Can You Repair Burns in a Rug or Carpet?

Imagine this scenario: You’re rushing to get ready for work in the morning, ironing your best shirt, when you step away for just a moment. But in that moment, the iron teeters and falls. You rush to pick it up, but the damage has already been done—there’s now a burn in your carpet.

Unlike spills and everyday grime, burns are hard to ignore and it can be difficult to imagine how a burn can be remedied. But there is hope—as carpet cleaning specialists in South Amboy, NJ, we’ve seen it all, including burns. Here are a few ways you can repair burns in a rug or carpet, without having to replace it.

Cigarette burns

Cigarette burns are probably the easiest to remedy because they are often quite small. To fix a cigarette burn in carpet, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand away the burn mark. Then, using a vacuum, clean up any residue. If there are still a few black fibers left behind, you can use scissors to cut these out. For light scorch marks still present, you can use a solution of one part peroxide to 10 parts water. Soak a cloth in this solution and blot the area, moving from the outside into the middle. Finally, use another dry towel to blot the carpet.

Small burns

For burns that are larger than a cigarette burn, but still on the smaller side, you will need to cut the burn out. Using scissors, carefully cut the burnt part of the carpet out, taking care to leave behind the backing. Next, cut some carpet fibers from a less noticeable spot, such as inside a closet. Using super glue, carefully glue the new fibers to the area where the burn occurred. Finally, trim the fibers to make sure they are even with the rest of the carpet.

Large burns

Repairing large burns can be a lot trickier and, if done incorrectly, they can be highly noticeable. To repair large burns, you will need to use a craft knife to cut around the burnt area, again being careful not to cut the underlayment. Use the piece you cut out as a guide for cutting the new piece of carpet. Using carpet adhesive, position the new piece carefully, making sure that the fibers and pattern are aligned with the rest of the carpet. Finally, place something heavy on the spot and allow the carpet to sit overnight to ensure that it is secure.

In some instances, you may not be able to repair a burn. If you don’t have spare carpet or an out-of-the-way place to cut carpet from, repairing a large burn may be impossible. In these instances, you may want to consider replacing your carpet.

At Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center, we are more than your local carpet cleaning specialists in South Amboy, NJ. We also offer carpet installation services. If you would like to learn more about the services we offer, reach out to our team today!