Basics of rug construction

A Craftsman at work.

One of the questions we will ask before we start talking about washing your rug is “What type of construction is it?” We would like to help you answer that question. The answer helps inform us about the best wash process to use on your rug. Keep in mind construction is separate from fiber type. Any type of material can be used in any type of construction, but there are industry trends that are most common.

Tufted

Flip over one corner of your rug. If you cannot see the same pattern on the back that you see on the front, your view is blocked by a gray or beige piece of fabric, then you have a tufted rug. I have been to a mill here in southern California to see some tufted wool rugs being made. A fiber shaped like a V is simply pushed through the backing, either by a handheld gun or a C&C machine. After this, a layer of latex glue is applied. Finally the sheet of material is added to cover the glue and add some stability. We prefer not to immersion wash these rugs if we have a choice, because that can risk damage to the glue inside. Instead, after a thorough dusting we do a surface cleaning of tufted rugs.

Woven

Flip over one corner of your rug. If you see the same pattern and colors on the back as you do on the front, you have a woven rug. Quite often, but not always, these rugs will have fringe on the end. The most common material for a woven rug is wool. In this case, a cotton foundation was strung up on a loom and either a machine or a person tied wool fibers on that foundation. This is the strongest, most durable construction of rug. We prefer to do a full immersion wash on woven rugs and give them a ride in the centrifuge.

Flat Weave

You already know you have a woven rug, but is it very thin? Flat weaves are usually lacking any kind of face yarns. In a case like this, we like to do a full immersion wash, but we use hand brushes instead of the rotary machine we use to scrub a wool rug with a pile. It still gets a ride in the centrifuge, but we need to use a pool noodle to add some mass so it rolls out correctly. That is a fun process to watch, by the way.

Rarer forms

Sometimes we see custom synthetic rugs that have been pieced together in a specific way. We have even cleaned rugs that are assemblies of animal skins. Just because it’s not listed here doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

Washing Rugs with Expert Rug Spa

Your rugs are complex. The type of construction is just a small part of their character that determines what kind of custom cleaning we will do for you.  If you or your rug care professional is unfamiliar with any of this, maybe it’s time to call an Expert. Want to learn more? Contact Expert Rug Spa now.