Viscose area rugs have been a recent trend to attempt to make a more affordable option for those who want Silk. Viscose area rugs can be disguised into multiple different names, like banana silk, man-made silk, rayon, bamboo silk, and faux silk on design labels. Though these rugs are trendy, they are one of the most delicate fibers on the market and in all honesty, don’t clean very well.
Many designers recommend these rugs for the silk-like aesthetic they bring out without the cost of owning one. The problem is, silk is a durable fiber that typically cleans well. Viscose is a combination of bamboo or cotton by products that’s chemically treated to look like silk. Similar to how brunettes could damage their hair to bleaching it blonde, the fibers are more frail and brittle. Meaning the durability may not exist in an average household. Even just a water spill could create browning in the fibers!
Discoloration or browning in the rugs can be corrected, depending on how the customer treated the rug, what type of spill it was and how fast they noticed the spill. It can be similar to how an apply turns brown when its left out with a bite in it. However, if you spray the apple with lemon juice in the bite mark, the apple won’t brown. Lemon juice isn’t used on these types of rugs, but something with a similar acidity can be used to reverse the browning.
The problem with this method is the fiber is still delicate so some damage in texture may occur. Matting is one of the most common changes in correcting this browning, and can be brushed down to attempt to match the rest of the texture in the rug, although it’s not always successful.
Although we do not recommend the purchase of viscose rugs, we do recommend that if you are looking to care for your viscose rug to keep it away from everyday traffic and pets. This rug should not be in an area where foods or drinks can spill onto it, and we recommend a fabric protectant to be applied before exposing the rug to your home. This protectant can help buy you at least a little more time in saving the texture or color of your area rug affected by a stain.
If you would like to learn more about Viscose and how it’s made, check out this post all about the fiber. You may also contact us directly for any further questions on Viscose and how to care for them!
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