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Viscose Rugs Made In India
Viscose rugs are very popular and they have become importers and Home Designer’s favorites. Hand knotted viscose carpets being the best, they are brilliantly handwoven in Hand-tufted, Handloom, and Dhurries as well. Their blending, especially with wool, adds together a unique and spicy style.
Viscose and wool rugs are the most desirable fiber area rugs that every carpet shop and rugs importers eye. You will come across many rugs made of viscose in most carpet showrooms and shops.
Read on to learn more about viscose area rugs and what makes it unique. The article includes:
viscose rugs cleaning, advantages & disadvantages, problems, blend, etc.
What Is Viscose?
Viscose has other Western names such as rayon, China silk, Artificial silk, and Art silk. Viscose is a thin fiber extracted from wood pulp but is not a natural fiber because of the wood pulp’s treatment with chemicals to turn it into a yarn. They are soft, smooth, shiny, and very comfy. They make beautiful rugs, mattresses, pillows, etc.
Dyeing Of Viscose Yarn
Interestingly, the dyeing of viscose yarn is way different from the dyeing of wool. Wool, cotton, and many other fibers use their specific color-dye and dyed at a boiling point temperature. It is not the case with viscose. Here, viscose yarn dyeing is different. It uses a different dye approach from that of wool, as it’s carried out room-temperature water.
Unlike the wool dyeing method, viscose dyeing does neither need a heavy aluminum or steel tank with a burner. They also don’t need constant temperature management. So it takes no coal, no LPG, or any other fuel to color dye viscose yarn.
Wool Vs Viscose Rugs
How To Clean Viscose Rugs
Area rugs are prone to getting dirty and stains. It takes different methods to clean different types of rugs. Learn the DIY ways to clean viscose fiber rugs before contacting professional carpet cleaners. Before that, keep a few points in mind:
- Restrain viscose area rugs from placing in moist areas because it will stain it yellow or brown if water creeps in.
- Viscose carpets also tend to shed more than wool, so keeping a friendly vacuum cleaner to vacuum at least once a month is advisable.
Viscose And Wool Area Rugs
Here, viscose blend rugs(with wool & others) does not mean mixing viscose fiber with wool to make a yarn. Instead, it is the combination of viscose and wool taken in a certain ratio to weave a piece of rug. The viscose highlights the design and gives a fabulous and exquisite sheen and comfort.
Wool And Viscose Rugs Cleaning
The combination of wool and viscose fiber makes a unique, valuable, and beautiful piece of rug. The two fiber yarns are very different from each other, so when cleaning both the materials within the same piece, there are points to consider.
Well, in general, cleaning the wool stain is easier than the viscose. While cleaning viscose, wool by itself gets cleaned to some extent. If there is any stain still appearing on the rug’s wool part, clean/wash it separately. Do not use hot water for the purpose as the wool color might fade away and worsen it.
As for viscose, one of its properties is that viscose fiber is too absorbent. So if there is any stain, take immediate action. Begin cleaning the stain using a towel and any light cleanser. If the stain is very harsh, use a rug cleaning solution from your nearby rugs stores. Apply the particular solution, and you will soon notice the stain running up towards the top. Once done, blot it with a towel and clean it. Always remember to keep viscose away from wet sites—place in the dry area only.
Durability Of Viscose Area Rug
Viscose area rugs are also called ‘disposable rugs.’ Their fiber’s property is such that it does not allow it to last for too long. It is recommended to better avoid these rugs from placing in high foot-traffic areas.
Wool Viscose Rug Durability
So are wool viscose rugs durable?
Some fibers like wool, when blended with viscose, do make a creative difference. The blend does enhance the overall look, and they do the job quite well. These two blended fiber rugs do reinforce some durability but not as much as wool alone. Another blend with chenille, or adds only a glamour to the rug/carpet, plays no role in enhancing its durability.
Viscose Rugs Pros and Cons
With advantages, follow some disadvantages. It goes the same with viscose carpets and rugs too. There could be hundreds of reasons to appreciate viscose carpets, but they have drawbacks. Let us discuss some of the pros and the viscose rugs problems.
PROs
More for less: Do you know what it is that makes it the most fascinating, appealing, and tempting to buy a viscose rug! The other fact is that viscose gives a very close resemblance to the expensive and luxurious Real silk area rugs. No doubt, they are far cheaper than wool, and the fiber is incredible as well.
Soft & comfy: If softness and coziness in a rug are what you are looking for, then your search for it can end by choosing these rugs. Real silk is the softest, but not to forget they are very costly too. Viscose fiber rugs are undoubtedly the best option for tight budget decorators. It is as delicate and comforting as the real-silk rugs. They are very soft, very smooth, and very shiny. You and your guests will surely admire your sense of choice and love it very much.
Cool touch: Viscose is bad insulant to heat, which means it does not hold heat. So it serves a significant advantage over other material rugs during summer seasons. You would have noticed your kids and pets crawling or lying on the carpet in the summers enjoying the coolness. Not to forget, if this is the advantage, then it turns into a disadvantage during the winters.
CONs
Synthetic fiber: First of all, it’s a wood pulp that’s bound together with chemicals to hold it together. So it is artificial and not natural even though they are from wood pulp. They processed with heavy chemistry to form this type of fiber.
Unsuitable for winter: As mentioned above, the viscose does not trap heat that well. So if you are looking to lay down on them, then it is unreliable for winters. Second of all, as obtained from wood, it tends to brown out or yellow out in those specific areas when it gets wet. Those spots would come right off without worrying about the color change if it had been on a wool rug. That’s a challenging situation to correct on viscose.
Shedding: Another problem with these wood pulp fiber is that they tend to shed a little quite often. They need regular vacuuming at least once every 3-4 weeks. The same going when they go for professional cleaning.
Pile fracture: Another problem with them is they tend to lay down on one side since they are wood pulp. They don’t have a good twist to them. The retention on them tends to bend down when walked on several times.
For babies?: Many ask if viscose rugs safe for babies! Yes, they are safe but of course not as popular as wool. The very thin broken fiber hair floating on top may want you to put babies away from crawling as they tend to lick the surface of the rug.
Expensive cleaning: Yet another issue with them is cleaning, especially with thick pile ones. They’ll become a skew when they’re cleaned. They are not crunched very tight, and as you lose fibers that are natural on any rug, those fibers tend to move. They become askew, and that’s a forever condition until they’re tacked back out. It takes extra charges as it takes more time to do a viscose rug. They need professional cleaning.
Viscose Vs Polypropylene Rugs
Polypropylene(PP) is also called Olefin. The fiber is obtained from the polymerization of monomer propylene with the support of the catalyst. Viscose is a wood pulp, and it is chemically treated to turn into viscose fiber.
The advantage of polypropylene over other fiber rugs is that they are inexpensive. It is the least pricey polymer in rug production. So you will find Berber carpet most of the time. Viscose area rugs are much cheaper than wool and real-silk, but they are expensive compared to polypropylene.
The main pros of polypropylene rugs are low cost, and the fiber has a very casual aesthetic. They hide dirt and wear & tear well because they come in a multitude of colors. They don’t need vacuuming daily, at least not as much as viscose does. Polypropylene does better than viscose in high-foot traffic areas.
Yet, there is a similarity between the polypropylene and viscose area rugs. While placing any heavy object or furniture on this carpet, they tend to crush. Both fibers bend on one side when pressed and don’t return to their original position when pressed.
Soft Viscose Rugs And Dogs
The coziness and comfort of viscose carpets can easily attract dogs and other pets to sit, lay, and play on them. Pet urine and other stains on rugs are never easy cleaning them. With viscose, it is more difficult to clean the pet stain and would need professional cleaning. So it is advisable to avoid pets stalling about in these areas.
Viscose Rug In Bathroom?
As discussed above, water or moisture is a foe to viscose fiber. Water can get brownish areas with yellow spots on them. They may also carry a bad smell if not dried out soon. Bathrooms are where water splashes now and then, so there is a constant threat to color changing in them. It is highly advised to avoid these sorts of rugs from using in the bathroom. For bathrooms, use nylon instead.
FAQs
Are viscose rugs toxic?
No, by in itself, viscose carpets and not toxic, but they’re with toxic fire retardants. The same applies to polypropylene and nylon rugs too.
Are wool and viscose rugs good?
Yes, the blend of wool and viscose make good rugs. They are luxurious and inexpensive. Viscose mimics real silk that is too expensive. However, the mix of the two doesn’t help much in increasing the rug’s durability.
What kind of material is viscose?
Viscose, in general, are wood pulp. It’s also known as rayon. They are also called art silk, artificial silk, or China silk. So if you are looking for real-silk look at the tag that mentions ‘silk’ at the back of your rug; make sure it doesn’t say ‘art’ before it.
Are viscose rugs soft?
Viscose is one of the softest materials, and hence rugs made of them are very cozy. They are more delicate and shinier than wool. It feels great to feel their smooth touch.
Are viscose area rugs hard to clean?
In comparison to wool cleaning of viscose, carpets are a little challenging. It might need proper professional cleaning at least once a year. Hence, cleaning them is more expensive too. Vacuum them in 3-4 weeks as they tend to shed quite often. Avoid placing them in high-foot areas.