You might be wondering why you need a professional rug cleaning, especially when you see shelf after shelf of “do it yourself” and “home carpet cleaning” products on supermarket shelves. Rugs are a valuable investment, especially if your rug is an antique. And not all rugs can be treated the same. So here are our reasons why you need a professional to clean your precious rug.
Expert Processes vs Off-the-shelf Chemicals
Professional rug cleaning involves a specialised process that is gentle on rug fibres but extremely effective. Their unique drying processes means that your rug will be properly handled, protecting the rug’s colours, fibre integrity, and won’t suffer through the dangers or rot and mould. Expert cleaners also assess rugs before cleaning to determine the correct process and to avoid turning any trapped dirt or dust into mud.
Home Carpet Cleaning Products are Dangerous!
Home cleaning products almost always use harsh chemicals that can destroy your rug fibres as well as cause your rug’s colours to bleed. Further, these harsh chemicals can often make stains worse by working them deep into the fibres. Finally, home cleaning can simply not provide the right drying areas to remove the last of the moisture from the rug – meanwhile causing issues with rot and mould. They can also cause worse damage by applying chemicals and water to dust and dirt, causing difficult-to-remove mud.
Expert Cleaning for Fines Fibres
Oriental rugs are valuable. After spending all that money, why let your rug be ruined by subpar cleaning? A lot of care and attention goes into the creation of a Persian rug, so care must be taken when cleaning. Professional rug cleaners are trained to identify rug fibres in order to treat them correctly. The process for cleaning a silk rug can be very different from cleaning a wool rug or a woven grass rug to prevent damage and bleeding. Being able to identify a rug – if you don’t already know the material – can be difficult. While it might seem obvious to tell the difference between wool and silk, it’s not always that simple. Mercerised cotton or wool rugs can look just like silk rugs. And there are many nylon rugs that mimic the look of silk, grass and wool.
Removing Soil
It is important to regularly vacuum your rug, both top and backing, as well as getting your rug professionally cleaned at least once a year (especially if your rug is in a high traffic area). This is one of the best ways to keep your rug in good condition. Soil in your rug can damage fibres and wear down your rug. A professional rug cleaning company will ensure dirt and dust is removed before water is applied but it can be difficult to tell at home. And, as we all know, when you add water to dirt, you get mud. Your rug can hold kilos of dirt and that can turn into a lot of mud which is extremely difficult to remove without professional equipment. You will end up costing yourself more money in the long run and all over a little dirt!
Cleaning and Repairing Fringe
While many modern rugs have no fringes, many older, antique or oriental rugs will have a fringe. The fringe is like the rug’s smile – and just like a smile, damage and dirt is very quickly seen. Fringes are vulnerable to breakage, dirt and damage, especially in high traffic areas. Professional rug cleaning can not only clean fringe but they can also repair damaged. This involves matching yarn weaving, secure ends with stitching, or replacing the fringe with pre-made fringe.
Yarn Weaving
New yarn can be woven into oriental rugs and sometimes worked into existing fringe knots. Further, it can also be worked into the ends of your rug. Where the nap has been worn, it can also be reknotted in some cases.
Attaching pre-Made Fringe
This might seem like an option you can do at home, but there’s more to attaching a new fringe than simply tacking it on. Professional machines are required to securely attach a new fringe. Further, attaching a new fringe can help stop the ends of hand-knotted rugs succumbing to wear. Home-sewn fringe can quickly pull away from your rug, causing more damage and even causing a tripping hazard.
Securing Ends
Careful, professional stitching can be used to prevent the nap of the rug falling out. It is an inexpensive option to preserve a rug you love, until you can invest in a more permanent repair. However, it won’t help the appearance of your rug.
It might seem attractive to save a few dollars by trying to do your rug cleaning or rug repairs at home. However you are only causing yourself more costs down the road. If you have a precious rug that has been stained, damage or is suffering from embedded dirt, contact Woods Rug Laundry today to discuss your options!