Difference Between Wool and Synthetic Rugs

For high traffic areas, the most common choices for rugs are wool rugs and synthetic rugs. Both have the qualities that can endure the usual stress that rugs get from the frequent dirt and walks of shoes and feet. However, it is also important to note that wool and synthetic rugs have differences.

WHAT ARE WOOL RUGS?

Wool rugs are usually hand-made and are a popular choice of homeowners for their living room, dining room and other high traffic areas because:

1. Wools are water repellent. It will take quite some time before water penetrates the fabric of the wool rug.
2. Wools are fire-resistant. Wools rugs are naturally fire-resistant and don’t require special treatment to be non-flammable. When it gets close to a light, it doesn’t flare up and cause damage to anyone or anything in your home. This is also the exact reason why firemen wear wool uniforms.
3. Wools are static-resistant. In an area where there are more feet walking, static is more likely to become present. This can also be associated with wools being fire-resistant -- if one is walking across a wool-carpeted area, he or she is less likely to get shocked when his or her skin gets direct contact to a grounded object that may cause fire.
4. Wools are durable. Wools are resistant to the stresses and strains compared to other types of rugs because it is resists friction. This is because wool consists of fibres that are made up of rather stretchable coil springs that are less likely to break.

Aside from being water-repellent, fire-resistant, static-resistant and durable, wools are also considered as a good insulator if you want to avoid noise in an area. Wool rugs absorb sounds and reduce the level of noise. This is the same reason why wools are used in offices, restaurants and other establishments were a number of people are always present.

WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC RUGS?

Synthetic rugs are the convenient version of wools, only they are machine-made and comprises of plastic. If you want to cut down on your budget and yet want to achieve the same results that wool can offer, synthetic rugs are the best option for you. However, it is important to take note that synthetic rugs will require you to tend to your rugs more for cleaning and maintenance. Unlike wools that are made of natural fibres, synthetic rugs are made of plastic that hold odour like no natural fibres can.

WHAT SHOULD I BUY, WOOL RUGS OR SYNTHETIC RUGS?

The answer will depend on your budget. Logically, hand-made rugs such as wool rugs will cost you more than machine-woven rugs like synthetic rugs. Another factor to be considered is the environment that you have at home. If you have pets that are not potty-trained, it is expected that you will have a problem with synthetic rugs because it contains jutes.

For a wide variety of wool rugs and synthetic rugs that you may want to choose from, visit Fantastic Rugs and browse our products.

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Runner Rugs

Runner rugs are used in narrow spaces such as hallways and stairs. This type of rug is made greater in length than width. To give the people a platform to the place where you want them to lead to, a runner rug is best to be used. It leads the eyes of the visitors to certain places in your home.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUNNER RUGS AND AREA RUGS?

While both area rugs and runner rugs give a touch of colour to a pale room, the two have differences. One is that area rugs are made to be under certain furniture to group them together and make them look like they belong together in an area. Runner, on the other hand, is a rug that leads the people to the narrow spaces of the house such as stairs and hallways. Basically, the size of area rugs and runners defines the difference between the two. Area rugs are usually made to be of any size but mostly square while runners are made in a rectangular form and narrowly to fit perfectly in a limited space of a room.

IN WHAT AREAS ARE RUNNERS GOOD TO USE?

Generally, runners compliment wood flooring to contrast the colour of the floor and furniture. This type of carpeting can add a decorative element to hardwood made floors while making them warmer and comfortable to walk on. Even basements and wooden stairs that are not carpeted can be improved through using runners. However, runners can be used not only on wooden floors but also on the following areas of your home:

1. Kitchen - Since the space in the kitchen is also limited, floor runners can do its wonders by fitting nicely down the length of your cabinet or counter space. While the floor is being maximised in appearance, the runners can also provide a cushioned area for your feet to stand on when washing dishes or preparing food.
2. Bedroom - We all know that area rugs are the most common decoration used in beautifying the room space. However, because of its size, so much of the rug ends up hidden under the bed making some parts of the design unseen. Alternatively, the long and skinny shape of runners makes it perfect to be used in bedrooms. Runners can be used on one side of the bed or even on both sides of the bed if the bed is positioned in the centre of the room. Furthermore, runners will surely keep your feet cosy by providing a warm landing in the morning.
3. Walk-in closets. Typical walk-in closets are “mini-rooms” that fit two people at max. Runners are perfect for this kind of mini-room for it creates a focal point underfoot that suggests the space feel like a “real room.” The runner will draw attention away from its small size creating an illusion that the closet is spacey.

For a room that needs decorating, adding a rug will be the perfect and most cost-effective answer. Through using runners, your hallway or corridor will not look empty or barren anymore. 

Wools: High-Traffic Area Rugs

Rugs do not only give warmth and cosiness to our rooms – rugs also connect us to our space. When buying this piece of art, we should always remember that rugs should be treated as a textile product.  Thus, the furry things under our feet should also be cleaned and maintained. However, one may formulate an argument about the real purpose of rugs. Of course, rugs do not need to be flawless and they are meant to be used. Perhaps, the best way to answer this juxtaposition is to put the perfect rug in the best area.

Choosing the right rug for your home’s high-traffic areas such as living room, where you entertain your guests, and dining room, where you serve your specialities to your guests can be considered as an investment. Doing so means that you choose a rug that is durable and will surely last. For us, wools are the best material that can be used in areas where people walk to and fro. Why? Because:

• Wools can be easily cleaned.  Wools are stain resistant. Furthermore, they contain natural oils that can prevent dirt from adhering to the yarn. However, using it for a long time may change its appearance. Using a vacuum cleaner, you can already get rid of the dirts and residues that are stuck in a wool rug. But if you feel that using a vacuum cleaner is not enough, you can try using dry extraction powders. On the other hand, it is not advisable to use cleaning solvents when cleaning a wool rug. Scrubbing the rug excessively and letting it be soaked for a long time in a cleaning solvent will damage its quality.
• Wools make us feel luxurious. If luxury is the only consideration in choosing the perfect rug for your high-traffic areas, perhaps, silk is the best answer that you may think of. On the contrary, people should avoid using silk rugs in their living room because of a number of reasons. Aside from the fact that silks are not durable, silks are too soft and smooth that it may cause an accident to the person who would walk over it.
• Wools are fire resistant. You may wonder why this quality of the wool is included here in the list. I will explain why. Most of the time, our living rooms and dining rooms have several windows. The windows let the rays of sunshine pass through our house. By using a rug that is fire resistant, you can be at peace that nothing bad will happen to your house while you are away.
• Wools are cosy. Lastly, wools are made of continuous fibre loops that provides warmth to our feet. Naturally, our reason for buying a rusg is to treat our feet and avoid the feeling of stiffness.

Now that we know that wools are the best rugs for your living room and dining room, let us take a quick look at these fantastic wool rugs that will perfectly suit your taste:

It is also good to take note that it’s better to choose dark-coloured rugs for your high-traffic areas. A plain black rug is good but a patterned rug is better because the illusions of the fabric will definitely hide the dirt.

If  you want to  know more about rugs and what rugs are best for the other areas of your home, you may find this article interesting.