set, cross LH and chase ½ round back to own sides. 213
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
The Rug Beater - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
A rug beater is a household tool historically used for the purpose of cleaning and maintaining carpets or rugs. This implement typically consists of a sturdy handle and a series of flexible wires or thongs arranged in a beater or flail-like design. The design allows for effective removal of dust, dirt, and debris embedded in the fibers of rugs.The primary function of a rug beater is to dislodge and remove accumulated particles from the rug's surface. Users traditionally take the rug outdoors, suspend it, and then strike it repeatedly with the rug beater to loosen and expel dust and dirt. The flexible wires or thongs of the beater effectively agitate the rug's fibers, facilitating the release of trapped particles.
While modern vacuum cleaners have largely supplanted traditional rug beaters for everyday cleaning tasks, some individuals still value the latter for their effectiveness in deep cleaning and maintaining the longevity of certain types of rugs.

Housewife Cleaning Doormat With Carpet-Beater, The Netherlands, 1955
Image from Nationaal Archief, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons.
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