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Important Steps In Rug Cleaning

There are many steps in our area rug cleaning process professional rug washing technicians take to complete a safe, quality cleaning of your Natural Fiber Rug. Each step we take throughout the washing process is just as important as the next. Inspections are important as they allow us to prepare for the most optimal washing process achievable. Our initial inspection will test fibers to verify the material of the rug pile so we can ensure we are using the proper washing solutions. The initial inspection will also let us know if there are any issues with the dye used to decorate the rug. If we see any signs of dye transfer or color bleeding being a possibility, we are then able to properly pretreat the rug to stabilize the dye prior to beginning the washing process. We conduct an inspection of the rug after completion each portion of the washing process is completed. As important as the inspections are, each step of the cleaning process is just as important.

The dusting process beats the back of the rug to knock out what could be a few pounds of dirt, dust and hair. A well dusted rug will help the washing process to be deep and thorough. With minimal obstruction, the cool water will flush deep into the base of the fibers. Once we begin to flush the rug, the washing process really begins. The rug is submerged and flushed prior to applying the fiber specific prespray. Once the prespray has been applied and has had time to set, the agitation process begins. This is another big step in the rug cleaning process. Agitating the rug fibers using a hand operated orbital opens the fibers up to help extract as much dirt, dust and sand as possible. Agitation also helps to work the washing solution deep into the base of the rug through the opened fibers. Proper agitation can make all the difference in the final outcome of the wash. The final dry completes the trifecta of importance. If a rug is improperly dried it can shrink, damage the fibers, fringes or backing (if tufted) and can cause mold, mildew and bug problems deep in the base. The base of any woven rug is very tightly compacted, making it a bit more involved to achieve a complete dry. That is one of the main reasons you do not want to “Steam Clean” your natural fiber rug. Regardless of the machine being used for that type of cleaning, the vacuum is never strong enough to fully dry a rug. We use a secret method to safely extract a large majority of the water. Then we allow the rug to dry on our custom built rack, which uses cool air movers to help provide a complete and thorough dry. Each step in the process of oriental carpet cleaning is important and we strive to provide the best Rug Washing possible!

Make Sure Your Rug Is Dried Properly

When it comes to any natural fiber rug cleaning service, it is incredibly important to make sure it is performed correctly from beginning to end. Our process is a full immersion washing with a pre-dusting and a proper drying. Now, it may not seem like it, but the drying portion of the process is so incredibly important to the final outcome as well as the life of your rug. Using industrial air movers is one of the best ways to speed up drying. As store bought fans alone will not produce enough heat in time before it starts causing problems to your rug. Combing air movers, dehumidifiers and proper hanging techniques will ensure the best possible procedures for drying. If the rug is not dried in a timely manor then multiple problems can arise. The most sever being dye migration also known as rug bleeding.

Lets go over some steps that may cause rugs to bleed before we get to the drying process. 

We thoroughly inspect every rug throughout each portion of the cleaning process to ensure safety and quality during your area rug cleaning service. The most important inspection is the first inspection performed in our facility. The reason this particular inspection is so important is because we test for any possibility of Dye Transfer, or Color Bleeding. This test is quite simple to administer, but is incredibly important. If a rug has a high probability of colors bleeding throughout the rug, we then have a decision to make. Option one would be to pretreat the rug with a specific treatment that helps to lock the color dyes into place, which will prevent Color Bleeding. Option two is when we would have to decline service. Option two is an incredibly rare occurrence and only decided upon when we feel confident that a cleaning service may permanently damage the rug.

There are a couple reasons dye can transfer or bleed throughout a rug, with the dye itself being the main culprit. Improper cleaning methods can eventually turn a perfectly good, color fast rug into a bleeder. But the most common issue does come from the dyes themselves. Improper dyes or rugs being over-dyed will create a color bleeding issue almost every time. We take the time to properly test, treat and inform for each and every rug we service. Feel safe when your rug is in the hands of our oriental carpet cleaning professionals!

Proper Drying

When a natural fiber rug is made, it is typically machine made or hand woven and may or may not have a backing attached. A rug with a backing attached is called a Tufted Rug. This backing is typically attached using a latex glue. A good hand woven rug does not have a back and the back usually looks about the same as the front. Either type of rug needs to be properly cleaned, as well as dried. Now, when a rug is not properly dried it can cause serious damage. A tufted rug with a full backing seems to be self explanatory. It is incredibly easy for water to collect at the bottom of a tufted rug. A hand woven rug without a tufted backing can still collect too much water at it’s base which can be detrimental to the life of the rug. The Warps and Wefts that make the base of the rug are woven so tightly that water can be difficult to remove. You do not want to dry a rug using any intense heat as it can cause permanent damage. When you have your rug professionally cleaned, an experienced company will use one of a couple different, safe methods to extract a majority of the water. Then the rug will typically be hung on a custom, rug specific drying rack and cold air movers will be applied to help safely dry the rug completely. The complete drying of the base of the rug is so important because water can attract rug damaging bugs. Mold and mildew can be caused by a damp rug base as well. Make sure when your rug is cleaned, it is completely and properly dried.

 

Refresher On Wool Fibers

One thing we love to do as Wool Rug Cleaning Orlando professionals is to educate our customers. The first thing we do upon beginning a Rug Washing procedure is to inspect the rug. The first portion of the rug is to determine the material it is made of. Rugs can be made of either synthetic fibers or natural fibers. Synthetic rugs are typically made of Polyester, Polypropylene or Nylon. Natural fiber rugs are typically made of Wool or Silk. Since Wool is the most common material used for making natural fiber rugs, we like to provide some information on Wool and what it is.

Wool is a fiber obtained mostly from sheep. Different types of Wool can come from other animals including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, angora from rabbits, and other types of wool from camelids. Wool is produced by small cells located in the skin called follicles. The follicles are located in the upper layer of the skin and push down into the second layer of skin as the wool fibers grow. Wool is easy to spin thanks to it’s scaling and crimp. This helps the individual fibers attach to each other, so they stay together. Wool fibers absorb moisture very well, but are not hollow. This makes them durable and useful. One of the reasons Wool is used for rugs instead of a material such as cotton, is that it burns at a much higher temperature than Cotton and does not spread as easily.

Wool is a great textile fabric that has many uses. One of the best uses is in crafting beautiful, elegant rugs. Next time you see a sheep, thank it for providing a natural product that can last many lifetimes. If we had no sheep then we would be stuck with deteriorating polypropylene rugs that are made of chemical and man made items.  Wool rug cleaning is an art. You must be able to notice minor impurities in the rug that could possible cause a problem during the washing process. This is why we do a die test on each of our wool rugs that we clean.

Recommended Rug Maintenance.

Like with all important things, textiles most commonly known as oriental rugs do have recommended maintenance procedures. Being that we are area rug cleaning professionals, we are well versed in all things rug Maintenance and rug washing. We have a certified, experienced rug washing professional on our staff as well as rug technicians who are trained and certified in a variety of procedures that contribute to the overall completion of the rug cleaning process. A natural fiber rug, whether it is wool or silk, tufted or hand woven, deserves to be properly taken care of. From placing the rug in the correct spot in your home, to having your rug washed properly, these procedures will help keep these beautiful rugs fresh. When placing a natural fiber rug in your home, you want to place it in a spot that is not in direct sunlight, near an area where water could damage it or a heavily trafficked area. Following these steps will help your rug to last as long as possible. Having your rug professionally washed is an intricate part of maintaining the integrity of a natural fiber rug. It is recommended to have your natural fiber rug washed every one to three years, based on how much the rug is used. Make sure you have a professional complete a full immersion washing in a proper facility. When it comes time to have the washing done, we are here for you!

Professional recommended rug cleaning maintenance is every 1-2 years and we don’t mean a rug dr from the store that can do more harm then good. We me a river replicated full immersion washing that cleans not only the surface fibers but through the rug as well. In-between cleanings by a pro, we recommend vacuuming rug at least 2 times a month. The best way is to beat the rug first then vacuum. We do understand that oversized rugs cant be handled easily so these will need more vacuuming, the back as well as the front of the rug, though for smaller rugs, take these out side and gently beat them against a hard stationary object. This help beat lose the soil as well as loosen deep down soils for extraction from a vacuum cleaner later. If you follow these recommendations your rug will literally last generations.

Synthetic rugs

While our Oriental Rug Cleaning Orlando technicians are well versed when it comes to cleaning rugs, customers themselves may not know as much about their own rugs. Synthetic rug cleaning is completely different then natural fiber rug cleaning. There are many types of rugs, made of different materials that come from different places. Each different type of material will have a different feel, different look, different level of durability, as well as a different cleaning process. Synthetic area rugs are not like natural rugs in any way except they can be confused because of the look of being a rug.

You can group them generally into two separate categories. Natural Fiber rugs or Rugs made of synthetic materials. Each one of these categories are filled with a variety of different fiber types. Some of the more common natural fiber rugs are made of materials such as Wool, Silk or Cotton. These are the more expensive types of rugs. These types of rugs must go through a very specific, thorough hand washing process.

Cleaning natural fiber rugs in the facility allows all the proper steps to be taken during the process. In our facility we are able to properly dust a rug, prior to beginning the wet washing process. When a rug is not dusted, then improperly washed, the remaining dust can be compacted deep down into the base of the fibers. Eventually this will create a mud like substance that can leak out of the rug when it is wet, during an improper cleaning. When a rug is subjected to an improper cleaning method it greatly opens up the possibility for damage to the rug. Dye transfer or permanent dye damage are big problems that can happen to any natural fiber rug when improperly serviced. That is one of the main reasons it is so important to have your natural fiber properly washed by a professional. The correct washing method uses certain solutions, along with specific cleaning techniques to prevent this type of damage.

It is very important to have your natural fiber rugs washed properly, by a professional. Hopefully the information provided will help to emphasize the importance of proper rug washing. Do not have your natural fiber rugs steam cleaned in your home. Make sure that the company you entrust to care for your beautiful natural fiber rug is experienced and provides the correct cleaning service for your rug!

Urine In Your Rug

When we begin our in-depth Natural Fiber, Oriental Rug cleaning process we complete a couple of different inspections to check for a variety of things. We check to verify the actual fiber type of the rug. We complete a dye test to determine if the rug is at risk of dye transfer or dye runoff. We inspect the rug for any damage or post build repairs. We also check the rugs for urine. That last inspection may sound like the least important test we run, but it is not as simple as it may sound. Our rug cleaning experts are well versed in how to complete all of the tests, so the pet urine odor in rug testing procedure is a bit more detailed than you would think. The actual cleaning process can take days, depending on the severity of the contamination. Heavily soiled rugs will need to soak in a cleaning solution for up to 24 to even 48 hours. We have the equipment to allow constant flushing of the rug, as it needs to be flushed completely not just surfaced cleaned. Without complete immersion, there is no way to completely rectify this odor causing contaminants. This is why we can offer 100% guaranteed odor removal for you oriental rugs.

If we find the rug to contain urine, there are a couple different routes we can take that are determined by the level of urine contamination in the rug. If the urine content is very little, we typically can proceed with our typical cleaning process. The delicate cleaning and flushing process will usually take care of any light urine natural fiber rug. But, if the urine rug cleaning is more saturated, it will need to go through a different process to remove the urine from the rug before we can even begin the regular cleaning process. The pre cleaning rug inspection that we complete will determine the level of saturation. Sometimes the naked eye or nose can be deceiving. The pre cleaning urine soak process is very similar to how it sounds. We soak the rug in a specialized solution that is diluted with water. The water and solution are constantly moving over, under and through the rug to help flush the urine out prior to beginning the actual rug cleaning process. The main objective is to attack the urine salts, these are the source of the odor. Just surface cleaning will do nothing for the urine salts that subside in the middle and lower areas of the rug fibers. Special cleaning solutions are required to attack the urine salts and destroy them, without the proper cleaning process and cleaning solutions there is no way to get complete odor out of natural fibers especially wool.

If you need your high end Natural fiber rug cleaned, give us a try and enjoy our professionalism at work!

Professional Rug Cleaning Facility

Here at our company we specialize in a wide variety of cleaning services. Most of our customers are very familiar with our Carpet, Upholstery, Tile & Grout cleaning and Home Cleaning services, while many of them have been becoming more familiar with our high end Oriental Rug Cleaning Orlando services. We have left our Rug Cleaning services in what you could call “beta mode” for too long. We hardly advertise this particular service yet we are flooded with customers who either have been pleased with other services we have provided for them or have been referred by a satisfied customer. We greatly anticipate an enormous influx of work once we actually begin to advertise this fantastic service.

It takes many years to accumulate all of the industrial equipment that we have purchased. We take pride in using only the best tools and cleaning solutions that the industry has to offer. It starts with proper grid systems to shake out the soil out  of your area rugs. We use an industrial rug beater to gently vibrate the back of the rug and loosen the soils. Then to our submersion was pit where the actual cleaning of the rug is done. Then on to our drying racks with industrial air movers to dry the oriental and silk rugs.

When you come to us to have your beautiful, natural fiber rug cleaned we treat it with extreme care from the moment we pick it up until the moment we complete delivery. Once your appointment is set, you are on your way! Once of our specialists will arrive at you home during the predetermined appointment to meet you and do a short in home inspection of the rug. During this time, our specialist will be able to answer any questions you may have, so feel free to ask away! We will then collect the rug and bring it back to our facility. Once at our facility, it will go through a more detailed inspection in which we will check for a variety of things specific to each individual rug. The rug will then go through a process in which we remove any loose dirt. Next, the cleaning process begins. Each rug will go through the same type of general cleaning, but some rugs will require different, specific treatments when various things are present. The cleaning process is a delicate, thorough shampooing process. This process will help to obtain the best possible results while helping to prevent any unneeded wear to the delicate natural fibers of the rug. Once the cleaning process is complete, it then is dried using air movers and drying racks. When the entire process is complete, the rug will then be wrapped and delivered back to your home, nice and clean! Try us once and we will be your go to for the rest of your cleanings!

How Is An Oriental Rug Made

Oriental rugs are made using a variety of knotting and weaving techniques. Real Oriental rugs are hand-knotted in traditional rug weaving countries such as Romania, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkestan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, China, and Mongolia. Persian rug cleaning is also a common term. Sheep’s wool is the most commonly used fiber for Oriental rugs. Raw unprocessed wool is separated for the long white fibers, then washed and carded before spinning and plying. Tribal or village weavers do this by hand, but modern machines are used to create strong and uniform yarns. The yarn is then dyed in a variety of colors using either materials such as insects and roots, or modern chemicals.

 

The basic foundation of all Oriental rugs is the warp which can be cotton or wool. Most rug makers use a cotton warp to maintain even tension on the loom keeping the rugs straight when they are completed. Warps run the entire length of the rug and make up the fringe or selvage at the ends. A weaver will tie a row of knots onto the warp and then insert a thin weft followed by a thick weft cross thread. The weavers pound down the wefts with a steel comb locking the knots in place. Then another row of knots is tied. The wool is the dense, warm coat of sheep, also called the fleece. The hair of sheep has many unique properties that make it well suited for textile production. This was realized by humans around 8000 BCE, when we first began to domesticate sheep. Wool is used in a variety of textiles and can be found to be woven or knitted. Wool is a favorite when it comes to textile production because it is very easy to work with and absorbs and holds dye very well. The springy fibers remember shapes when well cared for and lasts a long time. It also takes to felting, which is a process in which the fibers interlock into a tight mat, very well. Felt is used as an insulation, for arts and crafts projects, and for decorative accents as well as in nice, high end rugs. Most people use the term “Oriental Rugs” when referring to wool rugs. These types of rugs are very nice and typically are generational. They do require a particular, delicate cleaning process that our silk rug cleaning professionals are well trained and experienced in. When your rug is ready for a cleaning, give us a call.

Now that you know the delicate process of crafting an Oriental Rug, let our professional rug cleaning technicians keep it nice, clean and long lasting.

What Is An Oriental Rug

The term Oriental Rug cleaning has become the general term used when referencing a rug made of natural fibers. Rugs made of Wool or Silk are the most common type of natural rug found in homes across the world. These rugs are crafted for multiple purposes, floor coverings and art alike. Rugs made of wool or silk have been being made by hand, using looms for thousands of years. To this day, some of the same methods of hand weaving that have been used since the beginning are still used for hand woven rugs. Making floor coverings by machine has become more popular and accepted as technology advances. Machine weaving is incredibly efficient, as it can create many rugs on a large scale at a much quicker rate than using a hand weaving method.

An oriental rug is a heavy textile that is made for a wide variety of utility and symbolic purposes.  An oriental rug is a rug that is actually produced in “Oriental countries” for home use, local sale, and export. Oriental carpets can be a woven pile or flat woven without pile. Area rugs use a variety of materials such as silk, wool, and cotton. Some examples can range in size from small pillow sized to large, room sized carpets. Oriental rugs can include carrier bags, floor coverings, decorations for animals, prayer rugs, ark covers and altar covers. Since the high middle ages, oriental rugs have been an integral part of their cultures of origin, as well as of the European and, later on, the North American culture. These rugs are typically made in an area referred to as the “Rug Belt”. The rug belt stretches from Morocco across North Africa, the Middle East, and into Central Asia and northern India. It includes a large variety of countries in that area. Many people from different cultures, countries, racial groups and religious faiths produce oriental rugs.

These rugs do require certain in home maintenance as well as proper washing services. The natural fibers, as well as the dyes found in Oriental rugs can be quite delicate. Due to the delicate nature of these rugs, the washing process needs to be less invasive and more intricate and thorough. A full immersion cleaning process uses cold water flushing and agitation of the surface fibers.

Now that you know a little more about oriental rugs, let us keep them nice and clean for you. At our rug cleaning plant, your rug will go through a professional, delicate, full submersion cleaning. We pick up and deliver your rug, so there is no hassle involved for you. Call us when you’re ready and we would love to provide the professional rug cleaning service that your beautiful rug deserves.

Tips For Checking A Rug For Damage

Being a wool rug cleaner does come with it’s benefits, when it comes to servicing rugs. One of these benefits is the capability of being able to properly inspect a rug prior to purchase, maintaining, cleaning or moving. It may seem simple, but most of the inspection process is done simply with your eyes. The first thing to do is give the rug a good, slow visual inspection. Look for obvious signs of damage. This could be discoloration, bleeding dyes, rips, cracks, patches of missing pile or fraying fringes. There can be a hidden threat within a tightly woven natural fiber rug that takes a little bit more effort to locate. It is always good to check to see if the antique oriental rug is rotten or cracking, as the trade describes it. You’ll want to lay the rug on its face and look at the back to see if there are any light colored patches. If there are, these could be the first signs of mildew, which is something you should pay special attention to as you proceed with checking the rug. Fold the carpet across first in one direction and, after testing it, fold it in the other direction. Listen carefully as you twist the rug gently but firmly, gripping it in both hands. Stop the instant you hear any splitting or cracking sounds. That would be the foundation threads snapping as the rug breaks up.

If the rug passes the visual test on the surface and base of the rug, it should be in pretty good shape and ready for purchase, maintenance or cleaning If you are purchasing a rug or were gifted a rug (possibly a family heirloom) and you are not sure what material it is made of, you can check for that as well. Fiber identification can be a bit more difficult if you are not a professional who performs these checks daily. Most natural fiber textile floor coverings are made of Wool and Silk. There are some certain characteristics that each of these materials have that can help when trying to determine the material. Silk should not feel brittle, no matter how old it is. It should always feel soft and smooth. Wool on the other hand, will greatly vary with age. As wool grows older, the lanolin in the fibers begins to dissipate and although a wool rug may look like silk, it will feel quite firm and sometimes even bristly. If you are unsure and really need to start at the very beginning of fiber identification, you can perform a burn test.

A simple burn test can determine whether your rug is made of natural fibers or synthetic materials. To perform this test, you simply need a lighter and a single fiber strand from the rug to be tested. While performing this test, remember to be careful. It does involve fire, which can cause serious injury. Hold one end of the individual fiber and simply burn the other end. If the fiber is natural, it will burn just like hair. It will burn away, leave some black soot and smell like burnt hair. If the fiber is synthetic, it will ball up as burned and it will smell like burnt plastic. The odor is not pleasing either way, but burning the wrong synthetic material can become toxic. Remember to remain safe when performing this test!

As always, we hope these tips will help when you need to inspect a rug. Whatever the reason for the inspection, it is good to know exactly what you should be looking for. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to us. Our staff is knowledgeable on all things rugs and is always eager to help!