How to Properly Store Unused Rugs
How to Properly Store Unused Rugs
Learning how to store a rug properly is a simple but crucial skill for any rug owner to develop. Putting your rug in storage improperly could put it at risk of pest, moisture, or dust damage, limiting its future usefulness and even making it a pest-attracting, mold-fostering liability in your home.
On the other hand, storing a rug properly virtually guarantees its proper preservation, allowing you to take a beloved rug back out of storage and keep using it without missing a beat. Whether you’re putting a rug away for a few months of seasonal redecorating or you need to store it for years on end, following these instructions will help ensure your rug is safe and usable when you want it again.
1. Start by deep-cleaning it
Before you put your rug in storage, you should clean it very thoroughly. This will help prevent it from attracting potential pests or from fostering mold, mildew, or dust mites until you want to take it back out.
Exactly how you should clean your rug depends on what it’s made of - see our full cleaning guide for instructions on how to clean different rug fibers. No matter which type of rug you have, you should avoid beating it up too much while you’re cleaning it, or you might damage it and fail to notice before you put it away.
Start by gently but vigorously shaking your rug out to help dislodge any dirt and dust that might be clinging to it. You could also use a rug beater if you’re careful to be gentle. Next, use a suction-only vacuum on both sides.
If you notice stains, spot clean as necessary, but avoid using water or shampoo on any natural fiber rug. The last thing you want is for water to seep into the rug and foster mold while you’re storing it.
2. Roll it, don’t fold it
You should always avoid folding up your rug when you put it in storage. Folding puts a lot of stress on a rug’s fibers, especially if they have to stay in a “stress” folded position (like they would if you folded the rug and placed it in a chest or other type of small storage container). Placing even the strongest natural fibers under prolonged stress can weaken them over time, which could lead to your rug wearing out before its time - and while you’re not even using it!
Instead of folding your rug, we recommend rolling it into a tall cylinder. Place the top of the rug (or the pile) outward when you start rolling to hide the bottom of the rug inside the roll. This is called “reverse rolling.” Reverse rolling your rug will place significantly less stress on the foundation fibers, helping your rug last longer.
3. Wrap your rug before storing it
After you wrap your rug and before you put it in storage, take the time to wrap it up thoroughly. This will prevent dust from accumulating on or inside the rug and stop any bugs or vermin in the storage area from snacking on it. Wrap your rug tightly and use strong tape to hold the wrap together as close to the rug as possible.
Your best options for wrapping are either Kraft paper or Tyvek wrapping because both of these materials are durable and breathable. Contrary to popular belief, you should not use plastic wrapping. Plastic wrappings are not breathable and tend to trap any moisture that accumulates in the storage area inside the rug, damaging the fibers over time.
4. Keep it somewhere temperature-controlled
Even if you roll your rug and wrap it up as tightly as possible, it’s still going to be somewhat vulnerable to the environment where you store it. Natural fiber rugs may be somewhat dust-resistant, but they’re definitely not moisture-resistant. A humid storage area could spell disaster, no matter how many protective measures you take.
This is why, if possible, we always recommend you store your rug in an environment with controlled temperature and humidity. Obviously a dedicated storage facility would be the ideal solution, but if you can’t make that kind of investment, a temperature-controlled attic, basement, or closet space will do.
If you place your rug in a storage area of your home, we recommend checking the humidity of the environment occasionally. If you’re storing multiple rugs or keeping a rug in your storage area for an extended period, it may be worth investing in a small dehumidifier for the space.
5. Store it vertically and off the ground
Avoid laying your rug flat or leaving it on the ground when storing it for any extended period. When you leave a rug flat, dust and moisture can accumulate on and inside it far more easily than it could if you let it stand - no matter how thoroughly you wrapped it. Meanwhile, leaving your rug on the ground will render it considerably more vulnerable to bugs and pests.
Luckily, standing up a rug that’s been properly rolled up is easy. If you can, store it vertically off the ground on a shelf unit or box. Just lean the wrapping up against a wall to support the rug and make sure it doesn’t start to bend or fold under its weight.
Once you’ve found the right spot to stand up your rug, all that’s left is to store it! Just check up on your rug now and then to make sure it's not bending or accumulating moisture. If you follow these steps, your rug should be safe to store and ready to use whenever you want to get it back out.
And remember: if you ever have questions about how to take care of your rugs, the experts at Sisal are always ready to help. Check out our rug care products to learn how you can ensure your natural fiber rug lasts and stays looking great.
