Hand hooked and hand tufted area rugs both are more durable than hand knotted or machine made rugs. Also they have a very contemporary design and feel very different. There is not a huge difference between hand hooked and hand tufted rugs. The basic process to make them both is almost the same. Many people prefer hand tufted and hand hooked rugs over machine made rugs or hand knotted rugs. Hand tufted and hand made area rugs are rugged and camouflage dust easily. You don’t need to take out most care of this hand tufted and hand hooked rugs as they are specially made for rough and tough use.

Method of making hand tufted rug
 Tufted rugs are easier to make then hand knotted rugs and hand hooked rugs. They use the cut pile surface to make these rugs. The detailed process is as followed:

Preparation
The desired pattern of the rug is outlined and traced on the primary backing material. Usually a stencil is used to trace the pattern on the primary backing material. After the design is done and traced successfully on the primary backing material, the rugs cloth backing made of cotton are attached to the primary backing material.

Tufting  
The craftsman or the worker puts tufts of silk or wool or even yarn into the backing. This is usually done using a single hand held needle tufting tool. The tufting tool is commonly known as “gun”.

Secondary Backing
After the tufting the craftsman then covers the primary backing material with a latex material. The secondary backing is then attached to the primary backing material and to the latex material. This is done to protect and also lend support and anchor the stitches.

Shearing
A dense plush pile is created from the loop pile. The loop pile is sheared and then is made flat. It may be noted that this method is followed only in hand tufted weaved rugs. In hooked rugs the rounded appearance is retained by leaving the yarn uncut.

Edging
Edging is the final and step in the procedure of making hand tufted or hand hooked rugs. Edging is like adding finish touches to the product. The edging is done in both hand tufted and hand hooked rugs. Edging is done by adding bindings to the edges of the rug. This is done in order to add strength to the rug and it’s weaving, thus preventing the rug from unraveling.

Area rugs are like silk and Persian carpets, all these are very easy to maintain and clean. The area rug can be kept in best condition with very less effort. There are some basic steps that will help in sustaining the looks and the value of the area rug for years. Area rugs need some unique care to maintain it and not send it into the garbage pile as rubbish and useless because of inadequate care.

The basic steps to be followed for area rug care are

1)    The oriental area rug should not be kept under direct sun because the sunlight will damage the rugs. It may not be possible all the time but by using some curtains like blend and mesh can protect the rug from deterioration and fading. The rugs are very similar to human beings- it is difficult to see the rugs fade because of ageing when you are living with it everyday. If sunlight cannot be blocked from falling on the carpet, then the best thing to do is to rotate the rug consistently so that no one part will have more fades than the other parts.

2)    If the area rug carpet suffers from a lot of stampings by foots and footwear then it is advised to turn the rug around occasionally. The best preferred turning angle is 90 degrees. It helps in less deterioration of the carpet in a single point.

3)    One of the biggest problems of an area rug is that it is mold, whether the rug is antique or just ordinary. If you are suffering from the mod problem, then the best thing to do is to lift the entire area rug and support it above the ground. It can be done in clothes airier for some time to get it dried. If the area rug has any infestation growth like the larvae of a moth or silverfish, then the rug should be treated with proprietary products available in the market to terminate its growth.

4)    Rugs should be vacuumed without overdoing it. Vacuuming will help in getting rid of any grits in the rug. Nozzle should be used to reduce the machines power to avoid the stretching of the rug fibres. 

5)    The area rugs should be washed. Regular washing is good to keep the rug clean and dazzling.

And finally follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper care of the rugs.