HAND TUFTED RUGS
Cautions:
- Check for latex odor and advise customer that it will not come out.
- Stenciling. Grin the face pile and look for stencil ink on the primary backing at color
change areas. Look on the back of the rug. Many times the red or blue stencil will have
already bled into the secondary backing. Turn down rug or surface clean only. - Color run. Some rugs will be susceptible to color bleeding. Test for colorfastness, both
crocking and bleeding. - Check squareness of rug. Is it misshaped?
- Never fold or crease a hand tufted rug, especially when wet, as it will leave permanent
marks or even delamination. - Avoid aggressive agitation or heavy rollers as they may delaminate the rug.
- The latex used decays over time and leaves a powdery residue on the customer’s floor.
this decay will make the rug limber and weak. Look for delamination. - If cloth backing is delaminated from the foundation or the latex is powdery, quote cost and
get approval to replace cloth backing and re-latex. - Look for pulled tufts and voids.
- The fringe may be unglued: hems can come un-sewn or un-glued. Quote repairs before
cleaning. - Talk about the staining and soil on the backing, since the backing is not seen, we will
clean but, we have low expectations on stains and watermark removal. - Make customer sign a release.
Cleaning procedures:
- Air dust or use a vacuum only. Vacuum thoroughly. Do not put through a duster or tumble
Dust. - Spray with Sublime including fringes, if oily soil is present.
- Wet out rug with clear, cool water. If the rug fails the crocking test, wet out with diluted
Anti Dye. If it fails the bleeding test, wet out with Dye Release Solution. - Apply diluted LST over entire face pile of rug. Do not apply to backing.
- Work in with hand brush if the rug is weak, or use shampooer, cimex, or other method on
fringe and face pile only, not on backing. - Rinse rug with clean water front and back.
- Squeegee, extract or centrifuge to remove excess water.
- If using a flat bed washer, run through as normal.
- Groom pile and fringes.
- Flat dry, face down, with air movers blowing across the back to speed up the drying
Process.
Optional method:
Surface clean with L.S.T. (See “How do I clean moisture sensitive rugs”).