Hi folks!  It’s me, Ruthie here with Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care in Prescott AZ again and I know that cleaning your own area rugs may sound like a great idea.  After all, it can’t be that hard, can it?  But before you jump on that D.I.Y. bandwagon, let’s take a moment to think about what you’re really getting yourself into.  Trust me when I say that the terrible failures out there greatly outnumber the few success stories.

IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR LIMITATIONS AND BE AWARE OF WHAT CAN (AND LIKELY WILL) GO WRONG.

The first issue that many people run into when they try to clean their area rugs at home is unstable dyes.  Handmade wool and silk rugs are naturally prone to unstable dyes, especially when they have deep, rich reds, blacks, and dark blues throughout them.  Certainly steer clear of trying to clean these yourself and let the professionals handle them!

The second major issue is over-wetting rugs or leaving them wet for too long.  Cellulosic fibers do NOT like getting over-wet and easily discolor and/or shrink from it.  Other fibers will do this if the water isn’t fully extracted. Do you have the tools necessary for extracting all of the water from your rug and drying it quickly?  My guess is probably not and cellulosic fibers are finicky for even the best and finest professional rug cleaner.

The third issue is using the wrong cleaning solutions.  This can lead not only to bleeding dyes, but also cause color loss and fiber damage.  Arizona Oriental spends the extra money on cleaning solutions certified for the specific rug fibers that we are using to avoid these problems and provide the best for the rugs in our care!

If your rug has had animal urine accidents, DO NOT try to clean it at home!  Urine does not just wash away when you clean it and more often than not, odors get worse when moisture is added.  At Arizona Oriental, we have commercial-grade urine neutralizing products and procedures to ensure the removal of the animal urine deposits.  I can’t tell you how many times clients have told me their efforts just made the situation worse.

Another issue is improper dusting causing damage to your rug’s fibers.  It can also leave too much soil in the rug, which will create a nasty mud effect when your rug gets wet.  Not only can this leave your rug stiff and discolored, but it will also completely defeat the purpose of cleaning it in the first place!

The most important question is - do you have the right equipment available at your disposal?
If the answer is no, then cleaning your own area rug is probably not the greatest idea.

Till next time, enjoy your beautiful art for your floor and remember a clean rug is a rug that can last you a lifetime!

Arizona Oriental & Specialty Rug Care serves Prescott, Prescott Valley, Sedona, Flagstaff, and much of the Northern Arizona areas.  We meet the highest standards in professional cleaning of area rugs with rug wash specialists having earned the highest training, including certification as WOOLSAFE FIBRE CARE SPECIALISTS through the WOOLSAFE ORGANISATION.  Such extraordinary certification ensures our client’s area rugs receive the highest quality care.

Want more information about why you should leave area rug cleaning to the professionals?  Call us at 928-445-1718, visit our website at www.ArizonaOriental.com, or stop by Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at our rug washing facility at 565 EZ Street, Prescott, AZ 86301 (pick-up and delivery also available). 06-24-2019