Is It A Synthetic Rug?
Let's first determine if your is synthetic. You can get a good idea by turning it over and look at the bottom side. Does it feel hard? If so, then you likely have a synthetic rug. If it is not hard on the bottom, it's probably not synthetic. Wool rugs are soft on both sides. The design is also clearly visible on the front and back.
If you believe your rug is synthetic and want to determine what type it is, we can help you with that too. To be honest, there aren't a lot of non-damaging ways of identifying the type of synthetic rug. The most common way to tell the type is to burn a fiber of the rug. Don't worry; you'll only need to burn one fiber. Please do so safely, in a well-ventilated area!
Ready to find out which synthetic rug you have? Here is what to look for:
- Nylon: Burns blue at the base and orange at the tip with no smoke (except when extinguished). The odor will be sweet.
- Olefin: Orange flame with black smoke and a fiber strand that sputters and drips. Also will give off a sweet odor and leave behind a hard, shiny drop.
- Polyester: Like nylon, olefin fiber will burn blue at the base and orange at the tip with no smoke, so the flame's appearance and the odor is given off are especially important for distinguishing between the two. The flame will burn quickly and evenly, unlike the sputtering of nylon. Olefin will emit a tar-like smell similar to asphalt and leave behind a hard, round, brown, or light tan bead.
If your rug doesn't seem to be synthetic, the next step is to determine what type of rug you have. A good place to start is by looking at the thickness. If it's thick, your rug is likely wool or cotton. The cleaning parameters are the same for both. If it's on the thin side, a few more steps are involved in determining what type you have.
Jute and Sisal rugs are easiest to identify visually and feel the roughest to the touch on both sides. Sisal's roughness will be comparable to jute, but the weaves are tighter. Some viscose rugs will have a bit of giving in the center; this is a thin layer of memory foam, while others will not. It will be tough to tell the difference between viscose and silk, but there are a few key differences:
- Silk will have a light luster (shine), while viscose will not. However, it may not be possible to tell the difference while the rug is dirty.
- Silk will be softer, and more delicate. While viscose will feel a bit hard and have a cold & wet feeling.
If you still are unable to tell, a final avenue of differentiation will be burning a fiber of the rug. Silk will have a slightly sweet smell!
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