Cleaning carpets and rugs is important to maintaining a healthy home environment. Not only do rugs bring beauty into your home or office, but rugs and rug fibers absorb sound, soil from foot traffic, atmospheric soils, and pollutants.
Yes, Oriental rugs are beautiful, but they are more than just beauty and interior style. I want you to consider the health benefits of wool rugs, yes, health benefits. We're all familiar with the static electric charge when removing a wool sweater, but that static also attracts soil to wool. Your wool rug attracts airborne pollutants and soil to it, holds it, and keeps it out of the air. Your rug possesses passive air filtration properties and cleanses the air in your home.
A number of toxic chemicals, such as Formaldehyde, are strongly attracted to Wool, and wool absorbs chemicals from the air and holds them, keeping your home cleaner.
Rug cleaning is different from carpet cleaning. Steam cleaning and carpet shampoo fail to remove the heavy soil buildup in wool rugs because carpet cleaning systems clean from the surface, and rugs need deep cleaning by full immersion washing.
Choosing the Right Cleaning Method
The best cleaning method for Oriental rugs and most area rugs is a full immersion wash. This cleaning process involves washing the whole rug in water and detergent, not just the face yarns common with carpet cleaning, steam cleaning, and hot water extraction. Soil in area rugs goes to the core and back of the rug, and the only way to remove these deeply embedded soils is a full wash.
The cleaning process starts with dry soil removal, which is the removal of insoluble soils, such as sand, from rugs before washing.
The Experience and Expertise of Area Rug Cleaners
When selecting an area rug cleaning service, seek out certified rug specialists; experienced professionals with extensive knowledge of wet cleaning tend to provide more satisfactory services than less experienced ones. Companies such as Renaissance Rug Cleaning offer comprehensive solutions like deep cleaning for dirt and odor removal, specialized care, and utilization of advanced tools that guarantee spotless results every time.
In-Home vs. Off-Site Cleaning for Area Rugs
When looking for an area rug cleaning service, it is important to decide whether to clean your rugs at home or at an off-site facility. Each has its benefits and requires considerations based on the specific type of rug. A synthetic rug is more resistant to issues such as color run and stalled drying and lends itself more flabbily to in-home cleaning than natural fiber oriental rugs.
For instance, when dealing with more delicate fabrics like natural fibers or hand-woven carpets (such as those offered by Stanley Steemer), it may be best to opt for an external location where a comprehensive treatment can safely occur. This is especially true if pet urine odors are present that require additional attention and care. This will help preserve color vibrancy while delivering deep clean results from rigorous washing methods exclusively found outside of home premises.
In-Plant Rug Cleaners process
Off-site area rug cleaning is a comprehensive and careful method of giving delicate rugs, or handwoven ones, the special care they need.
The advantages of this type of service include the application of protective fabric, which keeps the rug intact for longer. It also improves air quality and reduces respiratory issues due to less dust circulation through increased immune system performance thanks to eliminating deeply embedded grime within its threads. The turnaround time is about 1 - 2 weeks, although it can be delayed at times, reaching 7 – 10 days as well.
Inspection and Assessment
The rug cleaning process for area rugs starts with a thorough inspection. Assessing aspects such as age, state, color features, and fiber type is essential to deciding on the best approach to use during cleaning.
Here's a step-by-step overview of the process and steps:
Inspection and Dusting: The rug is inspected for any pre-existing conditions, such as colorfastness, damage, or weak spots. Then, it is thoroughly dusted to remove loose dirt, debris, and insoluble soils like sand.
Pre-Treatment: Stains and heavily soiled areas are pre-treated with appropriate cleaning agents to break down grime and oils and help remove stains.
Full Immersion: There are variations; a rug might be submerged in a large wash tub or pool filled with water and a specialized cleaning solution. The rug is gently agitated to ensure the cleaning solution penetrates deeply into the fibers.
Rinsing: After soaking, the rug is rinsed thoroughly to remove all cleaning agents and loosened dirt. This is often a combination of washing where the rug is raised multiple times to ensure all detergent and soil contaminants are removed.
Drying: Drying is often a combination of water removals such as centrifugal extraction to remove up to 90% of mosture and controlled drying. It's important to dry the rug quickly and thoroughly to prevent mold and mildew growth.
Fringe Cleaning: If the rug has fringes, they are cleaned during washing but may need additional attention to ensure they are bright and free from dirt.
Rug Repair: Rugs take a beating on the floor, and fringe ends, tassels and sides need repair
Final Inspection and Grooming: Once dry, the rug is inspected again for any remaining spots, odors or issues. The pile of the rug may be groomed to restore its natural appearance and texture.
How Often Should Rugs Be Cleaned
Cleaning intervals can be complex; no two rugs receive the same use, so cleaning intervals vary by foot traffic, location such as a kitchen or high-traffic entry, and need more frequent cleaning in some cases yearly. Or a low traffic formal dining room or guest bedroom that can go years between cleaning.
DIY vs. Professional Cleaning
Deciding between a professional area rug cleaning service and DIY methods can be tricky. It all depends on your budget, the type of carpet you own, and your requirements. In general, the specialized equipment of in-plat or off-site cleaning can't be matched by in-home cleaning.
Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Clean Rugs Cleaner Longer
Cleaning your area rugs regularly can help keep them looking their best and extend their lifespan. Vacuuming is key to getting rid of dirt particles and avoiding buildup that could cause harm while spot-cleaning spills help prevent permanent staining and unsightly spots and stains from showing.
Regular Vacuuming
Proper rug maintenance can be achieved through regular vacuuming, which helps to remove dirt and debris that could otherwise work their way into the fibers of the fabric. Doing this will not only protect your rugs from damage but also improve air quality by stopping dust particles or allergens from becoming airborne.
Spot Cleaning
When it comes to caring for rugs, spills, and stains are inevitable. To ensure they don't become permanent marks on your rug, prompt action and the use of an appropriate cleaning solution are key. Blotting rather than scrubbing is also necessary to remove these blemishes from fibers without damaging them.
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