October 1997- Cleaning & Restoration “Magazine”- Dan Axelrod & Gary Gilman

In today’s carpet cleaning industry, your company may be asked to clean an oriental rug. One must ask whether or not one’s own company can safely clean it. Many times the answer is no (due to the fear of having to buy the end result), and a lack of identification knowledge. Fear is a justifiable reason, but with some experience and some thought, fear can be held at bay. Identification knowledge is definitely a plus in both cleaning and customer relations, but not an absolute necessity in the cleaning process.

The first step is to determine the size and basic construction of the rug (pile or flat weave). If a rug is very large, it becomes that much more difficult to control when cleaning. Handling a large, wet pile rug can be back breaking. A flat weave is much easier to manage and dries more quickly, but it can also be more prone to tears and frays during cleaning. The utmost care should be taken! Be sure to test the fiber content of the rug if you are uncertain of its composition. This will help determine how aggressive or mild the cleaning process should be.

One of the most important factors in determining how to clean a particular piece, or even not to clean a rug, is to perform a color fastness test. All colors that are suspect, such as bright or deep colors, should be tested. Deep reds, oranges or purples, for example, are notorious for bleeding, especially when bordering white or light areas of a rug. Test suspect areas using a white towel dampened with a mild soap solution. Lightly rub the towel on the area, and then look at the towel for dye transfer or crocking. Another way is to set the towel on the portion of the rug to be tested with some weight on top of the towel. Leave it for 24 hours then check for transfer. Dye bleed testing is a must even for the cleaner with a vast knowledge of rugs because of the sometimes-unpredictable characteristics. A pre-inspection of the rug can also determine if dry rot or animal stains have weakened the foundation where cleaning may result in a hole in the carpet instead of a clean rug.

One of the most important steps in cleaning an Oriental rug is a thorough dusting and dry soil removal. This can be accomplished several ways. An inexpensive but effective method of dusting a pile rug is using a vacuum cleaner equipped with a bearer bar. Run the beater bar equipped vacuum over the back of a particularly dirty pile rug. If done correctly, there should be plenty of dust and dirt left on the ground. Another dusting method is air dusting. Air dusting uses high pressure air (around 120 PSI) to literally blast out imbedded dust and dry particles from any rug. It is extremely effective. This system combined with the beater bar equipped vacuum is our company’s favored dusting method. (Editor’s Note: Air dusting works well in less populated or open-air locations. Pollution laws in cities normally preclude its use in densely populated areas) In fact, many customers are so impressed that they only want the dusting performed and nothing else. Some high volume rug cleaning companies are equipped with either portable or timed machines that mechanically beat the backside of the rugs with straps to remove dry soils. Then there is always the old standard – hand beating. Remember to hand beat pile rugs on the pile side only. Beating works if nothing else is available. After dusting it’s off to washing.

All of these hand-washing methods share the same basic cleaning sequence.

1. Wetting with soap solution
2. Agitation of solution on both sides of rug
3. Complete rinsing of all soap solutions
4. Drying in a timely manner

When soaping a rug use a neutral pH mild soap or a shampoo formulated for wool or oriental rugs, avoid using a strong alkaline such as a traffic lane cleaners. Ultimately judgment must be used to determine how aggressive a cleaning solution for a given piece should be. Agitation is important to emulsify the soap and suspend the soil. Anything from a scrubber to a hand brush can be used, but make sure that the rug is strong enough to handle the scrubbing action, especially when wet. Rinsing can be accomplished by using a roller squeegee and fresh water with high pressure air to blast out dirty soapy water, or by simply letting cold water wash over the soapy rug for some time. Occasional scrubbing would be recommended during this process. Drying a rug can be achieved by either hanging it up or lying it flat, depending upon the rug’s condition. The rug can be hung dry if it is durable enough, if you are strong enough, or have a mechanical device to lift it. If dye migration is a possibility, lay it flat to dry. In any case air movers, heat and humidity control are a must.

After the rug is dry, comb the fringe with a carding brush. It may be necessary to reclean and treat the fringe after the initial cleaning. When the fringe work is complete, inspect the rug for overall visual appearance. Sometimes the knap will go in different directions on the rug. For best results always card pile pieces when wet.

Now that the cleaning process is over, it is time to present the product to the customer. His or her satisfaction hinges upon the management of the customers expectations well before the washing begins. Basically, it comes down to covering all the bases. If the customer is satisfied, he or she will continue to use and recommend your services.

This article merely summarizes the basic Oriental rug cleaning process. Volumes have been written on all aspects of rug cleaning. For excellent in-depth knowledge of rug cleaning, contact the ASCR or NIRC for information on one of their seminars on this subject. Remember, the most important tool you have when cleaning Orientals is your head.

ASCR Member Benefits
Membership in ASCR International, the primary authority and trade association for the cleaning and restoration industry since 1946, provides a number of benefits:

• Free technical help from our fulltime staff, available to help you solve even the most complicated cleaning and restoration problems.
• Annual convention and exposition designed to give you a forum for ideas and information from experts around the world.
• Year-round seminars, conferences, research and technical support on the latest industry developments.
• Cleaning & Restoration, a monthly magazine to keep you up-to-date on technical and management information, product development, new methods, and items of special interest.
• Consumer-oriented promotional and public relations materials to help you build prestige and personalized relations with your customers.
• Easy-to-use flipcharts, training manuals and videos for your personnel to use for ready reference on the job.
• In-depth technical information available on all cleaning and restoration related subjects available from no other source.
• Listing on ASCR International’s website for cleaning and restoration referrals from consumer and insurance industry professionals.
• Association-sponsored benefit programs such as long distance discounts, credit card processing, and calendar promotions.
• Association public relations efforts promoting the benefits and advantages of using professionals who are members of ASCR.

ASCR Works for You!