Where Did the Strange White Powder Under My Rug Come From? Prescott AZ
Hi folks! Ruthie here with Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care! Recently I had a client bring a rug into our shop. She was concerned with finding a lot of fine, white powder beneath it when she lifted the rug. This rug had sat on her floor in the same spot beneath her coffee table for well over ten years. Our client replaced her wood floors in her living room and, before setting her rug back in place again, she wanted to have us clean her rug with the hope that this would stop the powdering problem.
Here’s the root of the problem - The type of rug that my client has is called a tufted rug. Tufted rugs are made by pushing loose tufts of yarns through a cloth foundation. To hold these loose tufts in place a layer of latex glue is applied, followed by a piece of monkscloth that is attached to the back to hide all the glue and to give the rug a nice finished look.
What most people don’t realize is that tufted rugs are not manufactured to last for multiple generations like hand-knotted area rugs are. Read on……….
The Achilles heel of latex rugs - The latex glue begins to break down after about 10 years and begins to get powdery and lumps together and eventually the powder works its way out of the carpet and onto your floor. This is what the client found under her rug - latex meant to hold her rug tufts together breaking down.
What can be done? If a tufted area rug is showing these signs of aging, there are a couple of options a rug owner has – replacement or restoration. Replacement can sometimes be difficult – especially if you really love the rug. It can be difficult finding the exact size, colors, and pattern that go with the rest of your room. In this case, restoring your rug may be a better option since you will be able to continue to enjoy the rug for many more years to come.
Restoring the rug involves removing the backing and scraping away the old, dried-up glue and thoroughly washing the rug. Then a fresh layer of latex glue along with a new piece of fabric is glued on the back of the rug.
Arizona Oriental and Specialty Rug Care offers tufted rug restoration repairs, along with other repairs such as fringe and side cord repair. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like a free estimate.
Till next time, enjoy your beautiful art for your floor and remember a clean rug is a rug that can last you a lifetime!
Call us for additional information on Tufted Wool Rug Cleaning and Repairs 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). (03-27-17)
