Your oriental and area rugs are often the beautiful, artistic centerpiece of a room. Whether it’s a hand-knotted Persian heirloom or a modern wool design, these rugs are a significant investment. It’s easy to assume that cleaning an area rug is the same as cleaning the wall-to-wall carpeting in your home. Many homeowners make the mistake of hiring a standard carpet cleaning company to come in and steam clean their valuable rug right on their living room floor. This is one of the most damaging things you can do to a fine rug. Oriental and wool rugs have a completely different construction and are made from delicate, natural fibers and dyes that require a specialized, gentle cleaning process that can only be performed in a dedicated facility.
The Dangers of In-Home Surface Cleaning for Oriental Rugs
A standard carpet cleaning company typically uses a hot water extraction method (often called steam cleaning). This process is effective for cleaning the surface of synthetic wall-to-wall carpet, but it is extremely risky for a natural-fiber area rug.
- Risk of Severe Color Bleeding: The high heat and high-pH detergents used in steam cleaning can easily destabilize the intricate dyes in a hand-woven rug. This can cause the vibrant colors to bleed into one another, creating a muddy, ruined mess and permanently destroying the rug’s design and value.
- It Doesn’t Actually Clean the Rug’s Foundation: This method only cleans the top surface of the rug’s pile. It does absolutely nothing to remove the pounds of heavy, abrasive dry soil—sand, grit, and dust—that have settled deep into the foundation of the rug over years. This abrasive grit acts like sandpaper, slowly grinding away and breaking the rug’s delicate cotton foundation fibers every time you walk on it.
- Risk of Mold, Mildew, and Browning: A steam cleaner can leave a thick wool rug overly saturated with water. If the rug is not dried quickly and completely in a controlled environment, this can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can rot the rug’s foundation. The excess moisture can also cause the natural fibers to “brown out” or yellow as they dry.
- Damage to Your Floors: The excess moisture can also easily soak through the rug and cause serious damage to the hardwood or other flooring beneath it.
The Professional In-Plant Rug Cleaning Process
Professional rug cleaning is a multi-step, labor-intensive process performed in a specialized facility. It is more akin to a spa treatment for your rug than a quick surface clean.
- Detailed Inspection: A specialist will first inspect your rug to identify its fiber content (wool, silk, cotton), its construction type (e.g., hand-knotted, tufted), and any pre-existing conditions.
- “Dusting” to Remove Dry Soil: This is the most critical step that can only be done in a plant. The rug is put through a special dusting machine that uses gentle vibrations and compressed air to safely remove all the heavy, damaging soil from deep within the rug’s foundation.
- Full Immersion Wash: The rug is then placed in a shallow wash pit where it is completely submerged in cool water and a special, pH-neutral rug shampoo that is specifically designed to be safe for natural fibers and dyes. The rug is then gently agitated with soft brushes to clean every fiber from top to bottom.
- Thorough Rinsing and Water Removal: The rug is thoroughly rinsed with fresh, clean water to remove all the dirt and the cleaning solution, leaving the fibers soft and residue-free. It is then often put through a special centrifuge that safely removes most of the water.
- Controlled Drying: The final step is to hang the damp rug in a climate-controlled drying room with proper heat and air circulation to ensure it dries quickly and evenly, preventing any dye migration.
As textile care experts like the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) explain, different types of rugs require very specific cleaning methodologies to be done safely and effectively.
Your Los Angeles and Santa Clarita Oriental Rug Cleaning Experts
Your valuable oriental and area rugs are a major investment. Protect that investment by having them cared for by experts who understand their unique needs. For rug owners in the Los Angeles and Santa Clarita areas, the team at AAA1 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning provides a specialized, in-plant oriental rug cleaning service. Contact us today to schedule a pickup for your rugs.
