I have a new area rug, which was evidently rolled up improperly.. I have ripples that I need to get rid of. The stretching and knee kicker won't work, because it is just a rug. I tried using a steam iron with a wet towel over the rug, but it won't work. I hate to have to return it, but unless I can get the ripples out, it will look just terrible.

 

pdvasquez:

I think if you just give it some time it'll flatten out by itself.

Sometimes when I order carpet and end up getting a piece that's been sitting for a few years, the pile will be crushed in bands across the room. These bands come out by themselves, just as I think your ripples will. With the carpet, I don't know how long it really takes, but it's more than a month. Once I rent the suite, I don't usually see the carpet for at least one year, and by that time it looks fine.

I expect that if you shampoo'ed the carpet with hot water using a RugDoctor, the heat and moisture of the water would help relax the carpet fibers. Worth a try, anyhow.

 

Spread out some plastic in your driveway roll the rug out in the sun, backing up. stretch it out with weights holding it stretched. Let it sit out in the hot sun for a couple of hours. If it is roll crush you are seeing. Then a deep penetrating steamer will be the only thing that's going to work, to get the nap to fall the right way.

Perry Wright
"Carpets Done Wright