Many Californians are interested in sustainable practices such as donating and recycling, which prevent the need for more materials to be used and discarded. This saves energy, reduces the need for the gathering of more materials, and keeps landfills from unnecessary garbage.

So the question becomes can you recycle your rug? And the short answer is yes! With resources like the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), it is now possible to make sure that your carpet does not end up contributing to an endless cycle of waste.

Pros Of Rug Recycling

Certain carpet materials have the ability to be repurposed into other objects, such as batting for furniture cushions, shingles for your roof, and even railroad ties. So rug manufacturers even build recycling plans into their business practices to make this a lot easier for the customer.

Certain synthetic rug fibers will not break down easily, so you can be saving a landfill from housing your rug for decades as it staves off natural decomposition. You are also making sure that there is less need to source materials for future rug creation, which saves a lot of energy.

Cons Of Rug Recycling

Recycling a rug can be a bit difficult. Doing this properly is not as simple as tossing your rug in the recycling bin and dusting your hands off in celebration of doing your part to save the world. You do need the participation of a specialty service, company, or organization that will take steps to properly recycle the rug.

Recycling a rug can also cost money. The charge for recycling a rug can be anywhere from five cents to a quarter of a dollar per pound. So this step will take time and a bit of money to complete, but all in all, it is not anything that is prohibitively expensive or time-consuming. However, it may be complex enough to deter some.

Cleaning Your Rug

If you are getting rid of a rug that is not in good enough condition to donate, it still might be cleanable. You could avoid disposing of a rug and buying a new floor covering by investing in professional rug cleaning. This can save time and money, and is less environmentally impactful than even recycling.

As most will know from being conscious of recycling, you do have to have clean materials for them to be repurposed. This means that rug cleaning will also benefit anyone who is recycling the carpet. In some cases, your rug recycling service may ask you to have it cleaned before bringing it in.

In Conclusion

If you can recycle your rug, it is a great service to the planet and your community. But if it is too logistically complicated or not an option near you, there is still the chance you can save the rug with proper cleaning.

You may still want to get rid of the rug, but a clean rug can still be donated (which has even less environmental impact than recycling). Never toss something out if it can be passed along to someone in need. And let us know if we can help with your rug cleaning.