Why Viscose Rugs Look Great in the Store and Struggle at Home

Viscose rugs are easy to love in a showroom. The surface has a glow that wool cannot match, the colors look rich, and the price per square foot can seem too good to pass up. Then a glass of water gets knocked over, or a pet has an accident, and the same rug that looked so good starts to turn brown, flatten and shed. Understanding why helps you decide whether a viscose rug belongs in your home and how to treat one if it already does.

What viscose actually is

Viscose is a type of rayon, a manufactured fibre made from regenerated plant cellulose, usually wood pulp or bamboo. It is spun into a shiny, silky thread, and that is why rugs made from it are often marketed as “art silk,” “faux silk” or “bamboo silk.” The labels can be confusing, and a rug sold with the word silk in its name may contain no real silk at all.

The same property that makes viscose shine also makes it fragile. Cellulose fibres lose a large share of their strength when they are wet. A rug made from them is already more delicate than wool or nylon when dry, and it becomes weaker still the moment moisture reaches it.

Why viscose browns and mats

Two problems show up most often after a spill. The first is browning. When water soaks into a viscose rug and then dries, it can wick soil, sizing and dissolved dye from the base of the rug up to the tips of the pile, leaving a yellow or brown patch that was not there before. The second is texture damage. Wet fibres are easily crushed, twisted and matted by a footstep or a rubbing cloth, and once the pile is distorted it rarely springs back the way wool does.

Even without spills, viscose has weak spots. Footprints and furniture marks show in the sheen. The pile can shed, and the shiny surface can go dull in the places where people walk. Many people are surprised that a rug looks worse after six months in a hallway than a plain wool rug of the same age.

How to tell what you are buying

Start with the tag on the back, which should list the fibre content. If it says viscose, rayon or art silk, you know what you have. A seller who cannot say what the pile is made from deserves a second look. A very silky hand, a high shine that looks the same from every angle and a thin, flat feel are all clues, although none of them is proof on its own.

Where a viscose rug works best is in a low-traffic spot with no shoes, no pets and no food nearby. A bedroom rug beside the bed, or an accent piece under a table that nobody walks across, can do well for a long time. A kitchen entry, a dining room or a family room hallway is where these rugs run into trouble.

If a spill happens

Act fast and keep it dry. Press a clean, dry white towel onto the spill to draw the liquid up, then swap in a fresh section of towel and press again. Do not rub, do not pour water on the area to dilute it and do not use steam. Fans help get air moving across the spot, but avoid direct heat. Once the spot is dry, resist the urge to scrub at any mark that remains, and have a professional look at it.

Cleaning viscose is a judgment call even for experienced hands, and results depend on the rug. Browning caught early is sometimes improved, and sometimes it is not. A technician can tell you honestly what is likely to get better and what may not.

Telling your cleaner up front

When a rug goes out for a wash, the pre-inspection is the step that protects it. At Spectrum, area rugs are tagged, measured and photographed at the warehouse, and inspected before cleaning begins. That inspection is where fibre content and condition get a close look. If you know or suspect your rug is viscose, say so when you book so the technician knows what to look for. Spectrum's technicians are IICRC certified, and fibres such as rayon and silk are on the list of fabrics they pre-test before cleaning upholstery.

Before you buy or bring a rug home, run through this list:

• Read the tag and look for the words viscose, rayon, art silk or bamboo silk.
• Ask the seller how the rug is meant to be cleaned and what happens if it gets wet.
• Place it away from entries, pets, food and anywhere shoes land.
• Use a rug pad to cut down on shifting, which crushes the pile.
• Keep dry white towels where you can find them in a hurry.

If a viscose rug has already had a bad day, Spectrum's area rug cleaning team in Frederick can take a look at it. Call (301) 662-8200 to talk through what you have.