Rug Cleaning Help

[Matt Strader]

How would you clean this? What steps would you take?

[the rugman]

More info needed. Could be one of those smelly Indian rugs - if so -DON"T get it wet! Is there a tag on it? You could encap it.

[Matt Strader]

My dad bought it pretty cheap at an auction. That's all I know. Oh and its wool

[LisaWagner]

It looks tea washed - wipe a damp towel on it and see if any brown transfers on it. If not, then test with your chosen solution and see if there is transfer. If not, then clean it as you would any wool rug - dust it, stabilize dyes if needed, shampoo, rinse, dry, groom.

"What would you do is a very broad question" ... which I'd ask "what do you know?" so I can get a sense for what rug washing experience you have, what equipment/tools/solutions, and what kind of space.

I can tell you twelve different paths depending on what you have and what you know (or don't have and don't know). So, you have to tell me more.

Equipment
Tools
Solutions
Space
Experience

Let's start there,
Lisa

http://www.TheRugChick.com

[Matt Strader]

I sub all my rugs out. This is a rug my father bought and was gonna let me have a crack at it.

Equipment:
10" low speed rotary w/o a trigger handle. It has a switch which make it hard to stabilize
20" burnisher

Tools:
Not much for rugs

Solutions:
Mostly stuff for cleaning installed carpet. I do have some fine fabric rinse

Space:
2 Car Garage


Experience:
Does having met you at the RCC count

[LisaWagner]

I can tell already you are going to be a FABULOUS rug cleaner! Funny stuff...

Okay - since your father is not going to sue you ... and you do not have the proper drying set-up, plus the rug does not look filthy, this is what I would recommend.

1) DUST it. Use a regular vacuum.

2) Apply DYE LOC to the face fibers (buy at Interlink, use as directed, brush into fibers with soft nylon broom brush)

3) Apply any SHAMPOO (I like Chemspec Oriental Rug shampoo, or Masterblend - either one mix LESS than instructed because both foam up way too much) - you can also use ANY FABRIC SHAMPOO if you don't want to buy one specific to rugs.

4) Brush in - you can use that broom brush - for simple agitation. I believe the rotary scrubber without FULL IMMERSION would scar/distort the fibers too much.

5) Give an ACETIC ACID rinse - or FIBER RINSE - and extract WITH THE GRAIN. Groom with the broom after extraction to make sure the fibers are all pointing in the correct direction.

6) If the fringe needs cleaning - brush with hand brush and ALL FIBER SHAMPOO, and mist with acid and extract with hand tool.

7) Use air movers to dry - keep it face up.

Because this is a tufted rug, and a tea washed rug (brown dye applied on the rug AFTER it was woven) you will lose that over-dye of brown from the face fibers and the fringe. Not a lot because you are SURFACE CLEANING it ... but still - you will lose some. Especially on the fringe.

There really is no big danger here. If you were giving it a bath you would have more issues (weaving flaws) to worry about - but you will not be getting it wet enough to worry too much ... trade off is that you also will not be getting it as CLEAN as you could with a bath - but that is the trade-off.

Hope that helps...
Lisa

www.TheRugChick.com

[Richard Baldwin]

I too use a 2 car garage to do rug cleaning. Build yourself one of these for it!