Area Rugs: Things to know before you buy!

2. September 2008 by Dean of Clean.

Hi again! Today’s post is about area rugs. More and more homes have beautiful wood, tile or stone floors these days, but most people choose to warm and soften at least a few rooms with a nice area rug at some point. As Durango’s only IICRC Certified rug cleaner, let me give you a few pointers on what to look for when buying a new (or used) rug.

#1 - Buy Woven, Not Tufted. Turn the rug over to discover how it’s made. A woven rug shows the pattern on the back, since the face yarns are knotted on the foundation yarns. Tufted rugs will have a blank (usually white or beige) cotton backing, glued to the foundation material that the yarns were tufted through. The glue will break down over time, and the rug will weaken. A good woven rug, whether hand or machine-woven, is stronger, and usually made of superior materials than most tufted goods. There are a few high-end exceptions in tufted rugs, but you won’t find them at the local “big-box” stores - only, perhaps, in Scottsdale or other affluent areas where custom rugmakers have showrooms.

#2 - Buy Wool or Nylon. Nylon is the most durable choice, and has the most resiliency and stain resistance of the synthetic fibers - great for a playroom. Wool may be more appropriate if anyone in the house is chemically sensitive, since it is a natural fiber. Fine hand-knotted textiles such as Afgahni rugs, Oriental rugs, Persian rugs or Native American Rugs (such as Navajo rugs) will always be wool. Wool is very durable, but has less resistance to stains, so care should be used to keep it clean and treat any spots promptly. Silk rugs, though beautiful, do not in my opinion belong on the floor, at least not in any high-traffic area; the fibers are very fine, and have less resiliency than wool. Consider displaying them on the wall.

AVOID: Olefin (also called Polypropylene); though it is very lustrous at first, it quickly abrades and dulls, and is prone to matting down. Acrylic also does not have the resilience of wool, and is more susceptible to staining and traffic soil.

Especially avoid Rayon, often called “Art Silk” on rugs. The “art” stands for “artificial” but it is far weaker than silk fiber, being made from regenerated cellulosic fibers (usually wood pulp and cotton linters). A “cheap” silk rug is often really made of rayon.

If you have more questions on care and cleaning of area rugs, visit my website, RugMastersOfDurango.com, or call me at 385-5777 in Durango. (We have a rotating selection of fine rugs for sale at our cleaning plant.) There is also a more in-depth rug link below, and future posts will cover spot cleaning options for your fine rugs.

Interested in Rug Cleaning? See: squidoo.com/howtochoosearugcleaner

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