Ways You're Damaging Your Beautiful Rugs Without Even Noticing

Adding an area rug to your space is an instant hack for bringing in style and warmth. It adds color and texture to the room while keeping your feet warm and comfortable. Quality rugs can be pricey but they are worth the investment and require special care so they last for a long time. Some obvious rug maintenance tasks are to clean stains quickly and vacuum regularly, but there are some things that can go unnoticed like overexposure to sun damage and the impact of your pets.

One of the things to consider when looking for the perfect rug for your space is its material. This will determine what kind of impact the rug can withstand and how it should be taken care of. The fiber type is especially important because it tells you how easily the material will shed or loosen and how susceptible it will be to these lesser-known sources of rug damage. For example, natural fiber rugs are perfect for high-traffic areas but specific types like wool and cotton will be vulnerable to UV rays.

The first way you might be damaging your beautiful rugs without even noticing is by leaving them in the path of direct sunlight for long periods. Just like certain furniture and flooring materials, rugs can fade or change color as a result of overexposure to UV rays from the sun. They might even harden, shred, or warp, losing their texture or shape. This is especially common with delicate types like Persian rugs and cheaply made rugs.

To combat this, buy rugs in fade-resistant materials like acrylic or polypropylene rugs. Already have your rugs? Move them away from that open window or spot where sunlight falls heavily. If you have to have the rug there, then put down your window coverings during periods of high sun or only use light-colored ones in that spot. They won't have a lot of color to lose and any fading won't be apparent.

Your cute pet can also be causing damage to your rug without you knowing. Cats and dogs tend to dig or scratch at surfaces, even indoors, as a way to exercise, entertain themselves, mark their territory, or due to other instincts. When it's on your furniture or rugs, though, that habit can quickly spoil a quality material and call for a replacement faster than anticipated.

They damage rugs by pulling and unraveling the threads, which cause the rug to shred or lose its real form. To curb this behavior, there are products for your indoor cat that won't ruin your home aesthetic like a scratching post or a fun toy that is engaging for them so they can scratch and play with it. An old blanket or cushion can also do the trick if you don't want to buy something new. If the rug isn't too far gone, cut off the loose ends and hopefully your pet won't come back to it.