Shrinkage
Description
Like all textiles, rugs and
carpet are prone to shrinkage when exposed moisture. This shrinkage
is observed as skewing or dimensional changes.
Cause
During weaving, yarns are kept under tension by
the loom, and the fibers remain stretched till they come in contact
with moisture; absorption of moisture loosens these fibers, causing
shrinkage. The factors that affect the degree of shrinkage are type
of fibers, construction of carpet, and the density of face yarn.
Treatment
It is reasonable to expect some
shrinkage during wet cleaning or due to spillages. These can be
minimized by stretching the rug during cleaning process. Most
experienced cleaners would be aware of this potential problem but
beware of the inexperienced ones!