Can You Steam a Cowhide Rug?

But these natural hides must be cleaned and preserved with care, particularly in regard to heat and moisture.

The commonly asked question is: Is it possible to steam a cowhide rug? Steaming of a rug may be a common practice on synthetic or fabric rugs, but cowhide should not necessarily be steam-cleaned. What is the reason behind that? Let us take a closer look.

Why Steaming Is Popular for Cleaning Rugs?

Steaming is a common technique that is used to clean carpets and rugs due to the effectiveness of this method in removing all dirt, dust, and allergens without any harsh chemicals. It is ideal to clean some of the rugs since steam can go deep into the fibers. Cowhide rugs, however, are made using animal hide that needs special handling to preserve its beauty and texture.

Why Steaming a Cowhide Rug Is Not Recommended?

1. Risk of Heat Damage to the Hide

Cowhide reacts to changes in temperature. A steam cleaner with a lot of heat can warp, curl, or tighten the hide. After a cowhide carpet loses its shape or becomes hard, restoring it is very nearly impossible. Even minor amounts of hot steam can result in permanent stiffness or curling of pieces around edges, so that the rug can never be restored flat.

2. Moisture Traps Can Ruin the Texture

Steaming adds considerable wetness to the carpet. Although the synthetic carpets are meant to deal with moisture, cowhide is porous and can absorb it. This absorption may render the rug stiff, encourage the growth of mildew, or cause spots of discolored hair. Extra moisture should also be avoided because it may cause degradation of natural oils that make the hide very soft, as well as luxurious.

3. Color Distortion

Steaming may discolour your cowhide rug in the event that your rug has been dyed or otherwise treated to highlight its pattern. The liquid can make the dyes bleed or fade out, leaving unsightly, uneven patterns that can destroy the look of the rug.

What Happens If You Steam a Cowhide Rug?

Steaming may sound like a fast and chemical-free cleaning method for your rug; however, in the case of cowhide, steaming this would do more damage than cleaning. That is what can occur when you endeavor to steam clean a cowhide rug:

• Shrinking and Warping

Cowhide is very sensitive to heat. Steam cleaners create a lot of heat, which may cause the hide to shrink unevenly. This giving rise to crooked edges or ripples in the rug. When this occurs, it becomes extremely hard, or almost impossible, to reinstate the carpet to its previous form.

• Stiffness and Loss of Flexibility

The steam moisture may be absorbed in the hide and may also degrade the natural oil in the hide, which is a source of softness and flexibility in the rug. During drying, the hide may shrink, turn stiff, brittle, and crackle at the sides or folds.

• Color Bleeding or Fading

Dyed or patterned cowhide rugs are especially subject to color bleeding under the pressure of heat and moisture. The dyes can be removed or weakened by the steam, and the rug becomes blotchy, faded, or discoloured. It is especially of concern in multi-toned or designer hides, where the only thing that matters is appearance.

• Hair Texture Damage

Steam not only influences the leather part of the cowhide. But it also changes the texture of the hair as soon as the hair fibers are exposed to a high degree of heat and moisture levels. They can lose their natural shine, curl, or turn coarse. This causes the rug to look old and feel uncomfortable to walk on.

• Mold and Mildew Risk

Cowhide is porous, so the moisture incorporated into cowhide during steaming may become trapped deep within the hide and offer a rich environment where mold and mildew can develop. Not only will this ruin the rug, but it may also leave an unpleasant smell and even some health-related problems in your house.

Safer Alternatives to Steam Cleaning

When you wish to clean your cowhide rug, but are worried about steam cleaning, there are a variety of other ways to clean it, which are more beneficial and less hazardous:

1. Vacuuming: Vacuuming is one of the most perfect methods of making your cowhide rug clean. Take off dust and debris with a vacuum cleaner with suction-only mode of action (do not use the beater bar). To maintain the rug fresh, vacuuming in the hair direction should be carried out gently.

2. Spot Cleaning: Spot cleaning is the most appropriate in case of localized stains. Blot the pad of affected skin using a soft cloth with mild soap and water. Do not wet down the rug; over-wetting may ruin the hide. Whenever cleaning, it is always advisable to test the cleaning procedures on a small, unnoticeable spot first before trying it out on the whole rug.

3. Brushing: A gentle brush will help eliminate the dirt and dust that could be lodged between the cowhide fibers. Namely, brushing will also allow keeping the rug's sheen and texture natural. Make sure the brushing is done in the direction of the hair to avoid destroying the hide.

4. Dry Cleaning: In case of greater importance, it is advisable to send your cowhide rug to a cleaner specialized in animal hides. Cleaning firms are equipped and skilled to clean the rug in a way that it would not be harmed. They are also able to replenish the natural oil contents in the hide to keep it soft and supple.

Extra Care Tips

• Exposure to direct sunlight will result in fading and drying.

• Rug should never be folded; It should be rolled when in storage.

• Avoid places that can promote the growth of molds.

• Avoid the use of harsh chemicals, including bleach, ammonia, or enzymatic cleaners, to treat pet stains.

Conclusion

Steaming can be considered a rather popular approach to cleaning other rugs. But it is not suggested for cowhide rugs since it can cause damage. The steam can change the texture, color, and shape of the rug, making it less appealing and less durable due to the heat, as well as the moisture.

In place of steaming, concentrate on frequent vacuuming, spot cleaning, and brushing to retain the beauty of your cowhide rug. In case you need to deep clean your rug, then you should contact a specialist in cowhide or leather cleaning.

Disclaimer

The mentioned techniques for cleaning this blog are general guidelines. Before cleaning the whole rug, it is always advisable to test the cleaning method on a small, unnoticeable piece. When you are in doubt about cleaning your cowhide rug, you ought to hire a professional cleaner. MK Rugs does not take responsibility for any kind of damage done in the process of cleaning.