FAQ

Why Choose Gentle Genie Professional Oriental Rug Cleaners?

Carpet manufactures endorse hot water extraction, steam cleaning, as the proper method for cleaning wall-to-wall carpets which today are designed to be durable, soil repellant, non-absorbent, and easily vacuumed to remove loose dirt. In fact, many of these manufacturers require this method of cleaning as a condition under the carpet’s warranty or to extend a carpets warranty.

This method can ruin an Oriental or Specialty Rugs that can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Most Oriental and Specialty Rugs are tightly hand or machine woven on wool, cotton or silk foundations. The pile is usually made of wool or silk. The fibers are dyed with vegetable or synthetic dyes. These things can make these rugs challenging to clean, easily damaged or ruined.

Why is Gentle Genie’s In-Studio Cold Water Flushing Process Important?

Vacuuming and extraction, even with commercial grade equipment, cannot completely remove dry soil from the tightly knotted foundation and pile of a woven rug. Dry soil acts like sandpaper on the rugs fibers and becomes cement like if not thoroughly removed before cleaning making the rug stiff or brittle. These rugs must be dusted, washed and then thoroughly rinsed to remove all traces of product , dirt and urine to prevent future damage. This can only be accomplished with cold water flushing.

Why should Oriental and Specialty Rugs NOT be cleaned using the same methods as wall-to wall carpet?

  • Hot steam can shrink natural fibers, curls corners, and irreversibly distort or wrinkle a rug.
  • Carpet cleaning chemicals often have a high pH that is too harsh for natural fibers making them dry, brittle and prone to breakage.
  • Hot steam and harsh cleaning agents can yellow, dim, dull and fade natural fibers.
  • Hot water or steam can loosen the fibers in a woven rug.
  • Regular vacuuming, even with powerful commercial grade vacuums cannot completely remove dry soil from the tightly knotted foundation and pile of a woven rug.
  • Dry soil can act like sandpaper or become cement like if not thoroughly removed before cleaning and can damage the rug.
  • Many Oriental and Specialty Rugs require special products and cold water to prevent dye bleeding or migration.
  • Oriental and Specialty Rugs must be thoroughly rinsed to remove all traces of product and dirt to prevent future damage. This can only be accomplished with cold water flushing.
  • In home cleaners can damage the fringe when vacuuming, suctioning, or bonneting and are not qualified to repair it which can be expensive to have done correctly.
  • Bonnet style, In-Home “Dry” cleaning, may irreversibly untwist the yarns fibers and/or distort the pile as a result of high friction.

Why is Vacuuming Alone Not Enough to Keep Your Rug Clean?

Vacuuming cannot remove all of the grit in your treasured rug, and excessive vacuuming with a Hoover style beater bar vacuum can actually accelerate wear. To preserve the rugs, it is advised to have them professionally Dusted. If a rug cleaner does not properly dust your rug, they cannot get it clean.

Do all cleaners claiming to be rug care specialists use the same methods?

Not all rug cleaners use the same methods or products. Never let your rug cleaner use chlorine, aka “oxy” products or any other harsh chemicals on your rug. Be aware that many “Tub Cleaners” who wash multiple rugs in a mechanized machine and are “cheaper in price” often add Dichlor which turns to chlorine in the bath water and is bad for rugs in the long term. Tub cleaning multiple rugs might also cause dyes to transfer from one rug to another or leave dirt and residues in the rugs. Beware of unscrupulous steam cleaners who claim to do in-studio style cleaning merely to take your rug home with them to simply steam clean it in their driveway.