I am so glad I found this site! People kept saying it was just a wool rug smell and it would dissipate. Uh...not so much. I have a 8x10 PB rug. I just got emailed back from their customer service that they won't do anything unless I can show where it came from. it was a gift from a family friend of my ex husband. No way to contact them ro know where they bought it. I don’t even remember their name!

I'm a bit irate. They have knowingly been selling a product many customers have been having issues with and health concerns about and it is clearly their product with their label. Why des when and where it was purchased matter? I think it is time to take this to the media. I recommend everyone contact the consumer watch person at your local TV news stations.

I have been sick for over a month, after living with
two of these rugs in my room for 6 months.
I feel like my immune system must have been in
pretty good shape, tho now ... ? If it is an allergy,
it is the only one I have.

Does anyone know a chemist so we can find out what the
toxin is? There might be some antidotes or treatment
for faster recovery, better health.
And if there is to be a lawsuit, that will need to be known.

I'm floored by the number of other customers who have had the same problem with PBK rugs over YEARS! This is irresponsible that this has gone on for so long.

I bought an 8'x10' Taylor rug for my 2 year olds room in 2/07. Same thing happened. I complained to PBK, they admitted that it's a natural latex backing which is causing the smell. They said they would send me a "NEW STOCK" replacement that had a synthetic latex backing and it would alleviate the smell. Four rugs later, they claim I now have one with the synthetic latex backing, but it still smells! The only difference is the label on the underside does not say the product contains natural synthetic as the previous.

They ended up refunding me completely and telling me I could keep the rug as well. Even so I don't know if I want it!

I don't want to put it in my daughters room until I know for sure it's safe and stops stinking. My daughter has developed asthma type breathing issues shortly after the rug appeared.

If anyone has done further research please share.

OK, I just thought I would try to find out why my rug (Pottery Barn) smelled soooo bad. Imagine my surprise when I see all the entries regarding PB rugs. It is to the point where I must throw it out. It does smell like something is burning.

Afterthought. . . My rug does not have any kind of latex backing. It seems that it is something in the fiber itself.

I have some area rugs purchased from Room Board. They are terrific rugs, except for the smell. I experienced the same isues as many others listed here: smell and thinking it came from something other than the rugs. The smell was much stronger near the floor, and it was concentrated in the rugs. So I removed them from the room and the odor went away. I contacted some professional carpet cleaners to remove the odor from the rugs, and they told me it wouldn't correct the problem because the rugs likely have latex glue and canvas backing that produce the smell. They have experienced alot of this complait from others. I have not been able to correct this yet through the store, but I'll write back when I do speak with them.

I can't believe so many people are having this problem. This is outrageous. My roommate purchased two very expensive wool rugs from Expo a little over a year ago. I'm chemically sensitive anyway and was getting extremely ill - kept smelling rubber but couldn't identify the source. Finally, I realized it was those beautiful rugs. Well-here we all are - these rugs (most of them) are leaching latex from the glue! This strong odor - as so many have testified - doesn't go away and can indeed make you ill. Yes - breathing in latex is very unhealthy and some people are deathly allergic to it. So, I suggest we bombard the Consumer Product Safety Commission with our experiences/complaints and concerns. Clearly, something needs to be done. This is much more widespread than Pottery Barn. These rugs are imported from other countries and there seems to be no safety regulations protecting the consumer.

We are are so-so relieved to have found this thread! We live in a small NYC apartment with poor air circulation and wood floors. We covered our apartment in stages with 5 PB rugs over the course of that year when we first moved here in 2003, (2 bedrooms, LR, Kitchen and DR)! As we acquired more rugs, the smell of course got subtly worse.

It seems now, 4 years later everything has ripened to a very pungent and rancid odor to the point of not only being sick to my stomach by smelling it day in and out but also to the point of being embarrassed to have guests over.

Being a pet owner I immediately associated the smell to urine but after reading others feedback on 'burnt rubber' I can definitely associate our smell more closely to burnt rubber. Fortunately, we still have receipts for the rugs and are going to go to PB today to demand an exchange. We love the designs of the rugs as well and are willing to get a replacement so long as they do not smell.

FOUND A SOLUTION!!
After a week of our Pottery barn kids round wool rug (bought on ebay) smelling like burnt rubber I sprinkled Dysons carpet powder (Zorb) on it, rubbed it in, waited 30 minutes, and vacuumed -it worked almost perfectly at removing the odor. If you sit upon the rug you can smell burnt runner but at least the room no longer smells when you enter.
Now, after seeing what a repeated problem (from this sight) I am really annoyed at PB (terrible quality to let this continue IMO) and I just went up and sprinkled Zorb on the backside of the rug - hopefully it will take care of the residual odor.
PS Zorb is a slightly wet powder (very odd, I know) and has a slight citrus smell. I think you can order it from Dyson (mine came with the vacuum)

nevermind... smell is still there :(
Threw out the run - waste of $,
but better safe & healthy then sick & sorry

Dear Ouraptsmells (and others living in NYC) -- I have THREE of these PB rugs and they REEK OF BURNT RUBBER. My friends have made a point of not coming over anymore because of the stink.

Has anyone had success with returning or exchanging rugs? If not, I am going to print this page out and take it to a manager at PB somewhere in NYC. Is anyone a lawyer? This has got to be a health hazard...

Please let me know!

All these stories are very helpful, BUT, can someone please tell me the EXACT STORES, LOCATIONS, AND NAMES OF MANAGERS who have helped them to return their rugs? I have had so much difficulty with the 67th/Broadway store in Manhattan. I need to tell someone the specific name of a person/store/location that has issued a FULL REFUND or EXCHANGE REGARDLESS of the rug's age. My rug is from 2004 (granted I bought it 3 years ago) but this whole time I've had rashes and reactions to the smell/latex. I need names please please help me!!!

Just wanted to post an update. The day I posted we went to PB on 67th/Broadway with the smaller rug we had. I printed out this entire site - went to the back where the curtains etc are. Proceeded to tell the manager (I did not get her name, but will look to see if there is an associate # or name on the receipt)
our situation. We told her we had 3 more 5x8 rugs back home and the smell of the rugs are unbearable. She asked how old the rugs were and if we had receipts. We told her they were from 1-3 years old but only had a receipt for the smaller one I had with me. She told us their 'return policy' is a year from purchase and that she would allow us to exchange all 4 rugs as a one-time courtesy. My boyfriend and I, overwhelmed with joy went back to the apartment and brought the remaining 3 rugs in! Fortunately, 2 of the rugs we brought back are still in the stores (even though they were bought 3 and 4 years ago). She gave us the full retail price of these 2 rugs, the full price I paid for the smaller rug since I had the receipt. I did not have a receipt for the the large 5x8 rug that matched the smaller rug, so she gave us $20 more than the smaller rug, ($169) which is much lower than I paid originally, but $169 is better than $0 and odor. They rolled each rug out to look at them and then gave us a store credit for over $800.
We did wind up getting one of the same rugs in a different color, and then decided to order the hand knotted $700 rug in hopes the quality and making of the rug is different. We figured that at least now we have a receipt and know the <1year policy and can return these should they start to smell so didn't think we really had anything to loose. The new rugs have been with us 2 1/2 weeks now and there is zero odor. The apartment finally smells normal again and we are so grateful for finding this site!! Such a huge relief! We still have a PB Teen rug in my daughters room, but hers is a year old and has never smelled so we left it alone.

Also, the new rugs have the same stickers as the old ones we brought back ("Kaleel") I think the name was so I am not sure if that is a true determinant of the old rugs vs. the revised rugs after fall 06.
:)

Can someone give a link to the IAQ message board please. I have found their site but no message board. We have a Pottery Barn Kids 5x8 Animals rug manufactured in India by Kaleen and it smells awful and I am sick thinking about it. I want to have all the info possible before contacting PBK.

unlike most of you i don't have a burnt-rubber smell. my very thick shag rug is from IKEA, and it doesn't have any rubber backing (it has some sort of cotton backing?)

the smell is WET DOG. i remember distinctly this smell when i bought a natural wool sweater back when i was in high school (a decade ago, mind you) i tried washing it and the same wet-dog smell permeated my nostrils.

i didn't use my brain and tried using a hose and detergent to get some stains out of this rug. ever since then the rug has a bad smell which gets worse on humid days. i actually have TWO of the same rug -- one is bright orange, and the smelly one is off white with blue specks. the orange one never got wet, and it currently has no bad smell.

the smell comes out when the rug gets wet. i have no idea how to get rid of the smell. i've thought about massaging baking soda into it? maybe some sort of newsprint underneath the rug to soak up moisture?

I also had a PB carpet that smelled awful. It had been living in my storeroom, I couldn't just trash it but had tried the usual array of odor removal products and my local dry cleaner with no luck. Thanks to the information I found on this site, I brought my carpet to the Princeton PB. The manager was very courteous and well informed. She offered me a store credit for the current selling price without hesitation. Thanks to all!

I bought 2 pottery barn rugs 1 1/2 years ago and the smell only got worse as time went on. One sales person indicated that the "glue" they used caused the smell and I needed to "sun bake" my rugs..... Really, $1,200 and I need to sun bake these rugs, drag them outside and back inside. The only place I hauled those rugs was back to pottery barn. I couldn't live with the smell and I don't think it was healthy. It is clearly not the wool that smells and I'm not sure it's glue either. Pottery Barn is aware that these rugs smell, but I don't believe that they have disclosed what the cause really is. I received full credit after 1 1/2 years!

I too purchased a beautiful 8X8 wool rug from Expo Design when they were closing their store in Concord, CA. With a 40% 'close out' price, I paid $800. We were in the middle of a house renovation, so it stayed rolled up for about 8 months. It's been down in the dining room for about 1-1/2 yrs and for most of that time, we have been trying to figure out the 'burnt rubber' smell!! I also contacted an oriental rug cleaner in the area and he told me about the latex backing & no guarantee he could get it out! I am really upset, as I love that rug, which is now in the garage. Before I toss it, I think I'll try removing the fabric backing and painting it with a primer. I'll let you know how it goes!

How much should it cost to have an 8x10 wool rug professionally cleaned?

Thank you for sharing your experiences regarding the health hazards posed by exposure to Pottery Barn rugs giving off noxious odors. I too have suffered from the smell of burning rubber in my New York apartment. Until this morning I had an 8 x 10 Pottery Parn Palampore rug in my bedroom. I have been suffering from headaches and have often felt like I have been knocked out rather than having slept through the night. I agree with previous posts asking that you not pass along your problem rug to others. Protect your pets. Do not leave these rugs in basements and garages for animals. These toxic rugs cost a lot of money and should not be for sale in the United States. Please register your complaints at consumeraffairs.com.

I too have been floored by this odor! I should have known in PB as I'm very sensitive to smells and caught a wiff when swinging the rack looking at each rug. Of course, I saw it in the store, then bought the "close out price" online. When the rug arrived, I opened the package, and unlocked the same smell again!

For the first 2 weeks I put the thing in my attic to let it air out thinking it was the rug equivalent of a "new car scent." I am now on my fourth week a little better results, although not 100%. From what I have been reading, it appears as though there is no hope as the time it takes the glue to settle, the rug starts deteriorating starting the whole process over!

JenMonNYC - www.rugrag.com "rug washing estimate" quoted $180 for an 8x10 shampoo wash. I don't know if you can have these tufted rugs washed... When I brought my other rug to a local dealer, they said it may shrink in the drying process?

I just spoke to Pottery Barn corporate customer relations regarding the odor from my Colette rug from 2005. She acknowledged that they did have a problem and it was resolved in 2007. They want to replace my stinky rug with a new one and I have such trepidation. Anyone purchase a rug in the past 6 months and have the smell? I have not yet been in the store to give the samples the smell test.

Interesting, that's pretty impressive how they readily replace the rugs quickly. It's obviously a problem. I wonder too if the new samples pass the smell test...

After talking to some of our close friends and reading the above posts, I guess the main thing is to consider hand knotted oriental rugs as the best alternative. I saw some of the 8x10 tufteds for $900, but I know some of our friends who have gone to local oriental rug retailers for their carpets and pay the same amount, if not just a little more, and get a hand knotted piece: brand new and just as nice looking if not BETTER. You really have to know where to go I guess, some places in the city were way over our heads.

It's so funny to me as some people I know are total feng shui nuts which is great, but they go after these carpets which are synthetic which completely defeats the purpose because of the off-gas they create.

When you think about it, environmentally, economically, and long term, a hand knotted rug is the best way to go. They last longer than tufted rugs, are more "natural" and are a better bang for the buck, and resell easier too. Who really wants a used hand tufted rug?!?

I purchased my rugs in May 2007 and can confirm that the problem with the Pottery Barn rugs has not been resolved. I recently returned my rugs to the store where they were purchased and received a store credit for the full purchase price. An exchange for another rug would not make sense because the newer rugs smell too.

I am truly amazed as I read some of these comments. Be aware that the latex-backed/wool carpets that sold by PB are heretofore mentioned, do emitt dangerous toxins and this is called Off-Gassing. Just think of these carpets going into baby/childrens rooms. Let this sink-in! Of Course you can get your money back and if you have a problem do what you have to do to get every penny (plus tax)! As consumers,
this is yet just another example of inferior, dangerous, sub-standard crap we have to deal with.....and as consumers, we had better get more involved and NOT find it acceptable, and fight back! Get these carpets tested, get a good lawyer, and DO NOT pass these Toxic PB rugs, or any other known rug that emits this strong odor (Off-Gassing) to some other unsupecting individual that would then expose toxins into their home, make their children sick. If you want to try and cut your losses, take the time, do the research, and either resolved the matter with the retailer, take it to small claims court, or hire a good lawyer and take the issue to court and sue! If you have one of these rugs then for heaven-sake!! get the thing out of your house NOW! You don't have to be rocket-scientist to understand this smell you are smelling is off-gassing toxins which can make you ill. Over-time in this environment, you are putting yourself at further risk for varied health problems. God Bless our babies and children who have been exposed to these toxins. Many companies are selling these carpets knowing full-well of the health risks, dealing allot in coutries, especially India, where inferior glues and other products are used just so these companies can make more money/profit as they laugh all the way to the bank. Do they care about getting Richer? Do they care if you or your babies/children are getting Sicker??
Do you care enough to do something about this...DO YOU??
Do Something.....at least report it.....

I am considering initiating a class action lawsuit. I have 3 hand tuffed rugs I purchased three years ago which have begun to smell terribly. I also have been having headaches. I contacted the headquarters of the store where I purchased the rugs to no avail. I have now rolled the rugs and stored them in the garage as evidence. It is sad that our own US retailers sell to the unsuspecting consumers goods that may be harmful. We as consumers need to do as much as possible to stop this. If anyone else has already intiated a class action lawsuit I would appreciate receiving information.

I have a beautiful 9X12 Pottery Barn rug that was purchased in 2006. It is lovely to look at, but the odor literally can take your breath away. It's an odd pungent acrid smell that has only recently developed. Even though the rug sits in a large open airy room, the odor smacks you in the face as soon as you enter the home. As we have had this rug for a while, we didn't really notice how awful it was until we moved just last month and placed the rug in a room that gets more general use. It will be banished to the sunroom until we resolve this issue with Pottery Barn.

I visited a Pottery Barn store today and spent some time sniffing around the rug rack. Sure enough, a couple of the hanging rugs were emitting a fainter version of the same burning odor. I informed a Pottery Barn salesperson that a rug I purchased a few years ago has a very pronounced stink and she was polite and helpful. Clearly Pottery Barn is aware of the situation. She told me that Pottery Barn had had an issue with the adhesive used with the backing of some of its rugs and instructed me to call the corporate office and to provide the information from the label on the back side of the rug. She was a little noncommittal about what could be done, but suggested that I inquire with corporate how the issue could be resolved. Before calling, I thought I would see if others have experienced this stinky situation and came across this thread.

So much for buying wool! It's warm! It's natural! It feels great! Too bad the cloth backing STINKS!

Once again like the rest of you across this site a little late! I recently bought a PB rug off of e-bay. After reading this site asked for a refund and the seller never responded. I feel so upset that I didn't look more into this before. This was my first rug. I could never imagine putting this rug in my daughters room it smell horrific! I called PB 1-800 number and they told me there is nothing they can do since I did not buy it directly from them. They where pretty short with me. I still cant believe that if they have their name on a product regardless that they want back it up? These rugs are expensive.. for hard working middle class people. Its a 2 days pay basically for us. There goes my step of faith.I have no faith in this company.

BLUF (Bottom line up front): CAUTION: Breathing and skin hazard - the rugs stink like burned rubber because the nasty-smelling substance on the rug backing underneath the burlap is uncured/undercure latex or rubber. BACKGROUND: Bought my stinky rug at American Home Furnishings, Albuquerque, New Mexico, some time back. After reading a lot of similar posts, decided to try fixing it last week. First tried ordinary rug cleaning with Bissell Little Green, no joy. Next soaked it overnite in the bathtub with a full 16 oz can of Oxyclean. Still stinky. Tore off burlap backing and found the culprit - uncured latex or rubber backing. My guess is they left out or under-cooked the vulcanizing part of the process to cure it. If it is indeed uncured rubber or latex, some of the handling instuctions I'm reading classify it as a hazardous substance and not to breath the fumes, because they can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs. Let's be careful out there!

Have 2 rugs from PB ,one is almost 4 years old the other will be 2 in Aug...the 2 year old rug was put on our sons room in Aug 2006 In sept he started with blood noses seizure ,rash red face and ears,Mood changs that were unreal.....stopped sleeping because he was afraid of the seizures....Dr had no clue as to why....The new carpet smell never went away ...never thought anything of it........and then the bad rubber burning smell started...at that point I called Pb....they said they would give me a full refund on the rug...they just wanted it back...said bad latex was used...BUT NOT HARMFUL...then they gave me a full refund on the carpet that was 4 years old...Red flag people.... I have called PB to request a MSDS they said legal would have to call me back...of course I have not heard back from them.....The Off gases from carpets are so harmful................
The fact that PB knows they have a problem and Have not recalled the rugs Baffles me...Beware to anyone who has a rug In a childs room GET IT OUT NOW......start doing your research....The rugs are made in India.....no safty lables on them, no warning....what the hell is wrong with these people.
WE PUT ARE KIDS TO BED IN THIER ROOM AND KISS THEM AT NIGHT...WE DO EVERYTHING TO KEEP THEM SAFE...WE MAKE THIER ROOMS NICE AND COZY...A PLACE FOR THEM TO FEEL SAFE........To find out that this rug has been the reason for why he has been so sick for all this time has truley ripped my heart out ... The rug has now been turned over to a lab.....OPEN YOUR EYES UP PEOPLE.......LETS STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING..

I'm so glad I found this site. Now my husband doesn't think I'm quite so crazy for getting down on my hands and knees and sniffing our wool rug several times a week. About 2.5 years ago, we bought an 8 x 12 foot 100% wool, machine woven Indian rug from the Capel Rug Outlet. It was an expensive rug and cost over $1,000. I'm not sure what the backing is made of, but it's not latex. It looks like a cotton or other natural fiber (maybe jute?). We were told to put a "rug gripper" pad underneath the wool rug to protect our wood floor, which we did. At first I thought my dog or foster dog was to blame for the odor that smells like a cross between wet hay and dog or cat urine. But then I realized it wasn't isolated to one area of the carpet but was throughout the entire thing. The pad smells "funky" to me now. I can't tell if the pad is the problem and the smell is wafting up through the carpet, or if the carpet backing is starting to develop an odor. I didn't notice this smell until about 2 - 3 months ago. It's gradually getting stronger. Does anyone know if the rubber-like carpet gripper pads start to smell over time? This would certainly be easier and less expensive to replace than the carpet. Thanks for any advice!

i also purchased 2 large wool area rugs from pottery barn in 2006. the burned rubber smell became noticeable about 8 months ago and is now quite unbearable. i thought my vacuum was singeing the rug fibers and had it taken in. vacuum is perfect, and does not leave a smell when vacuuming other rugs in the home. i am furious and will call pottery barn to complain asap. thank you to all those who have taken the time to comment on their experiences!

We have been trying to trace the source of what smelled like burning rubber in our living room and finally realized it was our 8 by 10 Pottery Barn area rug bought in October 2005. I called Pottery Barn this morning to find out what to do about it. The customer service lady was very nice, but claimed to have never heard of this problem, no memo from the department that should know about the rugs. So then I googled "Pottery Barn smelly area rugs" and got this website! It's obvious they do not want to acknowledge this problem, because they'd probably need to do a 100 percent recall of these rugs. If I get an e-mail response from the customer service manager which I requested, I'm going to direct him/her to this website.

Pottery Barn are Liars They do know of the problem......
I have talked to them about it and they offered to give me a FULL REFUND on my rugs 4years old and 2 years old....the rug is now out of my sons room and is health problem are 200% better....his dr's and school are amazed....the rugs are giving off gases...when i spoke to pottery barn they told me the latex was bad................do your research people.....i refused the refund and we have spoken to are lawyer....

theses rugs should hAve been (((recalled )))...go look at what the fumes do to a 6 week old babys brain...they think becuase they are such a big company they can get away with this.
if your kids are sick and you have no answers ...think about the rugS in there roomS....theses rugs come from india....do u know what they use to make these rugs...then they are imported into us with no regulation what so ever on them...we then bring them into our home ...If you have a moth problem...they are comming from the rugs....that was also a big problem with our rugs too...start reading...

I purchased a 8x10 imported wool rug made in India from a Denver, Colorado Macy's store about 18 months ago and it has just recently begun to emit an unbelievably strong burnt rubber smell. We have very little humidity here, so I don't believe humidity is a determinative factor. It was on sale, and I thought it was a great deal, but now I realize that it was not. I will be seeking a refund from Macy's voluntarily or through the courts if necessary. No consumer should have to endure the pungent and possibly unhealthy odors these rugs generate. Vendors must be aware of this problem or should be aware of this problem, particularly given the volume of experiences documented on this site.

I just found this thread after Googling about smelly, rubbery rugs. I bought a rug from Pottery Barn in early 2005, and it developed this problem several months ago. Today I called Pottery Barn's national retail customer service # (866-224-4598), and talked to an agent who was very knowledgeable about the problem, and suggested I call the store where I bought the rug to ask about a credit (and told me to call the national # again if I did not get satisfaction). I did so, and the store has agreed to give me a credit for the most recent listed price of the rug (since it's been discontinued). For what it's worth, the national agent told me that PB discontinued the rugs with the natural latex, and has switched to rugs with a synthetic latex backing. I'm going to try my luck with one of those....

Thank goodness I found this site! I too bought a beautiful PB 5x8 rug -- the Napoli -- in April 2005 and it started stinking up my living room about a year ago! My husband kept telling me I was "smelling" things, until I had him kneel down and sniff the rug with me! On Monday (6/9) I called the national customer svc #: 866-224-4598 (Thank You cutefrenchhouse!!!) and spoke with a rep who took down my info & promised to forward the call to the district mgr. for my area, but to give them 24 hrs to return the call. When no one had called by Thurs (6/11), I called the nat'l # back & re-explained my problem very nicely. The rep looked up my info from my phone # and forwarded the info the dist. mgr. & regional mgr. this time & promised someone would get back to me that day. Less than 2 hrs later I got a call back! Very nice mgr. offered me the 1st discounted price (199.50) as a rug exchange or store credit as I didn't think I had the receipt. But...I found the receipt later in the evening (I usually tend to hang on to major house purchase receipts indefinitely), called her back today & she said I can have a credit for the entire purchase price of $399 tx = $430.92!!

HERE'S MY QUESTION...If it's the hand-tufted, latex backed rugs that stink, which rugs are OK to get? Is a hand-tufted, synthetic latex back rug OK, or will that stink up in a matter of time also? I've been looking at the PB site & they have beautiful rugs that specify "synthetic latex" back. I don't want to get "burned" a second time, though...Any suggestions?

Many thanks & apologies for the long post,
dmoh

Listed below are just a few of the hazardous chemicals that have been found in carpet emissions tests. Not much is known about their health effects from chronic low-level exposure. The health effects listed are generally associated with higher exposure levels, but Grace Ziem, M.D., Dr.P.H., warns that sensitive individuals may experience adverse effects at lower exposure levels than the average individual. Further, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health warns that there is no safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, as the cell damage can occur at extremely low exposure levels.

EPA's Dan Costa and a report commissioned by the CPSC both recommend the ASTM E981 test, used by Anderson Laboratories as a reliable test to determine human health effects from both individual chemicals and entire products. (2, 18)

Some of the following chemicals are also listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List which requires manufacturing facilities to prepare Material Safety Data Sheets and notify local authorities of the presence of the chemicals.

A number of the following chemicals have been tested with the ASTM E981 by labs other than Anderson's. Their published results indicate that adverse effects in mice are a reliable indicator of adverse effects in humans. Those chemicals are marked by the following statement, "Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects."

Partial Listing of Hazardous Chemicals Found in Carpet

Acetone (23) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. It is considered a severe irritant. Human systemic effects by inhalation include changes in electroencephalogram, changes in carbohydrate metabolism, nasal effects, respiratory system effects, nausea, vomiting, and muscle weakness. Adverse reproductive effects have been reported in animal experiments. Acetone can react vigorously with oxidizing chemicals. Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects for acetone. (19, 26, 27)

Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (25) - It is a suspected carcinogen. (25, 29)

Benzene (2, 23, 25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. Benzene is a confirmed human carcinogen. It can produce myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and lymphomas by inhalation. It is also considered a human poison by inhalation. It is a moderate skin irritant and a severe eye irritant. Human systemic effects by inhalation include blood changes and increased body temperature. Animal experiments have found teratogenic [birth defects] and adverse reproductive effects. Human mutation data have been reported. Research indicates that effects are seen at less than 1 parts per million (ppm). In one study, exposures needed to be reduced to 0.1 ppm before no toxic effects were observed. (27)

Caprolactam (25) - It is moderately toxic by skin contact. Animal experiments have shown it to be teratogenic. Other adverse reproductive effects have been reported in experiments. Human mutation data have been reported. Exposure symptoms in humans include cough, skin and eye irritation. (27)

Diethylene glycol (25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. It is a suspected carcinogen, supported by experimental carcinogenic, tumorigenic and teratogenic data. It is an eye and human skin irritant. (27)

p-Dichlorobenzene (2, 25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. It is a confirmed carcinogen. Animal experiments have found teratogenic effects (birth defects). In humans it can cause headache, eye irritation, swelling weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and cirrhosis of the liver. Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects for p-dichlorobenzene. (19, 26, 27)

Formaldehyde (2, 23, 25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory. It is a confirmed carcinogen. Animal experiments have reported adverse reproductive effects. Human mutation data has been reported. In humans it can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, bronchial spasm, lung irritation, dermatitis, aggressive behavior, and olfactory (smell) changes. Frequent or prolonged exposure may cause hypersensitivity to subsequent lower level exposures. Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects for formaldehyde. (19, 26, 27)

Hexane (23) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory. In humans it can cause lightheadedness, nausea, headache, weakness, eye and nose irritation, dermatitis, chemical pneumonia, giddiness, hallucinations, structural changes in nerves, motor neuropathy, and respiratory irritation. Animal experiments have found adverse reproductive effects and birth defects. Mutation data have been reported. (26, 27)

Styrene (2, 24, 25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. It is a suspected carcinogen and human mutation data have been reported. Animal experiments have found adverse reproductive effects. In humans it can cause eye and nose irritation, drowsiness, olfactory (smell) changes, and defatting dermatitis. Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects for styrene. (19, 26, 27)

Toluene (2, 23, 25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. Mutation data have been reported. Animal experiments have found adverse reproductive effects. Human effects include fatigue, weakness, confusion, euphoria, dizziness, headache, dilated pupils, dermatitis, central nervous system recording changes, hallucinations or distorted perceptions, motor activity changes, psychophysiological test changes, and bone marrow changes. Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects for toluene. (19, 26, 27)

Vinylcyclohexene (28) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory. It is considered to be moderately toxic by inhalation. Animal experiments have evidenced carcinogenic, tumorigenic, and adverse reproductive effects. (27)

Xylenes (2, 25) - It is included in EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act Inventory and is listed on EPA's Community Right to Know List. Animal experiments have found adverse reproductive effects and birth defects. In humans it can cause dizziness, excitement drowsiness, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dermatitis, coordination problems, and staggering gate. Published studies indicate the ASTM E981 test is a reliable indicator of adverse human health effects for xylenes. (19, 26, 27)

References:

I have a very sick child from PB rugs they used a bad latex and they still havent recalled the rugs......................READ ON PEOPLE>>RUGS ARE BAD ANYWAYS BUT THEN ADDIN THAT THEY ARE MADE IN INDIA >>>>>>AND HAVE NO REGULATIONS ON THEM>>>>>>PLUS IF U HAVE A MOTH PROBLEM THEY ARE COMING FROM THE RUG>>>>>>>>>>

Thank you cutefrenchhouse for your post and for providing the retail customer service phone number, 866-224-4598. At the end of the day, I had a refund for every dollar I paid for my three-year-old rug. The process and negotiation went like this:

1. Call the customer service number. They immediately recognized the rug problem. I was told they would have the district manager for my area contact me within 2 days.
2. I suggested maybe I could contact my local store manager since I really wanted the smelly rug gone. That was fine.
3. I called the local store manager. I didn't think I had the receipt. First I was told since I didn't have the receipt I could return my rug for a refund of the marked down price (about $350). Then he agreed to let me trade my smelly old rug for a new one of the same size.
4. My awesome wife dug up the receipt.
5. I called the store and asked if I could now get a full refund. The answer was yes, because even though the return policy is one year, we were dealing with a defective product.
6. I came to the store and had someone in shipping take the rug from my car. I went inside to get my refund from the manager.
7. He told me that no, I couldn't have the full refund after all. He had spoken with the district manager. They couldn't "take the hit of refund for the full price." Oh, so who should take the hit? He suggested they would give me the marked down value. I told him that yes, they could do it because there is a precedent for Pottery Barn to give full refunds of rugs older than a year.
8. I told him that wasn't acceptable but that I would work it out with someone else later. I said perhaps I would speak to the district manager or perhaps the corporate number. Would he please, I asked, give me a document stating that I had returned the rug?
9. He said he didn't want to have the issue open for a long time, and did I just want to call the district manager immediately? Yes.
10. He called the district manager back, told him I wouldn't accept their gambit, he asked if I had paid with credit card, he asked if I had the card with me, and voila:
11. I WALKED OUT OF THE STORE WITH $691.71 credit back to me!

So be ready to stand your ground, endure a little resistance, but get your money back.

I spoke with my mother about this later in the day, and she told me that she had also experienced smelly potterybarn rugs.

Also, look at Craigs List and you'll see tons of people selling their old items for cheap. People don't know that the product was bad through and through and that they can bring these back to the stores.

I bought a 5 x 8 Pottery Barn rug last October. I am so sorry I didn't do my research and read the posts here first. At first I thought it was just a "new" smell, but it just seemed to get worse. Then I thought it was coming from the rug pad (also from Pottery Barn and also smells), which I thoroughly washed and put out in the sun for two days. When that didn't work I removed the pad entirely. When the rug still smelled I tried Febreze, baking soda, rose water, you name it. I have been airing her room out daily, but I absolutely can't stand it any longer and shudder now to think of the effect it is having on my daughter's health. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to post. I will be calling Pottery Barn tomorrow about returning my rug.

If a new smell in a rug last longer them a couple of days you know you have a real problem..........why do u think they tell you to air out your new car before you drive it...Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Your Home
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature. The term “organic” indicates that the compounds contain carbon. VOC exposures are often associated with an odor while other times there is no odor. Both can be harmful. There are thousands of different VOCs produced and used in our daily lives.

Many products emit or “off –gas” VOCs. Some examples of VOC emission sources are:

Benzene
Toluene
Methylene
Chloride
Formaldehyde
Xylene
Ethylene glycol
Texanol
1,3-butadiene
For instance, carpets may contain:

Known carcinogens such as p-Dichlorobenzene. These chemicals may also cause hallucinations, nerve damage and respiratory illness in humans.

4-PC, the chemical that gives carpets their distinctive "new carpet smell" and is associated with eye, nose and upper respiratory problems.

Mothproofing chemicals, which contain naphthalene.

Fire retardants with PBDEs, which may cause damage to thyroid, immune system and brain development functions in humans.

Now put a rug that the company has admited to having bad latex ..........In your childs room that is 12 by 12 and the rug is 8 by 10 ..kiss him good night for 18month close the door with the windows closed.... call 911 because your son has had 12 sezuires and bloody noses ,rashes moods changes,head aches,..Dr could not understand why...well it all started 4 weeks after this rug was put in his room...went on until we found out it was the friggin rug...that was poisoining him..Pb refunded the money ...said latex was bad but it was safe.....NO ITS NOT SAFE PEOPLE..

Green Label Plus Certification: In 2004, the Carpet and Rug Institute started the Green Label Plus Certification, which certifies that carpets are free from 13 toxic chemicals. Look for carpets with this certification.
LOOK AT YOUR RUG MINE DIDNT HAVE THIS IS WAS MADE IN INDIA...................The long tem side effects are to scary to thing about ...hes only 10..........my god....

going green My ass still get 10 cataloges a week from them...yea they care........

feel free to email me if you want to share your story

There are some claims that this has been fixed in 2007 but I just called Pottery Barn about their felted shag rug and was told that it had a "natural latex" backing. How are things smelling for people who have recently gotten their rugs replaced? The rug is so pretty...I'm very sad.

very sad over a rug that was pretty ,how about the fact that..........its toxic..........really should be sad about that...
Hope it wasnt in your childs room..

I was sad b/c its pretty AND toxic, so of course I wouldn't buy it (haven't yet). I emailed PB and this is the response:

Thank you for contacting Pottery Barn.

At Pottery Barn, we once again have demonstrated how seriously we take our customer feedback. We are happy to report that Pottery Barn (PB, BE, PBK and PT) has changed the way we make our rugs. All Pottery Barn brands have transitioned to odorless Synthetic Latex on the back of our rugs, as of August 2006. Synthetic Latex is more durable and can be safer for people who are allergic to proteins (you'll notice on the new rugs there will no longer be a warning label regarding allergic reactions as there was in the past on all PB rugs with natural latex.

We hope this information is helpful.

If we may be of any further assistance, please contact us via email. Alternately, you may contact our Customer Service Department directly at 1-800-922-9934 from 4:00 am to 9:00 pm (PST), seven days a week.

I have the 8x10' Simone Wool Hand-Tufted rug from Pottery Barn that I bought in Santa Barbara two years ago and it smells horrible! The odor has grown increasingly intolerable and I just contacted the website and then the assistant store manager at the site where I purchased the rug. There IS a problem with the latex. Pottery Barn is aware of the "manufacturer's defect" and accepts returns on the rug (generally up to one year although they have taken back rugs as old as 3-4). I'm supposed to receive a call back early next week after the Assistant Manager talks to the District Manager. She said they will likely credit me the current price of the rug (now $279.99 I paid $400.00) or they could replace it with the same rug (but same problem). Apparently there are a few of these rugs still available in stores though Pottery Barn is aware of the problem and now utilizes a different process for the "tufting and gunning" of their rugs.

Don't live with this problem and you shouldn't have to eat the cost of the rug. Contact Pottery Barn and request that they remedy the problem. They ARE certaintly aware of the defect (both online customer service and at my local store). Ask to speak to a manager. I'll update after I hear back from them on Tuesday. Good Luck!

Had 2 Rugs 1 was 2 years old and the other 4.....they gave me a full refund of 1600.00..

what a price to pay for a toxic rug and a little boy that has been very sick. ......the rug is now with the Attorney Generals Office in my state ....still waiting to hear back from several calls to corprate PB,,,,what a joke....

UPDATE ON THE ATTEMPTED RETURN OF OUR STINKY POTTERY BARN RUG: Both Pottery Barn corporate (customer service) and my local store (customer service manager and floor staff) acknowledged the stink problem. Unfortunately, corporate told me that only the local store could refund and the local store told me only corporate could do it. There was quite a bit of finger-pointing with the customer service representative finally telling me that we would be offered a refund IF AND ONLY IF we located our original receipt (which we no longer have). She then suggested we go back and review all credit card statements and/or call our bank and credit card companies to try to locate a record for a purchase that took place several years ago. Clearly, the response was meant to dissuade stinky rug owners from being able to return these health-hazard rugs. Very disappointing outcome. I've stopped shopping at Pottery Barn, West Elm and Williams Sonoma (the Pottery Barn companies) as a result. If Pottery Barn can't offer good service (especially for product they admit is defective!), then they do not deserve my business.

DOES YOUR POTTERY BARN RUG STINK?

SIGN THE PETITION:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?PBSS2008&1

PB will give you a full refund.............Do not stop bothering them............they are aware of the health problem........

The rug is toxic....... to your health more then any of you are aware of............I have a very sick child because of it......if you have a rug in a newborns room REMOVE it ASAP...

I purchased a PB rug ("Tree of Life" design, absolutely beautiful) in 2004. I have several dogs, so I assumed the "smell" was from them and/or from my "hypersmeller" nose. The few times the newest puppy wet the carpet I cleaned it instantly, but the "rubbery wet dog" smell continued.
At the time I lived in the dry desert, and although the smell was occasionally irritating, I just put up with it, blaming my dirty dogs.
Upon moving to moist New England, however, I was appalled when the moving van unloaded my PB rug, which had been in storage in the summer heat for a month. The stench was so bad, I refused to put it in the house. I took it directly to a professional carpet cleaner, who said he would clean it, but that the smell would NEVER go away. He explained that they call that type of rug a "Chinese Hook" and the adhesive they use to attach the cotton backing is a latex/chemical base that not only won't lose it's smell, but will increase over time, regardless of how clean the carpet is.
The rug is still in the cleaner's paper wrapper, in my basement, and when I walk by it ....I can STILL smell that awful stench (and I look around to see if one of the dogs left a gift for me!).
I thought of selling it on Ebay or Craigslist, but that seems just wrong at this point, especially if we are talking about a health hazard, not just an annoyance!!
I'm going to try my luck with PB. And it's good to know about Overstock as I can't smell the pictures! I see even Homegoods has a ton of that type of rug (just get right up to them and sniff!).
If anyone finds that the "new and improved" PB rugs are benign, let us know!! Meanwhile, I will simply not buy a rug with a cotton or rubber backing attached!

I too bought a Pottery Barn rug and it SMELLS HORRIBLE!!! It smells like burnt rubber. I have the Adeline Rug which is presently on the website for $649. I have been on the floor smelling the rug trying to determine if it is the rug pad or the actual rug that smells. Well, now that I have read all of these posts I am sure that it is the rug. I have been trying to live with the smell by opening windows, keeping the air conditioning on and lighting candles. As soon as I walk into my apartment it smells, it is horrible. I have redecorated my room to match the beautiful look of this rug. Now I don't know what I am going to do. The rug felt so soft and plush and it looks beautiful. I can not stand the stench of this rug another day, I have to roll it up tonight. I live in NY and the Pottery Barn on Houston Street where I bought is has closed, I do not feel optimistic that I will see any refund from Pottery Barn. What a nightmare. This was a huge splurge for me, now I am left with nothing but a bad smell. I will be shopping for my next rug at Target. Pottery Barn should be ashamed of themselves.

My Target wool rug has the same problem, and it's gotten worse over the years. I first started to notice after the rug was moved to the basement and we used a space heater. It reeks of rubber. I just unwrapped it to sell it (not for the smell actually), and after having it in the sun today to air it out, it's horrible. I doubt anyone will buy it.

I wonder, though, if the smell could come from the nonskid pad it was on in the basement. I had it in the mainfloor den for two years and it was held down with rug tape. I never noticed a smell then. But if it's the pad, shouldn't the smell have gone away today, rather than gotten worse?

I was amazed to see the number of posts on this problem, and how long this has been going on. I first noticed this odor problem in a vacation rental where I was staying in California. I couldn't figure out what that smell was! I had the landlord bring in an electrician because I thought the wiring was faulty. We also ruled out ped odor and natural gas. I finally realized it was the carpet. Fortunately we only had a few more days to stay there, so we were able to move on. I next encountered the smell at an office where I was visiting, and knew right away what it was. Then I discovered it again in another vacation rental, and decided to check it out online and found this site. I feel really sorry for those people who have bought these rugs and feel stuck with them. I think that these stores should take them back no matter how long you've had them, and they really need to stop selling them. Sign the petition listed a few posts back. And find some way of evaluating the health risks. I can't imagine putting something like this in a child's room.

Hey everyone, this problem IS well documented at Pottery Barn. Not every sales associate will know this, so talk only to the Design Studio Manager or General Manager. The old return policy (even though 1 year) absolutely was sensitive to inferior/manufacturing problems even after several years. I know that many of these rug returns have occurred years after purchase (I am a former employee ow WS). Now that they have adopted much stricter return policy they will really fight you on this, but the end result is that this is a known health hazard, so stick to your guns. Argue in person at the Design Studio dept in the store, on the sales floor as near to the hanging rugs as possible. sign the petition above also. Good Luck!

So, I just had a very good communication with Pottery Barn. I called the corporate tel# 800-275-2355, left my name & tel, and 2 hrs later got a return call. The woman who called was very apologetic, and said that their policy for this problem is, if no receipt, to deduct 10% per year of use and refund me the rest on a merch credit. They would send UPS to pick up the rug.

I couldn't ask for any better response. I urge all of you to NOT live with this problem. And I would call corporate rather than go to the store.

Good Luck.

.........my son has been very ill from the rug.......not realizing it was the rug until it was too late...........the damage is done and we do not know the long term effects from this carpet..........

....i was given a full refund on both rugs one was 2 years old and one 4.......no ? asked...red flag started to reasearch and found that it was the gases from the rug making our son sick..

the rug had been tested and is now with Our Attorney Genrals office...Money is not the point here this company need to take action and recall these rugs...they know how toxic these rugs are

Much thanks to all of you that have posted before me- I did not expect to find such a quick answer to my burnt-rubber-smelling area rug. Nor did I expect to find a problem that I cannot resolve and may be contributing to difficult to control asthma that was diagnosed after the rug was purchased. My rug is an Obeetee purchased at my local rug store about 3 years ago. I know Obeetee private labels for Pottery Barn because I had been concerned that the rug I purchased for significantly more at the rug store looked strikingly similar to a rug released by PB shortly after my purchase. I called to confirm that PB would not be carrying my exact rug.

SJames174 - I would appreciate being in touch with you to learn more about your route to the Attorney General's office. Also, how to go about documenting the relation between health problems and the rug.

ACK312................
Well u need to Get the rug out of your house,
check with the Dr to see when the health problems started,
have blood work done ....The dr would know what to look for .
if not get on line type in chemicals found in rugs.............

write them down and take it to the lab,next have a hair test done,toxins stay in the hair alot longer then blood...........

call your local Attorney General's office explain to them what is going on...you will have to bring them the rug......

print out this website and all the (ALL) the letters Its like 55 pages and bring that into.........
PB knows they have a problem and it is a big one.....

i was give a full refund with both my rugs after 2 and 4 years old...Do not send them the rug back...there goes your evidence

too think of all the sick kids and parents havent connected it to a rug.......THESE rugs are killing are kids.......the toxin from off gases from a rug that dosent have bad latex is bad enough,,,but to know that this can kill you and still sell them...Shocks me..type in what off gasing from carpet does to a fetus or newborns brain and it will make you sick.
Get THE RUG OUT OF yOUR HOME NOW...

good luck

hope i have helped

It's not just pottery barn, i bought a 'chinese garden' rug from West Elm last year as a birthday gift to myself( in Oct), I had also just bought a new house.., but my room was not ready yet, so the rug sat in the original plastic rolled up, vertically in a corner of my dining room until last month. I unrolled it on to my nice new bedroom floor( it's a circle rug) & was looking forward to enjoying it, or having my son play with me on it..UGGHH the smell...I figured well hey, it's brand new, it's been sitting for 6 mos, maybe it's a chemical new rug smell..whatever, it will be gone in a week or so..NO SUCH LUCK..i febreezed it like crazy & also, my son ended up playiing with the powder & it was all over the room( rug too)..I vacumed & cleaned..room still smell like it.I looked up return policy 30 days only----unless manufacturer's defect..im gonna try to return it under that .my son sneezed & rubs nose constantly (he's 21 mos) & coughs in MY room. I just can't take the smell..WEST WLM is a culprit too..so don't gang up on JUST Pottery Barn( I previously had bought area rugs, 100% wool & 100% cotton from IKEA & Pier One & had no problem whatsoever.

phillygrl's ,
yes i am ganging up on PB they know they have a Big problem and they dont care..... i had to call 911 over 2 dozen time due to seizure my son is have from the toxins that came from thier rugs........So dont u be so blinded...I need more then a tissue to fix my son's problem.....

you better do your research ......long term effects from theses carpets my even kill your child.......

pissed off I am.......and yes there are other companys selling these rugs to .i am aware of that...

Thanks for all of these comments. I had a beautiful wool PB rug (made in China), which I bought 2 years ago. About a year ago it started smelling very bad, and my husband actually developed athma, which was thought to be related to some colds he had, but I'm sure the rug didn't help things. Fortunately, my daughter whose bedroom it was in did not develop any health problems. We put the rug in the attic and took it out recently to see if we could salvage it by cleaning it, but thanks to this website called Pottery Barn. They picked it up the next day, and will be given full credit (however I can't think of anything I'd really like to get from them right now).

Are you really that stupid.........thanks to pb.........my god open your eyes up people.

They just have me my money back ...........lol you have got to be kidding me.........sure they did ...they sold you a toxic rug and they wanted it back fast...they know there asses are in big trouble......They are covering this up......Read on people about off gases from carpets.........suzithecat's go read and see what harm the off gases have done....in 5 -10 years when u and your children have cancer or tumors ...ect

remember to thank PB for your full refund

Thank you to all who have posted on this thread. My first google search was "pottery barn rug smell" and here I am! I bought the "Tapis Graham" rug in August 2006. We loved this rug. Loved the softness, loved the colors. At first I thought there was a "new rug" smell, then a "wool smell", then thought it was only on damp days. But I live somewhere where the the windows are open every day except the damp days, so it was closing the windows (not the dampness) that was trapping whatever that smell was. After a year I removed the pad. I used various carpet enzyme products that were supposed to neutralize the smell. Nothing worked. It got worse and worse.

After reading this thread and strategizing a bit about when to call (not on Monday, not first thing in the morning, etc...trust me, this helps when you want something), I called Pottery Barn today. I explained the problem to a manager and said that I had read that thousands of customers were returning their rugs because of the problem, how should I proceed. At first the manager said that there had been a 1 year manufacturer's warranty. I said I didn't think that made sense since many stores were taking back the rugs several years later as that is when the latex and/or rubber backing is breaking down and off-gassing. He said let me check. He put me on hold for five minutes. He came back and said I he would replace the rug with the exact same rug. Or he would give me full store credit for the price I paid. He understood I did not want the same rug. I explained I did not have the receipt (but did have my credit card statement) and he said drop off the rug at the service entry and they will scan it for the price I paid an give me the credit.

All done in an hour people! Rolled up the rug, put it in the car, dropped it off at service entrance, manager went into store room and scanned it, full store credit issued. My husband, who didn't think the smell was that bad, almost passed out when he opened our car door before we left and the rug had been in there for only 1/2 hour. The manager came back from the store room and said it was stinking up the store room as well.

They know, they know, they know. They know it is defective. They know that you can't live with it. Don't expect any admission about any toxic effects. Just get it out of your house. Don't worry about the receipt. Don't worry about when you purchased it. Don't worry if you can't see the latex or rubber backing because you can't (it's under the cotton canvas cloth backing on most hand tufted rugs). If it smells like off-gassing....IT IS!

Kristine in Santa Barbara

I have never been this pissed off! The noted experiences above are unbelievable. I am so happy to have found this website last night. I bought a rug on May 6th from Crate and Barrel. One in a half to two weeks later I received it (in a plastic bag), laid it down on the hardwood floor in my bedroom and broke out with a hive on my arm a week or so later. The hives got consistently worse and soon I started having angiodema (swelling of lips and eyes) as well. I have been going through hell for the past six months and I think I may have just realized what has been making me sick. I was under a lot of stress at the time and attributed my illness/hives to anxiety and stress. I started having trouble breathing, severe hives (and yes in my throat too!!), angiodema, itching/stinging in my eyes, and red bloodshot eyes in the mornings.

Before I knew it, it was happening every time I ate!!! I thought it was an allergy too food. I have never been allergic to anything. I saw an allergist and was in my worst condition; blood tests/urinalysis were very abnormal; allergy test said I was not allergic to anything except sea bass and slightly to onions.

I have been on atarax and zyrtec for six freakin' months and still break out. I cannot have any foods with hormones, additives, preservatives, packaged, hydrogenated oils, etc. I've lost weight, look sick, feel fatigued all the time, have fevers, and still have abnormal blood results. Coincidence? I think not. Sjjames174, thank you posting the side effects of all the chemicals above.

At first I did think it was the rug...but I ruled it out as (after the first couple weeks) my reactions would almost happen every time I ate something.

I believe that either the rug has mold or the rug was sprayed with a chemical which has gotten into my system and is constantly getting into my system since I still have the rug.

I'm rolling it up tonight and storing it far away from anyone. Meanwhile, I will be contacting an attorney and getting some tests done on the rug. I am 99% sure that this is what has disrupted my body. If any one has any suggestions or would like to get a class action law suite together, please let me know.

My sympathy goes out to those of you who have had your children affected by these damn things. Please spread the word that these items can be extremely hazardous to your health. Maybe we need to get some thing on the news about this? I'm sure that will wake these companies wake up!! They're making enormous profits while we're spending enormous amounts of money on medical bills to determine what is wrong with us/our kids.

It's not the money, it's the fact that these companies will do anything to make money while risking the health and lives of others. Lets get together and make something change!!!

sjames74 can you give me the name and number of your attorney? Have you had any success while working with this individual?

This is not just Pottery Barn rugs. It's inexpensive rugs made all over mostly China and some from India and other countries as well sold at all of the home decor stores and rug stores everywhere.

When you are buying any rug, look for hand TIED rugs, rugs specified as low VOC if you can find them, and when you find the one you think you want to buy, stick your nose in it and inhale deeply. If it smells like chemicals, don't buy it. A good rug is not going to be cheap (i.e. several thousand dollars).

If you can't afford a quality hand-tied rug, consider having a nice piece of low VOC carpet bound into a rug at your local carpet store. It often is cheaper than a rug you can find at PB or similar stores and you know you and your family aren't inhaling toxic air.

What is a Class Action?
A class action suit may occur when many different people combine their similar complaints. This saves court time and allows a single judge to hear all the concerns at the same time, and come to one settlement for all parties. If the court agrees to certify the complaints as a class action, all class members should have equal say and rights to any monies or remedies ordered by the court.

What factors must be present to start a class action lawsuit?
There are several requirements to consider when attempting to form a new class action case. Simplified, these are:
Numerosity - adequate number of plaintiffs
Commonality - common damages and legal issues
Typicality - each class member's claim must come from the same event, and must make the same legal argument
Adequacy of Representation - the representative plaintiff will adequately protect and represent the interest of the class
Viability of Defendant - although it is not a requirement of the court, it is reasonable to assume that if the accused does not have the means to compensate for the alleged damages and legal costs, it would be difficult to entice a law firm to represent the class.
Who pays the lawyers in a class action lawsuit?
Lawyers who represent a class for money damages are generally paid out of the recovery.

Tiffany,
get a hair analyst done...show toxins in body longer then blood.....

I've had the same problem with a rug from West Elm (Pottery Barn under a different name). I bought the rug this summer (2008) and noticed the smell so I called West Elm. They claimed the smell came from a treatment for mold or insects and it would dissipate. I didn't need the rug at the time, so I stored it in my garage, to let the smell dissipate.

I installed it a week ago, and it made me sick almost immediately. The smell was strong, but I thought it was just a matter of letting it air out. My daughter and I developed "colds" and I started feeling really sick.

Then I found this site and realized that the rug was emitting toxic fumes, so I took it out. I feel better, but not well. I'm worried about my daughter. Do the affects of these toxins continue after exposure? Are they reverseable?

Today, I called West Elm about returning the rug. They are going to pick it up tomorrow and give me either a refund or merchandise credit. Clearly, they know they're selling rugs that poison people and they are trying to cover up. If there is a class action lawsuit, I would gladly join.

I work with the buying offices for a national competitor of Pottery Barn (will remain nameless to ensure integrity of my message). The "burnt rubber" smell issue is fairly common to the rug industry. While not familiar with the above rugs, I would imagine that there is a cotton or canvas backing to the rugs with this smell issue. The smell is caused by the breakdown of cheap latex used to attach the backing to the rug.

Generally, inexpensive area rugs manufactured in India have this issue. It is rare to have a Chinese made area rug with the smell problem.

Purchasing a hand-knotted or machine made wool rug will avoid the smell problem. Synthetic rugs should not have any smell issues either. If the rug has a cotton or canvas backing, and it is made in India, be cautious and ensure that the retailer has a friendly policy regarding defective rug returns. My company has taken back rugs with this issue after 3 years, depending upon the quality of the rug (some low-end rugs are not designed to last more than 3-5 years).

You cannot get the smell out. Never get these rugs wet!!!!! It only magnifies the smell (water accelerates the breakdown of the latex and the smell gets worse). Deodorizers will help absorb the smell, but will have to be repeatedly used.

While an irritant, this smell is not dangerous. In fact, while the smell is terrible, most of the rugs with this problem are certified, by independant agencies, to be safe. Some of the worst offenders have the highest ratings out there.

greg h,
do your homework again........

it is very harmful...........

Gosh!!! First of all, why is it that when you are trying to sleep mind wanders to things that one would not register during the day....anyways, as I was trying to sleep my mind wandered to why my daughter's room still stinks of this horrible rubber smell after 2 years of trying so many different things to get rid of it. We knew it was the rug so we sunbathe it (just sun, no water)...we have opened the windows but during the winters one cannot afford to do that...and then, suddenly worry settled in, what if whatever the smell/odor it is, impacts the neuropsychological functioning....I realize that she exhibits allergy symptoms every morning...what if there has been other impact not so visible...it is so scary. So I have gotten out of bed, googled the topic and came upon this discussion (it listed first on the google search engine).
Yes, the referenced rug is also from Pottery Barn Kids..I got it in early 2007. I am now very concerned and would join in any effort to get to the bottom of this....I just want to know what it is and what harm it could have caused. First thing tomorrow morning I plan on calling PB and get rid of this rug from my daughter's room...Sadly, we too decorated the room around this rug and its accompanying room wardrobe....
signing off,
A disturbed parent!

Hey everyone...it's really important to educate yourself before buying products for your home. I'm a designer and part of my job is to educate you. Here's a link as to why your rugs smell...

http://www.rugrag.com/post/Hand-Tufted-Rugs-White-Residue-and-Powder-Explained.aspx
(scroll down to the link "our rug smells")

Yes PB is cheap but is it worth it to have chemical smells in your home? Think about it next time you buy from mass produced stores; know what you are buying. Yes the initial investment may be more but it will last longer and won't make you sick or smell. This is why I as a designer advocate green design. We don't just make your house pretty; we make sure it's safe.

And I agree, as a population we need to regulate these things so we aren't getting exposed to harmful agents without our knowledge.

It's a bit late but since this topic is still active - i bought a really inexpensive but large-ish rug from IKEA for a dorm room several years ago. It developed that smell, so we took it to the car wash and washed it witht he car wash soap...then let it bake to dry. It never smelled again. I dont know if it's the same smell or if it would help, but it was worth a shot for us and it only cost a couple of dollars.

Just over a year ago, I purchased a Kingsley House wool rug from Sams Club. About 3 months ago I noticed the burning rubber smell and found a powder like dust underneath. I vacuumed the underneath side with a shop vac. The smell got worse. It is now rolled up in the garage. I could not believe all the similar complaints when I googled "wool rug burning smell".

I talked to the manager at our Sams. They had a record of my purchase (I had thrown away the original receipt). They offered to give me my money back once I bring the rug back to the store. I am impressed with SAMS CLUB.

I found a similar looking rug at overstock.com and want to replace the Sam's rug. I am very leary of getting any wool rug after reading all the posts. Does anyone know if overstock guarantees their products in a case like this?

Bought a rug from Restoration Hardware in 2004. Began off-gassing this year!!! Called them to ask if there was anything they could do...they said the purchase was made too long ago. Also bought a rug from PB many, many years ago and it began off-gassing within a year, although at the time I didn't know it was off-gassing. Thought like many of you, it was the pad. Trashed the pad and later the rug. The PB rug was not as expensive as the RH rug. Would like to recoup the money, but more importantly stop the process. For myself and for others.

I would like to be included with a class action lawsuit if it is started.

I have a beautiful hand-made Ethan Allen wool rug, also made in India. The smell became terrible! When I opened up the natural-looking cotton backing, I found the rug was filled with rubber. Something should be done about this problem! It is a health hazard.

I too bought a PBK 8X10 rug that developed a bad odor...I too spent months trying to figure it out. I'm concerned about the health effects from these rugs and don't think that PBK is being upfront about the risks/health hazards involved. I no longer have this rug in my possession. (They took it back.) I would like to pursue this further -- both to get to the bottom of possible ill efects and to get the company to take responsibility. I just emailed an executive in the company this thread, asking for a response. Doea anyone else have any suggestions? what are others doing? I think just refunding the rugs is an inadequate response by the company. These rugs should have been recalled and customers notified.

The odor is from the latex of the rug not being properly cured on a tufted rug. This is one of several negatives of buying a tufted rug rather than a woven one (woven rugs you can see the design on the back of the rug matching the front, on tufted the fibers are looped into a mesh and latex adhesive poured on it to hold it together - usually covered up with heavy material).

Where a hand woven real rug, 9 by 12, may take 3 weavers up to a year to weave... a tufted rug can be produced in a day. It is a quick production, and that is why they are cheap, and they expectedly cut corners to try to make it even cheaper to make. The unfortunate thing is that these tufted rugs are pushing out the art of real rug weaving... a craft thousands of years old, but not seemingly strong enough to survive IKEA and Crate & Barrel commoditization. :) Or consumers need for quick and cheap.

That said, cleaning these rugs will make the odor worse. Even ozone (which is dangerous to use) does not remove this odor which is like a combination of old dirty socks and rubber.

While I see the post saying this is not harmful, I also know that our nose has always been our own early warning system. When something makes your nose cringe, and eye water, that tells me there is a bad reaction - the same that happens when exposed to caustic chemicals. They may pass some general standards for safety - but I have no idea what they are putting in these adhesives overseas, and I certainly would not want kids or pets crawling on them.

What I tell my rug cleaning clients, and the professional rug cleaners I train, is that when you buy a rug that you notice has an odor - you need to return it right away. Exchange it for a tufted rug that does not smell, or upgrade and get a woven rug. Woven rugs can last centuries, while tufted product is essentially disposable rugs that will hit the landfill after a few years.

Woven rugs can also be given a very good bath for their cleaning (though you want to make sure you are using a rug plant with experience in this or the dyes may bleed) - which will thoroughly clean your textiles of all dust and contaminants.

These smelly India rugs are a serious problem, and in my opinion are unhealthy. And with so many people complaining about them - and returning them - I'm surprised they are still selling them. If you go to my blog and type "stinky" in the search bar, you can pull up other information about tufted rug problems. Hope that helps.

Lisa Wagner, CRS
NIRC Certified Rug Specialist

www.TheRugChick.com

@sjames174 - what's the latest on your case? I really hope things are OK with your family.

Anyone else see any medium-term/long-term issues and side effects?

I am concerned and would like to know if concerns are valid for children and pets.

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this blog from the bottom of my heart. My daughter had a pottery barn rug that started to reek of burnt rubber over the last 6 months. I was shopping around for a cotton rug to replace it with, when I came across this blog. Well, after reading all the comments, it occurred to me that the daily nosebleeds that my 7 yr old has been having might be due to the rug, as they have increased markedly during the last 6 months (up to four times/day in the last month). Lo and behold, I read this blog Friday night, we took the rug out first thing Saturday morning, and she has been nosebleed-free ever since. I just returned the rug to Pottery Barn this morning for a full refund. They couldn't have been nicer about it. I no longer had my receipt but the rug had all its stickers still on it. The manager I dealt with here in Toronto was clearly well-aware of the problem and took my concerns seriously.
While we are thankful to be nosebleed free, who knows what harm that rug may have done to our daughter's respiratory system that we don't yet know about. So to those of you experiencing similar situations with your rugs, please get these rugs out of your houses. They may very well be health hazards.
And, again, thank you for posting your experiences. You really made a difference to our child's life.

Wow! I am so incredibly happy I found this thread. Yes my rug smells like burned rubber. I live in a small apartment with a large rug (the burned rubber one). so far I've had chronic nosebleeds, sneezing, asthma-like difficulty breathing, developed multiple chemical sensitivity, lost all my hair and have developed eczema that seems to hover on my lower legs. All since I bought this rug three months ago. Is there a connection? After reading all of these comments...yes.

I am truly disgusted by this. I was about to purchase a Pottery Barn Rug but there is no way in hell that I will now. It has been a real education, reading this page and others online as well. I hope that a class action lawsuit makes this unscrupulous company (and others who knowingly sell products that poison people like Ballard, West Elm, C & B and their ilk) pay through the nose. The fact that they are taking their rugs back and refunding money points to the fact that they know all about this yet keep selling these toxic products - this page has posts that are 4 years old! Has anyone notified their Attorney General?

WOW! I just came upon this website and I wish I had read it a few years ago. I bought a brand new PB rug on Ebay for my child's room about 4 years ago. The night I laid it down I woke to my son gasping for air in a panic!!! He didn't even have the strength to come to my room for help a few feet away!!! At first I thought he may be stuffy from a cold coming on so I brought him in the bathroom for a "steam" treatment...this helped very minimal, but just enough to give me a second to get to the phone and call 911. An ambulance rushed over and had to administer oxygen, he was brought to the hospital and given shots to open his breathing pathways. The Dr. was very condesending and wondered "what the hell my child had been breathing in?!?" I told her the only thing I could think of that had changed was that I bought a STINKY, MURDEROUS RUG FROM POTTERY BARN!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE THEY SELL OUR CHILDREN A POSSIBLE DEATH SENTENCE!!!!!! I now worry about my child CONSTANTLY and feel terrible for subjecting him to this EXTREME health HAZARD!!! Obviously I threw the rug out as soon as I came home from the hospital...I don't care how much it costs!!! My child is IRREPLACEABLE!!!! POTTERY BARN - HOW DARE YOU PRETEND THAT IT DOES NOT EXIST?!?!?!?!?! SICK!!!!I will NEVER buy ANYTHING from PB and i will discourage EVERYONE I KNOW TO FOLLOW SUIT.

I had two 8' x 10' Pottery Barn rugs that I bought at Down Home East in May 2002. The smell of these rugs was horrific. I was often sick. Tried everything to get the smell out. My dog eventually died of pancreatitis. One of the best things I've ever done for my health was to take these rugs to a local charity 3 days ago (where hopefully they'll be thrown away). After sweeping, dusting and mopping my floors 3 times with Murphy's Soap, I am back to hard wood floors. I've always been fairly healthy and athletic, but a couple of years ago I developed Gutate Psoriasis, later diagnosed as Spongiotic dermatitis. I'd never had any skin problems until then. I've also developed some severe sinus infections over the years. My eyes would often burn and my breathing was labored while watching TV in my living room. I cannot believe my stupidity in keeping those rugs for so long. Pottery Barn should be very ashamed of themselves. I can't help but wonder what the long term health effects will be.

i thing this people from this stores who sale this kind the carpets should to pay some money to the people who suffers all this health problems, i can believe , this is to much that they are selling this kind of carpets, they all they want is getting the people money.
another solution for every person who read this and has this problems, no to buy carpets at all, i personal hate carpets, i find them very dirty and unhealthy you do not was is under there , all kind the bugs "guacala" for more that you vacuum a good clean for me is soup and some liquid organic better, but is better to have wood floors or tile, i do not what people love so much carpets.
another solution buy organic carpets, seagras carpets are excellent and you never will have this kind the problems....

I am SO glad I found this thread. I bought the most beautiful giant purple and pink rug from PBK for my 5 year old's basement play area several months ago and it has smelled like burned rubber ever since! I have 2 other PBK rugs that do not smell - no reason to think this one was the culprit. My daughter is crying but the rug is out of here today. Thank you parents and rug experts who have been so helpful in sharing experience and expertise. I, too, am shocked this can be imported - never though about pestcides, etc. being sprayed on the wool.

Add me to the list. I've known about this latex issue for a couple of years but have been bearing the smell because the PB rug is perfect for the spot it's in. Unfortunately we now have another issue - I just moved the rug off of the light colored carpet it's sitting on and the ENTIRE area under this 5x8 rug is discolored with large gold/yellow stains. We're selling the house so prior to the new owners taking over, we'll have to replace the entire carpet in the room or offer a credit of some kind. What a total bummer. When I spoke to PB about this before the manager claimed not to have heard anything about the smell. They said they'd get back to me on it but never did. I didn't pursue it further but now that it's going to cost me hundreds more to repair the carpet, I wish I had!!!

For the past few years I have thought our condo had a short circuit somewhere because of the burning smell that would come and go. It would waft through the kitchen and stink! We are moving into a new place and last night we rolled up the Pottery Barn "Cabbage Rose" rug to bring to the new place to see what it looks like with new carpet samples to play off of the rug. I was shocked to see that the mystery smell followed us to the new house and all this time it has been the rug. I thought I would check the web to see if anyone else had this problem and, wow, I see that many, many have the same problem. I am sick about it because I love the rug and now it has to go.

This problem goes beyond PB. My wool rug started smelling a few months ago, about 3 years after I purchased it. I bought mine at Tuesday Morning. The tag is a little hard to read right where the brand name is. It says "......rect textile group. I'm guessing direct? It does say hand made. It is wool with a cotton? backing. I thought getting wool was a good thing. Not if they ruin it in the manufacturing. The smell is coming from the binding. I believe it to be the glue breaking down. I will update after I contact Tuesday morning. A $600 rug!!

I recently bought a "Malm" rug from SmartBargains and the stench, which smelled like a combination of mothballs and chemicals, was so overpowering, I was almost knocked over. I returned it and they issued me a full refund and did not charge me shipping. I then saw the same rug on Overstock and purchased it from them, hoping that it would perhaps be better. It was not - same unbelievably toxic smell. I vacuumed it 11 times (front AND back and aired it out on our deck - in the sun - for 3 days). Smell remained.

The rug is hand-tufted, bright green, and has that white vinyl backing that others have spoken of. I just contacted SmartBargains and they are also refunding me my money.

It is SO unsettling to hear that companies are likely very familiar with this issue yet are continuing to sell these items. God knows the repercussions on our health.

By the way, this is the rug: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Hand-tufted-Malm-Green-Wool-Rug-83-x-116/5116047/product.html

STAY CLEAR OF IT!!!!!

A solution....Buy an incredibly beautiful hand knotted PERSIAN wool VINTAGE 1930s rug from faresalesman or eliterugsnyc on eBay. They are cleaned before sale. Every home in IRAN has these rugs..mostly made by the daughters of the family.I have bought over 40 rugs and they look practically brand new even though they are 80 years old. Get over your phobias about IRAN...The people of IRAN are just like you and I..it's the government that's corrupt. The real message here? QUIT buying junk from CHINA and many other questionable countries. In most cases..this means products sold at your town's BIG BOX facilities. JUNK...poisonous junk. You can buy a nice ANTIQUE Persian rug..wool knotted on cotton for $80-$200.It won't kill you or your family.

This is unreal! I'm sure my story will sound familiar....I bought a Pottery Barn Kids rug when I was pregnant to place in the babies' nursery in 2006 (4years ago). In the past 4-6 months, my daughter's room started to have the infamous burn smell that everyone else has mentioned. We had a white noise machine in her room that we threw out and then threw out the non-slip rug pad under the rug, thinking they were the culprit. When her door was closed, and we opened the door, it made you think that there was a fire occurring at that very moment, the smell was so strong. My husband finally took it to get it cleaned (we had it for 4 years and just thought it needed a good cleaning). After spending $125 to get it cleaned, he brought it home last night. I folded back the corner of the rolled up rug and the same smell was still there. Just like everyone else, I googled "pottery barn kids rugs burn smell" and came across this website. I was sick to my stomach reading this. My daughter has spent all 4 years of her life sleeping in her room with that rug in there and it scares me to death of what she has been exposed to. I somehow still had my receipt from 4 years ago. I first called the local pbk store and the store manager told me that there was a problem with the backings on the rugs a while ago but they have changed the backings and the rugs are all fine now. I do not want a store credit b/c I can't trust PB that the same thing will not happen again. After she realized that my purchase was made through the catalog, the store manager told me to call customer service. The supervisor that I spoke with acted like there had been no problems with the rug. When I referred to this website, he says that Pottery Barn does not read other websites; on their own website where you can post reviews about their products, there is no mention of the smell with the rugs. I told him that by the time many of the rugs start smelling, they no longer even sell that rug any longer. He kept referring to my specific rug "Taylor" and said that 17,000 rugs were made and only 12 have been returned. He made it like it was an isolated incident and said the best they could do was to give me a store credit. I told him I wanted the money refunded to my credit card b/c I will not buy another rug there. He said he would talk to the manufacturers of the rug and find out what could have caused the smell in my rug and if it was deemed to be a "recall" type issue then they would refund me. About 5 minutes later, he calls back and said that his supervisor was there and he spoke to him and they will refund my credit card. Obviously it is a problem they know about or else they wouldn't have refunded my credit card. He "assured" me that the smell was not toxic or they would have recalled the rugs (yeah right....they won't even acknowledge that it is a problem). UPS is supposed to pick the rug up after the weekend. I am tempted to keep it and call the Chicago media outlets to see if a reporter will run a story on this. However, I need the refunded money to buy a new rug. I don't even know where to get a rug from that will not eventually emit this smell.
I am absolutely disgusted at Pottery Barn Kids for knowing about this problem, denying it, and allowing these rugs to be in our babies' bedrooms.

I just bought a new rug for my living room from Target and am now definitely returning it. There has been a funny smell ever since it arrived - it really struck me when I opened the plastic wrapping and now I know I'm not going crazy not being able to get rid of the awful eggy rubbery smell. Luckily its less than a week old so I shouldn't have any problems but still very annoying.
What is interesting is the rug was very cheap and is actually machine tufted - but it has a latex backing and I am sure that's where the smell is coming from. Very annoying as I am sure I wont get my delivery charge money back.
So glad I found this post - thank you everybody - and be warned it's not just Pottery Barn!

OH
MY
GOD

I cannot believe i came across these incredible threads -- all of the problems mentioned here are exactly what we have been experiencing with a VERY expensive PB rug (thick tufted wool) that I bought about 5 or 6 years ago. I didn't notice/wasn't bothered by the smell until we moved it from the dining room into the bedroom of our new apartment. I felt like I was suffocating. I thought it might be the carpet pad (the top end PB sold) but once we removed both, it was obvious that the culprit was the rubber backing on the rug itself. The tag on the bottom of the rug mentions the rubber backing specifically. We have been airing it out on the apartment roof deck for about four days of very sunny and breezy weather - but to no avail. I am so sad that it might not be 'curable' ... Am definitely going to call PB today to see what's up. Thanks, everyone.

HERE IS A LINK TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. CONTACT CONSUMER SAFETY, FILE A REPORT AS I DID.

http://www.saferproducts.gov/Default.aspx

Contact person, call Mary at 301 504-7586 She is the person at consumer affairs I spoke with about my 5-6 year old Pottery barn rug. I am having my tested for chloradane, a pesticide that was band from the USA in the 70's, but last for over 40 years! (the smell too).

I have a Restoration Hardware rug that also has the burning latex rubber smell. To date, customer service has been unresponsive but we shall see. I am in San Fran.

Three days ago I picked up a new and unused rug from a local and reputable vendor of Surya rugs. The moment we unrolled the 100% wool rug from its original packaging the room filled with a thick, clinging odor that can only be described as wet puppy fur. Even in a well-ventilated space, the 5x8 rug is emitting enough odor to fill the house. If I had gotten this rug for free I might be more willing to try “home remedies” like baking soda and charcoal, or invest in a professional cleaning. But considering that I already spent hundreds of dollars on this new rug, I do not want to invest any extra money into addressing this odor problem since I did not cause it.

Surya describes the rug I bought as "100% Wool, Hand Crafted, Made in India."

I contacted the company this morning and I am waiting for a response. I hope I can get this matter resolved quickly.

Well, I guess I won't be buying any rugs at P.B.! My question has to do with how to get a strong chemical smell out of the rug of an apartment I just moved into. Apparently there was a strong musty smell from a leak under the sink before I moved in. That has been fixed, but the chemical smell in all the rooms with carpeting is horrible. It smells like those cheap air scents that people use in cars or in hotel rooms. I doubt baking soda is going to work, though I haven’t tried it. I thought about filling the rooms with fresh sage or pine boughs, some smell I really like, but I'm not sure that would work for long. The only thing I can think of is to have them cleaned again with a steam cleaner or some other mild cleanser that doesn't leave such a strong chemical smell. Any suggestions?