Rug Repair - Things To Know Before Repairing Your Expensive Rug

Rug repair is done in many ways depending on the problem. A rug can have many different forms of structural damages. For every type of problem there is a unique approach and intervention. Most common reasons to repair a rug are:

• Unraveled fringes
• Border damage
• Worn out Fiber
•  Moth holes
• Tears
• Decaying and decomposing fiber.

Although materials such as wool, silk or cotton will naturally decompose over time, your rug can last a long life if properly cleaned by professionals. Dust, dirt and environmental impurities collect in your rug and it acts just like an air filter! The regular vacuuming is no match for the dust particles that have settled deep within rug fibers. The dust and dirt with exposure to normal humidity and moisture in the air has already turned into goo.
If you can't have a rug cleaned by professionals before you repair a rug, you may be better off taking it straight to the rug repair shop. Improper washing of the rug is much worse than not washing at all! Common practice of soaking the rug onto a cesspool of sod and hard water and using a rotary floor scrubber to wash its surface will damage the rug fiber forever.

Should I Wash my Rug Before Getting a Rug Repair?

It depends on the rug repair that you need but in general, we suggest cleaning the rug prior to repair, except for cases that a rug needs to be secured within the damaged area prior to wash. In that case, those areas such as big tears or cracks are stitched in a way to protect the rug fibers and hold the rug together before wash.
In a similar case of a rug with decaying fiber, we use temporary proper backing for the rug prior to wash to minimize further breakdown. This is also an important step for washing certain antique rugs. A permanent backing is used for rugs that after wash and repair still have fragile fibers and week structure.
Other advantages of washing before rug repair:

• Bringing out the true original rug colors, making sure the new weave and repair is an exact match of the hues and tones of that fiber. A dirty rug can definitely change the color and shade of the area for repair. Once the rug is cleaned, the difference will become visible.
• Avoiding further damage to the surrounding dried up area when a craftsman tries to insert the needle into the fragile fibers.
• Moth damaged rugs needs to be especially treated to get rid of all embedded moth eggs. Therefore, the rug must be treated and washed prior to repair.

Need to repair a rug in NYC or in NJ? Contact RevitaRUGS!

Ready to repair a rug? The first step? Getting your fast, free, no-obligation quote from one of our Revita Experts! Call us at 201 641 1100 or, fill out our contact form here. We'll be happy to answer any questions that you might have about your rug repair process.