Paper Rug Cleaning and Care
Receiving Your New Paper Rug
In order to protect your rug from damage in shipping, we roll it with the face of the rug on the inside. Therefore, when you receive the rug you should open it, unroll it, and re-roll it in the opposite direction, with the face on the outside. Leave it rolled up in the room where it will stay, allowing the rug to acclimate to the humidity and temperature of its new environment. After 24 hours you may unroll the rug and put it in place.
- Be careful not to fold or bend your paper rug. Until you are ready to lay the rug flat on your floor, keep it rolled. Folding this woven paper, even for a few seconds, may create permanent creases or wrinkles.
- Natural vegetable fibers are quite absorbent; therefore they will shrink and expand a bit with changes in the humidity. As a result, Merida’s paper rugs are for dry indoor use only. They are not appropriate for excessively moist indoor areas; and are best used in dry, well ventilated or climate controlled environments. They should never be used in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, or other damp or humid environments.
- Exposure to direct sunlight is always a factor to consider when placing a rug in a room. All fibers, both dyed and un-dyed, will change over time, especially when placed in direct sunlight for several hours a day. If placed in a sunny location, your paper rug should be turned occasionally.
- Most of our rugs have a natural latex backing, making it unnecessary to place the rug over a separate pad. The latex backing provides a nonskid surface, as well as a cushion and insulation against cold floors.
Maintaining and Cleaning Your Paper Area Rug
The first step is to use a coarse doormat or a walk-off mat at your front door. This will provide a great deal of protection for your new rug. The goal is to remove as much of the outside dirt as possible from the shoes of those entering your home.
Routine Rug Maintenance- Vacuum regularly
- Remove spills immediately
- Use a professional carpet cleaner or a dry extraction carpet cleaning method for periodic deep cleaning.
To maintain the original beauty and to prolong the life of your paper rug, vacuuming once or twice weekly is very important. This will regularly remove the fine dirt particles that can lodge between the fibers and cause additional wear. For best results, we recommend the use of a vacuum with powerful airflow and adjustable brushes. Due to the potential for rug damage, beater bar vacuums are not recommended. Do not steam clean or wet shampoo your paper rug. Plant fibers are highly absorbent, so when exposed to liquids or excessive dampness, they are subject to some shrinking and puckering. Merida recommends using a dry extraction carpet cleaning system. These dry carpet cleaning systems are by far the most successful method of cleaning all natural fiber rugs. We recommend testing the cleaner on an inconspicuous section of the rug before trying to clean a more obvious area. Such dry extraction carpet cleaners as Host, Capture and others, are available at hardware stores, home improvement centers and the home care sections of most mass retailers.
For more detailed instructions on cleaning a number of substances off of your rug, see our Natural Fiber Cleaning Chart
About Paper Fiber
Our 100% paper weave pays homage to traditional Japanese tatami mats. Merida's distinctive paper products begin with virgin wood sourced from sustainable, managed forests in the U.S. The paper yarns are created by twisting strips of paper on a high speed twister. This produces firm and strong paper cord that is then woven together to create a beautiful natural rug. During this process, a wax emulsion is applied to the paper to help it spin smoothly, also adding to the yarn's water resistance. This construction results in an uncommonly strong, durable natural fiber rug that is smooth and soft underfoot.
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