In home rug cleaning

Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
1,990
Location
Athens, Ga
Name
Evets
(I promise to be nice)

Sometimes we clean rugs in the customer's home if they're not very dirty or have pet urine issues. Wool rugs absorb a lot of water, so, I'm sure they are taking forever to dry.
Just pre spraying and extracting can cause the rug to be damp on the backing, and for how long?
Laying there on a wood floor...wet.
Should we place plastic under the rug and tell the customer to remove it the next day?
Should we stop cleaning them in home? We haven't had any complaints, but...
What is your procedure?
 

Hack Attack

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
5,620
Location
further south than you
Name
Dan
If I'm cleaning rugs inside (very rarely do) it's a surface clean only

light prespray and rinse at 250 psi and micro fibre mop any overspray, I don't get the backing wet
 

Nomad74

Boy Sprout
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
23,461
Location
Redding
I now refuse to do any natural fiber rugs in the home. I try and drag them all back to my shop. By cleaning them in the home you are risking future damage by forcing the gunk to the backing and causing dry-rot.
 

BIG WOOD

MLPW
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
13,157
Location
Georgia
Name
Matt w.
General maintenance cleaning: No problem with cleaning in home.

Urine treatment on wool: Have fun in the driveway or sub it out to a rug cleaning plant.
 

Nomad74

Boy Sprout
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
23,461
Location
Redding
General maintenance cleaning: No problem with cleaning in home.

Urine treatment on wool: Have fun in the driveway or sub it out to a rug cleaning plant.
No. There is a problem. But if you don’t know any better, then who cares.
 

Nomad74

Boy Sprout
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
23,461
Location
Redding
Personally, I think carpets should be made out of cotton bonnets and we should clean them by spinning carpet around on top of the bonnets.
 
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Hack Attack

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
5,620
Location
further south than you
Name
Dan
I had an old gentleman last week who had never had or seen a carpet clean..
"so where do I store my stuff when you take the carpet? and how many days do you have my carpet before you return it?
I managed to keep a straight face for almost a minute
 
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Tom Forsythe

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
486
You have to soak a rug to create any drying issues, unless the house is without a functioning HVAC or in a humid climate like the deep south.. Place a fan on the rug while you clean something else. The capillary action in drying brings moisture to the surface. I have always been amazed how well an encapsulation works on wool rugs that only need a maintenance cleaning. You need to use the softest brush for the Brush Pro on wool rugs. I believe to let the customer choose the method and cost of cleaning. Encapsulation = good maintenance cleaning. Extraction = better maintenance cleaning. Pit wash = great restoration cleaning. Generally people who own orientals live in large houses. In most situations in large homes most rugs do not get a lot of use except in family rooms and kitchens so a maintenance cleaning is suitable for them. Heavy use rugs and those exposed to pet damage will always need restoration cleaning.
 

Trip Moses

IMOL
Joined
Sep 19, 2018
Messages
3,594
Location
Savannah GA
Name
Trip Moses
(I promise to be nice)

Sometimes we clean rugs in the customer's home if they're not very dirty or have pet urine issues. Wool rugs absorb a lot of water, so, I'm sure they are taking forever to dry.
Just pre spraying and extracting can cause the rug to be damp on the backing, and for how long?
Laying there on a wood floor...wet.
Should we place plastic under the rug and tell the customer to remove it the next day?
Should we stop cleaning them in home? We haven't had any complaints, but...
What is your procedure?
I can was a dog in the living room. But it’s not the best choice.
 

Condog

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
431
Location
Phoenix AZ
Name
Tony
If I'm cleaning rugs inside (very rarely do) it's a surface clean only

light prespray ande at 250 psi and micro fibre mop any overspray, I don't get the backing wet
Another carpet cleaner at Mikeyfest today said if the carpet is urinated on, he'll rotovac the back first, then dry stroke it 3 or 4 times. Flip the carpet over and rotovac the top side and dry stroke it 3 or 4 times. Said he has never had any problems or complaints in the 12 years (I think he said 12 years) he's been doing it.

The conversation was with a local rug cleaner, who had no problem with his method.

I guess there's more than one way to skin a rug.
 

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