Cleaning your fine handmade rug?? Only the best will do! Here's how to find the best person for the job..

Having your precious rug cleaned for the first time is usually a big stretch for many people. Why is this the case?

When choosing a fine rug for your home is not easy and it is usually a big investment. When buying rugs people may sometimes be informed not to have the rug cleaned. This is not totally incorrect as there are many cleaners out there that will not have the correct knowledge to clean fine rugs and can easily cause damage to the fine rug while cleaning it. If you find a reputable rug cleaner this will not need to be a concern for you anymore.

Here are a few questions to ask to help you find a reliable cleaning company to clean your fine rug.

What experience do you have cleaning rugs – Some companies state that they have been cleaning for “x” amount of years – what they do not say is what they have been cleaning. Some firms might have been cleaning offices for the last 20 years and only started cleaning rugs more recently.

Check them out online – If companies have been cleaning rugs for a long period of time you will notice their videos, photos and testimonials of the work they have done will be older – If they have no proof online that they have done rug cleaning for a long period of time it raise the question if you should trust them with your rug.

Are they insured? – Insurance is a minefield – many firms are insured – fewer firms are insured for goods in trust – as specifically if the company hold insurance for goods in trust.

What method is best to clean my rug? – Many rug cleaning companies only use one method of cleaning and this is usually hot water extraction or steam cleaning. This method can cause unstable colours to run. Here at Art of Clean we use a cold water bath and we then have the correct equipment to safely remove the water from the rug and let it dry in our drying room.

Your last question to the rug cleaner you will employ is – “who will clean my rug” many rug cleaning companies will subcontract the cleaning work out – your rug might get send many miles away for cleaning.

Art of clean are proud to be the only registered Master Rug Cleaners in Cambridge.  If you would like some more information about our professional rug cleaning services please contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or visit www.artofclean.co.uk.

How do you know if your rug is antique?

An antique rug can be a beautiful, eye catching accessory to your home.  A practical piece of art that welcomes visitors to your home whilst protecting the floor below.  Once only available to the wealthy, antique rugs have in more recent years become available to a broader spectrum of consumers.   When buying an antique rug, like with all art, you are making a financial investment.

But how can you be sure of you are investing wisely?

Aesthetic appeal and quality greatly define the rugs worth, and will possibly be the primary connection you make with the item as you consider its potential in your home.  However the age of a rug is the indicator of its antiquity.  And this definition as Antique makes a significant difference to the value.

What is the defining age of an old rug before it transcend to the status of antique?

Principally, it is very difficult to determine the exact year the rug was made, so only a rough ageing is determined.  But with in-depth knowledge of the history of rug making a trained professional calculate an estimated date of production by the type, colour, size and style.  Like a wine connoisseur, a rug expert can “read” the rug: where the rug was woven, the language or dialect of the weaver, and often her religion. Generally, antique status is given to a rug that is determined to be over 100 years old.

When buying your rug it would be wise to perform some research to educate yourself on some of the key points in rug making history so that you can be prepared to question the seller on details about the rug, allowing you to make your own informed decision on your investment.

Art of clean is proud to be the only Mater Rug Cleaners in Cambridge, one of only 14 companies in the UK.  If you would like some more information about our rug cleaning service please contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or visit www.artofclean.co.uk.

Rugs affected by flooding?

The recent floods to hit East Anglia are reportedly the worst in 20 years, according to the Mail Online.  Many people’s homes have been flooded with much damage to the homes and furnishings.  If your rugs have been contaminated with dirty flood water, immediate action will need to be taken to save your rug from colour damage, and mould and rot setting in.

See the pictures below of a rug that was flooded and came to our office yesterday

Contacting a rug cleaning specialist in important at this time as opposed to renting a rug doctor, this process needs to be completed thoroughly as flood water often carries sewage, oils and other harmful pollutants that need to be removed, and a quick drying is needed to prevent dye movement and mold.

The best way to clean a rug:

The debris and waste water that will have worked its way into the wave will need to be removed by soaking the rug in a cleaning bath, with a special solution that will safely sanitize the rug to thoroughly remove the bacteria that dirty flood water carries. Drying the rug thoroughly and quickly is important to prevent dye movement.  Many carpet cleaning companies will clean the rugs on the floor and this can lead to excessive long drying times. Longer drying times can cause browning of the fringes on the rugs or dye movement.  A damp rug is the perfect place for mold and rot to grow, a quick professional drying process is important to stop this and to ensure the rug doesn't lose its shape and form, the use of rug drying centrifuge and a specialist drying room is important.

What questions to ask a rug cleaning company before you hand them your rugs for cleaning.

• Are you insured for transporting my rugs?
• Do you have specialist training in the cleaning and treatment of rugs?
• If yes how many classes did you attend?
• Who will be cleaning my rugs?
• Do you have the necessary equipment - cleaning fine rugs is not the same as cleaning carpets!
• Do you have a dedicated rug drying room?
• Have you cleaned and restored flooded rugs before (if your rugs are flooded and requires restoration) - act fast as this will increase the chances of saving the rugs!

Here at Art of Clean we have all the equipment and expertise to clean and dry your fine rug in no time. If your rug got flooded and it might be a while before it will get cleaned - Get it in a bath of clean cold water and keep it in there until the cleaning company come and pick it up. Phone us for advice on 01223 863632 - www.artofclean.co.uk

Art of Clean
Denny Lodge Business Park, Ely Road, Chittering, Cambridge, CB25 9PH
Phone: 01223 655 656 or 0800 231 6116
Email: info@artofclean.co.uk
http://www.artofclean.co.uk/

Pierre and Laurence de Wet, owners of Art of Clean would like to give you some rug care tips, to help you keep your rugs looking great for longer.

Vacuuming your rug is the best thing you can do. If you have pets and children, this could mean as often as twice a week. Think of all the dust that settles daily on to your hard floors… that same dust settles on your rugs and needs to be removed, otherwise it works its way into the fibres and causes damage you cannot correct.

However, you do not want to overly “brush” these fibers so the best tool to use is an upright HEPA-filter vacuum cleaner and just run it over the top of the rug fibres. Vacuum WITH and not against the nap of the rug’s “fuzzy” side (the rug’s fibres are similar to your pet’s fur. Going “with” the fur causes less friction)

If a lot of dirt seems to be collecting on the rug – like on your hallway rugs – then turn these rugs good side down and also run an upright vacuum cleaner along the back (stay away from the fringe tassels or you’ll suck them up!).

This “shakes” the dirt out of the base of the rug’s foundation and then you can flip the rug over and vacuum away all the dust, dirt, allergens, mould spores, bacteria, and other “unmentionables” that have been brought into your home by lots of shoes, feet and paws.

You should also wash your rug, some require washing as often as every year.

Remember you must deal with pet stains right away to avoid damage, permanent staining and unsanitary conditions.
- Pet urine and vomit is HOT and ACIDIC, so it penetrates the rug fibres completely. Because hand made rug dyes have “acidic dyes” this means the pet urine essentially permanently “re-dyes” the fibres yellow.