Carpets and rugs will get dirty, this is an inevitable fact of life. Floor coverings are going to be affected by everyday contact with foot traffic and airborne soiling.
The good news is that the lifespan of a carpet can be improved significantly through quality maintenance procedures that include regular vacuuming and periodic professional ‘deep’ cleaning.
It also helps considerably if the floor covering has been chosen with care to suit the particular environment it will be situated in.
However, with the large and varied array of carpeting available on the market today it can be very confusing when trying to make a suitable choice.
So, to help you understand the multitude of soft floor coverings available to you, and to guide you in assessing their suitability for your particular environment, we have compiled a list of the various fiber choices you may encounter when you decide to purchase a new carpet or rug.
This list has been split into two parts and starts today with NATURAL FIBERS.
1. WOOL AND ITS PROPERTIES:
• Used frequently for floor coverings
• Considered one of the best ‘face’ fibers for carpets
• Natural flame resistant qualities
• Good resilience
• Good thermal and sound insulation
• Excellent soil hiding qualities
• May be attacked by moths
• White wool will turn yellow in prolonged sunlight
• Can be professionally cleaned with necessary care
2. COTTON AND ITS PROPERTIES:
• Poor appearance retention when used as a pile fiber
• No resilience
• Subject to cellulosic browning (browning of fibers)
• Highly susceptible to shrinkage
• Very absorbent and therefore dries slowly
• Prone to mildew
• Stains and soils very easily
• Can be professionally cleaned but is resistant to some solutions
3. SILK AND ITS PROPERTIES
• Very strong luxury fiber
• Often used in area rugs
• Sunlight and perspiration will rot the fibers
• Can be professionally cleaned, but care must be taken
4. JUTE AND ITS PROPERTIES
• Used mainly for the backing fires (wefts) in woven carpets
• Utilised as a secondary backing fabric for many of the tufted carpets
• Cheap to produce (one of the main reason that it continues to be used in large quantities)
• Absorbs moisture which in turn swells up the fiber. It is this swelling that is the direct cause of shrinkage in carpets
• If kept dry will last indefinitely
• Moisture encourages deterioration and it loses its strength with age
• Can be professionally cleaned with extreme care
5. COIR AND ITS PROPERTIES
• Course and hard-wearing fibre
• Resistant to sunlight and abrasion (hence its suitability for entrance matting)
• Excellent soil hiding qualities
• Difficult to clean due to its loose colour
6. LINEN AND ITS PROPERTIES
• Stronger than cotton
• Dries fairly quickly
• Does not soil very easily and stains do not penetrate but remain on the surface making it easier to clean
• Damaged by mildew but not attacked by moths
• Fairly resistant to sunlight but prolonged sunlight will eventually weaken the fabric
• Very expensive
• Can be professionally cleaned with necessary care
7. SISAL AND ITS PROPERTIES
• Often used in wall-to-wall flooring.
• High end (can be classed as luxury flooring)
• Very absorbent
• Stains easily
• Can be professionally cleaned with extreme care
8. SEAGRASS AND ITS PROPERTIES
• An actual grass grown in China in paddy fields
• Moisture resistant, will not accept dyes
• Variations in natural colour will be more evident than in products that can be dyed. These variations can add to the decorator appeal and charm.
• Can be professionally cleaned with extreme care
Sourced from the National Carpet Cleaners Association
