Oriental Rug Cleaning And A Rolls-Royce?

Have you ever wondered why owners of Bentleys, Rolls-Royce, antique cars, and other cherished vehicles don’t take them to the car wash?

Oriental and Persian rugs are known for their intricate designs, vivid colors, and durable quality. These hand-woven rugs are made from natural materials such as wool, silk, and cotton, and they are often passed down from generation to generation as cherished family heirlooms. However, like any other textile, Oriental rugs require regular cleaning to maintain their beauty and extend their lifespan.

When cleaning an Oriental rug, there are two main options: hand washing and machine washing. While machine washing can be a convenient and cost-effective method for the owner of the rug cleaning plant, it’s important to note that machine batch washing can potentially damage the rug’s fibers and colors. On the other hand, professional hand washing is a gentle and effective way to clean an Oriental rug without causing any harm. This blog post will explore the benefits of a professional hand-washed Oriental rug cleaning versus a machine-washed one.

Preserves the Rug’s Colors

One of the main benefits of hand washing an Oriental rug is that it helps to preserve its colors and allows a professional to keep an eye on the cleaning process from start to finish. A professional cleaner will use gentle cleaning solutions, cold water, and hand-washing techniques to lift dirt and stains from the rug without causing any fading and can control dye migration should it occur.

On the other hand, machine washing can be too harsh for delicate Oriental or antique rugs, causing colors to fade or bleed. In addition, in mechanical cleaning plants that use automated machine batch washing, many rugs are thrown into a tub simultaneously, with the potential to cross-contaminate each other during the wash process. Basically, to initiate a machine wash process, you push the “Start Button” and walk away; what happens-happens.

In the hand-washing method used at Oriental Rug Salon, rugs are hand-washed independently, using new baths, pH-controlled cleaning solutions, and cold water under the watchful eye of a certified rug cleaning professional.

Protects the Rug’s Fibers

Oriental rugs are typically made of natural fibers like wool, silk, or cotton. These fibers can be delicate and easily damaged by machine washing. Soaking multiple rugs in a bath can cause dye bleed and cross-contamination from one rug to the other (think washing your cherished area rug in a tub with rugs containing pet urine). This mechanical process can weaken the fibers and cause them to break or fray.

Hand washing, on the other hand, is a controlled, gentle, and effective way to clean area rugs without causing any harm to their fibers.

Removes Deep-Set Stains and Dirt

Hand washing is a more thorough cleaning method than machine washing. At Oriental Rug Salon, our professional cleaning technicians scrutinize the rug for colorfastness and identify concerned areas before beginning the hand-wash process. We use specialized soft cleaning brushes, pressurized cold pH-conditioned water, and techniques to clean “through-and-through” the rug and its foundation, removing ground-in dirt and challenging stains. On the other hand, machine washing may not remove all the soil and stains from the rug, especially in heavily soiled areas.

Also, due to the unique nature of vegetable-dyed rugs that tend to “bleed” during the cleaning process, batch machine washing does not allow a technician to stop and take preventative action until it’s too late. At Oriental Rug Salon, our hand-washing process begins with a 24-hour colorfast test to determine which rugs may have dye issues. We can take preventative steps before the cleaning process even begins, and should something happen during cleaning; we can immediately address the issue.

Extends the Rug’s Lifespan

Regular professional hand washing can extend the lifespan of an Oriental rug. Over time, dirt and debris can become trapped in the rug’s fibers, causing them to break down and weaken. Regular hand washing can help to remove this debris, protecting the rug’s fibers and prolonging its lifespan. On the other hand, machine washing is impersonal. It can damage the rug’s fibers and cause them to wear out more quickly by inefficiently addressing the rug’s needs during the wash process.

At Oriental Rug Salon, all area rugs are washed by hand, and a Rug Master supervises all operations throughout our rug cleaning plant. We hand-wash all area rugs, including Oriental, Persian, Turkish, Nain, Tabriz, Navajo, Animal Hides, Antiques, and more. If a cherished area rug can not be hand washed using a submersion process, we have unique methods we can use.

Oriental Rug Salon is a Certified Partner with the prestigious Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the International Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI). We are a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider, and all cleaning solutions are safe for wool and silk textiles.

For more information about Oriental Rug Salon and our Oriental rug cleaning, restoration, repair, and appraisal services, please visit us online at www.OrientalRugSalon.com or “call us on the carpet” any time at 239-424-8171. You can also visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrientalRugSalon/

In conclusion, a professional hand-washed Oriental rug cleaning is the best option for preserving the rug’s colors, protecting its fibers, and removing deep-set stains, odor, and dirt while extending its lifespan. While machine washing may be a convenient (and profitable option for high production plants), it can never match the thoroughness of a good, old-fashioned hand washing. Therefore, investing in professional hand-washed cleaning for your Oriental or Persian rug is a worthwhile investment that will help maintain its beauty and value for years.

The answer to the question at the beginning of this blog post is simple.  Automated equipment can scratch vehicles and is not as effective as hand washing.