Interesting Textures and a Very Soft Hand Makes Chenille Among The

The Thread

Unraveling the Mysteries of Fibers, Fabrics and Floor Coverings

FABRIC CHALLENGES… Our Picks For “Most Difficult” To Maintain

It could be argued that there prevent fiber damage. This Sisal are no “bad” fabrics or floor can result in inferior cleaning Sisal is a very popular floor coverings, only less than results, especially on covering but is unsuitable for practical choices. Starting with moderately to heavily soiled high traffic areas. Unlike most this premise, there are several fabrics. carpet and rug fibers, sisal types of fabrics used for does not have the ability to interior furnishings that are When rayon is woven into a hide soil. Making matters best suited to minimal-use pile fabric (chenilles and worse is the fact that these areas such as formal living velvets) the problems are floor coverings are woven in a rooms and guest bedrooms. compounded. When any flat pattern, leaving the sides The fabrics discussed in this water-based substance comes of the fibers exposed. Soils article should be specified only in contact with a rayon pile, the and spills easily impregnate in such low-use areas. nap flattens, creating a shiny the fibers, resulting in unsightly spot that can appear to be a traffic lanes. “bleached” spot. Attempts to Rayon raise the nap can be difficult if Sisal carpets and rugs are Rayon goes by several not impossible. difficult to clean because they different names…viscose, are prone to cellulosic Bemberg, Art Silk etc. No browning and can shrink when matter the label, rayon fabrics water-based cleaning methods have many inherent problems. “… there are no are used. Dry cleaning bad fabrics or methods are most often Rayon is 50% weaker when recommended but often are wet, shrinks and rings readily. floor coverings, ineffective in removing water- This greatly limits the spotting only less than based spills. and cleaning techniques which practical can be used. Shrinkage from wet cleaning can be significant choices.” Linen on flat-woven rayon fabrics. Linen is actually a very durable Because of the extreme nature fiber unless it is used to create of the shrinkage (most Rayon sometimes finds its way a pile fabric or floor covering. noticeable in draperies or the into pile rugs and carpets, As part of a pile construction, skirts of chairs and sofas), this usually when blended with linen can become a problem should be considered other fibers. These floor maintenance nightmare. before installing rayon in a coverings tend to respond in high-use area. the same way as rayon pile In a velvet construction, linen fabrics (nap flattened by makes an especially elegant Rayon must be cleaned with moisture and “shiny” spots) so and lustrous fabric. One more delicate methods to the same caveats apply. problem specific to velvets in

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general is the tendency to Silk cause significant pile develop shading, based on the Like linen, silk is generally a distortion. crushing of the fibers. durable fiber but its positives Because they are so lustrous, are lost when it is used in a linen velvets are particularly pile construction. Need Help With susceptible to this type of Upholstered Fabric shading. Regular brushing Silk has poor resiliency and Protection Or Cleaning? with a velvet brush can help tends to crush easily. Like Your local Fiber-Seal Service minimize this problem. rayon, water-based Center is ready to help and substances also distort silk pile just a click away. Even more difficult to care for fabrics. When the nap is are linen floor coverings. flattened, it can be difficult to Linen can be found in both raise it. broadloom and rugs, most often as a loop pile. Click Here Resiliency is poor and these Be Careful Of Imposters For rugs will tend to show crushing Oriental rugs sold as “silk” are Locations in traffic patterns. often made of rayon. Even though rayon orientals feel soft Cleaning linen floor coverings and are lustrous, it is almost http://fiberseal.com/locations/ is complicated by the fact that impossible to keep them water-based cleaning can looking good unless they are cause cellulosic browning and hung on a wall. can sometimes stiffen linen yarns, causing texture True silk orientals are difficult changes. Therefore, dry to maintain but real silk fiber cleaning is the suggested responds much better to method of cleaning for these traditional cleaning methods floor coverings. However, as than does its counterpart stated earlier, water-based made of rayon. Both silk and stains generally do not rayon orientals are considered respond well to dry cleaning “dry clean only” because methods. water-based cleaners can