Tufted rugs are different from hand woven rugs in that they are constructed in an entirely different way. Rather than knotting the fibers, they are looped through a web backing. Latex glue is then applied to the back to hold it all together and to make it look nice and finished, the final step is to place a piece of material on the back, over the glue.
To keep your rug looking its best and performing its best on your floors, make sure you vacuum it frequently. A proper, thorough cleaning is of course recommended every 1 to 3 years, but in the mean time you can help the rug to look its best by keeping it well vacuumed. Due to the nature of tufted rugs, the pile is less dense than that of a hand knotted rug. This means that the yarns can pull out easily from the foundation of the rug if a high powered vacuum with a powerful suction is used. To avoid damage in this manner, I recommend the use of a canister vacuum for tufted rugs. Be sure to turn off the rotary feature and instead use the suction only feature. Move from side to side, vacuuming across the width of the rug. Another option is to use an upholstery tool from a canister vacuum or from an upright that lacks a beater bar – this gives you a little more control over the vacuuming. Make sure you move with the pile, not against it. Another good choice, although not as effective, you can also use an electric sweeper such as the ones Bissell and Shark brands manufacture.
Again, the natural state of the pile on tufted rugs is looser than that of a hand knotted rug. This makes it easier for dry soil to sink down into the base of the rug, where it can really do quite a number on those wool fibers! Here in dusty Arizona, we tend to track in a lot of dry soil from our everyday lives without even realizing it! To prevent dust (dry particles of soil) from building up, make sure you vacuum frequently. How frequently depends on how active you are, but the more you vacuum, the better chance you have to capture that pesky dry soil before it moves from the top of the rug. If you see that dust has settled on your coffee tables, counters, etc. than you can bet it has settled on your rugs too and it’s time to vacuum the rugs.
Depending on the quality of the glue used, the average life span of a tufted rug is about 10 years. Glue doesn’t last forever, especially not when you’re walking on it. It dries out over time and will begin to break down. Seeing a fine white powder on the floor beneath the rug is a very strong indication that this glue is drying out and breaking down. This can be remedied by removing the current backing and glue and replacing it with fresh glue and a fresh backing. We offer both cleaning services and tufted rug repairs, so give us a call and get your FREE ESTIMATE today!
Till next time, enjoy your beautiful art for your floor and remember a clean rug will certainly perform and last longer than a neglected soiled rug.
Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care serves Sedona, Prescott, Prescott Valley, and much of the Northern Arizona areas. We meet the highest standards in professional cleaning of area rugs with our rug wash specialists’ team having earned the highest training which includes certification as WOOLSAFE FIBRE CARE SPECIALISTS through the WOOLSAFE ORGANISATION. Such extraordinary certification ensures the area rugs of our client’s receive the utmost in care.
If you have additional questions regarding vacuuming a tufted rug or would like a free estimate to have Arizona Oriental clean your rug, call us at 928-445-1718, visit our website at www.ArizonaOriental.com, or stop by Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at our rug washing facility at 565 EZ Street, Prescott, AZ 86301 (pick-up and delivery also available).
