Tufted Rugs
Tufted rugs are everywhere today, and many homeowners don't realize they own one. In this short video, One World Rug Care in Albuquerque explains what tufted rugs are, how they're made, the common problems they develop, and what you can do about them.
What Is a Tufted Rug?
Tufted rugs are built differently from woven rugs, and the quality is different too. On a woven rug, each knot is tied by hand. On a tufted rug, each loop is punched into a backing using a tool called a tufting gun. The back of the rug is then coated with latex glue to hold the tufts in place, and usually a cloth backing is sewn on to cover the glue.
How to tell if your rug is tufted: if your rug has a cloth or fabric backing, it's probably tufted, although some needlepoint and hooked rugs have a material backing as well.
High-End vs. Mass-Market Tufted Rugs
About 5% of the tufted rug market is very high-end: custom-designed, custom-made rugs with excellent fibers, dyes and construction. These sell for thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars.
The other 95% are lower-end rugs, mostly made overseas and sold through large online retailers and big-box stores. The good news is that they make wool rugs very affordable. The trade-off is a shorter lifespan and a range of cleaning and use problems, because corners were cut to produce them at a low price.
Common Problems With Tufted Rugs
Weak Latex That Cracks and Powders
Some tufted rug manufacturers mix powdered marble dust into the latex glue as a filler. This weakens the glue and can lead to early cracking, powdering, and delamination, where the tufts separate from the backing.
Stencil Marks That Bleed Through
The person running the tufting gun follows stencil marks drawn on the backing to create the pattern. Sometimes those marks aren't colorfast. Any liquid that reaches the backing, including a spill or even a washing, can make the marks bleed through to the surface, often staining it permanently. There's no way to know whether stencil marks are colorfast until there's a problem. This is a manufacturing flaw, and a reputable manufacturer should replace a rug that develops it.
Sour or Rotten Latex Odor
Sometimes the latex used in manufacturing goes sour. Bad latex can cause a serious odor that can't be fixed. The smell may be there when the rug is new or may show up as it ages. This is another manufacturing flaw that a reputable manufacturer should replace.
Pet Urine Odor
Any latex-backed rug can develop an odor problem from pet accidents. Urine soaks into and combines with the latex layer and is often impossible to remove completely. See our video on pet urine and rugs.
Mildew on the Backing
The latex layer doesn't let the floor under the rug breathe, so lower-end tufted rugs can develop mildew on their cotton backing. This is most common in humid conditions. New Mexico is dry, but homes that run evaporative (swamp) coolers in summer can see higher indoor humidity. Mildew causes odor and can trigger allergies in people who are sensitive to it. A rug pad can help prevent the problem.
Buckling and Loss of Shape
The latex backing gives a tufted rug its shape. As the latex breaks down, the rug can lose that shape and buckle. Buckling is more common in heavy-traffic areas, when tufted rugs are placed on carpet instead of a hard floor, and sometimes under heavy furniture.
Floor Discoloration
As the latex breaks down, it can discolor the flooring underneath. Depending on the type of floor and how severe it is, the discoloration can be permanent. A rug pad can often help prevent this too.
How Long Do Tufted Rugs Last?
Those are the most common problems we see as rug washers, but most tufted rugs are reasonably well made and will give years of service with proper care. The important thing to understand is that tufted rugs are made quickly and have a shorter life than woven rugs. A woven rug may last hundreds of years, while most tufted rugs last 10 years or less. You could almost call them disposable rugs.
If a new tufted rug is powdering onto the floor, has an odor, or is shedding very heavily, return or exchange it right away.
Can Tufted Rugs Be Cleaned?
Wool rugs are meant to be washed. If a tufted rug is in good shape and relatively new, a gentle professional washing should be no problem. If it's only lightly soiled, surface cleaning can even be an option. But if a tufted rug is dirty or has pet stains or urine, it needs a full washing, because that's the only way to get it clean all the way through the foundation.
If the latex backing is weak, old or delaminating, the rug may not survive even the gentlest washing. In that case a repair is needed: as much of the old latex as possible is scraped off, a layer of pure, high-quality latex is applied, and the backing material is replaced. This can extend the rug's life, but the cost of washing and repair can meet or exceed the price of a new tufted rug.
Tufted Rug Cleaning and Repair in Albuquerque
Tufted rugs can carry sentimental value or be hard to replace. That's why One World Rug Care washes and repairs many tufted rugs at our Albuquerque facility. We'll inspect your rug first and give you honest advice on whether cleaning, repair or replacement makes the most sense. See our rug cleaning services.
We offer pick-up and delivery in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Corrales, Placitas, Santa Fe, Taos, Farmington, Durango and Pagosa Springs. For advice on your tufted rugs, call (505) 821-0302 or send us a photo for a free estimate.