Area Rug Cleaning in Woodland Hills, CA
Rugs That Live in the Middle of Everyday Life
Unlike special occasion rugs, area rugs live right in the middle of everyday life. They live in the foyer where they endure every rainy afternoon, in the living room where children lay down to watch television, where dogs lie after walking and where guests congregate for every holiday you can remember. Because of this daily interaction with life, area rugs really need some special attention and not just a quick once over with a typical carpet cleaning machine. At The Silk and Wool Rug Cleaners in Woodland Hills we consider area rug cleaning a specialty in and of itself. This specialty is based on the actual usage of these rugs and how that usage causes damage over time.
Every Fiber Has Its Own Personality
Area rugs come in a large variety of fibers. Each fiber reacts in a different way to dirt, moisture, and cleaning products. Wool rugs are quite durable to everyday use but can retain moisture and odors if they are not thoroughly and correctly dried. Cotton rugs tend to readily absorb spills and if they are not cleaned properly as soon as the spill occurs a stain can result. Jute or sisal natural fiber rugs are especially vulnerable to moisture. Too much moisture can cause browning, warping or a musty odor that can remain long after the rug has a dry appearance.
Synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon or polypropylene are more forgiving but still react in varying ways to heat, agitation and cleaning solutions depending on the type of fiber. Before we begin area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills we determine what we are dealing with because the cleaning method for one fiber may be completely wrong for a second.
When Pets and Rugs Share a Home
If you have a pet then you are already familiar with the challenges that come with keeping area rugs clean. Accidents do happen even with the best trained pets. Once urine, saliva or any other residue has soaked into the fibers and padding of a rug a simple surface clean is not always enough to eliminate the problem. Odors can return with humidity and stains can return when fibers dry unevenly.
We go below the surface to determine what is the actual source of the odor or stain rather than simply hiding it for a few days. We want your area rug to actually be clean with our area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills and not just clean smelling for a few days and then the problem returns. Contact us now!
Spills That Turn Into Bigger Problems
Spills from coffee, wine, juice or other cooking spills are simply part of daily life when an area rug is present in your home. The moment the spill occurs often determines what happens next. If a spill is blotted immediately and cleaned properly it usually will not leave a trace. If a spill soaks in, dries and is walked on for days or weeks then the spill can bond to the fibers causing what starts as a small spill to become a set in stain. When many of these rugs reach us well meaning attempts at a home remedy have sometimes made the stains more difficult to remove.
Some cleaning products can react in a negative way with certain fibers or dyes. Our area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills process can deal with both fresh spills and set in stains using methods appropriate to what caused the stain rather than using a one size fits all stain remover on all rugs.
The Wear That Builds Up Without You Noticing
Foot traffic is one of the quietest ways a rug can be damaged. It does not happen all at once so it is often not noticed until a rug in a hallway or in front of a favorite chair looks worn, dull or flattened in a way that appears to have happened overnight. In reality this wear has built up gradually, fiber by fiber and walk by walk.
Regular and thorough area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills helps restore the texture of the rug and lifts crushed fibers back into their natural state thus extending the life of a rug that might otherwise start to look tired years before it actually needs replacement.
Sunlight Has Its Own Kind of Damage
Rooms with large windows or lots of natural sunlight add warmth and openness to your home but can be difficult on rug color over time. Ultraviolet light can cause a slow breakdown of dyes in a rug. This is why rugs in areas with lots of sunlight often appear to fade unevenly as the exposed area appears noticeably lighter than the area under furniture.
While we cannot reverse any fading that has occurred we do want to protect the remaining color rather than cause more fading through aggressive area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills methods or inappropriate chemical reactions.
How We Do Area Rug Cleaning in Woodland Hills, CA
We inspect every rug that we receive before we begin any area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills. We look at the fiber, padding and any areas of staining, discoloration or heavy soiling. After that we thoroughly remove any dry soil from the rug. This is important because grit and dust that is trapped in the pile can act like sandpaper on the fibers during the cleaning process if it is not removed before area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills.
Once the soil has been removed we apply a cleaning method appropriate to the type of fiber and condition of the rug followed by rinsing to remove any residue that would attract more dirt once the rug goes back home. Drying is done in a way that protects both the shape and backing of the rug rather than allowing it to dry quickly which can cause shrinkage or distortion.
Protecting Color While Removing What Doesn’t Belong
Getting an area rug clean should not come at the expense of the rug’s fiber and color. Before area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills we test our methods on a hidden area of the rug to see how the fiber and dyes react. This allows us to make an informed decision as to how the area rug cleaning in Woodland Hills will affect the entire rug.
This step is often skipped by cleaners that are in a rush but is one of the simplest ways to prevent discoloration, bleeding or fiber damage that cannot be undone once it has occurred. It is a small amount of extra time on our part that can help prevent a mistake from being irreversible later.
Ready to Transform Your Rugs?
If you have been hesitating to get your beloved rug cleaned out of fear of something going wrong then that makes complete sense. That is why we exist.