Viscose Rug Cleaning
With the ever-growing popularity of Viscose (often dubbed Art Silk, Banana Silk or Rayon) rugs, we are constantly asked if Viscose rugs are a good investment, and whether or not they can be cleaned. The answer is simple — yes! However, it is important to note that a viscose rug cannot be cleaned by just anyone, and absolutely needs to be in the hands of a true professional.
Viscose rugs are often dubbed as an affordable alternative to natural silk rugs. The fibers within a Viscose rug are more fragile and require specific care to keep them clean, however, with over a decade of hands-on experience cleaning and manufacturing Viscose area rugs ourselves, we have the necessary knowledge and equipment to care for these incredibly delicate rugs.
While all wall-to-wall carpet cleaners, and most professional area rug cleaners, refuse to touch Viscose rugs, our Orange County rug washing facility welcomes them! Because carpet cleaners steam clean rugs, and don’t professionally clean them at a wash facility, carpet cleaners cannot treat a viscose rug without likely damaging it. The fibers within a viscose rug are so “weak” and delicate that when steam cleaned, they can be immediately ruined. Also, because viscose rugs can be so tedious, and time consuming a lot of professional rug cleaners refuse to clean them as well, because they don’t find them to be worth the risk. The reason we are more than willing to clean Viscose rugs is because, without a shred of a doubt, we know how to! It’s very simple. Our experience extends far beyond just the knowledge of cleaning them, because we also manufacture them ourselves. We understand how each Viscose rug is actually produced, as we hand-knot them ourselves. We’re familiar with the fibers in a viscose rug, and know a viscose rug’s limitations. Also, we have the patience, space and necessary equipment needed to treat these delicate and beautiful rugs.
For example, when wet, the fibers within a Viscose rug can yellow due to Cellulosic Browning, which is a condition where a natural substance turns yellow, or brown, due to oxidation. Therefore, any liquid that spills on a viscose rug has the potential to turn the rug yellow. If a non-professional rug cleaner tries to clean the yellow spot(s), or fails to remove all remaining liquid from the rug, they will only make the spots worse and/or permanently damage the rug. When it comes to properly drying a Viscose area rug, we have a dedicated drying room where Viscose rugs are laid flat to dry. From there, we take the time to constantly hand-groom the rug throughout the drying process to make sure the viscose fibers don’t sprout up or dry out of place, that the rug’s pile dries properly and consistently, and that all remaining liquid is removed from the rug. If not laid flat to dry, and given the proper TLC during the drying process, the Viscose rug will dry rough and shaggy-looking, and yellow or brown out.
In short, Viscose rugs are a good investment so long as you properly care for them, and only trust them with a professional rug cleaning facility like Refined Carpet | Rugs. Whenever we sell or see someone with a Viscose rug, we do always encourage having it protected with our Rug Guard, as it will preserve the life and fibers of your Viscose rug, and help keep your mind at ease (especially if you have pets or kids)
With an abundance of hands-on experience both cleaning and manufacturing Viscose area rugs, you can rest easy knowing that your Art Silk rugs are in the best hands with Refined Carpet | Rugs. For more information on cleaning Viscose area rugs, our rug cleaning process, Rug Guard, or our Orange County, CA rug cleaning/repair facility, please contact us today.