If you’re a rug owner, you may have encountered the issue of rug bleeding. It’s a common problem that can cause unsightly stains and damage to your beautiful rugs. Rug bleeding happens when the dyes of a rug start to bleed out, resulting in color transfers onto other surfaces or parts of the rug itself. In this post, we will discuss everything you need to know about rug bleeding, including how to prevent it and the steps you can take to minimize its impact. Keep reading to learn more!
Why Rug Bleeding Occurs
There are several factors that can cause color bleeding during the process of area rug cleaning. These include:
- Traditional methods used in making Oriental rugs often involve natural fibers and pigments, which may not be colorfast. Natural dyes used in such rugs tend to be water-soluble and are prone to bleeding during cleaning. Certain cleaning techniques like flooding can exacerbate the issue and cause significant damage to the rug.
- Damaging cleaning methods. Dry cleaning and steam cleaning are not suitable for oriental rugs and can leave behind a residue that causes dyes to bleed and damage the rug.
- Application of excessive dye. If too much dye is used to color the rug, excess dye may wash out during the first few cleaning cycles and contaminate surrounding areas if not stabilized or protected.
- Exposure to alkaline substances or high heat during cleaning. Even if the dyes in the rug are colorfast or have been stabilized, they can still react and cause bleeding when exposed to high heat or alkaline substances often used in cleaning or stain removal processes. Fading is also a risk with such exposure.
- Pet accidents. Corrosive substances like pet urine can cause dyes to bleed before or during cleaning if not promptly and appropriately removed.
Color bleeding and fading of your oriental rug can be avoided if you take the necessary precautions. Here are some tips from our oriental rug cleaners to minimize the risk of color bleeding and fading:
- Keep your rug out of direct sunlight. UV rays can disintegrate the bonds that hold dyes to the fibers in your rug, causing fading. Avoid placing your rug in direct sunlight and use other methods to dry it if it becomes wet.
- Clean up accidents right away. To prevent staining and bleeding, absorb as much liquid as possible with white paper towels or a white cloth. Then call a professional oriental rug cleaner to carefully remove the rest of the stain. Avoid using store-bought stain removers, as they may bleach your rug, cause color bleeding, or damage the delicate fibers.
- Schedule regular rug cleaning appointments. To extend the lifespan of your rug and maintain its rich color palette, schedule a yearly cleaning with our professional team. We’ll do an analysis of your rug to determine the best cleaning approach that preserves its integrity and avoid color bleeding.
If you’re looking for a team of rug cleaning experts in Park City, UT who will respect your rug and keep it in its best shape, give Chem-Dry of Park City a call at 435-649-0400 today!