Area Rugs Cleaning Process
The procedure we use to clean your area rug will depend upon:
•How your rug is made – whether by hand or by machine
•The type of fiber used in the pile – can be 100% natural material such as wool, silk or cotton, 100% synthetic, or a combination of these blended with nylon
•Whether synthetic or natural dyes are used in the coloration of your rug
More expensive area rugs are typically handmade, while less expensive rugs are made using machines. Handmade rugs, commonly referred to as oriental rugs, must be cleaned by hand since the fibers and fringes are more delicately attached to the rug. These rugs require special soaps and treatment. Oriental rugs, are sometimes classified by their region of origin such as Tibetan, Chinese or Persian rugs, but what is most important when determining how your rug should be cleaned is the type of fiber used to make your rug (for example, a wool rug or a silk rug), not what region it is from. Each material exhibits different characteristics with various durability of the fibers.
Our area rug cleaning is performed in four main phases. Each phase is conducted carefully so that the best results are produced.
1.Detailed Inspection: In the initial phase, we examine your rug thoroughly and identify both the construction and composition of your rug. As mentioned above, each type of rug requires a different cleaning process to follow. We also test the color fastness of your rug to determine if the dye is natural or synthetic. Synthetic dyes can bleed, so extra care must be given during the washing process to ensure bleeding does not occur. We then mark all the stains that are present. Each stain is treated differently, and once the stains have been identified, we remove them with a suitable substance. For instance, wine stains can be removed with detergent, but coffee stains have to be removed with glycerin. Grease stains can be removed with a thorough vacuuming. We are experts at removing stains and you can rest assured that none of our stain removing solutions will damage the fibers in your rug.
2.Pre-Washing Phase: This phase addresses the dust and dirt in your rug. Based on the type and composition of your rug, we may immerse your rug in a cleaning solution for a period time. During this immersion, the chemicals in the solution act on the dirt particles and is detached from the rug fibers. Alternatively, we may use our advanced equipment to vibrate the rug, which releases the dirt from it.
3.Cleaning Phase: We may clean your oriental or area rug by washing, steam cleaning or dry cleaning depending on its quality and the type of fiber used in the rug. If washed, we rinse your rug with soft jets of water until all residue is removed. Or, we many determine steam cleaning is the best method. If your rug is steam cleaned, we subject it to steam which loosens and frees up the dirt particles. These particles are then removed by vacuuming.
4.Drying Phase: In the final step, your rug is left to dry in our state-of-the-art drying room. Rugs are dried in the shortest time possible with the use of our controllable drying room. The process takes only a few hours. Thousands of holes allow for the continuous circulation of air produced by large fans. When an area rug is dried quickly, colors do not fade and the appearance of the rug is not marred in the process.
Click here if interested in reading various articles from the IICRC about area rug cleaning, such as how to choose a rug cleaning service and Area Rug Cleaning FAQs.