Your rug’s fringe. It adds something special to your carpet, but a dirty or damage fringe can ruin the carpet’s appearance too. There are a number of problems possible with rug fringe, but at Bond Products we’ve found that they can be fixed with a combination of time, patience, and the right materials and equipment.
In our previous blog, we explained why rug fringe exists: “On a traditional antique or Oriental rug, the fringes are the warps of the rug itself tied together to finish off the rug. Rug makers hand tie strands of wool or silk into knots around these warps. The warps are as long as the rug itself. The fringe is the way the rug maker secures the foundations of the rug. He gathers together bundles of warp strings at both ends of the rug after it’s been cut from the loom. The fringe knots keep the pile knots and end finishes tight and in place.”
For these traditional rugs, the fringe is entirely practical and necessary. If you cut off the rug fringe, the rug will unravel, and you will have lots of individual strings instead of a rug. Machine made rugs are not made in the same way, however. They are more of a piece, and the rug fringe that “finishes” off the rug is only there because people believe nice rugs should have fringes.
The problem with fringes is that they are the most vulnerable part of both handmade or machine made rugs. The strings separate and wear. They get dirty and break. When you vacuum the rug, the vacuum cleaner often yanks the fringe strings, sometimes pulling them off the rug completely. The rug’s fringe is practically guaranteed to be the part of the rug that looks the gnarliest over time.
So what can you do?
Have the rug professionally cleaned – Professional carpet cleaners and rug professionals know how to restore a rug to its previous condition and have it looking clean and beautiful for you again.
Clean the fringe by hand – This will take time and care, and it will probably be awkward because rugs are heavy and can’t be dried in the same way towels or tablecloths can. Still, if you’d like to save money, it’s very possible to clean your fringe with water, ammonia, and vinegar and then dry and brush the tassles out.
Replace the damaged fringe – This can only be done on a machine made rug. At Bond Products we use a lock-stitch TMB sewing machine to re-fringe a rug. If you have a heavy duty sewing machine, you can select a new rug fringe (Bond has many rug fringes to choose from), remove the old, damaged one, and replace it with the new one.
Hide the tassels underneath the rug – If you have a handmade rug and you can’t handle the fringe, there are ways to conceal it and keep it from getting dirty or damage. Some people tape them up on the underside of the rug, but this will cause more damage over time – which is important to avoid if you want to maintain the rug’s value. The best way to conceal fringe tassles is to fold them under and then sew a piece of fabric over them, creating a sort of pocket on the underside of the rug.
A rug’s fringe might be annoying to keep clean and tidy, but when it’s in good shape it adds something special to your rug. If you need any help replacing your fringe, contact Bond Products. We will be glad to assist you with any of your carpet and area rug needs.
