We offer oriental rug cleaning in Malibu, CA.

To safely clean a handmade area rug you must first be able to determine the construction type. Then there is an art to examining a rug and listening to what the rug needs. If an antique rug with areas of surface wear is to be cleaned, a softer bristle brush would be used so as not to cause more damage to the textile. Just as a surgeon would communicate possible outcomes and risks with a patient, a rug cleaner should do the same with their client. Expectations should be discussed.

There are two cleaning methods that are commonly used to clean handmade rugs. Extraction cleaning and full submersion washing.

The extraction method is a surface only cleaning. It does not clean the middle or bottom of the rug but can be effective for light surface maintenance cleaning if used carefully with appropriate detergent chemistry. Often times a carpet cleaning company will use this method on rugs and will damage the rug beyond repair with detergents made for nylon wall to wall carpet and heated water or steam. The most common damage is bleeding of the dyes and mold/mildew growth caused by over wetting or lack of quick drying.

The full submersion method of rug washing is capable of getting a rug totally clean to the core. Top, bottom, sides, and fringe. The rug goes under water in a wash pit and is soaked and shampooed. To remove the water from the rug after the final rinsing the rug is rolled and placed in a centrifuge. 95% of the moisture is spun out of the rug in 5 min. This is the best way to get the rug back into the dry safe zone as soon as possible. The last 5% is dried with heated forced air in just a few hours. Full submersion washing is the only method used to remove pet odor from a rug. Lots of water is needed to flush out a urine deposit so no odor or bacteria is left in the rug.