Enjoy Free Shipping on Us
Rug Size Guides
Whether your viscose rug has an unfortunate stain or deep-set dirt, you may be wondering how to care for your rug. Different rug materials absorb moisture, stains, and dirt in different ways, so finding a cleaning solution for your specific rug may be daunting and intimidating. Fortunately, there are plenty of approved ways to clean your viscose rug. Keep reading for tips and tricks for cleaning fresh stains, set-in blemishes, and how to deep clean your viscose area rug.
Viscose rugs are made of natural fibers from wood, cotton, or bamboo. The rugs are made by collecting the plant material and then shredding/pulping it to break down the fibers. Then, chemicals are added to filter the material and allow them to be spun into fibers. The end result is a rug that features the ultra soft, luxurious look and feel of silk area rugs. Viscose rugs also have a soft sheen that’s comparable to silk, although viscose doesn’t have the natural strength and durability of silk.
Because of how the rugs are made and how the plant fibers are broken down, viscose has a lower fiber strength. This means that these rugs do not take kindly to heavy foot traffic or strong cleaners. With that, the rugs also react negatively to too much moisture with cleaning or high humidity. When the rug is exposed to heavy moisture, the cellulose-based fibers may begin to brown or yellow. That is one of the key ways that viscose rugs differ from others; unlike some popular natural rugs or synthetic rugs, water and moisture must be used very sparingly and intentionally when cleaning viscose area rugs. If the rug isn’t treated with care, then the colors may run, the rug may yellow, and the fibers may weaken.
With all this in mind, you may be hesitant to even purchase a viscose rug. While they do require knowledgeable and intentional care, they are still beautiful accents for today’s homes. To help you make that decision and care for your viscose rug, here are some common questions and cleaning solutions for viscose rugs.
For more tips and ideas, join our mailing list.
When you’re spot cleaning a viscose rug, one of the most important steps is to treat the stain as quickly as possible. That way, you prevent the stain from spreading further and deeper into the rug’s fabric and damaging other fibers. Follow the steps below to treat your rug’s stains.
Blot The Stain
If you spill a liquid onto your rug, use a paper towel or clean lightly-colored rag to gently dap the affected area. Do not scrub or brush the area with your towel; that may remove more liquid, but it also pushes it further into the rug and spreads it to nearby fibers.
Mix Your Cleaner
Instead of using water, use a citric or acetic acid solution. Cleaning powders of this solution are available to be mixed with a cool water to create an approved cleaning solution. This type of solution works for viscose rugs because the natural acidity prevents the rug’s fibers from yellowing. In fact, these solutions can sometimes reverse the effects of yellowing to restore your rug.
If you do not have this type of cleaner on hand, you may use white vinegar or a mild dish soap instead. Dilute the solution with equal parts cold water and equal parts vinegar or soap. No matter what solution you use, you should use either paper towels or a light colored cloth that won’t transfer dye to the rug.
Apply the Cleaner
Before you use the cleaner on a prominent stain, test it on a smaller, more hidden portion of the rug. This will help you test the solution and ensure that your rug doesn’t have a negative reaction to the cleaner. After that is done, use a clean rag or paper towel to apply a very small amount of the solution to the stain. Even though this solution is approved for viscose rugs, it still uses water, so you must be careful not to oversaturate the rug. Gently scrub the rug with your rag in the direction of the weave so you do not risk breaking the fibers.
Apply a Softener
Lightly mist your treated area with a fabric softener solution. This will keep the fibers from hardening and keep your rug feeling soft and luxurious. Once again, avoid oversaturating the area with excessive moisture; a small amount of fabric softener and light mist is enough to treat the area.
Dry The Rug
It is important to dry your rug as soon as possible to lessen the chances of moisture damage. Hair dryers are a quick and easy solution, but they should be used on a cool, gentle setting to prevent heating the rug’s fibers and causing color bleeding. Air drying is an option, but when you leave the rug to dry, be sure that it is not drying in direct sunlight; these intense rays may damage the rug’s sheen.
Fluff the Fibers
After the rug is dry, use a rug brush specifically made for viscose rugs, a napping brush, or your hands to lift the fibers back into place. This will help recreate a consistent pile on your rug and restore its comfort.
Even with the proper at-home care, we recommend taking your viscose rug to a professional cleaner every two or three years to keep the rug beautiful and dirt-free. It is also worthwhile to go to a professional when you have deep-set stains that need to be treated. These professionals will likely use dry-cleaning methods to avoid exposing the rug’s fibers to damaging moisture and water.
Viscose area rugs should not be regularly vacuumed. However, on the rare occasions they are vacuumed, use the most gentle setting possible to avoid a beater wearing out the rug. A non-electric vacuum or carpet sweeper is a great alternative for cleaning the rug at home. When using any of these methods, the cleaner should run directly with the rug’s pile direction and grain to avoid snapping fragile fibers.
Since viscose is so sensitive to moisture, we recommend dry cleaning as the optimal cleaning method. Professional dry cleaners and rug cleaners have the tools and knowledge to treat these rugs without excessive moisture, and they can bring your rug back to its former glory by removing hard-set stains or overall dirt.
Steam cleaning is not a recommended cleaning method for viscose. Even with the lighter moisture and keeping a steam cleaner at a distance, that level of moisture can still damage the rug’s fibers, cause brittleness, and yellow the rug.
Viscose area rugs are a beautiful, affordable alternative to silk rugs. Their natural softness, sheen, and lower price tag make them appealing for today’s homes. Even though these rugs require intentional, careful care, you now have the knowledge to regularly clean your rug, spot-clean it at home, and know how professionals can keep your rug as beautiful as the day you bought it.
It’s as easy as adding the Protection Plan - along with the product you want covered - to your cart and checking out!
Once you purchase coverage, you will receive a welcome email, giving you access to your dedicated portal (where you will be able to view your coverage information and file a claim).
Accidental damage coverage begins day 1 of purchase, while defects in materials and workmanship are covered as soon as the 30-day return period expires.
You can file a claim by going to getmulberry.com/login and by logging into your portal. Or you can simply contact the customer support team 24/7 via [email protected].
If damage is beyond repair, Mulberry will replace your product or will reimburse you for your product. If a repair is needed, Mulberry will coordinate technician cleaning or repair. Mulberry will repair your product up to its original retail price.
You are able to cancel your Protection Plan by contacting Mulberry or by logging into your customer portal. Within the first 30 days of purchase, you will receive a full refund.
You can exchange your product for an identical product, without it affecting your warranty purchase. If you exchange your product for a different item, you will need to cancel your existing coverage and purchase a new plan, as coverage is tied to the specific product with which it was purchased.
Currently, coverage is only available in the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico.
The Protection Plan does not cover damage that occurs during product delivery, pet damage (other than bodily fluids), odor elimination, intentional abuse of the product, or theft or loss of the product.
Yes. All protection plans are transferable in ownership.
Mulberry is a best-in-class extended warranty provider that works with retailers to provide customers with accidental damage protection on their purchased products.
The Mulberry Protection Plan is a 1- and 5-year extended coverage program that protects against accidental damage to your rug.
Mulberry provides a quick, online claims process and does not require a receipt to file a claim.
Enjoy Free Standard Shipping on us within the continental United States. For orders to Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii, freight forwarding costs and associated duties will be calculated at Checkout. For large, oversize rugs that require a surcharge above our shipping and freight partners’ standard shipping rates, an Oversize Processing Shipping fee is calculated in Cart.
Your discount code is on its way.
If you don't receive your promo code, please check your email junk or spam folder and click on "Not spam".
