Rugs Information

Once you have invested in a quality rug, you can protect your investment by caring for your rug well. Even though most people purchase rugs for actual use, and not just decoration, it will suffer some normal wear and tear. This can be minimized by a
regular schedule of cleaning and rug upkeep. Many rug vendors offer special cleaning services that vary widely in price and quality. Whether you choose to take advantage of such services, there are still some general tips to keep in mind for your own care of the rug.
If you experience any spills on your rug, you will want to treat the spot right away. The longer a spill sits, the more likely it is to become a stain. Spot treatments are best done with cold water, which should then be blotted up until the rug is dry. Don’t
forget to blot the top and the bottom of the rug! An even better alternative is to use a wet- dry vacuum, if you have one. Once the spill has been treated, you should move any furniture so that it will not sit directly on top of the affected area, as some
moisture is likely to remain in the rug and can cause dry-rot, ruining both your furniture and your rug.
Keep in mind that you should never hang a rug in order for it to dry. Doing so can cause colors to run, bleeding into other areas of the rug. Since hand-made rugs are still typically dyed with natural products, rather than chemical dyes, they run a greater risk for bleeding. You can prevent that, though, by simply leaving the rug flat. It is recommended that a rug be brushed, rather than vacuumed. Over time, frequent vacuuming will actually damage the integrity of the rug fibers, causing your rug to wear much faster. Brushing with a fiber broom or hand brush can extend the life of your rug. Be sure to clean the top and bottom of the rug, as well as the floor beneath the rug. When doing so, check for signs of wear, tear, and other damage, such as that caused by moths. You can often catch problems before they become serious.
If you do plan to vacuum your rug, you should keep the following tips in mind. Always be sure that the brush on your vacuum is clean. You can easily carry dirt from one surface to another, staining your rug unintentionally. After cleaning your brush, make a quick inspection of the hardware that houses the brush. Ensure that there are no protruding metal parts or other equipment damages that could catch on your rug and cause unraveling or other damage. If your rug requires a deep cleaning, do not wash it in your home washer and dryer! This will severely damage, if not destroy, your rug. You may need to have your rug professionally cleaned in such a case. Many shops will offer a free estimate of what it will cost to have your rug cleaned. Certainly, professional cleaning will cost far less than replacing your rug!

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While the art of rug-making started thousands of years ago as a handmade craft, the modern production of rugs does include machine-based manufacturing. Machine-made rugs are manufactured in countries around the world, including Canada, Ireland, Portugal, and the United States to name just a few. The process of making a rug using a machine involves industrial-sized looms, first invented and used in the United States in 1839.
By 1926, textile industrialists in the United States had modified the early electric looms so that they could produce fairly faithful replicas of Oriental rugs. The machine-made rugs were viewed by both the producers and the buying public as a more affordable alternative to the beautiful and elaborate, yet expensive, hand-made rugs that came from exotic lands. The advent of mechanized rug production also greatly increased the availability, range of selection, and sheer quantity of rugs available for local purchase.
These large mechanized looms mimic the process of making rugs by hand. Yarn on enormous spools is fed into the looms, which operate at high speeds, producing an almost-finished rug in a matter of minutes, rather than months. Once the basic rug is produced, it may be sent off for patterning. Again, this process occurs with the use of a machine. In mechanized rug production, the colors are not produced using vegetable, seed, or natural dyes, but rather are chemical mixtures that result in vibrant colors.
The chemical dyes are fed into a large screen-printing machine and a particular pattern or design, whether floral, Oriental, or geometric, is set. The screen-printing machine literally stamps the rug with its particular pattern, and the rug is then sent on for finishing. The finishing process may involve pulling the fibers at the corners of the rug for a fringe or tufted look, or it may involve adding a border
Since the mechanization of rug manufacturing in the 1930s, the rug production process has become increasingly more sophisticated, paralleling the trajectory of the hand-made rugs in a sense. Innovations in machinery and raw products allow the use of new materials, including synthetics, as well as new designs, styles, and shapes. The mechanized production has introduced a certain variety to the rug market, but traditionalists are likely to continue seeking hand-made rugs, and are willing to pay the price for them.
Consumers who are in the market for a new rug are well advised to determine whether the rug they are considering purchasing is hand-made or machine-made. It is widely believed that hand-made rugs last longer and are generally of a better quality. The consumer’s ultimate choice should depend not only on price, but on intended use and personal style preferences.

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We don’t mean to be alarmist, but we sometimes see “silk rugs” that are made of something other than genuine, natural silk. This is not a problem if you know that the rug you are considering is made of artificial silk, but sometimes rug dealers neglect to pass on this information! The problem happens most often with just a few rug types sold in tourist markets in Turkey and India (and sometimes in Pakistan).
Real Silk
Real silk is produced as the cocoon covering of the silkworm, the pupal form of the Asian or mulberry silk moth, bombyx mori. The cocoon is spun by the silk moth caterpillar of a single silk fiber that can be up to several thousand feet in length. To harvest the silk, completed cocoons are boiled or heated to kill the silkworms, then laboriously unwound into single fibers which are plied together and spun into thread or silk yarn.
Artificial Silk
Artificial silk is everything billed as silk that doesn’t come from the silkworm cocoon. Most often this means mercerized cotton; sometimes it means a manufactured fiber like rayon or a blend of chemically altered and/or manufactured fibers. It’s not that artificial silk is intrinsically evil; it’s just that the whole point of using artificial silk in a rug is to save the cost of real silk. It is not nice when this cheaper, artificial silk rug is misrepresented and sold for the price of real silk rugs.
Mercerized cotton
A ripening cotton boll can contain as many as 5,000 separate cotton fibers, each fiber growing from a tiny seed and formed as a hollow cylindrical sheath of as many as thirty layers of almost pure cellulose. Cotton fiber is mercerized by being stretched under controlled tension at room temperature while being treated with a 21%-23% solution of caustic soda (NaOH). The effect is to swell the fiber and make its surface much more reflective, thus dramatically increasing its luster (and also its tensile strength). After the chemical treatment, cotton yarn is often singed to remove whatever small amount of fuzz remains on the surface of the fibers. Sometimes cotton is calendared by being passed between heated rollers. The effect is to increase the luster and sheen of the fiber still more. However it is treated, cotton remains cellulose: C6H10O5.
Rayon
Like cotton, rayon is made of almost pure celulose, but rather than being grown, rayon is produced by first dissolving cellulose (obtained from cotton or woodpulp) to produce a thick yellow liquid called viscose. The viscose is extruded through tiny holes into a chemical bath that produces long filaments which can be spun into thread and yarn. Viscouse rayon was the first man-made fiber. In 1920, DuPont bought from the French the technology for making viscose rayon. DuPont first called the material “artificial silk”, and formed a company (The DuPont Fibersilk Company) to manufacture it. Other artificial fibers would follow quickly: acetate (also derived from cellulose) in 1924, nylon, (commonly, adipic acid reacted with hexamethylene diamine) in 1939, acrylic (from acrylonitrile, a petrochemical) in 1950, polyester in 1953, and triacetate in 1954.

With all these artificial fibers around, how can you identify a rug woven with natural silk? For example handmade area rugs, silk rugs, Persian rugs, oriental rugs, wool rugs.
First of all, pay attention to whatever clues the dealer–or the rug–gives you. For instance, we have seen many artificial silk Kayseri rugs (and some Hereke rugs), both Turkish types. In Turkey, a real silk Kayseri is an ipek Kayseri: ipek is “silk” in Turkish. An artificial silk Kayseri is a flos Kayseri ( a yun Kayseri has a wool pile). The dealer might be accurately describing the piece to you as a flos rug, but by not explaining the difference between flos and ipek, he lets you jump to the intended assumption, and you unwittingly buy an artificial silk rug.
Indian rug dealers are seldom as delicately circumspect as some of their Turkish counterparts. Artificial silk rugs in India are often blatantly sold as real silk, complete with certificates of authenticity and written guarantees. For many years Kashmir in northern India has been the major source for both real and artificial silk Indian rugs. Look carefully at the “silk” rug: it should be tightly woven (with more than 200 knots per sq. in., and often with 500 or more knots), intricately detailed, closely clipped, and it should have real silk fringe that is clearly an extension of the rug’s structure, not sewn on or sewn into the ends of the rug. Artificial silk rugs often have only medium weaves (less than 250 knots per sq. in., and sometimes less than 150 knots per in.), and often have cotton fringe. Good quality real silk rugs always have real silk fringe. In Pakistan we often see rugs called jaldars. These wool pile rugs often have “silk touch,” meaning that there is artificial silk inlay in the pile (often outlining part of the design). This artificial silk is almost invariably ivory in color, and is made of mercerized cotton.
Tests for Silk
OK, you’re looking at a nicely woven, nicely patterned, closely clipped “silk” rug with what appears to be real silk fringe. You still might be looking at a rug made of artificial silk. Here are three field tests that might help you distinguish real from fake. No guarantee; your mileage may vary.
Rub it! It is sometimes claimed that you can tell real silk from artificial silk by vigorously rubbing the pile with your open palm. The real silk rug feels warm; the artificial silk rug stays cool to the touch. We sometimes think we have felt this difference. Of course, it helps to have a real silk rug with you so that you can compare a known quantity!
Burn it! This test is at least good theatre, and actually can be helpful. Clip off a small piece of the fringe, or pull a knot out of the rug from the back (why should the owner object?). Burn it. Look at the ash and smell the smoke. If the material was cellulose (rayon), the ash should be soft and chalky, and the smell should be like burning paper (most paper is made of cellulose). If the sample is real silk, the burning sample should ball to a black, crispy ash, and the smell should be of burning hair (you’re burning protein, the same stuff your hair is made of). You’ve got to be a little careful with this test to avoid smelling the smoke from the match (and to avoid igniting yourself or the rug dealer’s shop).
Dissolve it! The most accurate test is one that chemically differentiates protein from cellulose or petrochemicals. One such test: at room temperature, mix a solution of 16 g copper sulfate (CuSO4) in 150 cc of water. Add 8-10 g glycerin, then caustic soda (sodium hydroxide: NaOH) until a clear solution is obtained. This solution will dissolve a small sample of natural silk, but will leave cotton, rayon, and nylon unchanged.

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A rug is typically a carpet with finished edges. As is the common perception, there is not much difference between carpets and rugs. The only noticeable difference is that, carpets are generally used for floor coverings and are larger in size. Rugs are used for many purposes. They can be used as floor furnishing, foot rug, wall hangings, sofa coverings and for many other decorative purposes. They come in a varied range of sizes and shapes. Rugs are sometimes also used for specific purposes. These include, setting up the theme of the room, lobby rugs, kid room rugs, throws etc.
Rugs are generally classified based on their pattern and design. In addition, the approach for weaving a rug is also sometimes used to classify them into segments. Typically, rugs are classified into four major categories. These include, Cotton Printed Rugs, Traditional Rugs, Modern Rugs, and Tribal Rugs. Each of these classifications has their own set of patterns and designs.
Cotton Printed Rugs are elite and stylish in nature. They give unmatched appeal to floor decoration and thus add an artistic approach towards interior decoration. Cotton printed rugs come in varied color schemes. Cotton rugs are primarily used to give a soothing effect in an otherwise oppressive surrounding. On the other hand, traditional rugs reflect positive vibes to the room’s decor. These rugs are generally made using woolen materials but are sometimes also crafted using natural fibers. As the name suggests, traditional rugs represent traditionalism to the interiors.
Though the market for rugs is huge, it is not limited only to cotton printed rugs or traditional rugs. Modern rugs are tailor made for people who like to color their surroundings with brightness. Modern rugs with their trendy yet elegant look are found in offices and buildings. Most of the designs for modern rugs are done keeping in mind that they easily fit into the décor of the room. This is also one of the primary reasons for people to show preference towards modern rugs.
There are some other types of rugs that make the floor eye-catching; the foremost among them is the tribal rug. It is like a fresh water lake in the midst of sand dunes. These are made using natural dye colors and typical bold designs. The color scheme here is generally loud, which gels beautifully into the décor of the room. You can use tribal rugs in any type of interior and they give you awesome results. The only concern is that they should be strategically placed to enhance the beauty of the room. Improper placing might wipe out the finesse.
Proper flooring is the answer to get the real impact out of correct home furnishing. Rugs go a long way in making your rooms look more sophisticated and urban. They give a feeling of completeness and this makes your home or for that matter, any home a sweet home.

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Who does not appreciate the beauty and warmth of a rug for an otherwise bare floor? Rugs are made of many materials and come in many sizes and shapes. Rugs have many purposes besides just decorating the floor.
Area rugs
A rug can define an area within a larger space, for example area rugs in a living room may make a conversation piece when surrounded by a seating arrangement of couches and chairs. Another small area rug could be placed in an area for television watching or for listening to music. Sometimes people will use an area rug beneath a dining room table to enhance the beauty of the furniture as well as to further anchor the space. A more “country” type décor will often use a braided rug to go with western style furniture, while an oriental rug is usually thought of in a more formal designed room.
Rug composition
Rugs are made of many different materials. Many of them today, thanks to the development of synthetic fibers are inexpensive to own. Cheap area rugs can be used in spaces where there is much more traffic and where the rug may need to be replaced occasionally. Cheap area rugs do not need to look cheap. The man made materials often have more variety than more expensive Persian rugs. Persian rugs are known for their beauty and durability, but may be beyond the budget of many homeowners. Discount rugs are often made of synthetic fiber which repels water better than Persian rugs so may be more appropriate as kitchen rugs or bathroom rugs.
The fine wool rug is more often seen as wall to wall carpeting, but is also the main component of oriental rugs. The beauty and quality of oriental rugs is matchless, but they can be very expensive to own. Discount area rugs are sometimes made of other materials, such as hemp or cotton, but these are commonly used for a specialized purpose such as kitchen rugs or bathroom rugs.
Specialized usage rugs
Bath rugs or mats take their place beside a bath tub or shower to prevent slippage when stepping out of the shower enclosure. Bath rugs must be constructed of a material which is cleanable or even washable, as otherwise, moisture soap and bacteria are trapped in the fibers and may lead to disease. For this reason the rugs in the kitchen or bath and sometimes a hallway or stair rug is general a discount area rug.
No matter what your home style or your individual decorating taste, rugs help you to define and individualize that space. Braided rugs, oriental rugs, wool rugs, it doesn’t matter, because they all come in such a wonderful variety of colors, sizes and shapes that your individual taste and color schemes can be perfectly satisfied. Your budget can also be a key factor in choosing the rug that’s just right for you. You can choose a discount rug that will last a season, or an expensive heirloom rug which you will be proud to hand down to your children’s children.

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If you have a home, you have a kitchen. After all, without a kitchen where would you prepare your food? Although you may not be obsessed with making your kitchen look great, there are some little things that you can do in order to help yourself out in this department. One of the best things to do is to add a kitchen rug. As you probably know, kitchen rugs are quite popular today. Even if you do not have one of these in your home, there is a good chance that you have been to a home that includes at least one of these.
Before you buy a kitchen rug, there are quite a few details that you should first consider. Not every kitchen is the same, so for this reason, you should make sure that you do not just buy any old rug. If you are going to spend the money, you might as well get something that is going to suit every last need of you and your home.
The first thing to consider is where you are going to lay your kitchen rug. Generally speaking, you can do this on any part of the floor that you wish. Once again, this will be based largely on the type of kitchen that you have. For instance, a large room is going to dictate where a rug should be laid much differently than a smaller room. In most cases, homeowners find that the best place for a kitchen rug is in front of the sink. This will give you something nice to stand on while you are working in the sink, and on top of that, it will also help to protect your floors. Other popular areas include the entryways to your kitchen.
Now that you know some options as far as where to lay your rug, you should start to think about the style that will best suit your needs. Just like any other kind of floor covering that you can buy for your home, you should know that there are quite a few types of kitchen rugs for you to choose from. In fact, there are so many options that you will most definitely want to slow down to take your time.
You will notice that kitchen rugs differ in a variety of ways including shape, style, color, and size. You may know exactly what you want, but at the same time, you may not have any clue on where to get started. For the most part, the kitchen rug that you purchase will be dictated largely by the room that you already have set up. For instance, the color of your floors and walls will determine the color of your kitchen rug. Additionally, a smaller kitchen usually means that you want to purchase a smaller rug.
Overall, buying a kitchen rug is a great way to transform your room. Not only will it do a lot for the look of your kitchen, but it will also bring an added level of functionality as well. For all of these reasons, you should definitely consider buying a kitchen rug if you have yet to do so.

Kitchen Rugs for ladies

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Wool rugs are advantageous in adding charisma to any room of the house. These are available in different styles to suit the needs of each individual. Woolen rugs are of two types – woven or hand made and tufted or machine made rugs. These are available at all price ranges making them easily affordable. The properties of woolen rugs which make them unique are:
§ These rugs are made of woolen fibers which do not absorb soil easily. This keeps them clean for longer periods.
§ These are resistant to fire and static electricity.
§ They can easily withstand wear and tear in high traffic areas.
§ Woolen rugs absorb the water vapor in the air and reduce the humidity in the atmosphere of the room.
§ These are very durable and their quality remains intact for many years.
§ No chemicals are needed to clean woolen rugs. Most stains can be removed with warm water.
§ Repeated vacuuming of the woolen rugs keeps them clean and helps to improve their quality.
The first decision to take is whether to buy a hand made or machine made rug. After that, the color and design of the rug can be chosen. The size and color of the rug must be selected based on the size of the room and its furnishings. Wool can be extracted from a live animal called live wool or from dead animal called dead wool. Dead wool is the rougher of the two. Dry cleaning should not be done on the wool rugs. It leaves a harmful chemical in the wool. Steam cleaning extracts oil from these rugs, making them rougher. Carpet padding can be used to prolong its life.
Wool rugs are unique because they can be dyed in different colors. These are available in different colors and designs. These are usually costlier than other rugs but they provide long-term durability. Wool acts as thermal insulator and keeps the temperature convenient in accordance with the season. For instance, in winter it prevents the heat in the room from escaping and keeps in warm. In summer, it keeps the room cool by absorbs the heat. Regular vacuum cleaning is sufficient to keep it in good shape. Each person must assess his needs and choose the type of rugs they want.

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There are different area rugs store in US that can suit any taste and preference of customers. Majority of these stores offer rugs that would complement the coziness and warmth of the typical home. The styles and designs available come in simple patterns with subdued tones and colors to appeal to a cozy space of any abode or office. These are the types come in classic or traditional style patterns while others come in more contemporary designs and vibrant colors to suit the tastes of younger clientele.
Before buying them just like furniture, they can be considered as valuable investments in the long run. This is because these area rugs will be used for a long period of time to provide the user a safe and stable walking surface as well as warm flooring. Before buying in any store, make sure that you first determined the type that will fit your space. Deciding what shape you prefer can do this. In the market, there are different shapes to choose from. You can opt for rectangular, square, diagonal, circle, or oval ones depending on the shape of your flooring and your personal taste.
Once you have decided which shape is best for you, you must now measure the space using the length and the width. In living rooms or family rooms, exact measurement is very important before buying any area rug because you cannot do anything about it once it is too long or too short so make sure that you get the most accurate measurements as possible. When you measure the space, make sure that you take into consideration the furniture that would be placed above, over, or near it. This is quite significant to ensure that there is balance and harmony in the motif of your home. After measuring the space, you must now determine what is the style of the area rug that you like or you need.
There are basically two types of area rugs: the hand-knotted and the machine-made. Both of these types come in different patterns and solid colors. You can opt for Persian Oriental, Braided, Tibetan, Shag, Flokati, and Contemporary. Each of these types have their own unique features and characteristics that would best suit your taste in style, preference in design, need, and budget.
After deciding the style, try to evaluate the materials that make up an area rug so you will have an idea how long it will last in its best condition. The common materials that are usually used include wool that is resilient, cotton, which is cheaper and softer than wool, silk, which are of high quality and need special cleaning, and nylon that have good stain resistance and strength.
Lastly, before buying area rugs, take into consideration if you are going to use for on-rug decorating and off-rug decorating so you can choose the best designs available.

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You don’t have to spend a fortune to make your bedroom look like a little paradise. Just a sense of taste and good use of colors will give you that bedroom of your dreams. Yes, depending on how much taste you have, your bedroom furniture don’t have to cost a fortune.
To really beautify your bedroom, you can choose shades of light that are white on the inside but have warm colors outside. This adds to the beauty of your room. Having these types of colors is the one of the innovations of the lightening companies. They are constantly looking for ways to please their customers.
There are antique rugs that are a hundred years old. Some ninety year old rugs are also called antique rugs. The forty to seventy years old rugs are not seen as antique at all. They are very different from the contemporary. It increases in value as the years go by. Such rugs can bring out the beauty of your bedroom far more than you can imagine.
When a shelf is going to be fixed in the bedroom, it is of uttermost importance that it will be placed at a comfortable height. It must not be too low and neither must it be too low. You must consider the height of the rest of the furniture within a room.
It’s not unusual to find many different kinds of bedroom furniture. You can find the unusual ones and many conventional ones. The one you will pick should be dependent on your preference and how it will fit in your bedroom.
One of the major problems people face when they go out to shop for their bedroom furniture is which ones to buy from the vast array of beautiful bedroom furniture available. To help you make the decision, don’t think of just the beauty of the bedroom furniture on it’s own, but look for which ones will complement the color scheme of your bedroom.
A very lovely website that I found interesting bedroom furniture is EverythingFurniture.com. If you are short of ideas and just don’t know exactly what you should get for your bedroom, take a look at this website. There are many other such websites that can help you bring back those creative juices when decorating your bedroom.
If you run out of bedroom decorating ideas, find time to visit some of your friends, especially those that you know have a high sense of taste and love quality decorations. Just looking at their decorations can spark off lots of ideas in you for decorating your bedroom.

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When most of us think of Persian rugs we automatically picture exotic locales complete with beautiful women carefully hand weaving colorful rugs. That’s actually how Persian rugs were initially crafted and in many cases are still made today. The term “Persian rugs” has come to encompass a wide range of floor coverings. Although a genuine Persian rug is still handmade, the majority are now made mechanically, with the result being a beautiful rug, which often doubles as a work of art.
Traditionally, Persian rugs were made of silk. The threads of silk were carefully woven together to depict a detailed image. What distinguishes a Persian rug from other types of rugs is the process by which it is made. Persian rugs are woven together with knots that are single tied. This helps collectors distinguish the authenticity of a Persian rug. Today, many of the machine-made Persian rugs are crafted from wool. Although wool is a much more durable material than silk, it does come with its share of drawbacks. Notably wool is much more susceptible to the elements and over time the threads of a wool rug will weaken and the rug will begin to pull apart.
For the most part, people who are seeking out a Persian rug will look for one that is machine-made. The reason is the cost. A traditional hand-made Persian rug is much more expensive. If you are planning on using your Persian rug in a high traffic area you will want to follow the machine-made route. Many museums now display Persian rugs in their displays. Archaeologists have found several well-preserved Persian rugs that are still in relatively good condition. Many of these have been carefully cleaned and hung in museums so that visitors can enjoy their beauty as well as share in their history.
For today’s consumer who is still looking for a hand woven Persian rug their search is certainly not futile. There are Persian rugs being made in Turkey in the traditional sense by the hands of gifted craftsman. These rugs are mainly woven with the use of the double knot system. At first glance, it is almost impossible for the uneducated eye to distinguish between the system of knots, but when the rug is pulled gently apart at the base of the pile, this is noticeable. For someone simply purchasing the rug to be used as a floor covering, this generally isn’t a concern.
If you are fortunate enough to become the owner of a Persian rug that was crafted centuries ago you’ll want to take it to a professional to have it preserved. Not only is it a financial investment that you’ll want to treasure, the rich history should be embraced as well. Persian rugs are beautiful to look at and can provide a decorative accent to any room they are placed in. Whether you are an avid collector or an enthusiastic decorator, the symbolism of the Persian rug should be honored. Persian rugs are a true art form.

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