How To Care For Flatweave Rugs

Flatweave rugs are just that – flat without any thick pile to speak of and are either handmade or machine made. Since they contain less material than more traditional thicker rugs, flatweave rugs require specific care to prevent unnecessary wear and damage to the rugs.

Flatweave rugs such as needlepoint, kilim, soumac and aubusson, offer a very unique and distinct look – Unlike thicker rugs, flatweaves can almost look like a painting on the floor. This is due to their flatter nature, as well as their weave, particularly within finer handmade flatweave rugs. Since this type of rug has no pile to speak of, if not properly cared for, a flatweave rug can easily experience wear and damage. It is important to know what to do to assure the protection of the rug so that it lasts as long as it should and maintain its beautiful appearance for just as long.

Keep Rug as Flat as Possible on Floor

It is fairly common for flatweave rugs to wrinkle and buckle more than other rugs. Flatweave rugs are more flexible, or supple, than others because there is less material within the rug. If a rug wrinkles and then someone walks on the wrinkles, this leads to wear in those wrinkled sections. Keeping your flatweave rug as flat as possible will prevent wear to certain parts of the rug and this keeps the rug looking good and maintains its condition.

Since flatweave rugs tend to wrinkle as a result of them slipping, use of a quality non slip rug pad prevents slipping and can then prevent wrinkles within the rug. Non slip rug pad is used under flatweave rugs to keep them as flat as possible to prevent dangerous slipping, as well as unnecessary wrinkles. The rug pad should actually be able to prevent the rug from slipping on top of the pad, as well as prevent slipping directly on the floor. Be sure to choose an effective felt and rubber rug pad to protect any flatweave area rug.

Keep Rug Anchored by Furniture

When possible, place some furniture on your flatweave rug. This can add a decorative look to any room, as well as extra safety. Furniture will add the anchor necessary to prevent common slipping and keep flatweave rugs in place on the floor. While it is not necessary to place all furniture on the rug, placing partial pieces can be all the anchor that is needed to keep flatweave rug flat.

Prevent Unnecessary Traffic

There are rooms in which the rug is placed under heavy traffic, such as in a cut-through connecting two rooms. In this case, the rug is exposed to excessive traffic, which can be cause for wrinkles, slipping and soiling of your flatweave rug. It is smart to try to position the rug deeper into the room to avoid being in the main through traffic pattern. When foot traffic passes over the rug, it can place pressure on that part of that rug – Since the flatweave rug is flexible, it can actually wrinkle just from the pressure of foot traffic. Here, again, it is best to prevent excessive traffic by repositioning the rug so that it is not in a heavily used area.

Rotate Rug Annually

Whether or not part of your rug is exposed to a traffic area, it will most likely experience and show wear on some parts more than other parts. For this reason, it is smart to rotate your rug. Rug rotation can significantly reduce and possibly prevent uneven and premature wear to parts of the rug. Rotate your flatweave rug about once a year by removing any furniture from the rug and turning it in either direction so that the sections of the rug are not in the same area as before the rotation. Be sure to make a note of the direction of rotation, as this will be necessary to know for the next rotation.

Spot Clean Immediately

Rugs with a thick pile are somewhat more forgiving than flatweave rugs in terms of stains and spills. On that note, flatweave rugs can soil much faster than their thicker counterparts and should be cleaned as soon as a spot is noticed. The pile of most flatweave rugs contains the actual knots of the rugs and soil and dirt adhere to these knots much faster than on a regular pile, or thicker rug. For this reason, it is important to clean flatweave rugs when they become soiled or stained, as this will avoid permanent stains.

Depending on the actual material content of a flatweave rug, you may use a soap and water solution, or some other cleaning agent safe for use on the rug. Wool rugs are simply cleaned with mild soap and water, whereas nylon rugs need a different cleaning solution. While the soap and water solution is perhaps the safest method of cleaning, other cleaning agents may also be safe depending on what they are. To be sure of safety to your rug, it is best to first spot clean a very small area to make sure their is no negative reaction. After being cleaned, most flatweave rugs air dry and are then ready to be used again.

Flatweave rugs offer a very charming look on any floor, so it is important to care for them. Like with most items, if properly cared for, flatweave rugs can last for several years. It is simple to care for these types of rugs with simple cleaning, keeping them as flat as possible on the floor and using a quality rug pad. With proper knowledge of caring for flatweave rugs, their addition can prove to be timeless to any room and decor.