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Sisal and Sea Grass
Sisal and Sea Grass are
two of the many names associated with floor coverings made with plant
material. Ranging from mats to wall to wall, some with backings, some not,
this type of material is in a very raw state. Therefore, an understanding of
how they react to every day soiling and how they respond to cleaning is very
helpful.
One of the unique
characteristics of this type of floorcovering material is the tendency to
develop mysterious dark spots when cleaned, regardless of the method used.
Generally bringing a “worn” Sisal back to it's original state is
a lost cause. Also, Sisal stains very easily. One of the best things to do is
have it protected with a solvent based fabric protector to resist against
water spots that result from any type of spillage. In addition to developing
dark spots, Sisal may also "lighten" when cleaned.
The best way to clean
plant material is with a low moisture approach. This can be done with a
dry-cleaning system or a water extraction system as long as the water
pressure is regulated well. The bottom line is that these products are not
very spillage, traffic or cleaning friendly. However, you can't beat the
look.
Place this type of
floorcovering in a non-traffic, non-spillage area to prevent over use. Have a
light, maintenance cleaning done about once a year to remove surface soils,
pollen, asphalt, exhaust and other foreign matter that finds its way into our
homes.
A final note about Sisal
is that some wool carpets come in a “Sisal style.” These products
are made to look like sisal, but are actually an entirely different material.
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