Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Who Knew? The Amazing Shedding Shag

About a year ago, I bought the Quinn Felted Shag Rug from Pottery Barn for our family room. (Our old oriental rug had been through house-training with a new puppy and kitten, and alas, had not survived to tell the tale.)

I had lusted after this rug -- with its incredibly thick, nubby plushness and slightly shagadelic vibe -- for ages, and loved the way it looked in the room and felt underfoot. (Our corgi, Bonnie, regularly throws herself down on it and wriggles all around while emitting yelps of pure joy. Our best guess is that she thinks the rug is another animal, and that they're playing together -- or maybe they're doing something a bit more adult, but I don't want to think about that ... ) I even felt a little smug about snagging the brand-new shag for about half of regular retail, from an eBay seller who lived near a Pottery Barn outlet store.

But let me tell you: This rug has become the absolute bane of my existence. It sheds more than our three housepets combined, and I'm regularly scooping up tumbleweeds of shed shag fibers from around the house. Just vacuuming the rug will fill a brand-new vacuum bag to bursting.

Some internet sleuthing led to a message board where owners of the Quinn and similar felted shags (like the Crate+Barrel Pebbles Shag and West Elm's Cable Shag), as well as trendy-again wool flokati rugs, were ranting about the problem. The consensus seemed to be that the shedding would calm down over time. Sadly, a year down the line, that doesn't seem to be the case with ours. Some nights, I dream of giant spheres of soft white rug fibers blowing across the floor ...

Anyway, consider yourself warned.

(And if anyone has a similar tale to tell -- or, even better, a possible solution to the problem -- please feel free to share it!)

20 comments:

Unknown said...

I too lusted after this rug and bought it when PB was having a huge sale. I had it for about a year, after which I couldn't stand the shedding anymore and had to sell it. I thought about warning the person who bought it from me, but I couldn't because I was so happy to be rid of the thing. Sad.

Anonymous said...

Love your blog! Just found it! I too bought this rug but returned it after a couple of weeks, I even woke up one morning w/fuzz in my hair and the rug was in a completely different room. You should get rid of it!

Anonymous said...

Just linked you!

Suzy Parker LaCroix said...

AAAAHHHHH! I have the West Elm version and after a year, I am shopping for a replacement this afternoon.

Anonymous said...

we found this rug on craigslist. clearly we discovered the shedding about 2 minutes after it was in our home. we tried to pacify ourselves by saying that the previous owner had it for 6 months, and that the shedding couldn't last forever... it's been over a year since we've had it, and my husband complains about it 'giving birth' every day!!! it doesn't seem to be getting better...argh!

Anonymous said...

Thank you!!! I was just web searching for a rug like this and came across your blog. But now I don't know what to do.... Does anyone know of some kind of thick nubby rug (i'm looking for gray) that doesn't shed?

Anonymous said...

OMG I really wish someone had answered your blog with an ANSWER to the problem. I found your blog because I'm getting ready to put my west elm version up on craigslist now. Everyone who steps on my ivory rug and feels it is in LOVE but they have no idea what they're like to live with.

I recently got a cat with long, cream colored fur and it finally pushed me over the edge dealing with all the shedding.

I love mine and hate it. Its outta here!

Anonymous said...

Hey! I'm an Interior Designer who just happens to also work at a flooring store and I was wondering what exactly the rug is made out of because that most likely has something to do with it. What most manufacturers will tell you is this: vacuum it EVERY day until it goes away. If it doesn't, here's my suggestion- go to your local flooring store (not a big box chain) and ask them for a claifornia exotic berber carpet which is basically just a thick shag carpet. They can bind it into any size and shape for you for most likely half the cost and if its something warranted say, by Stainmaster, then it will also come with a highly comptetive warranty to ease your shedding mind. Love your site! so I hope this helps!

the fabled needle (jen) said...

Sorry, I don't have a solution to the shedding, just wanted to give my 2 cents regarding this rug! As my boyfriend says "This is the worst rug ever."

We've had the same Quinn rug for almost TWO years now, and no, it has not ceased shedding. In fact, I think it's shedding more. I regularly get its lint in my eyes, and my poor kitty does too. In fact, we may now have some fleas in the house - gee, I wonder where they are hiding?? I'm going to pay my brother to take this rug to the dump - I wouldn't wish this rug on anyone!

BTW, some friends of ours have this rug too, and call it their pet Ivory b/c it sheds like crazy. Wish we all knew before we bought them - no wonder they were on sale!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the warning on shag rugs!

Anonymous said...

I have 3 large wool Flokati rugs, and they do not shed at all!! So buy the real thing. When we shake them out, outside, they do shed a very small amount, not enough to create fuzz balls, but more like fuzzy dust in the air. I have never seen anything in my house like you describe in the blog.
My husband bought them overseas somewhere, but I have seen them here.
He just told me he bought them in Holland.

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot for the warning. I was just about the buy one at Westelm. Now I am lost again! Have a red leather sofa (Vice Versa from Macy's) and want a neutral contemporary rug to go with it. Any suggestions?

Unknown said...

I was just looking for a shag rug and i have seen the ones in pottery barn and west elm. I really don't want one thats sheds. Does anyone know where i can buy a nice one that doesn't shed?

Erica said...

I have the cable rug from West Elm and had these same problems. I recently bought an AMAZING pet brush called "The Ferminator" that literally took a Yorkie-sized fur ball out of my German Shepherd the first time I brushed him. I tried it on the rug and - voila - it combed out all the stray fuzz! Just like with the dog, subsequent brushings produced less and less fuzz until things returned to normal. Now neither the dog nor the rug make a mess of my place. I got my "Ferminator" at a local pet store in Austin; I'm sure you can buy one online.

Anna said...

I have the same rug, we brought a model home and it came with the home. Initially I was so in love with this rug,and my son called it marshmallows and my hubby loves it. Now it's a different story.I cannot for gods sake keep my floor clean. It keeps shedding so much the more I clean the more it sheds. I am tired, at wits end and want it out. I just folded it out yesterday night - got a small baby and do not want this stuff going through his nose too.What did u finally do with yours?

PS. I came to your site while doing this search.

quinn felted shag rug

Nice blog

Wedded Twist said...

such great advice about the ferminator. i'm going to buy this rug on craigslist now - probably from someone who wants to get rid of it due to shedding. i'm glad i ran into this blog so i know what to expect!

Anonymous said...

When I bought mine from Crate and Barrel the sales person said without hesitation that the rug would shed FOREVER. Everyone loves it when they see it. Vacuuming it is full workout. It's an 8x10 and I use the small 3" wide attachment (would NEVER use the rotating brushes) and the canister is full every time. I do this regiment on my knees (and burn 400 calories) every 2 weeks. I still have dust bunnies running up and down the hallway on my hardwood floors. Would I do it all over again? I was surfing the web for "shedless shag rugs" when I stumbled on this site. I love my rug (and so does everyone else) but it's brutal to maintain.

Dactylburd said...

I have had my beautful Quinn Felted Shag rug in the largest size now for 4 years now I think. I still love it. Yes it sheds but it has calmed down finally after several years. I still vacuum every day or two but I would anyway because I have four kids, a dog and a cat. I have used the rotator brush on it a few times but on highest setting. I also invested in a Miele vacuum for my rug. :) It was the vacuum or get a new rug and well, I love my rug. It has helped! The massive suction seemed to do wonders on the shedding issue. Hope that helps!!! I love my rug and I think I would buy it again!

Carrie said...

I have this same PB rug and have the same blasted shedding problem. My hardwood floors are covered in ivory "tumbleweed"....but it is so comfy and pretty! I bought the largest version, but it was a floor model, so we got it for 400.00!

Anonymous said...

which ferminator brush did you buy?

 

©Copyright 2007-2014 More Ways To Waste Time and Leah Hennen. All Rights Reserved.