Example of the emulsified 'rug beer' that we cleanse out of each rug that we wash. The crystal clear rinse water that we seek is clean enough to drink!
We have discussed the importance of area rug dusting(dry soil removal) in a previous post. A good, thorough dusting is just the first step in a complete process for artisan quality area rug cleansing. Facilities & equipment selection play a large role in the quality of product that one can produce in regards to proper rinsing. At Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair, our rinsing process has evolved through the years into what we believe to be the safest, most thorough rinsing process possible. Due to the microscopic complexities of natural fibers, we utilize a higher volume of water rather than a high pressure approach. High pressure rinsing can cause irreparable damage to staple fiber yarns that are found in the textiles that we clean and repair. Staple fibers are small filaments of wool, cotton, silk, etc. that are twisted together and spun into yarn. High pressure can dislodge, and rip apart these delicate fibers if one is not careful. In order to provide all of our clients with consistent services and quality of work, we have decided after much testing and rigorous trials of differing methods that more water=less damage potential AND cleaner, softer and healthier area rugs and textiles.
There are many methods available to area rug cleaning companies. We have attended countless workshops and trade shows which showcase the diversity of our industry. We have seen artisans from all over the world preach their own ideas; from a 5 gallon bucket with a scrub brush, to multiple hundred thousand dollar, high volume/processing equipment. What we have noticed through all these differing methods is that each one of them has their own advantages/drawbacks. For one, the single man operation with a scrub brush cannot work enough hours in the day to provide a reputable enough quality of work or volume to make a viable business model. On the other hand, the higher volume processing equipment requires a high volume of rugs coming in everyday to keep the equipment from draining the initial costs and upkeep expenses of the rug cleaning company. Also with the high volume processing equipment, the individual attention that each rug gets at Revive-A-Rug is lost. We have seen systems where rugs are processed in groups into large tumbling devices and then all take a community bath together in a bleach-type solution, then spun out in large washing machine type centrifuges to remove the water/detergents. This method seems very impersonal to us in comparison to where we have settled into our own method. The processing equipment looks cool, fun to operate and certainly comes with it's own set of bragging rights, however we feel that there is a way that rugs can still be treated individually and efficiently taken care of without the need for big/bad processing equipment.
What we have found in our own testing of our rug cleansing/washing process is that not only do dry soils release from the rug fibers in layers, but also the same is true of the oily contaminants that are stuck on the fibers and even some that penetrate the fibers themselves. Pet urine contaminated area rugs require a soaking in a neutralizing solution in order to dissolve the salty urine deposits. At Revive-A-Rug, we feel that as rugs differ in construction, they too differ in the process in how contaminants are removed properly. A community bath in a urine dissolving solution attempts to emulsify and sanitize the rugs as a group(do you really want your rugs in a bath with other peoples rugs and pet issues?). Our process treats each rug individually and caters to the unique characteristics of each textile. I have personally seen these systems in action, considered their merits and have opted to find a better way. Rug cleaning is nothing more than physics and chemistry combined with human labor and thought. Experience has taught us that there CAN be a uniform approach to 'vat-type' rug cleaning, but our opinion is that the quality of the product to the client suffers in the end. Sure there are area rug cleaning companies out there that can 'process' more rugs in a day than we can and probably for a lower price too. However, we are more concerned with offering an unbeatable quality of product that clients cannot receive anywhere else. We have a passion for 'quality of work.' We view this as more than a craft, we consider ourselves to be artisans and students of textiles. There are so many aspects to textile cleaning and repair, how can one expect to learn the intricate details of each different type of area rug or textile if their view is a processing-type of method?
The picture that headlines this post is a great example of how a rug can go from a dirty/contaminated state, to a fully cleansed/healthy state. We feel that we have found/developed the safest method for evacuating contaminant from rug and textile fibers. We also feel that we can prove the level of cleanliness that each rug we clean leaves our shop possesses. Our rinsing process not only removes emulsified contaminant from area rugs and textiles, it also leaves the fibers in a residue free, non-sticky and completely pristine state. The top right photo displays what we call 'rug beer.' It consists of fermented foot oils, pet dander/urine, spills, stains, spots, etc. I would not recommend drinking it though. We capture the rinse water from each rug throughout our cleansing process and analyze it and adjust the next step in order to achieve crystal clear water from the rug. If the water is not clear, the rug is not clean! Some rugs with thicker piles/naps take more time and steps than others. This is why we offer different prices for different rugs. If we were to just toss the rugs into a bath together with other rugs, or just clean it with a truckmount and a wand, we would offer flat rate, per square foot pricing. While we do charge by the square foot, the levels of service depend on what each rug requires and what the client has set for a budget. After we have thoroughly inspected each rug, we send each client a detailed report of the current condition of each rug and the recommended level of service for each piece in our care. Regardless of the level of service that the client chooses, the wash/cleanse process is applied to all rugs and textiles. This is what our clients have come to expect from us, and this is what we are happiest providing. This is a rewarding process for us. It is a labor of love. We hope to meet you and your rugs soon. Give us a call sometime. We service all of western Wyoming.
-Rug Reviver
(307)774-RUGS(7847)
There are many methods available to area rug cleaning companies. We have attended countless workshops and trade shows which showcase the diversity of our industry. We have seen artisans from all over the world preach their own ideas; from a 5 gallon bucket with a scrub brush, to multiple hundred thousand dollar, high volume/processing equipment. What we have noticed through all these differing methods is that each one of them has their own advantages/drawbacks. For one, the single man operation with a scrub brush cannot work enough hours in the day to provide a reputable enough quality of work or volume to make a viable business model. On the other hand, the higher volume processing equipment requires a high volume of rugs coming in everyday to keep the equipment from draining the initial costs and upkeep expenses of the rug cleaning company. Also with the high volume processing equipment, the individual attention that each rug gets at Revive-A-Rug is lost. We have seen systems where rugs are processed in groups into large tumbling devices and then all take a community bath together in a bleach-type solution, then spun out in large washing machine type centrifuges to remove the water/detergents. This method seems very impersonal to us in comparison to where we have settled into our own method. The processing equipment looks cool, fun to operate and certainly comes with it's own set of bragging rights, however we feel that there is a way that rugs can still be treated individually and efficiently taken care of without the need for big/bad processing equipment.
What we have found in our own testing of our rug cleansing/washing process is that not only do dry soils release from the rug fibers in layers, but also the same is true of the oily contaminants that are stuck on the fibers and even some that penetrate the fibers themselves. Pet urine contaminated area rugs require a soaking in a neutralizing solution in order to dissolve the salty urine deposits. At Revive-A-Rug, we feel that as rugs differ in construction, they too differ in the process in how contaminants are removed properly. A community bath in a urine dissolving solution attempts to emulsify and sanitize the rugs as a group(do you really want your rugs in a bath with other peoples rugs and pet issues?). Our process treats each rug individually and caters to the unique characteristics of each textile. I have personally seen these systems in action, considered their merits and have opted to find a better way. Rug cleaning is nothing more than physics and chemistry combined with human labor and thought. Experience has taught us that there CAN be a uniform approach to 'vat-type' rug cleaning, but our opinion is that the quality of the product to the client suffers in the end. Sure there are area rug cleaning companies out there that can 'process' more rugs in a day than we can and probably for a lower price too. However, we are more concerned with offering an unbeatable quality of product that clients cannot receive anywhere else. We have a passion for 'quality of work.' We view this as more than a craft, we consider ourselves to be artisans and students of textiles. There are so many aspects to textile cleaning and repair, how can one expect to learn the intricate details of each different type of area rug or textile if their view is a processing-type of method?
The picture that headlines this post is a great example of how a rug can go from a dirty/contaminated state, to a fully cleansed/healthy state. We feel that we have found/developed the safest method for evacuating contaminant from rug and textile fibers. We also feel that we can prove the level of cleanliness that each rug we clean leaves our shop possesses. Our rinsing process not only removes emulsified contaminant from area rugs and textiles, it also leaves the fibers in a residue free, non-sticky and completely pristine state. The top right photo displays what we call 'rug beer.' It consists of fermented foot oils, pet dander/urine, spills, stains, spots, etc. I would not recommend drinking it though. We capture the rinse water from each rug throughout our cleansing process and analyze it and adjust the next step in order to achieve crystal clear water from the rug. If the water is not clear, the rug is not clean! Some rugs with thicker piles/naps take more time and steps than others. This is why we offer different prices for different rugs. If we were to just toss the rugs into a bath together with other rugs, or just clean it with a truckmount and a wand, we would offer flat rate, per square foot pricing. While we do charge by the square foot, the levels of service depend on what each rug requires and what the client has set for a budget. After we have thoroughly inspected each rug, we send each client a detailed report of the current condition of each rug and the recommended level of service for each piece in our care. Regardless of the level of service that the client chooses, the wash/cleanse process is applied to all rugs and textiles. This is what our clients have come to expect from us, and this is what we are happiest providing. This is a rewarding process for us. It is a labor of love. We hope to meet you and your rugs soon. Give us a call sometime. We service all of western Wyoming.
-Rug Reviver
(307)774-RUGS(7847)
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