Cleaning
To get the best results we use a very detailed process and the most important ingredient is time. This is why we prefer to clean your rug at our facility rather than in your home. Our aim is to treat all of the soils that affect your rug making it as healthy as possible for those who enjoy using it and produce the most pleasing visual result we can.
Rug Cleaning
We clean all rug types including Persian/ Oriental hand woven rugs and household rugs including viscose/Bamboo Silk. Our minimum charge is of $150 (minimum per rug 1m² or $25). See our price guide below.
Pricing variations can apply if the rug has special requirements which include:-
- non-colourfastness.
- silk fibre
- Cellulose (Plant) Fibre - Jute - Coir - Sisal - Especially Bamboo
- viscose fibre
- urine see below
- specialised stain removal requirements.
- unforeseen special care needs.
- Structural differences requiring special treatment.
TRANSPORT
We offer a pickup and delivery service for $80 which covers both directions (Outer metro areas may be more dependent on travel times). You can drop your rug off to us if you prefer and this may improve the turnaround time. (Delivery is to our private address in Henderson. Please let us know if this is your preference and we'll send instructions).
STAINS
We remove many stains where others can't. Training and experience have put us amongst the elite when it comes to difficult stains. That said, I should tell you that there are some stains that simply cannot be removed. Stain removal comes down to several factors.
- The type of stain
- The age of the stain
- What fibre the stain is in
- What has been tried on the stain already.
Some of these factors could inhibit successful stain removal. Therefore we can't guarantee complete stain removal in every circumstance however, we will guarantee that our workmanship offers the best results.
We can only determine stain work when we see the rug. Cost is dependent on time and material required. In some circumstances, cleaning may remove stains that are loose in the fibre. This is often tied into age.
Urine Affected Rugs -
Please let us know if your rug has urine contamination. Cleaning alone will not remove urine. This requires specialised treatment to remove and needs to be quoted separately on inspection.
NB: During high peak periods we cannot undertake urine work.
CLEANING
We employ several different rug cleaning techniques to provide for the many and varied rug types and their needs. Our cleaning process will normally be a washing process of some kind to produce the very best results. For rugs that cannot be cleaned this way, for example non colourfast rugs that would bleed if we cannot lock in the dyes and sometimes viscose and bamboo silk we have drier methods to ensure their safety if required. Dry soil makes up around 79% of soil in rugs and carpet so we will generally vacuum and use an agitation process to remove as much of this as possible before washing begins. (Shag pile rug owners please note that some of these rugs can be very difficult to remove dry soils from. Because each fibre is different, we choose a cleaning solution which stays within the cleaning parameters of the rug's fibre(s) to ensure maximum effectiveness without damage to the fibre. Where possible, we use an agitation process to apply cleaning solutions to treat soil build up of oily soils. Oily soils are generally the most visible. Washing can involve immersion cleaning, Hot Water Extraction HWE and pressure cleaning and often a combination of these. The method(s) chosen will depend on the rug and its cleaning parameters. Washing in all of these forms is known as restorative cleaning. Rinsing/conditioning. Rinsing agents are added to HWE to remove cleaning residues with the added benefit of improving drying times, fibres feel softer and stay clean for longer. Grooming Most rugs need to be groomed to set the pile in an aesthetically pleasing manner and raise the pile so that airflow through the rug is maximised for improved drying. Drying Rapid drying is done in our drying room with the use of powerful dehumidifiers and air movement equipment. Naturally, all of this takes time but our intention is to produce the best possible result rather than the best price.
Rug Types and things to know
All rugs undergo a full inspection and relevant testing if applicable prior to cleaning.
Persian and Oriental Rugs
Hand woven rugs require special care and are often family heirlooms. There are numerous types of rugs that fit this category that come from areas like the Middle East, The Subcontinent and China. Hand-knotted rugs include (Persian, Afghan, Oriental), Flat Woven dhurries and kilims, plush hand-tufted, and natural-fibre hand-hooked rugs.
These rugs, often tribal, may have inferior dyes sources which, if not cleaned correctly can lead to bleeding which can spoil a rug's appearance. Key cleaning techniques are imperative to ensure the safety of the rug. Being made from natural fibres which are most often wool but sometimes silk and other fibres need a delicate balance of pH and physical cleaning methods to protect the softness of the fibre and integrity of the pile. These rugs take time and care.
Silk
The most luxurious of fibres with similar properties to wool as both are protein fibres. However, silk requires a different kind of care to wool. it is pH and heat sensitive and prone to colour bleeding.
SHAG PILE RUGS
By nature, shag, especially high density shag can be very difficult to remove all dry particulate soil and dander from. Even with the use of large commercial rug beating equipment, some dry soils will be difficult to remove. We will do our utmost but this is the nature of shag-pile.
Viscose/ Bamboo Silk Faux Silk, Banana Silk (Rayon/Modol)
Made from reconstituted plant fibre, these rugs have a beautiful soft hand (Texture). However, there are specific properties of the fibre that cause weaknesses that affect the way we clean your rug and the way your rug will need to be maintained in your home.
Viscose is sensitive to:-
- Prolonged wetness - Slow Drying will cause browning
- Agitation - viscose rugs are prone to pulled fibres and will end up looking like a cat has been scratching at it. A Flat Vacuum system for home vacuuming is recommended (Avoid Powered head systems).
This effectively reduces our cleaning science as pH and agitation are important factors of cleaning.
Even when blended with wool and other fibres a viscose rug still must still be cleaned like a full viscose rug, such is the sensitivity of the fibre.
Overdyed Rugs
This has been a popular new trend in rugs and has been taken up by interior designers and home fashion magazines for the look that this process produces. Overdyed rugs have been stripped of their natural colour and a new colour single colour applied and the original pattern showing through. The issue with this is that the agent used to strip the colour also damages the fibre significantly and there are often bare patches in the rug. This, in itself creates weaknesses in the rug that can become apparent at cleaning time. I will need to see your rugs to verify if this is the case
https://cleanfax.com/carpet-ca... Rugs
Even though cotton is a standard natural fibre, it has special care needs that other fibres don't. Cotton is highly susceptible to staining and sometimes will not release even simple stains.
Jute, coir and sisal rugs
These rugs have become very popular in recent times. They are susceptible to problems caused by water. In most situations we offer a low moisture (Dry Cleaning) system
Machine Loomed
Machine made rugs occupy a huge part of our rug market. They come in many different fibres and types. Synthetic rugs are the simplest to clean but still require the same care.