Silk and Viscose Rug Cleaning in Sydney

Is My Rug Silk or Viscose?

The label on the back of the rug is the quickest way to find out. Many rugs carry a tag that lists the fibre content, and it will usually say silk, viscose, rayon, or a blend with wool or cotton. Viscose rugs are often sold as art silk, bamboo silk or faux silk, because viscose has a similar shine to silk and costs less. Viscose is a type of rayon made from plant material, and a rug labelled bamboo silk is almost always rayon rather than silk.

If the label is missing or has faded, send us a photo of the front and back of the rug. If we still cannot tell from the photo, we check the fibre when we arrive, before we choose how to clean it.

Why Viscose Rugs Need Dry Cleaning

Viscose is very sensitive to water. When a viscose rug gets too wet, the fibres lose their shape, the pile can go stiff and the colour can turn yellow or brown, and a rug that has been damaged that way can rarely be restored. That is why we never steam clean a viscose rug. We dry clean it with a low-moisture method, which lifts the dirt without soaking the fibres.

The same care applies to spills at home. Blot a spill on a viscose rug straight away with a dry white cloth, and do not rub it or pour water on it. Please do not use a hire steam cleaner or a rug shampoo on a viscose rug, because it can do the same damage that a steam clean would.

What Silk and Viscose Rug Cleaning Involves

1. Fibre check and test patch: We confirm the fibre from the label or on site and test a hidden area for colour and pile behaviour.
2. Dry soil removal: We vacuum the pile and the backing to lift dust and grit before any cleaning product goes on.
3. Stain pre-treatment: We treat marks and spills with specialist spotting solutions.
4. Dry cleaning: We clean the whole rug with a low-moisture method suited to silk or viscose.
5. Spot treatment: We go back over high traffic areas and any marks that are still showing.
6. Deodorising: We neutralise odours so the rug smells fresh.
7. Protection, if you want it: We apply rug protection after the clean.

Optional: Fabric protection applied after cleaning to lock in results.

Can Stains Be Removed From a Silk or Viscose Rug?

Many stains can, but not every mark will come out. Fresh food and drink spills respond best, so book the clean soon after the spill if you can. Older stains that have set into the fibre may lighten without disappearing completely.
 
Pet urine needs a specific treatment for the smell as well as the mark, and we assess it at the inspection before we recommend the treatment. If a viscose rug has already been wet cleaned and has gone brown or stiff, cleaning may not bring it back. We will explain what we expect the clean to achieve before we start.

Rug Protection for Silk and Viscose Rugs

Silk and viscose are both hard to spot clean without leaving a mark, so rug protection after cleaning is worth considering. Our rug stain protection is matched to the fibre, including silk and viscose. It helps the rug resist liquid, oil and grime, so a spill can be blotted up before it soaks in. The treatment includes Ray-Shield UV protection to reduce fading from sunlight and Silver Plus antimicrobial technology to limit odour-causing bacteria, and it does not change the look or feel of the rug.

We can clean the rug and apply the protection in the same visit.

Other Rug and Fabric Cleaning in Sydney

This page covers silk and viscose rugs. For wool, cotton, jute and synthetic rugs, see our rug cleaning Sydney page, and for a longer explanation of why the fibre decides the method, read our guide to area rug cleaning and rug fibres.

Viscose is also used on lounges and chairs, often as a velvet. If you have a viscose or velvet sofa, our velvet sofa cleaning page explains how we clean it.

In addition to rugs, Wundaguard also specialises in:

• Furniture Cleaning
• Leather Cleaning
• Mattress Cleaning

Each service is delivered with the same care, expertise, and trusted reputation that has made us Sydney’s cleaning professionals for over four decades.

Book Silk and Viscose Rug Cleaning in Sydney

Call 1300 360 824 or send us a message through our contact page. Tell us the size of the rug, what the label says and which marks you would like removed, and attach a photo if you can. We will give you a free quote before the clean.

We clean rugs across Sydney, from our base in Smeaton Grange to the Inner West, the Eastern Suburbs and the North Shore.
Greg and the team have been cleaning and protecting furniture and rugs for over 40 years, and they are happy to talk you through the care of your rug.