Shedding is the fluffing or fuzzing of short, loose fibres that remain in a new carpet after manufacture. Shedding is a normal process that does not damage the rug nor indicate any defective condition.
New carpets and rugs tend to shed loose fibres for several months. If during this time the carpet is not vacuumed thoroughly and regularly, the fluffing may continue for as long as a year, sometimes longer. The fibres coming out are those that are not anchored into the back of the carpet. These are short fibres not tightly held in the tufts or fibres that have fallen into the pile during the shearing operation. Even though the volume of fibre lost may appear to be great, the actual amount is small when considering the total amount of fibre. This loss will not appreciably change the wear life of the carpet.
In some cases, only the end of the fibre is worked out. Sometimes the fibre is tightly twisted or entangled in the tuft. When this occurs, the fibres entangle and form a fuzzy ball, referred to as a “pill.”
Pilling is not a problem if the pills break off or are pulled out by the vacuum as they form. A strong fibre, such as nylon, will resist this breaking, resulting in small spider-like pills over the entire surface of the carpet, more concentrated in areas of greatest traffic. These pills can be removed by lifting the main ball portion with the thumb and forefinger and, with scissors, cutting the fibre that holds the “ball” onto the carpet. Take care not to pull any excess fibre from the carpet or damage the pile when cutting.
