A lot of the oriental rugs we're asked about have been rolled up in a closet since the last move. Somebody inherited a Persian from a grandmother, was afraid to put it under the dining table with kids around, and now it's been in plastic for six years. Those rugs can come back out. Most of them clean up better than their owners expect.
We clean them in your home. No pickup, no drop-off, no wondering where your rug is for two weeks. The low-moisture process is what makes that safe, because the cotton foundation on a hand-knotted rug never gets soaked.
Our process, step by step
Inspection and dye testing
Before anything else, your technician turns the rug over and reads the back. Knot density, the foundation fiber, if the fringe is part of the warp or sewn on, old repairs, moth trails, dry rot near a corner. Every major color gets a dab test with a damp white cloth. If a red or navy moves, we stop there and tell you, and we don't charge you for the look.
Dry soil out of the knots
Wool rugs act like a filter. Grit sifts toward the foundation, where it sits and saws at the fiber every time someone walks across. We loosen and remove as much of it as we can while the rug is still completely dry. On a rug that's been down for years, a startling amount of sand comes out, especially in houses on the sandy lots east of Lake Houston.
Pre-treatment and the clean
Spots and traffic areas get a gentle pre-treatment first. Then the cleaning solution goes on in a controlled amount, with natural carbonation bringing soil up from the pile so it can be extracted. Wool doesn't like heat or high pH, and neither is part of this.
Odor, grooming and drying
Pet areas or musty corners get an enzyme odor treatment that works on the bacteria causing the smell. Then the pile is groomed back into line and the fringe is cleaned by hand. Expect two to four hours of drying, depending on thickness and the weather. Keep foot traffic off it until then.
Rugs we clean
Persian and Turkish rugs make up most of what we see, followed by Afghan, Pakistani and Indian hand-knotted pieces. We also clean Chinese rugs (wool and silk), machine-made "oriental-style" rugs, and the occasional antique. Silk and very old pieces get extra caution, and once in a while the honest advice is to leave a fragile rug alone.
Repairs and old damage
We clean rugs. We aren't a rug repair shop. Loose fringe, holes, moth damage, color run from an old flood and a split foundation all need a specialist who reweaves, and we'll tell you if we see any of it during the inspection so you know what cleaning can and can't fix. Pet urine that sat in a light wool field for a long time can also leave a permanent yellow shadow even after the smell is gone.
For a rug in regular use, once every year or two is plenty. A dining room rug with a dog under the table can use it sooner. In between, vacuum with the beater bar off, and rotate the rug once a year so sun from the windows fades it evenly.
The rug coupon is $25 off and applies to oriental rugs too. Call 346-662-0980 to set it up, or book online. If you're also thinking about the rest of the house, see area rug cleaning for the everyday rugs and carpet cleaning for wall-to-wall.