Rugs Direct

Why Wool?

Copyright © 2007  Rugs Direct®

Although many fine-quality area rugs are made of fibers other than wool, to a purist - especially when it comes to Oriental rugs - there is nothing that matches the natural beauty and properties of natural wool. But not just any wool, mind you. It even matters from which part of the sheep the wool is taken, where the sheep was raised and even how old it is!

Wool from the shoulder and flank sections is regarded as the most desirable fleece on a sheep. Sheep from high, mountainous regions have longer fleece, which is also highly desirable. There is debate over whether wool taken in the winter or summer is better. Winter fleece can create thicker and heavier wool, while spring fleece is softer and finer. Each has its own benefits. Lambs that are between eight and 14 months old produce a very excellent wool called "kork." It is very thin and silky and actually became popular in England before finding its way to the Middle East.

So why is wool considered such a superior material for area rugs? There are seven generally agreed-upon reasons:

• Wool resists wrinkles. It is resilient and springs back into shape quickly.
• Wool resists soiling. Because the fiber is so complex, dirt and stains have a hard time penetrating it.
• Wool is durable. Again, because of the multi-part, complex fiber, it resists wear better than almost any other natural or most man-made materials.
• Wool repels moisture. Liquids simple don't penetrate wool very well. It actually sheds water.
• Wool retains its shape. The same properties that help wool resist wrinkles also help it keep its shape and size.
• Wool resists flames. It is amazingly fire-retardant and does not support sustained combustion.
• Wool insulates. Just like wool clothing is comfortable in all seasons because of the layer of air it keeps next to the skin, wool rugs insulate the floor from any major temperature changes.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, wool is an all-natural fiber that is completely renewable and recyclable. You can enjoy your all-wool area rug free from guilt! And about how many products can you comfortably say that today?

Put the FUN in FUNctional!

Copyright © 2007 AnnaRae Mills

Rugs can serve several functional purposes, with the most obvious one being a floor covering. Rugs also provide warmth on a bare floor and help to reduce noise in a room with too many flat surfaces. Rugs can add beauty and charm to a room and they can give your room a cosmopolitan feel or more of a country feel. That's great, but our focus today is on fun!

There are plenty of rugs that put the fun in functional, from fluffy Flokati rugs to retro shags. Flokati rugs, shag rugs, and sheepskin rugs offer 3-dimensional lushness that is simply irresistible. They're at home in the office, den, or even a child's room and come in every color imaginable.

Speaking of fun, have you ever curled up on a soft fluffy rug in front of a fireplace? If you haven't tried it, you should wiggle your bare toes in the long fibers!

If a fluffy rug isn't what you have in mind, there are lots of natural material rugs like jute, sisal, and bamboo that keep the fun in functional and they let you "keep it real." These sturdy and durable rugs are both trendy and timeless (a hard thing to be) and they come in several earthy colors.

Numerous fun designer rugs are available, crafted by famous artists or fashionistas. From the legendary Andy Warhol to hip kids Mary Kate and Ashley, you'll find a broad range of officially licensed designer rugs to match your lifestyle. Many of the designer rugs take exciting chances with color scheme and layout, for one-of-a-kind creations. From goofy cartoons and streamlined oriental prints, to bold blocks and retro mixes, you'll enjoy these rugs for their durability and sense of adventure.

From traditional designs to funky geometric expressions, there are plenty of rugs that are just fun to look at. Some rugs have designs so detailed or intricate that you might not notice certain details right away.

Outdoor rugs can be used poolside, on the deck or patio, or in front of the barbecue. They come in almost any design so you can get the look you want in your outdoor living areas. The fun gets kicked up a few notches when you use an outdoor rug with a western theme for a barbecue party or a rug with a patriotic design to celebrate the Fourth of July.

When it comes to fun rugs, the ones designed for children take top prize. There are cartoon characters, farm animals, and wildlife creatures galore. Other rugs for kids come in unique shapes such as a racecar, plane, or fire truck.

Some rugs for young kids have interactive designs that help them with counting or the alphabet. Imagine the fun a child has stepping on numbers or letters as the child says them in the correct sequence. Other interactive rugs feature maps or the solar system to help a child learn different concepts.

I recently had a discussion about rugs with some friends, who also happen to be ardent rug lovers. When we mentioned fun rugs for kids, their young son asked if people that like rugs can be called fans, just like people who like sports are called sports fans. We said "Why not?" and then he posed the following question, "How much fun can a rug fan have when a rug fan has fun rugs?"

About The Author:

AnnaRae Mills is wild about rugs! She has a goldmine of tips and information to share with you. Decorating, rug shopping, and more. Find out how to pick the right rugs for your home. See pics of all rug types at http://www.Area-Rug-Tips.com

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service

Area Rug First Aid

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

Accidents Happen

No matter how carefully you care for your area rug there are going to be times when it will be necessary to apply a little judicious first aid. Spills are a natural part of life, but they needn't be something to fear if you respond to them correctly.

The most important rule to remember is:

Don't do anything to increase the area of the spill!

Food Spills

Obviously most dry foods don't present a problem to a well-made rug. Pick up what you can and vacuum up what you can't. If the food is moist or greasy, react quickly before the liquid component has a chance to soak into the rug's fibers. Often a dry rag or paper towel will lift any residue. Be sure to blot and not rub.

A liquid food spill can be a bit more of a problem. Again, blot the spill with a dry white cloth or paper towel. Keep blotting until absolutely no more liquid is picked up. Then, if necessary, wet the area slightly with warm water and start the blotting process all over again. Don't be impatient. It could take a while - and several rags or towels.

Of course the problem can be minimized tremendously if you treat your new rug with a stain protector such as Scotchgard from 3M. A special formulation made for rugs, carpets and automobile mats is available from Rugs Direct.

Pet Stains

The greatest enemy of any area rug is dog or cat urine. First of all, it can easily discolor the rug unlike almost any other "liquid" with which your rug may come into contact. It can actually cause chemical damage to the rug by changing the structure of the foundation. The area that came into contact with the pet urine can become more stiff and hard than the rest of the rug. It's not uncommon for a rug that is subjected to repeated urine stains to crack or break! Then there's the odor. Other animals may find it interesting - or even pleasant - but you and guests in your home will not. Even is you're successful in ridding the rug of any visible traces of the urine, the odor can linger for weeks. Unfortunately this sends a signal to the offending animal that it's OK to come back and leave a little more! And, as if this wasn't enough, the urine odor attracts moths, which will most certainly cause irreparable harm to your expensive floor covering.

Obviously anything you can do to prevent your pet from urinating on your rug should be strongly encouraged!

As referenced earlier, pre-treating your rug with Scotchgard or equivalent can help reduce the permanent damage pet urine can potentially cause. If you must remove a pet-urine stain that has soaked into the rug's fibers, try this spot-cleaning solution - but be careful and go slow. You do NOT want to saturate the rug at any time.

• 2 cups of warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent
• 1/4 cup of white vinegar

If you'd rather use a less dangerous, dry-method of cleaning the rug, try Capture Carpet Cleaner. It is a powder that is safe on virtually all rug fibers and lifts dirt and stains with use of your vacuum cleaner instead of steam or liquids. It won't clean everything that might drop on your rug, but it certainly won't cause any damage. It's a relatively inexpensive alternative to more drastic cleaning steps.

In case you're thoroughly disgusted at this point, we'll deal with how to clean pet stool and regurgitation in a future posting. For now, just keep Fido and Kitty away from that expensive Oriental rug!

Construction of Oriental Handmade Rugs

Copyright © 2007 Rugs Direct®

An authentic Oriental rug is a handmade work of art. This exquisite art form dates back to about 3000 B.C. Often called "functional works of art for your floor," the warmth and beauty of Oriental rugs brings interest and luxury to any room in the house.

Originally, Oriental rugs were hand-knotted with wool and silk fibers. Over time, newer and non-traditional constructions and fibers have been introduced and mixed, resulting in a larger category into which Oriental rugs now fall, broadly referred to as area rugs. The variety of qualities proliferating the industry allows for versatility in function and design as trends come and go.

One of the premier manufacturers creating top-quality handmade rugs today is KAS Oriental, from which this information is collected.

Handmade area rugs now include these popular qualities and constructions:

Hand-Knotted
A traditional hand-knotted rug is made with wool or silk. They are usually finished with a special luster wash for softness and shine and come with a fringe. Hand-knotted rugs take the longest time to make and therefore the most expensive, but allow for the most flexibility in design and color placement. To construct a hand-knotted rug, the weaver strings cotton threads, called warps, on a frame which becomes the foundation of the rug. The pile yarns, usually wool or silk, are looped around cotton threads one at a time to create a thick pile. Cotton yarns are then woven side to side through the warps to hold them together; the cotton threads are generally tied off into decorative fringes.

Hand-Tufted
A hand-tufted rug can be made with many types of fibers including wool, silk, acrylic or a combination. Hand-tufted rugs are generally less expensive than hand-knotted rugs and offer a tremendous value to the customer. To construct a hand-tufted rug, a cotton canvas is stretched on a frame to form the foundation of the rug. The design is drawn on the canvas in stencil or in outline form. Using a hooking tool, pile yarns are pushed through the foundation, making a loop, which is then cut giving the finished rug a plush or cut pile surface. The back of the foundation is given a latex coating to lock the pile yarns in place. A secondary canvas backing is applied to the rug to give it more stiffness and to cover the latex. In a Hi/Lo hand-tufted rug, the pile of the rug is a combination of cut and loop pile, which is used to create a three-dimensional effect.

Hand-Hooked
Hand-hooked rugs are made exactly the same way as hand-tufted rugs, except that the hand-hooked rug usually has a short, looped pile instead of a thick, cut pile. Also, the backing on a hand-hooked rug is often a light-weight mesh instead of a heavy canvas backing.

Flat Weave
Similar to hand-knotted rugs, flat-weaves are woven on a foundation typically made up of cotton warps strung on a frame called a loom. Instead of looping around and making a thicker pile, the yarns which form the pile are threaded back and forth, covering all the cotton thread like a blanket or a tapestry, creating a very flat pile. Usually, flat-weaves are the quickest hand-made rugs to produce and therefore, generally the least expensive. Flat-weaves can also be produced on power looms, making the production of these rugs even faster.

Bamboo Rugs
A bamboo rug is constructed of natural bamboo fibers. The bamboo is cut into narrow strands for woven geometric designs or cut into strips to create a hardwood floor effect. Bamboo has the tensile strength of hardwood trees and has a very casual yet elegant look.

Jute Rugs
Jute rugs are woven with natural plant fibers. Originally introduced and used as doormats, jute rugs have become a decorative rug suitable for many other areas of the home. Today, jute rugs are woven in loop or flat constructions, and are then dyed or have printed designs.

The best online source for handmade area rugs from KAS Oriental is Rugs Direct. Shop for over 700 styles of hand-knotted, hand-tufted and flat-woven rugs by visiting the Luxury Department of Rugs Direct.