Carpet shedding and fuzzing a routinely heard complaint with new carpeting. Over the telephone or upon arrival at a carpet shedding complaint we usually hear statements such as, “My vacuum cleaner bag fills up every time I vacuum!,’ ‘My vacuum cleaner stops working because carpet shedding jams it with fuzz!,’ ‘I have tried several different vacuums and they all break or fill up with fuzz!,’ ‘I won’t have any carpet left in a few years, with all the fiber that keeps coming out!,’ ’The carpet shedding is worse than with my dog.’ ‘When sitting on this carpet in dark clothing I am covered by fuzz when I get back up!”
Carpet Shedding and the Industry
Consumers often purchase new carpet without being properly informed of its characteristics. Often they are not even told of the products most common characteristics such as carpet shedding with cut pile carpet manufactured with spun (staple) yarn. And that the loss of this fiber through carpet shedding is normal and will not affect its performance.
Unfortunately in the carpet industry not all salespeople are equally trained. While organizations such as the World Floor Covering Association – WFCA and the Carpet and Rug Institute – CRI, offer volumes of free training and libraries full of free carpet information, only a small percent of the industry take advantage of this training. The result is more carpet shedding inspections and other onsite carpet testing and inspections for companies such as The Weinheimer Group.
Now don’t get me wrong!, as an owner and carpet inspector for the independent onsite testing and inspection company the Weinheimer Group, poorly trained sales people make us money. The fact that many salespeople do not understand carpet shedding and carpet characteristics in general, keeps a roof over my head and food on my table. Regardless, we want consumers and the industry to have a better understanding of carpet concerns such as carpet shedding and that is what Carpets Wall to Wall is all about.
While there are thousands of qualified carpet salespeople that understand the product they are selling, there are as many that are more interested in making the sale than becoming educated and passing that education on to the consumer. When it comes to issues such as carpet shedding the uneducated group of salespeople are just as confused as the consumer.
Carpet Shedding is Not the Same as Carpet Fuzzing
Carpet shedding and fuzzing are used synonymously though carpet shedding and carpet fuzzing are not the same issue.
Carpet Shedding
Fibers that release from the pile with foot traffic or vacuuming. Shedding is a normal characteristic associated with staple yarn (spun) cut pile carpets. It will diminish with a few months of routine vacuuming but will continue to shed to a smaller degree for the life of the carpet (get more information at the Blue Mountain Vacuum Center).
Carpet Fuzzing (Bearding)
A hairy or beard like appearance on the carpet surface that develops when fibers work loose from the yarn bundle under foot traffic. It is frequently an indication of the need for increased vacuuming thoroughness or frequency. Fuzzing may be attributed to one or more of the following: (1) Embedded dirt and grit cutting the fibers but leaving them still bound at one end. (2) Poor latex penetration of the yarn bundle. (3) Poor spinning of the yarn. Poor twisting and heat setting.
Is Carpet Shedding a Manufacturing Defect or Characteristic?
Occasionally onsite lab testing will show that the carpet fuzzing is a manufacturer related concern. Less frequently carpet shedding is found to be a manufacturing defect. Carpet shedding is normally a characteristic of the product. To determine if carpet shedding is a characteristic or defect we must first identify the yarn system. Shedding is a characteristic of spun (staple) yarn. While it may be a characteristic we must also determine if the reported concern is carpet shedding or carpet fuzzing. We then identify the cause and severity. At this point it can be determined if it is a characteristic or a defect or a combination of both.
Identifying Carpet Shedding and Carpet Fuzzing with Cut Pile Carpet
Continuous Filament
Spun (staple) yarn
- If the carpet is manufactured with a spun (staple yarn) expect shedding to be more severe than with a continuous filament yarn.
- Briskly rub the side of the hand, back and forth across the pile to check for loose and attached appearing carpet fibers and fuzz. If most of the fuzz is releasing, this type of fuzz is usually normal for cut pile constructions that is manufactured with a spun (Staple yarn.)
- With a staple yarn product the filaments of yarn are chopped during yarn processing before being spun into yarn. Many of these short, cut filaments of yarn are not bound at the back of the carpet and work their way to the surface, often leaving areas of fuzz on the face of the carpet. Some of this fuzz is vacuumed out during each vacuuming. While the contents of a vacuum canister will appear as a lot of lost fiber it is much less than it appears to be.
- This fuzz on the surface of the pile is almost always carpet shedding, which is a characteristic and it is not a defect unless other problems are found that make it a defect.
- To check for fuzzing which is not the same as fuzz from shedding, look for long fibers that are sticking above the carpets pile face and not releasing from the yarn. Grasp the fibers between the thumb and forefinger and pull upward, if not releasing this is called carpet fuzzing or bearding. Carpet fuzzing is also a characteristic of some carpets though it may indicate a concern such as a fiber spinning or a heat setting concern, inadequate saturation on the yarn bundle with a latex or other binder, or a maintenance concern such as poor maintenance, embedded dirt and grit or the use of a vacuum cleaner that’s brushes are too stiff or aggressive for the carpet.
Identifying Carpet Shedding and Fuzzing with Looped Pile Carpet
- Carpet shedding and fuzzing also occurs with looped pile carpet. While many looped pile carpet are manufactured with continuous filament yarns which are less prone to carpet shedding, they are not immune from it. Spun synthetic yarn or a natural fiber such as wool offer the same carpet shedding concerns as outlined under cut pile carpet shedding.
- Fuzzing with fibers that do not release will also appear on loop pile continuous filament products. As with cut pile carpet this may be a manufacturing related concern, a normal characteristic for the type of area it is being used in such as rolling chair casters without chair mats, improper maintenance, abuse or even an improperly specified product for the use the carpet is experiencing.
Should I have Carpet Shedding with My Carpet?
- With new carpet expect your vacuum cleaner bag or canister to fill up with the first several vacuuming. After the carpet has been thoroughly vacuumed several times the shedding should start to diminish.
- If you have a carpet manufactured using a spun (staple) yarn system expect it to shed heavily for the first several months, taper off and shed to some degree for the life of the carpet. Follow the carpet manufacturers instructions for maintenance and care of your carpet.
- Do not use a vacuum cleaner with a stiff or aggressive brush. Many carpet manufacturers are not warranting carpet for many concerns when vacuumed with a Dyson and some other vacuums due to their aggressive nature.
- If after a few months, you have been caring for your carpet properly, vacuuming it frequently and thoroughly and you still have concerns with carpet shedding, contact the carpet dealer or carpet manufacturer.
- If you have a carpet shedding concern, the carpet manufacturer or carpet inspector will usually want an unused cutting of the carpet for testing so be sure to save some leftover pieces of carpet from the installation. You paid for the carpet so don’t allow the carpet installer to take them. You may need the remnants for a carpet repair or to make throw rugs.
I have a smooth pile carpet for 9 yrs. and it never stops pilling, can dust every day and when you walk on the carpet it must be breaking of these fibers. I shampoo and vacuum and it still sheds these tiny fibers. One more thing I live in a condo and have in floor heating. Have you any advice on how to get rid of this problem.
Phyllis, unfortunately this is a problem you are not going to get rid of other than replacing the carpet. Sorry for the bad news.
Hi, we have a berber and its fuzzing terribly. It’s only 1.5 years old. My cleaner uses a high end Miele on all her carpets. The manufacturer is claiming its improper and over aggressive vacuuming. The retailer did not inform us of any special care with this carpet and every other carpet (wool) we have in the house is being treated the same way and is absolutely fine. Help!
Sacha, Many wool berber carpets can fuzz badly from an aggressive upright vacuum, especially one with a beater bar and stiff brush. When vacuuming wool berber the beater bar should be disengaged or a suction only tool used. Unfortunately this sounds like a situation where you kept on allowing the vacuum to be repeatedly used when you and the cleaning person surely noticed that it was causing damage. As far as the other carpet not fuzzing, not all carpets are constructed the same. Your retailer should have given you care information for the carpet but since they didn’t you should have asked for it. Sorry if it sounds like I am coming down on you but it sounds like this is a problem that you, the cleaning person and dealer all share part of the responsibility for.
I have a customer who has purchased a 50/50 short and tight loop pile carpet. It is fuzzing up very badly in certain areas. An independant assesor came to inspect and has put the problem down to not hoovering enough although the customer hoovers twce a week. He gave the ok on her cylinder hoover but claims it’s down to not hoovering enough!! So it’s bad to hoover too much or not enough! Carpet has only been down 3 months so she is not impressed at all. Now it falls at our feet to replace nearly 100m2 carpet. We are not impressed either!
Hoovering (vacuuming) twice a week should be plenty sufficient unless there is extremely heavy traffic. If her cylinder hoover (vacuum) is okay and not set too close to the pile than hoovering is probably not the problem unless the brushes are actually extremely stiff. Since the carpet has been only down about 3 months, I would hire another person to check and test the carpet. You don’t say what country and city you are in, but I would look for a carpet inspector that is certified and has years of experience.
My carpet has been down for 16 months and sheds as much now as it did at the beginning, I only have to vacuum it twice to fill the cylinder with the pile it sheds, i am forever having to unblock the hose too, is this amount of shedding normal or I am I expecting it to have calmed down too early in its life?
Lisa
Some carpets will shed for ever. There are many variables such as what yarn was used in the manufacturing of your carpet, the type of vacuum you use, frequency of vacuuming, setting of brushes on the vacuum cleaner, amount of soil and other debris such as pet and human hair and while not frequent, there is always the possibility of a fiber or manufacturing problem.
Terry
My carpet in the lounge and hallway has been down since mid 2014. It did however start to fray badly after about 6months. I live alone, have no pets and it is vacuumed about twice a week. The carpet fitter came and visited and said I was hoovering too much. It was the first time I had been told not to hoover. Unfortunately the carpet is in a terrible state and will have to be replaced. Unfortunately I am disabled having Parkinson’s and all the hassle of a replacement is going to be very stressful and costly for me. The carpet fitter does not seem to want to know.
Jackie
Sorry but it sounds like this carpet fitter is giving you the run around. You do not say where you are located but if it is the UK, check out the NICF link for the National Institute of Carpet and Floor Layers. http://www.nicfltd.org.uk/NICF-Flooring-Inspections.php
We have wool carpet for last 16 years. I have always noticed that I have to dust much more than the previous houses that I lived. The dust is mainly tiny fibre particles. I was wondering if this is from the carpet when we walk on it.
Does the nylon carpet do the same or just wool carpet has this problem?
Bought my new home from someone who never moved in but decided to sell. Therefore I have no idea about anything in the house. The carpeting filled and blocked my Miele vacuum on a regular basis and continued heavily filling/blocking it for a good year. My Miele died from it and my current vacuum has a HEPA bag so I don’t see what’s in the bag but I recently bought a Roomba and it always has fibers in the tray and the whole unit hallways has fuzz on it all over even though I clean it every time. The carpet is at least 16 years old now. My problem is I am asthmatic and want a good for me carpet without POV’s and without this fuzz problem. Any products in mind for me to buy?
When you purchase new carpet make sure it is a high quality continuous filament product. My personal suggestion would be BCF Nylon, BCF stands for bulk continuous filament.
Hi, I own new Shaw AG carpet and use a Shark Rotator vac. I am seeing strands of thread like fiber wrapping around my rotator brush. Installer says to run vac with brush turned off. This doesn’t seem to really pull up any dirt. Are those fibers I am pulling up damaging the carpet? Should I try a different vac?
Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Jeff
Some vacuums have extremely stiff rotating brushes that will fuzz carpet. It is very important that your vacuum is properly adjusted for the thickness and style of carpet. While adjusting, try your vacuum out on an inconspicuous section of carpet. If the brush is still fuzzing the carpet stop using it. Some carpets should only be vacuumed using suction. Visit the Shaw Carpet vacuuming webpage to see what the recommend for your style of carpet. Also, the Carpet and Rug Institute for a list of Certified Vacuums and their use for different styles of carpet.
Terry
Hi…. I just purchased new carpets 3 months ago and have to vacuum at least every other day if not every day because of the fuzz!!! Not only is it a pain in the _ _ _ it is disgusting!!! I actually thought the fuzz was growing under the carpet!!! That’s how bad it has been!!! I called the carpet company up that installed it and even sent them pictures of the fuzz that I’ve been cleaning out of the canister. They sent a independent carpet inspector out and they said that they were NOT defective!!! I beg to differ!!! There is no way this is normal!!! It’s making me crazy because I have been saving this YUK to prove my point but they refuse to acknowledge my concern. I’m sure if they were in my shoes and had to vacuum up this fuzzy yuk everyday they would be a little more understanding and accept the fact that they sold me defective carpets!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!! Thank you!!!
Colleen
When new carpet is filling up your vacuum with carpet fuzz, this is rarely a carpet defect. Yes, it can be aggravating when it clogs your vacuum hoses and/or rapidly fills the bag or canister. Unfortunately many people purchase carpet made with a spun yarn, also known as staple yarn, instead of a continuous filament yarn. While you will vacuum out some fuzz from a carpet made with continuous filament fiber, this is shearing fuzz and after a few vacuuming is gone. With spun – staple yarn, you may get fuzz forever though to a much lessor degree as time goes on. The reason, with spun yarn the filament has been chopped into short pieces and spun together to give the fiber more of the look of wool carpet and yes, cut pile wool carpet will also fuzz badly. Keep on vacuuming and with time the amount of fuzz should diminish.
Terry
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Hi,
My husband and I had an expensive 100% wool loop pile carpet fitted just 2 weeks ago across the entire first floor of our house. We did our research and were told by more than two carpet fitters/shops that this is a very good carpet. We have vacuumed twice a week as instructed using our dyson with the beater brushes removed so as not to pull any of the loops. The carpet has shed as we expected, not at all excessively but a steady amount as anticipated for a new wool carpet so shedding is not a concern. It is however already looking completely fuzzy/felted and now resembles an old wool jumper. It is only two weeks old!!!!! I’m so disappointed. Will this fuzzing go down over time? Am I wrong to be disappointed by this?
Sarah
We just bought a very expensive carpet while in Morocco. It has been down for about 2 weeks and is starting to “shed”…still not quite sure of the difference between fuzzing and shedding. For its size, it was quite expensive. Should I be worried?
Kim,
You don’t say what the fiber is though I bet it is wool. If it is wool, you can expect it to shed for quite some time. If you are using a vacuum with any type of brush it will likely shed more and may fuzz. A suction only vacuum is best for most wool carpets.
Regarding a clarification on shedding and fuzzing.
Shedding is short and loose fibers in natural and spun synthetic piled carpets. These fibers release easily as there is nothing holding them in place. Some of the shedding may also be short fibers that remained after a carpet was sheared. Shedding rarely is to the point that it affects the performance or appearance of the carpet.
Fuzzing is fibers that slip from the yarn bundle. The fibers do not naturally release and if there are a lot of these the pile of the carpet will develop a fuzzy appearance. Vacuums with aggressive brushes can pull fibers and cause fuzzing. There are also manufacturing and other maintenance concerns that can result in fuzzing.
Terry
Hi, I am shailendra from India. Working with upholstery cleaning firm. We had a hotel carpet cleaning job with area of 7500 sqft. It was a woolen, very thin carpet 2 years old. We started with cleaning with IPC Scrubbing machine, but we saw that carpet fiber particles were being cut in large amount, though it was getting cleaned. the scrubbing ipc machine had a rpm of 156.
Client told us to get a lower rpm machine so that fiber particle will not come out of carpet. But 120 rpm is not available, But we also tried manual scrubbing and still the carpet was loosing its fibre or say it was fuzzing, shedding. How can we clean such carpet without fuzzing or shedding?
Unless the scrubber brush is very soft it can easily fuzz a wool carpet. Many wool carpets should be vacuumed using a breathless vacuum and cleaned by extraction only. This sounds like one of those carpets.
We have a 100% wool loop New Zealand wool carpeting throughout a great deal of our home. It was very expensive and installed about 4 months ago. I am set on buying a new Miele vacuum cleaner, as my old one is 11 years old and I want an upgrade that is tailored to my current needs. What Miele model or floorhead would you recommend? I have the turbo brush and it is ok but possibly causing slight fuzzing, I’m not sure. I am hoping to buy a Miele with an electrobrush, since you can control the height. Any professional tips would help! (p.s. a floorhead with no rotating brush at all does not work on my carpet, since I need something to lightly draw up crumbs)
Stephanie
Wool loop carpet will fuzz much easier than a wool cut pile carpet. Suction only vacuuming is the recommended method. At Carpets Wall to Wall, we will give you guidance but not recommend a vacuum model. In our Downloads section of the website you will find some helpful information.
Dear Sir,
I have a new Nylon cut-pile Axminster carpet that is badly bearding. The carpet is only 8 months old and looks awful. The carpet manufacturer blames my vacuum cleaner; however, I have used this same vacuum cleaner, SEBO for 10 years on my previous carpet (80/20 Axminster) without this issue. May I ask your advice to the following:
1) Is severe bearding only with Nylon carpets and not with wool or 80/20 carpets?
2) This is caused by a manufacturing fault?
3) Should I allow shearing of the carpet – as the manufacturer suggests – rather than demanding a replacement?
4) Will shearing spoil the carpet’s appearance?
5) Will shearing significantly reduce the pile height and affect its performance?
6) Will shearing solve the problem, i.e. prevent further bearding?
Regards,
David
David
Your nylon cut-pile Axminister may be a staple yarn. You may just have a lot of short staple yarn being pulled to the surface during vacuuming and not releasing. While staple nylon will usually not beard any worse than a wool, it can happen.
Some manufacturers only allow certain styles of carpet to be vacuumed by suction only. (no brushes) SEBO uprights are good vacuums but if not properly adjusted or if the brushes are too stiff or going bad, it could cause the bearding.
Shearing will not affect the carpets appearance, in fact your carpet was previously sheared during manufacturing. For an installed carpet, they use a portable shearing machine to remove the bearding.
Terry