Woven and knotted rugs require a very different cleaning process
from wall-to-wall carpets altogether. Wall-to-wall carpet generally has a stiff backing
made either from polypropylene or jute. When we clean it, we want to penetrate the face
fibers, but we don't want to soak through the backing to the pad. Modern appropriate
equipment is designed to prevent this from occurring. In the case of rugs without a
backing like Orientals, this same process can only serve to imbed dirt deeply into the
cross yarns the rug is constructed upon, causing friction wear over time. The wool fiber
is inherently able to hide several times it's own weight in imbedded soils. A close
inspection of an apparently clean deep pile wool rug will sometimes reveal a layer of dirt
and sandy grit at the base of the nap. Don't let a carpet cleaner "just go
over" your fine Oriental rug in your home with their in-home cleaning equipment. The
rug must be taken out to receive proper cleaning treatment and attention and speed-drying
to prolong it's life, and this process cannot really be offered properly in a home
setting. The way to get these rugs thoroughly clean all the way through is to literally wash them, flushing the imbedded dirt out with large amounts of water. Many people have
concerns about their rug shrinking or the colored dyes "bleeding." For the most
part, with some exceptions, these problems can be avoided by a true professional by a
variety of techniques. Some people have concerns about the possibility of texture change
from removal of natural lanolin the "first" time the rug is cleaned. First and
foremost, it is interesting to note that the first thing most traditional rug weavers do
upon completion of a rug is to wash it. An American who owns an exotic rug may have
tremendous reservation about using a water-based cleaning process on their rug, when in
truth that same rug may have been washed in a polluted river halfway around the world and
simply slung over a tree branch to dry by native craftsmen. If the proper cleaning agents
are used for pH balancing, then any texture change should be imperceptible to most people.
The alternative, leaving abrasive soils to accumulate in the rug, is infinitely more
detrimental to the rug. To prevent colors from running, usually a dye-stabilizing acidic
additive to a cleaning solution will prevent any problem. To prevent shrinkage, a fabric
softening agent additive will usually suffice, but they can also be tacked down sometimes
to help keep their original size and shape. Another important consideration for the
cleaner is the drying time. The potential for water to damage a rug is less relative to
the amount of water used than it is to the length of time it takes to dry. For this
reason, most rugs can be safely soaked to clean if they undergo a speed-drying process
afterwards. It is possible to dry clean rugs using mineral solvents if pre-testing
indicates that water poses too much of a risk, but this process may be inadequate for
cleaning a rug that is too heavily soiled, and will be utterly useless for most stain
removal efforts.
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