Welcome to Rug Wash in Toronto - GTA

The hand-wash process is comprised of following steps.

• The rug is first turned upside down on a rubber grid and compressed air
blown through the back to remove all dry dirt, dust, and debris. This is a patented method, and to our knowledge we are the only store in Toronto who uses this process.


• The rug is then turned face up to vacuum whatever has lodged at the
tips of the pile. If the rug is a delicate antique or is in compromised condition, it will be secured firmly between two pieces of screen to prevent further loss of pile. Your rug will be cleaner of loose dirt and sand than it has ever been. Rugs are dusted until no more debris is ejected - often an taking hour or more!


• A 24 hour test for dye run is performed. If colors have the potential to
run, the washing process is adjusted so that dye transfer will not occur.


• When washing obviously damaged or unstable ends, there is particular care
given to these areas. Only after stabilizing fragile areas does the the actual full immersion hand-wash occur.


• The rug is immersed in 300 to 500 gallons of water in a shallow wash pool
where it is agitated (or hand-brushed in the case of delicate antique rugs) using a natural soap. Both sides of the rug are agitated, working soap deep into the rug's fibers. A neutral, mild, pure animal shampoo, that does not remove the natural oils and lanolin from the wool, is used.


• During the soaking process, the water in the wash pool is constantly
circulating with clean water running in and dirty water pumping out. The soaking process allows time for age-old dirt and contaminants to dissolve and separate from rug fibers. The minimum time to let a rug soak is one hour, however, in cases of urine contamination, vomit, or smoke damage, a deodorizer is used and rugs soak overnight.


• After soaking, the rug is flushed and rinsed out. This occurs with the rug
still in the wash pool, immersed underwater, while clean water circulates into the pool and dirty water is pumped out.


• Using both compressed air and a jet stream of water, a flushing tool is then
massaged over the rug to flush contaminants out of the fibers. In the same stroke, the tool replaces the contaminated water with fresh clean water.


• Then a roller, which also features a jet stream of water, is pushed over the
rug to force out any remaining contaminants. Both front and back sides of the rug are flushed in this manner. After the rug is thoroughly flushed and rinsed, the nap is set by hand using a pile brush.


• Rugs dry while hanging over a raised, moveable beam. At the end of the day,
when all newly washed rugs are on their beams, the pool is pumped dry. Dehumidifiers, heat and air circulating fans are used to enhance drying. Hanging the rug is important because it allows climate controlled air to circulate on both the front and back. Using this method, rugs generally dry overnight.


• The fringe is then addressed. Chlorine bleach is not used to lighten cotton
fringe. Bleach will cause the warp ends to deteriorate over time. Normally a solution based on potassium bisulfate, which does not harm the cotton, is used.


• During the final detailing process, the rug is dusted again with a dry air
tool. This ensures that any stray lint or loose grit that may still be clinging to the rug is blown away. The rug is then re-inspected and groomed.


• An ozone chamber is used if necessary, to further sanitize and deodorize a
rug. If the rug has been soiled by an animal we use a blue light to detect areas of stain and then use an enzyme to remove all traces of animal waste, in addition to the ozone process.


• All these result in a superior wash. Not only is your rug cleaner, but also it
will smell better, look brighter, and last longer because it is free of abrasive particles. We're sure you'll appreciate the extra care your rugs get when they're washed with Little River Oriental Rugs!