If you run a rugs and carpets business, you’ll need to know about the shipping process. Packaging a rug improperly can ruin its fabric, resulting in permanent creases, dried brittles, and cuts. Whether you’re packing a rug for shipping, storage, or transporting, here is everything you need to know. This article explains the packaging process for the shipping of rugs.
How to Package Rugs for Shipping
If you want to ship a rug, wrapping it may seem like a straightforward step. But it is not. You must take the steps below to preserve the rug’s texture, integrity, color contrast, quality, etc. Here is how to get your rugs ready for the shipping journey.
1. Clean the Rug
You start the shipping process by cleaning the rug first. This is because it is made from hard fabric, making it hard to roll and wrap. Hence, any stain, odor, and residue deeply reside in the rug. If you want to ship a rug, make sure to clean it thoroughly by vacuuming, brushing, and then washing to prevent any bad odors from emanating after it’s opened.
2. Leave the Rug Out in the Sun for a Day
After cleaning the rug, leave it out open. Due to hard fabric, it takes a day or two for a rug to dry. Moreover, leaving the rug out in the sun can kill off any possible insects or pests.
3. Roll up the Rug
If you want to ship a rug, make sure you roll the delicate surface of the rug outwards. Rolling a rug with its delicate side on the inside can pressure the fibers. It can cause permanent damage and creases. Therefore, it is ideal for rolling the rug oppositely. Additionally, do not fold a rug. A tighter roll can make removing the crease marks on the fabric impossible.
4. Tie the rolled rug to keep it in place
To keep the rug in one place, tie the rolled rug with the help of twine or nylon rope. A piece of twine or nylon rope can be great for keeping the rug in one place. Tie the fold roll rug tightly, but not too tightly that it leaves rope marks on the rug.
5. Wrap the Rug
Wrapping the rug depends on how long period of time it will stay wrapped. If you are just moving the rug from one place to another and plan to unwrap it within a short time, then plastic, heavy-duty moving wraps are perfect for protecting it.
If you want to ship a rug from long-term storage or send it as a gift to someone where it will stay wrapped for a long time, you should use a breathable fabric, canvas, or foam blanket to wrap the rug. Shipping a rug through a major shipping courier can take weeks to deliver. Hence, it is important to use a good wrap.
Using plastic wraps for shipping a rug for a long time can cause condensation or damaging moisture to develop inside the rug. It can damage the rug fibers and develop an unpleasant odor. Use a foam blanket that is moisture-resistance or a canvas to wrap the rug. You can seal it by tying the twine around it.
6. Add cushioning materials to the ends of the rug
You never know who and how a shipping rug will be handled. To ensure a protective dense layer, add a layer of material to each side of your rug inside the shipping box. It’s one of the most helpful shipping tips. Seal the cushioning and padding area with regular tape to keep the rug in place. Avoid using newspapers. Use standard packaging materials, such as cotton or plastic materials.
7. Unroll the Rug as Soon as Possible
The long a rug is wrapped up, the more curling it will have. Once the shipping rug has arrived at its place, unroll it and place it on a flat surface. Use double-sided tape and attach its corners to the floor. That will eliminate any possible curling and marks. Leave the rug in this position for at least a day.
FAQs
Can you ship a Rug in a Bag?
Yes, you can. But, do make sure to only use polyethylene rug shipping bags.
What can I Wrap a Rug with?
Use a moving blanket or plastic bag to wrap the rolled rug. Do not wrap the rug too tightly that it leaves room for the rug to breathe. Airtight wrapping can make the rug sweat, resulting in discoloration, bad odor, warping, and breeding of molds. You can make pinholes in your wrapping bag to give the rug enough space.
Will Folding a Rug Damage it?
Folding a rug or carpet can ruin its integrity for life. A rug is made from hard fibers; forcing it to fold any way can lead to crease marks, cracks, and curling. Instead, roll up the rug into a cylinder shape.
How do You Fold Thick Rug?
To fold a thick rug, roll one end of the rug a quarter of the way to the middle. Roll the other end the same way to connect it. Rolling a thick rug to ship this way can make it compact for shipping.
Conclusion
Whether you run a carpet business or want to send a rug as a gift to a loved one, you need to take care in packaging. By understanding how to properly wrap and roll a rug, you can avoid damage during transit, and you’re one step closer to a seamless shipping experience. Moreover, ensure that you use premium shipping couriers as that will reduce the risk of package theft, and you’ll receive an optimal shipping experience.