So, you may be thinking, “my living room rug is dirty, and needs to be cleaned” so you google “carpet cleaners near me.” A plethora of carpet cleaners show up willing to clean your prized rug! Then after some digging, you find people who only wash rugs? Why? That’s so specific! Arent carpets and rugs just about the same thing?! You would be right to think so when you’re standing on it. But just beneath the fibers tells a whole different story! There is one main difference between your common wall to wall carpet and area rugs. It’s what holds them together! The main difference is between adhesion vs tension. Wall to Wall carpet is designed to be cleaned in home. With its breathable backing material that is glued together, creating a porous foundation that allows water to easily pass through it. Making it Ideal for steam cleaning (i.e., hot water extraction). Versus the area rug, which are most commonly woven very tight, making it hard for water and soiling to pass through the foundation, thus requiring more effort to rinse the soiling from there. That’s where we come in! we have the specialized equipment, and tailor our expertise towards all different types of weaves to provide the safest, yet most effective cleaning as possible.
In these photos, you’ll see wall-to-wall carpet on top, compared to a variety of area rug weaves below. Now imagine water passing through these surfaces. Looking at the backsides, the wall-to-wall carpet has large passages for water to move though, kind of like a sponge. While the area rug material is much denser, not leaving any passage for water to move freely. The density of the weave is great for longevity and durability. You can have the same rug tying your room together for many years, whereas wall-to-wall carpet is designed to last around 5 years before being replaced nowadays.
In conclusion, if you’re looking at getting your carpet cleaned. Your professional carpet cleaner is your best bet. But for your area rug, it is best to take them to a rug specialist who understands how they are made, and how to properly take care of them for you. Even if you’re not sure what you have, or if you’re not quite ready for a full washing, we can give you tips to maintain your own rug until you’re ready to get it washed!
