What Does A Badger and Oriental Rug Have In Common?

The above picture is the debris dislodged from a 6X9 Tabriz wool area rug AFTER it was power vacuumed.

Without a “Badger” Your Area Rug Simply Isn’t Clean

Dusting is the most critical stage in area rug cleaning! This process cannot be performed in a client’s home, and anyone, including carpet cleaners, who skips this step is simply not cleaning your rug correctly. One study has shown that an 8ft x 10ft wool rug can hold as much as 75 pounds of soil & other contaminates deep down in the fibers before it will appear dirty!

How much dirt do you think your rug is hiding?

Why is it important?

Wool is a porous fiber, much like human hair. Like hair, air pollutants, dust, dirt, and other grime can make a rug’s pile dull. More than this, though, fine sand-like particles of dirt and dust accumulate within the rug. These particles are very abrasive act like sandpaper causing damage to the fibers with every step.

When water is added to the mix, the layer of dirt and dust becomes cement-like, exaggerating the problem and can easily cause the rug’s foundation to become brittle and break.

What Kind of Particles Are Removed From “Dusting”?

The “dust” removed by rug dusting can include a mixture of many things most commonly:

  • Allergens
  • Dirt/Soil
  • Dead Skin Cells
  • Worn Rug Fibers
  • Food Particles
  • Pet Dander
  • Urine Salts
  • Dust Mites
  • Moth casings

Why Vacuuming Just Isn’t Good Enough

Vacuums work great on the loose weave of your wall-to-wall carpet and are great for maintaining the health of your rug between professional cleanings. But vacuuming will only remove the debris that is on the surface. Even the most robust vacuums are ineffective at eliminating soils deep in the tight weave of Oriental and other specialty area rugs.

Continue to vacuum your rug to keep it looking great, but every rug needs a good dusting and professional cleaning every couple of years to keep it healthy.

Soil and Debris do Cause Damage

Each step you make on a rug full of dust can do irreparable damage to its core construction. Dirt and sand are very abrasive and can break down the fibers from the inside. Frequently, this will cause some fading from the wear on the pile. Fading and other damage may not be evident until after the professional rug cleaning process.

The Rug Dusting Process

Years ago, our grandmothers would hang their area rugs over a clothesline or fence and “beat the cooties, dust, and dirt” out of them with a broom. This process was typically performed after the rugs had been vacuumed, and you’d be amazed at the contaminates, dirt, and sand our grandmother was able to get out of a freshly vacuumed rug.

Fast forward to today, and technology allows us to supercharge the “dusting” process.

At Oriental Rug Salon, our dusting process begins with a thoroughly exhaustive vacuuming of both sides of the area rug with a powerful commercial vacuum cleaner. Once both sides of the rug have been vacuumed in two directions, we place the rug face down on a grid and use a specialized Badger dusting machine that provides 40,000 harmonic vibrations per minute. This vibrating action dislodges all deep-set soil, sand, dander, and other contaminants that can rob your rug of its beauty and life expectancy. Once your area rug has been dusted, it will go through a 24-hour dye migration test, receive a thoroughly exhaustive cleaning, pH condition rinse, air table drying, and final inspection.

The dusting/badgering process will not rid your rugs of spots, stains, or odors; however, it is critical in ensuring your area rug ends up as clean as possible.

Oriental Rug Salon is a full-service Oriental and Persian rug cleaning, repair, and appraisal company serving clients throughout the United States. We are a Wool Safe Approved Service Provider and certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the International Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI). Our cleaning services are performed by hand by certified technicians who a Rug Master supervises.

For more information about Oriental Rug Salon and the rug cleaning services we offer, please visit us online at www.OrientalRugSalon.com or “call us on the carpet” any time at 239-424-8171. We offer FREE pick-up and delivery for most rugs throughout SW Florida.

You can also visit us on our Facebook Page at:  https://www.facebook.com/OrientalRugSalon