How Weather Changes Affect Your Home’s Rugs
Rugs can transform a room, adding warmth, comfort, and style underfoot. However, if you have area rugs or wall-to-wall carpeting made of natural fibers like wool, you may have noticed that they can be impacted by changes in the weather and seasons. Fluctuations in temperature, humidity, precipitation, and sunlight exposure can all take a toll on your rugs over time. Being proactive about routine maintenance and utilizing professional wool rugs cleaning services is essential to extend the life and beauty of your wool rugs.
The Effects of Humidity
Humidity variations are one of the main weather-related elements affecting rugs. Rugs that are overly humid take in moisture from the air, which can cause a number of problems. There’s a possibility of fiber blooming, in which the wool fibers get rough and scratchy to the touch. In moist environments, excessive rug fiber shedding and sprouting is also typical. Elevated levels of humidity foster an atmosphere that is ideal for the growth of mold and musty smells in the rug’s backing and pile. Long-term humid circumstances can encourage the growth of mold and mildew, which will discolor and degrade the rug.
Low humidity, on the other hand, can be just as harmful since it can make rugs overly dry and fragile. The fibers of the dehydrated wool are prone to significant pilling, breaking, and shedding. An additional annoyance that arises from excessively dry air is the accumulation of static electricity. These problems can be avoided by using a humidifier or dehumidifier as needed to maintain moderate humidity levels of 30–50%.
Temperature Fluctuations
Significant temperature variations from season to season, in addition to variations in humidity, can hasten the aging process of wool and other natural fiber carpets. Fast cycles of heating and cooling strain the fragile rug fibers in a number of ways. Wool rugs become stiff and unyielding in freezing cold conditions, which increases the likelihood that they will shatter, split, or develop permanent creases if something heavy is placed on them.
Conversely, extreme heat and summertime temperatures can cause wool carpets to feel scratchy and harsh underfoot. What’s more worrisome is that high heat can eventually cause the vivid rug dyes and patterns to leak or fade. The consequences of low humidity might cause the fibers to become dry and brittle. Having the air conditioner on helps lessen these hot weather problems.
Sun Exposure Impacts
Like most textiles and fabrics, rugs are vulnerable to fading, discoloration, and dry rot from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. The UV rays from the sun can break down the chemical structure of certain dyes, causing them to lose their vibrancy. This fading tends to happen very gradually over months and years, but can be accelerated with intense, direct sun exposure through windows, sliding glass doors, and skylights.
Sun damage also dries out natural fibers like wool, making them brittle and coarse over time. This drying effect can lead to excessive shedding, sprouting, pilling, and fibers breaking. Rotating rugs periodically to ensure even exposure and closing drapes or blinds during peak sun hours can minimize fading and other sun damage.
Moisture and Precipitation Hazards
In addition to humidity’s effects, direct moisture exposure from rain, snow meltwater, flooding, plumbing leaks, spills, and other sources of wetness can quickly wreak havoc on rugs if not properly dried. Liquid saturation can lead to staining, leaching of dyes, odors, dry rot, and other deterioration. Worse yet, leaving rugs in a damp state for too long creates the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew growth within the pile and backing.
Even walking across seemingly dry rugs with wet or snowy shoes can grind dirt, debris, sand, and grit into the rug fibers through the soles. This abrasive soiling will accelerate matting and crushing of the wool pile over time.
The Value of Professional Rug Cleaning
To combat these seasonal and weather-related hazards, it’s highly recommended to have wool rugs professionally deep cleaned at least once a year. The experts at professional wool rugs cleaning services companies have specialized tools and solutions for revitalizing the look, feel, and longevity of wool rugs.
These services typically start with a thorough vacuuming using vibrating beater brushes to dislodge embedded dirt and dust particles. Depending on the condition of the rug, technicians may use biodegradable pre-treatment sprays and agitation brushes to release ground-in soils before the deep cleaning process.
For deep cleaning, truck-mounted hot water extraction is often utilized. This process involves applying a pH-balanced cleaning solution, agitating it into the pile with grooming brushes, and then lifting away the solution along with any oils, odors, and residues using powerful vacuum suction. Wool-safe sanitizers and deodorizers are also incorporated.
Following the deep cleaning, specialized rug grooming tools are used to re-fluff and revive the nap of the wool pile. Detailers also groom the fringe area and edges of area rugs. Some services include an application of rug protectors – eco-friendly solutions designed to create a protective coating around each fiber to repel future soiling and stains.
After professional cleaning, wool rugs regain their soft, plush, vibrant appearance. They are also refreshed and protected against the impacts of weather changes until the next recommended cleaning, typically 12-18 months later depending on the level of foot traffic and soiling conditions.
Conclusion
Wool area rugs and carpeting require some extra maintenance to keep them looking their best despite the effects of changing weather and seasonal fluctuations in humidity, temperature, sunlight, and precipitation. To protect your investment in premium wool rugs, make it an annual ritual to hire professional wool rugs cleaning services.
For top-quality rug cleaning services in the local area, choose Ed’s Cleaning. Their team utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and eco-friendly cleaning solutions specifically formulated for wool and natural fiber rugs. Ed’s offers free rug pick-up and delivery for convenience. With their rug cleaning expertise, your wool rugs will be revitalized, deodorized, and protected against future weather impacts all year long. Visit eds cleaning services or call +1-808-938-5915 to schedule your rug cleaning service today.