Area Rug Washing

First, we need to know what we’re dealing with before we just start cleaning. Otherwise, we may do more damage than good. We visually inspect the rug for obvious issues and then we will use Xenon lighting to identify stains, dye variations, worn spots, or white knots that have been covered up by dirt. We will also look for insect damage, fringe breakdowns, and pet urine. We will take photographs and let you know what we discovered once we return your rugs to you. We want you to feel comfortable and confident about our plan for washing your rug, therefore, this is why this is an essential step in the process.

After pre-inspection, we still don’t just dive into cleaning. Getting a rug wet is a significant operation, and we want to make sure that we won’t cause damage. We will test part of the rug to see if any of the color’s bleeds off. There are several reasons why an area rug might bleed off, such as, excess dye, heat exposure, previous cleanings, and pet urine can all make a rug vulnerable to bleeding. If your rug does bleed, we will turn to different ways to get it clean.

This step is as crucial as any other step in a rug cleaning process, and this is one of the steps that set us apart from your average carpet cleaning company who will come into your home with their machines. If we add water to your rug at this point, it will combine with the dust and dirt to create a needless mud bath beneath the pile of your rug. We want to get as much of the dirt and dust out of your rug as possible before adding water! We do this simply by setting your rug on top of a specially-designed grate and running an intense dusting machine over it. This dusting machine uses harmonic waves to gently dislodge dust and debris from the deepest parts of your rugs, where a regular vacuum will never reach. And this is just the beginning of the dusting process!

In addition to the machine that we use to shake the dust out of the rug, we use compressed forced air to blow the remaining dirt and dust out the rug, both top and bottom. We will also use specifically designed vacuums to pull dust out of the rug. At times, depending on the area rug and age, we will generally collect piles of dust and dirt during this phase. It’s a good thing we didn’t add water to create mud bath!

Before we move into full-blown rug washing, we will treat the spots with a specialized gently cleaner that we identified earlier in the inspection process. Our solutions are carefully made to loosen the stains while preserving the rug fine fabric. Thanks to the solution, the stains will come out during washing.

If a pet has had a few accidents on your area rug, you aren’t alone. The resulting damage isn’t just unsightly, but it can also come with a very bad odor. The good news is, there are plenty of things we can do to rectify the situation at hand. We can use enzymes to eliminate urine, vomit, and fecal particles without damaging the rugs fibers. Unless your rug is past saving (and we will tell you if this is the case), we will ensure the odors are gone. This is very important simply because if animals can smell urine in one spot, they will likely return and urinate again.

Now that we have went through half of the steps, would you have ever guessed that the washing happens over halfway through the process? Moreover, this is why regular carpet cleaners should never clean your area rugs. Your rugs are completely different creatures. Not to mention, area rugs are expensive investments. Once we’ve taken the time treat any spots, urine contamination, and dust, it’s time to bring in the water and gentle fine fabric shampoos and cleaners! While some rug cleaners use drums with mechanical agitators, we use brushes and sprayers to carefully tend to every inch of the rug, by hand. We avoid heat and harsh soaps, using cool water and mild shampoo to give your rug the personal attention it deserves to last many more years to come.

Now that your rug has been shampooed, it is time to rinse the shampoo and soils away. We use a pH buffered conditioned rinse to make sure that your rug is truly free of contaminants and shampoo that could potentially cause problems later.

Your rug should not be exposed to high heat, so we use simple air moves and dehumidifiers to create an environment where your rug can gently dry. Depending on how old your rug is, we will either lay it flat on an elevated bed or hang it to dry on our unique drying rack. This process prevents the rug from getting twisted or warped. Once again, it is important for your rugs to be carefully cleaned without heat. Otherwise, you’ll end up like many disappointed people who let regular carpet cleaners use their high-heat truck mounted machines on their rugs.

Once your rug has undergone the drying process, now it’s time to fluff the pile up and pay special attention to the fringe. If your rug has fringe, it’s important to understand that the fringe isn’t just an accessory; it’s an extension of the rug. A majority of fringe is white, which in turn, makes it vulnerable to looking dirty sooner. Once the fringe is dirty, the entire area rug can look rather dirty. We will get your fringe looking as good as new. Did I mention that we hand brush your rug with a horsehair brush. This is one of our favorite parts simply because the brilliant hues in your rug will truly shine after this.

If you would like to go the extra mile, we can infuse a fiber protector that’s specifically formulated for fine fabrics to ensure your rug is protected against stains and beautiful for many more years to come. This fiber protector is especially valuable for silk and wool rugs.

After all steps have been completed, we will personally inspect your rug and bring the Xenon light back to make sure we eliminated all bacteria and urine salts. We will check to make sure the rug is completely dry and that the fringe is clean. We will then wrap your rug up and deliver it to your home or business.