Due to the high price of handwoven carpets, it is very important to take care of the rug roots, and if they are not properly maintained, they will rot and tear. The root of the rug is one of the most important parts of the rug, which is exposed to a lot of pollution, and for this reason, its maintenance is very important. Due to its whiteness and elegance, the roots of the rug are exposed to dirt and decay more than other parts of the rug, and they become messy and dirty if there is a lot of traffic. You have to make a lot of effort to maintain the roots of the rug because if they rot and tear, the possibility of damage to the rug texture increases. In this article, we are going to explain all kinds of useful solutions for rug root care. You can also protect the roots of your beautiful rug by following these solutions. Don’t forget that extending the life of the rug roots largely depends on how well you take care of them.

The roots of a hand-woven rug are the warps

What is the root of the carpet?

In the hand-woven rug, the roots form the foundation of the rug. These roots are the same warps that are spun before weaving the rug on the loom and the act of knotting takes place on it. In machine-made rugs, the roots are slightly different. In these rugs, the root is not the base of the rug and it is sewn to the edge of the ready-made rug with a special device like a strip. Of course, there are some semi-handwoven silk machine-made rugs in which the roots are woven by hand, like a handwoven rug.
You can read :

How to Distinguish Hand-Woven Carpet and Machine-Made Carpet?

Reasons to take care of rug roots

• Caring for the roots of the rug strengthens the rug, the knots, and finally the texture of the rug.
• The presence of roots makes the rug safe from dust and dirt.
• Protecting the roots increases the life of the rug.
• Having roots, in addition to the above, doubles the beauty of the rug.

What factors damage the roots of the rug?

• Humidity

As we said in the article Expert tips for dealing with moths and beetles on wool carpets, moisture is the worst enemy of the rug, which not only destroys the rug but also causes the roots of the rug to rot.

• Tearing

Tearing can happen when the door is opened and closed and the door rubs against the roots of the rug and as a result, the roots are pulled out. Another thing that causes the roots to tear is when the legs of chairs and sofas are pulled on them. Another important point that you should observe is that when you pull the vacuum cleaner, gently pull on the roots so that they don’t tear.

• Burning

Sometimes, due to distraction or hurry, we may put a hot dish on the roots or leave a cigarette on the roots of the rug, which causes damage to them. Hot objects such as fire, iron, coal, and even the continuous heat of the sun damage the roots of the rug. Of course, in cases of surface burns, using ice helps a lot. It is enough to put some ice on the damaged area immediately after removing the hot object from the rug or the roots, and it will save the rug fibers from burns to a great extent.

• Use of wide adhesive tape

Many people put a wide adhesive tape on the roots to arrange them, and they are not aware that this is very harmful to the health of the roots. Although this method seems very easy, it is strongly not recommended. Adhesives are made of chemical materials, and applying glue to the roots will make these materials stay on them, which will not be removed from the rug even by washing.

There are other reasons why you should not use wide glue to protect the roots. These adhesives lose their adhesion due to traffic and must be replaced continuously. In addition, every time the glue is changed, the probability of the rug root being pulled is very high. Also, the presence of glue prevents air from reaching the roots and causes more decay! It is interesting to know that according to the report of rug cleaning and repairing centers in Iran, the highest number of damage to the rug roots is due to the use of wide adhesive tape for the roots.

              Wide adhesive tape

•  Improper washing

Improper and unprincipled washing by non-specialists may cause yellowing and blackening of the roots, which causes them to rot. For this reason, it is better to entrust the washing of your rug to a reliable rug cleaner so that it is washed properly and the rug and its roots are dried properly.

Carpet root maintenance methods

• Removing the stains from the roots :

If you see stains or any discoloration, try to remove the stains.

• Cleaning the roots:

Do a thorough weekly sweep of the roots.

The roots of the rug

• The standard size of the roots:

Short or very long roots are easily damaged, it is better that the standard length of the root is between 7 and 10 cm.

• Using cover:

This method is the best way to keep the roots of the rug. The best type of cover is the mesh type, which prevents root rot through air exchange. This type of cover does not have any glue and by keeping the roots inside it prevents the entry of dirt and even frequent traffic does not damage the roots. Keep in mind that you have to replace these covers every few months.

Putting the roots inside the mesh cover

•  Weaving the roots:

Weaving the roots protects your rug to a great extent and prevents them from being stretched. To do this, divide the roots into small parts and then leave them like hair.

Weaving the roots like hair

• Tying the roots:

Tying is common for Iranian rugs. There are different methods for tying the roots, the most important of which are:

1. Chain Tie
   

   Weaving the roots of the rug in a chain

2. Double Tie
3. Pea Tie
   

   Double tie

• Using a wrapper for the roots

This method is the most traditional way to keep the rug root. For this, use mutaqal cloths. The roots are first folded and placed inside the mentioned cloth, then we attach both sides of the cloth to the beginning of the weave, these cloths easily allow air flow and prevent root rot prevent.

Placing the roots inside a mutaqal wrapper