The Rugs We Roll – Six Steps for Doing It Right

Last month we covered the art of packing up Persian rugs – and Berber rugs, and Turkish rugs and any other kind of expensive hand-woven carpet from faraway. This month we’ll cover Six Simple Steps for taking care of the other class of carpet: the common, stiff-backed beast we lovingly dub ‘the regular rug’.

1. With any rug, the first step is to clean it. No one wants to haul a dirty, dusty rug into their new home, yet customers can and do overlook this part of the house-cleaning process. Vacuuming also helps get rid of bits of food and plant matter that can attract pests. Leaving a carpet out in the sun for half a day will drive off any critters – and kill off any eggs – that may be hiding in there.

To the customer: “I’m sure you don’t have any of that, we just say this to all our customers as part of the routine…”

2. Now, ready to move that rug? Okay. Go ahead and roll it – with the top side (the ‘pile’) facing out. That’s right, flip that rug over, then roll it up. This is particularly important for rugs with a strong, stiff backing. Rolling the rug up with the pile facing in can put unnecessary, undue strain on the rug’s backing, causing stretching or, in time, cracking.
3. All rolled up? Then let’s tie it with twine or string. We see a lot of movers keeping rugs rolled up by using box tape – which will certainly hold tight, right up to the moment we try to pull that super-sticking tape off. Avoid the possibility of damage. Tie your rug up with string.
4. And now it’s time to wrap it up. But not with plastic wrap. Plastic will keep out dirt and dust and, probably, raindrops. But it will also do a great job of trapping moisture in, inviting mold and mildew to grow – especially if your customer will be storing their rug for a while. Instead, roll that baby up in a sheet or two of brown or Kraft paper. Then go ahead and tape it up!
5. On the truck, lay your rolled-up rug flat. Standing it up may not cause any real harm, the thing is probably plenty stiff. But to keep all that weight off that one rolled edge can’t be a bad thing. If you put it on top of all the other stuff in the truck, make sure one end is not hanging off the pile. This can lead to unwanted bending and creasing.
6. Avoid piling stuff on top of it. Unless you have (or are) a rug-rolling machine it can end up partially crushed and even misshapen if there’s extra weight bearing down on it – and bouncing up and down on it – for the duration of your customer’s trip to their new home.

That’s all there is to it. Six Simple Steps, from the floor all the way onto the truck.

By the way, if you’re on the unloading end of the move, employ a bit of forethought with that rug. Wait until the end to roll it out so your crew doesn’t go walking all over it. And ask your customer where they’ll want to put it – then make things easy on yourself by keeping that area clear of boxes, furniture and miscellaneous grand pianos.

Your crew and your customer will appreciate it.