Author: Oriental Rug Cleaning Orlando

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!