All beautiful rugs are created equal, right?
The rugs to the left are true hand-knotted Oriental rugs-beautiful both in design and craftsmanship. These works of art will last a lifetime given the proper care. However, for the last several years we’ve been seeing more and more rugs described as “machine-tufted” or “hand-tufted.” These popular, but low quality floor pieces should never be confused with true hand-knotted Oriental rugs.
The photo on the left shows a typical “machine-tufted” rug that you can find in any retail store. The photo on the right shows a comparison of the front and back of the same rug. The cotton scrim covering the entire back is glued-on with the four sides stitched. Scrim material is used to add dimensional stability to the rug as well as hide the heavy latex that is sprayed on the back to help keep the knots together.
Same rug (L & R), shows what to look for before you buy! Always flip the rug to view the back side!
The problems with these rugs will start to appear almost from the start. The latex used to bind the “stitches” to the primary-backing and the scrim material to the exposed knots on the back usually is of a very inferior quality. Also, most latex used in “machine-tufted” products has filler material added to extend the use of the latex-it’s like adding water to latex paint-the finished painted surface will have less actual pigment and not be very durable.
Issues to consider when purchasing these rugs:
- Odor-Low-grade latex gives off a sour smell when cleaned. Usually the odor will dissipate when dry, but will not fully go away.
- Cleaning-Because even mild detergents and cleaning processes can liquefy the latex, surface cleaning is the only option. Rugs with heavily impacted soils or liquid spills (think pet accidents) cannot be thoroughly addressed because the detergents will weaken backing materials making a full washing (complete saturation) risky.
- Tuft Pulls-Weak foundation yarns held together with a poor quality latex make face-fibers easily pulled through the top when vacuumed, cleaned or even walked-on.
- Dust, Dust, Dust-Normal use will break down the latex that binds this rug together. Most of the resulting dust particles (dried latex) will migrate through the cotton scrim and end up on the floor (or rug pad, if you use one) resulting in a constant mess that requires extra cleaning. This can add to problems for people with sensitivities to airborne particles.
Machine Tufted Rug
All of these points lead to only one conclusion for these floor pieces…Premature Failure. A rug manufactured with quality parts and processes and given the proper maintenance will last decades. These inferior products will, in the long run, cost you more!
Dried Latex Particles and Latex Dust
The dust in the picture above was found under the rug. It’s also not unusual to find latex dust in heating/air conditioning floor vents in homes, which can create an environment that may not be suitable for people with difficulty breathing. For more information on what to look for when choosing a rug please contact me at david.mavilio@regalclean.com or 781-995-0683
