From How to Keep Your Natural Area Rugs Looking Green and Great
by Mike Dennis

There are many advantages to decorating your home using natural fiber area rugs. Not only do they look fantastic with virtually any décor style, they are non-toxic to the environment. Natural accent rugs made from sustainable plant fibers are hard-wearing, add to the comfort of your home by reducing noise and static electricity and are very economical.

Sisal rugs remain a top choice for those who want to support the earth by using all natural, sustainable products in the home. Along with remarkable flame resistant properties, sisal rugs come in a wide range of attractive weaves. The gorgeous textures and unique earthy colors of sisal rugs keep those who love the look and feel of natural fiber area rugs coming back for more.

One of the most cost-effective natural area rugs is the seagrass rug. Along with that attractive sheen and smooth surface, seagrass rugs are remarkably long lasting, making them a perfect floor covering solution for a busy household.

Although not as resilient, jute rugs are very inexpensive and can be dyed in a wide array of bold, lively colors. Jute rugs are so soft to walk on; you’ll want one in every room!

Bamboo rugs are made from highly sustainable bamboo and are exceptionally easy to care for. Simply wipe them clean with a damp cloth or mop. Bamboo rugs can be scratched, though so to prevent scratching add protective felt pads under chair and table legs.

Bamboo rugs, like many jute rugs, seagrass rugs and sisal rugs will fade if exposed to direct sunlight for long periods. Add life to your natural area rugs by keeping them out of direct sunlight and rotating them every few months, especially if portions of your rug are under furniture.

There are lots of great reasons to buy a sisal rug instead of one made with manufactured ingredients – sisal rugs are made from natural fibers, they won’t pollute your home with chemicals like manufactured rugs, and they’re much more attractive, too.

One area where you might think manufactured rugs have sisal rugs beat is in ease of cleaning but not anymore. We’ve come up with easy-to-follow guidelines for how to take care of sisal rugs so they stay looking like new. We’re pretty sure that takes care of the last reason you would ever consider a manufactured material over our beautiful natural home rugs.

Blot, Don’t Scrub

With plastic and manufactured materials, you may have gotten accustomed to scrubbing the stain out of the fabric. With sisal rugs, scrubbing isn’t necessary – and it may actually make the stain more permanent. Instead, use a cloth and a half-water, half-vinegar solution to gently blot the stain. You may need to repeat several times, but that stain will come out, leaving your beautiful rug looking like new again.

Use a Vacuum

Area rugs get stained or dingy looking when dirt and dust accumulates and is ground in by your feet as you walk across it. Prevent that problem by passing a vacuum over your sisal rug regularly – it will suck up all the excess dirt without harming your rug, and that will prevent the staining problem from happening in the first place.

Prevent Mold

Sisal rugs are made of natural fibers, which means they can mold just cotton does in the damp. To avoid the problem of mold, use sisal rugs only in rooms that aren’t subject to moisture. For example, your kitchen and your bathroom are not good places, but your living room or study are perfect. If you have your sisal rug in a dry place but accidentally spill a lot of moisture on it by dropping a glass of water or a similar situation, dry it as quickly as possible so it doesn’t warp the material.

Now that you know how to maintain one, we’d like to invite you to take a look at our wonderful selection of sisal rugs. We hope you’ll find the perfect one to accent your home.