Why
Do Some Carpets Shed and Fuzz?
By
Alan Fletcher - Carpet Expert & Consumer
Advocate
Got
Loose
Carpet Fibers? New Carpet Shedding?
Some
carpets will shed and fuzz like crazy and unless you like vacuuming carpet fuzz, you need to know exactly why this happens and how to avoid the carpet shedding nightmare!
If you recently bought new carpet and are
experiencing a ton of carpet fuzz and shedding, then for you it is already
too late. The shedding will eventually stop, but it could take weeks or even
months before it does.
Help!
My Carpet is going Bald!
I
get lots of emails from unhappy carpet buyers. If
you have already bought new carpet and your carpet is now shedding and fuzzing
like mad,
then you probably have no recourse with the carpet dealers or manufacturer. Your
salesperson probably didn't mention that your new carpet would shed like crazy
after it was installed so I understand why you are not a happy camper at this
point.
While you will not enjoy vacuuming up all the loose carpet fibers, it will
eventually come to an end. It could take a few weeks or a few months depending
on the carpet you purchased and how often you vacuum. The good news is, a little
shedding will
not hurt your carpet and it won't go completely bald. Your carpet was designed to do this, or should
I say, the manufacturer knows this will happen and figure it into their design.
You, on the other hand, had no idea this would happen and now you are in a panic
to find out why it is happening, what you should do next and who's to blame!
Carpet Shedding
Explained...
Continuous
Filament Fiber vs Staple Fiber Construction
Continuous
Filament
Some
Carpets are made with a Continuous Filament fiber which is basically one long
never-ending strand of fiber. Carpets made with a Continuous Filament will have either
"CF", "BCF", (Bulked
Continuous Filament) or "CFN" (Continuous Filament Nylon) shown on
the carpet sample label.
A
Continuous Filament fiber is very desirable mainly because it
virtually eliminates the shedding and fuzzing you typically get with a Staple Fiber.
The
Dreaded "Staple Fiber"
Carpets
made with Staple Fibers use short strands of fiber from 3-10 inches long. These
short strands of fiber are twisted together and then spun into longer threads of yarn.
Consumers who buy a carpet made with staple fibers are often plagued with
continual vacuuming to try to keep up with the shedding and fuzzing for up
to a year after installation.
Consumers
often report filling up a vacuum bag every time they vacuum. This can be
very frustrating, not to mention time consuming. Pets and small children
often inhale or consume loose carpet fibers which cannot be a healthy thing
to do. It can also damage your vacuum if you allow the loose fibers to clog
the wheels, beater bar, motor and belt.
Any
Remedies? It's the nature of the fiber....
Carpet
retailers seldom take the time to educate consumers about the differences between
Continuous
Filament and Staple Fibers and rarely address the possibility of Staple
Fiber carpets shedding for months on end. It's only after the carpet is
installed that consumers discover the shedding nightmare and by then there is
usually no
remedy offered by the retailer or the manufacturer. When the customer
complains, The retailer typically tells the
consumer that the shedding will eventually stop and to be patient.
Why
do they still make carpets that shed?
Why
do they still use staple fibers today? Because it allows carpet manufacturers more
flexibility when creating new carpet styles. At least that's what they say.
I think it saves them money to use these short lengths of fibers instead of
recycling them. As with any product line, there are many different grades and
qualities. Your job is to know exactly what you are buying BEFORE you agree to
buy it. That's why I created this website and offer free carpet information
to consumers.
Not all staple fibers continue
to shed for months. It depends on the carpet style, how well the carpet is
constructed and the length of fibers used. The shorter the fiber lengths
used, the more prone to shedding the carpet will be. Unfortunately there is
no way to determine in advance how much a carpet will shed. You can avoid
the nightmare of excessive carpet shedding by selecting a carpet made with a Continuous
Filament fiber.
Buyer
Beware!
Be
very careful what you read on the carpet label: Carpet
samples will NOT usually be marked "Staple Fiber" they will ONLY
be
marked CF, BCF, or CFN to prove it is made from a continuous filament
fiber. If the label says "100% Nylon" Then you MUST assume
it is NOT continuous filament fiber.
More
FREE Carpet
Information:
-
The
History of Carpet
-
In-Home
Carpet Scams
-
The
Bait and switch scam
-
Why
do some carpets shed and fuzz?
(You are here)
-
Measuring
Scams
-
Determine
Your Level of Foot Traffic
-
Carpet
Fibers 1 Nylon and Olefin
-
Carpet
Fibers 2
Polyester and Sorona®
-
Alan's
Preferred
Carpet Dealer Directory
-
The
PAR Carpet Rating System
-
The
2010 Complete Carpet Buying Guide
-
How to Measure for Carpet in 4 Simple Steps
