Cleaning & Maintaining a Sisal Rug?

We are writing this in response to several recent calls the questioned posed: Do we clean sisal carpets?

Sisal area rugs are known to be a low maintenance carpeting choice. An authentic sisal has fibers that come from the agava sisalana plant. Natural fibers tend not to absorb dirt. The dirt rests loosely on the woven surface. The downside of a sisal is that it can not be cleaned with a wet cleaning method. It would saturate the fibers with moisture. (Wet cleaning is the method we use.) This characteristic creates a problem when there's a spill and a stain.

Best to check the individual instructions. Each sisal carpet has been treated different.

VACUUMING OFTEN IS THE BEST MAINTENANCE PLAN

The very best way to keep a sisal carpet clean is to vacuum it often. Vacuum in different directions. If something spills on a clean and vacuumed area, there's no dirt to dissolve and make it's way into the fiber.When vacuuming the binding vacuum go in one direction- following the direction of the sewn binding.

DRY CLEANING IS BEST

It is recommended that a dry cleaning process be used such as a Host Cleaning Kit when the sisal needs cleaning.

WHAT CAN ATLAS DO TO HELP YOU OUT?

Sometimes we use the upholstery tool to clean around the edges of the cloth binding of the sisal rug. If you try this yourself, just remember, don't get it too wet and becareful not to suck up the bound edge. So if you maintain your sisal you should be good to go.

TWO PROBLEMS TO WATCH OUT FOR

1. If you let the fibers dry out you might need a little moisture to loosen the fibers. Dried out sisals can have minor bubbling and looseness.

​

Perhaps the carpet is placed in a sunny spot or the environment is low in humidity.

SOLUTION: You can spray the sisal rug with a light, even application of clean water.

2. If you spill on the carpet with a liquid it may discolor the carpet.

SOLUTION: Time is of the essence. Clean up any spills immediately. Blot out all you can, do not rub, BLOT. Use a minimal amount of water with a small amount of mild soap.

Be careful not to saturate the sisal or you could end up with a stain from dyes in the underlay.