Any suggestions on how to handle this? I usually stay away from silk rugs (if in fact it is silk) but she is a great customer of ours and would like to do all i can to help. I was thinking of just spot cleaning with enzyme and water claw. I already explained the problems that pet urine can cause and the delicacy of silk. The rug is too big to wash in my pit so i was hoping to just do it in home and just the area that has been contaminated.
Hi TCS, First you will need to determine if in fact this is silk, then a procedure can be determined. There is a lot of rayon out there as well, and it looks just like silk. Check the back for a corner tag.
As Brian says, first be sure if it is silk or rayon, mercerized cotton or some other faux silk or art silk. If it is silk, be sure to test and see if the colors are going to bleed. Urine can sometimes damage the dyes to the extent they will bleed in the effected areas. If water safe, I would put just the effected are in your pit or treat on your wash surface using a urine neutralizer such as Bridgepoint's TCU or Wool Medic. After some dwell time, flush with water. Then clean the entire rug with either a shampoo for natural fabrics or extraction product for natural fibers such as Wool Perfect. Rinse with Wool Zone.
As Brian says, first be sure if it is silk or rayon, mercerized cotton or some other faux silk or art silk. If it is silk, be sure to test and see if the colors are going to bleed. Urine can sometimes damage the dyes to the extent they will bleed in the effected areas. If water safe, I would put just the effected are in your pit or treat on your wash surface using a urine neutralizer such as Bridgepoint's TCU or Wool Medic. After some dwell time, flush with water. Then clean the entire rug with either a shampoo for natural fabrics or extraction product for natural fibers such as Wool Perfect. Rinse with Wool Zone.
Most silk rugs have dyes that will bleed, and very few rug plants actually WASH silk these days - so I would be INCREDIBLY careful with the instructions just given to you. We wash silk rugs, but that's because we have a roller wringer and we can get the rug from wash to rinse to excess water removed in under 15 minutes. This is why getting rug washing advice on forums is dangerous without adding things like get a release of liability, photo document everything, fiber and dye test, and product test. It's not unusual for a quality silk rug to be worth thousands of dollars even if it's small. Be careful. Lisa
Silk rugs and very delicate to use and clean..i had the same problem..Although my rug was not big as urs..
