[2] Typically made of wood, rattan, cane, wicker, spring steel or coiled wire, antique rug beaters have become very collectible.
This method had some advantages: for instance, insects would freeze to death even if they were not expelled through beating, but it left a dirty and unpleasant-looking patch on the snow, and therefore some communities forbade beating on the snow for aesthetic reasons.
[citation needed] Its use in cleaning has been largely replaced since the 1950s by the carpet sweeper and then the vacuum cleaner, although they are still sold in many household stores throughout Europe.
A carpet beater may also be used to beat the dust out of sofas, futons, etc.
In this case the beaten furniture is covered by a wet rag to collect dust.