What Manufacturers Don’t Tell You about Fancy Area Rug Fibers – Sedona AZ
Wool and synthetic fibers (olefin and polypropylene) are some of the most popular fibers for area rugs, but what about the other “fancy fibers” that are available to consumers? Ruthie with Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care here and today I thought I would talk a little about these “fancy fibers” out there. Are they a good idea? Are they a smart choice for your home? Read on!
First there are the faux silk fibers, the most common of which are mercerized cotton and viscose. Mercerized cotton is a cotton yarn that has been treated with various chemical processes to greatly increase the luster of the yarn. Mercerized cotton is often confused for true silk because of the softness of the fiber as well as the shine it has.
Back in the 1920s, viscose was called “artificial silk” even though it is actually a rayon fiber. There are some manufacturers today that blend viscose with a low-end silk fiber and then put “made with silk” on the label. This can be really confusing for both the consumer and the salesperson that may not realize what viscose really is.
Unfortunately, viscose and mercerized cotton are known to be low-performance fibers. Not only do they show wear faster and flatten out like pancakes, but they also seem to attract soil like crazy. These rugs hold onto that soil, too, and have trouble releasing stains. This can be bad news when it comes to cleaning these rugs. If your home has high traffic, a rug made of either of these fibers may not be the best idea.
The large variety of designer rugs out there can also be problems as well. I’ve even seen rugs made out of strips of leather woven together. Some designer shag rugs can be problems as well – between thick, plush fibers that seem to grab and hold everything it can get its fibers on, to rugs that are made from clumps of wool or disks of felted wool.
Another downside for these “fancy fibers” is that manufacturers don’t always take how these fibers will wear over time into consideration. They also don’t seem to think that these rugs will ever need to be cleaned, which they most certainly do! Rugs made from strips of leather can be extremely difficult to have cleaned professionally as they take a lot more work than a rug made from a wool or synthetic fiber.
Till next time, enjoy your beautiful art for your floor and remember a clean rug is a rug that can last you a lifetime!
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 rug wash specialists 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.
Call us for additional information on fancy area rug fibers and your free quote for professional cleaning 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). (05-31-17)
