Rayon Area Rugs

Area rugs are made of cellulose fibers, with many different names like rayon, viscose, artificial silk, bamboo silk, artisan silk, and art silk.

Area rugs are not new on the market. Still, as a professional carpet cleaning company, I see them too often, and it makes me feel like something should be said, especially since we noticed some furniture producers have also begun using these materials. Too many of these rugs get damaged and ruined too easily. Why would someone even buy it then?

Namely, since the 17th century, different scientists and researchers have tried making artificial silk. Even when they were successful, most of their rugs disappeared from the market because they were highly flammable. Today, they’re very popular among designers due to their cheap producing process and cool look. Overpriced, most of the time. The cheap part comes from the fact they’ve been made out of plants’ fibers that are processed into a pulp. Glue-like chemicals under high pressure and temperature combined with the pulp come out as a thick solution that is later extruded the same way as petroleum-based nylon and polyester. 

The trouble with natural materials is that they tend to act naturally. If something is a part of a tree, it will always behave as a tree.

The same applies to cellulose, which is an important part of plants. Cellulose is an excellent absorber (get all the possible water and take it to leaves and flowers), and when it gets wet, it becomes soggy and brown (like an apple after you bite it and leave it a while). The most common way of damaging viscose rugs is spilling. Fibers get smashed and impressed into a backing and get darker or lighter (depending on the rug’s color) than the rest. As cleaners, there’s little we can do. Some products could make it look better, but “it looks better” is something you will have to be satisfied with. Besides using special products, we can treat them with so little water so as not to worsen it. Quick-drying with a gentle brushing is a must, which makes the whole process of cleaning so long and troublesome. It’s fair if you walk away from a job like this. 

Another concerning thing about these types of fibers is their mechanical (bending) properties. While wool and silk fibers have great bending characteristics and are long-lasting, that’s not the case with viscose fibers. By specifications, they can bend and extend around 70 times (for wool, it takes about 20,000 times to lean back and forth before it snaps) before getting damaged. So, there is a reason why, especially if you put them in high-traffic areas, fibers in rayon rugs get mated and smashed so quickly. Our advice is to stay away from these kinds of area rugs. Always check the specification tag before parting from a lot of money for a rug. If accidents happen, contact your trusted carpet cleaning company and follow the guidance from the professional. 

From Dark to Light Carpet and Upholstery Care recommends proper care and maintenance of your rugs and carpets. One way to effectively take care of your rugs is proper and regular cleaning. As experts in cleaning carpets and upholstery, we have the technology, skills, and personnel to ensure your rugs and carpet stay in their perfect quality. Aside from carpet cleaning services, From Dark to Light also provides upholstery cleaning services, tiles and grout cleaning, and pet urine stain and odor removal. From Dark To Light Carpet and Upholstery Care is based at 1000 Broadview Ave, East York, ON M4K 2R7, Canada. For more inquiries about carpet and rug maintenance, visit our website https://www.fromdarktolight.ca/ or email us at [email protected] today!