Odor Problems in Area Rugs …
In recent years there has been a profusion of lesser quality, odorous area rugs that have appeared in the consumer marketplace. Most of these are hand-tufted rugs from the Asian subcontinent, particularly imported from India, Pakistan or China, that have created Odor Problems in Area Rugs.
One of the common problems with these rugs is a tenacious unpleasant odor that emanates from the latex back coating or adhesive, which is part of the carpet construction. Unfortunately, this foul odor is “built in” and no amount of professional cleaning or deodorization will permanently remove it. New rugs should never smell this way and good, old rugs seldom do either.
The odor can vary from mild to strong and oppressive. One characteristic smell typical of these rugs is of “diesel fuel” or “burnt” oily type residues coming out of the latex. These rugs may even smell bad right in the store, but the odor appears more concentrated and noticeable in the smaller rooms and spaces of your home. The mass market importers often sell these shoddy rugs and this foul condition is a defect in the rug from manufacture and distribution.
Area rugs with this foul odor problem usually have wool pile fiber but could also be acrylic, cotton, olefin or others. The construction has the pile inserted through a primary backing and latex “glue” or adhesive applied to the underside of the backing fabric to help secure the pile yarns in place. Also, this same latex adhesive is used to glue or adhere the secondary backing fabric to the rest of the rug. The secondary backing fabric, usually a coarse cotton duck fabric and often dyed green, blue or other colors, is what you would see when looking at the back or underside of the rug.
The odor may be caused by defective, low quality latex adhesive used at the time of rug manufacture or not enough time allowed to “cure” the latex before the rug is shipped to overseas markets. There may be diesel oil odors absorbed into the latex during shipboard transport from India or the odors used to cover up other problems. The cleaning industry’s best experience is that this offensive odor cannot be permanently removed and may or may not be temporarily alleviated.
Contact Us or Call Carpet Dry-Tech @ 678.368.5991 to eliminate your rug’s foul odor issues today!
