Cleaning
Not all cleanings are the same.
Although it may seem unimportant, a proper cleaning is the single most important matter to caring for the rugs and carpets you own. Cleaning, when executed the right way, helps to maintain the value of your rug by prevent dry-rot and other forms of damage ...and it is much healthier for you and your family.
Whether you own a fairly new oriental, an American woven Karastan, a vintage wilton, a rough family heirloom, or an antique hand-woven masterpiece, proper cleaning is an investment to maintaining the value and longevity of your rugs and carpets.
Shaneybrook's museum approved restorative thorough hand washings.
Whether cleaning a 15th century piece from a museum collection, a decorative oriental from your home, or the heirloom coverlet from your grandmother, Shaneybrook's conservation team is fully prepared to handle the unique cleaning needs of your rug, carpet, or textile.
Our process begins with a thorough examination of the item, its condition, problems (stains, odors, frayed or wear damaged areas, etc.) and an assessment of the materials and dyes used in making the item. These and many other factors help our conservation team establish a plan on how the individual rug, carpet, or textile should be handled.
Once a proper plan is detailed, our conservation team begins the work order. Each and every step of our process adheres to the National Institute of Textiles and AIC (American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works) guidelines of practice.
The typical cleaning requires a protein and lanolin based natural soap which conditions the natural fibres in the rug and naturally returns the original lustrous character and richness of colour to the fibres. Every step possible is taken to preserve the original nature and character of each item.
Shaneybrook's does not use or employ any steam extraction methods, detergents, or chemical cleaning agents during our cleaning processes. We do not use ANY optical enhancers of any kind (natural or chemical). All of these things deteriorate and damage these wonderful vintage and antique pieces beyond repair.
A period American Arts & Crafts pattern wilton rug, woven by Whittall Mills of Massachusetts, gets its first proper cleaning in 88 years. And the results are simply stunning!
Click here to learn more about Shaneybrook's restorative thorough hand washings ›
Why is proper cleaning important?
With all the different methods and options available, its hard to know which is the right one. Are they all the same? Does it really clean my rugs? Is it safe for my rug and my family?
The truth of the matter is simple: not all cleaning methods are the same. With very few exceptions, most of these methods do more harm than good, and most are downright dangerous to family and pets.
Surface cleaning methods, "in plant" methods and most "oriental rug" cleaning are only cosmetic. These common methods only clean the top most portion of the pile and leave soap at the base of the pile and in the foundation of the rug.
Soap leaves a sticky residue in the rug's pile which attracts and holds dirt and soil. The soap can also slowly deteriorate and fade the colours in addition to drying out the natural fibres. Dirt and soil trapped by the sticky soap residue slowly grinds at the fibres, breaking them, and allow them to separate from the rug's foundation structure. The newly loose fibres eventually fall out during vacuuming, walking, and washing.
Within the foundation, soap slowly dries out wool, cotton, and jute fibres that rugs are woven on. This process is called "dry rot". Detergents, harsh soaps and other chemical agents all promote and accelerate dry rot which makes your rugs and carpets brittle and dramatically add to deterioration over time.
Even though some of these types of damage can be repaired, most cannot. The best option is always prevention. Having your rug cleaned properly is essential to its survival and maintaining its condition and value.
Click here to learn more about the dangers of improper cleaning methods ›
Comparing cleaning methods.
Today there are basically three possible cleaning methods: 1) surface "dry-cleaning extraction" method, 2) "in plant" mechanized method, and 3) the thorough hand-cleaning option (a.k.a. the Shaneybrook method). Below you will find a brief explanation of each, its benefits and drawbacks and a GOOD / BAD scorecard detailing all the steps of each cleaning process.
Shaneybrook's thorough hand washing method:
The Shaneybrook method treats each individual rug, carpet, and textile based on its individual needs. The standard and most common cleaning (for rugs and carpets) requires thorough submersion in water, hand scrubbing the pile of the rug (on the front), hand scrubbing of the back of the rug, a thorough rinsing of water from the back through to the front, and the repeated scrubbing and rinsing till the rug is completely clean. The rug is then dried flat on a patented Shaneybrook "drying-rack" and the rug or carpet can dry naturally.
BENEFITS: allows the most thorough and effective cleaning available (cleaning front, back, and within the pile of the rug), museum approved natural soap cleans without deterioration or fading of colours, natural soap maintains original character of the fibres, rugs, carpets and textiles stay clean longer (no sticky detergent or soap residue to attract or hold dirty), no optical enhancers or colour brighteners are used, there are no chemical agents used or left in the item (meaning its safe for you, your family, and your pets).
DRAWBACKS: requires rugs or carpet to be removed from home, cleaning process takes 500% longer, natural drying times take average of 300% longer, square footage cleaning price runs a little more than most "in home" carpet cleaners.
Click here to learn more about Shaneybrook's restorative thorough hand washings ›
Dry-cleaning extraction method:
The most popular of the three methods is the "dry-cleaning" extraction method which includes home-cleaning machines (Bissell, Hoover, Kirby, etc.), truck-mounted extracting machines which come into your home or office, and mobile smaller extraction machines most commonly used in smaller warehouse type commercial and oriental rug dealer/rug cleaning businesses.
BENEFITS: quick cleaning, highly mobile, often used on most types of rugs and carpets, rugs and carpets do not need to be removed from home, provides acceptable cosmetic improvement to rug or carpet.
DRAWBACKS: uses potentially damaging hot water/steam, only cleans surface of fibres, uses strong, excessively harsh or heavy chemicals and detergents (damaging to colors and fibres), difficult to dry carpet or rug, unhealthy and dangerous to home-owners, family, and pets.
"In Plant" mechanized method:
The second most popular cleaning method involves a substantial business investment in expensive and incredibly large mechanized equipment. These machines act in a conveyor method feeding a rug into a machine, performing the intended function and then fed out the other side. The functions can include dust cleaning, spraying of soap, brushing the pile, and then spraying of water on the pile surface for rinsing, and lastly wringing excess water from the rug or carpet.
BENEFITS: allows moderately quick cleaning to an incredibly large number of carpets or rugs, does not require mobility or transportation of equipment, provides acceptable cosmetic improvement to rug or carpet, cleaning in an industrial setting prevents cleaning agent/chemical exposure to house-hold members and pets.
DRAWBACKS: requires rugs or carpet to be removed from home, expensive equipment drives up customer's bill, equipment footprint requires very large space/facility, even cleaning prevents attention to any heavily soiled or stained areas that would require extra attention, can cause rugs to buckle and tear, uses potentially damaging hot water/steam, only cleans surface of fibres, uses strong, excessively harsh or heavy chemicals and detergents (damaging to colors and fibres), requires forced hot air drying methods (usually involving hanging of a rug which promotes uneven drying, color migration, buckling and tearing, and usually accompanies bleaching of fringes which causes deterioration of fringes and structural foundation fibres of the rug or carpet).
Conservation and preservation program (for rugs, carpets, and textiles).
Home owners and managers of programs at institutions have long recognized Shaneybrook's quality cleaning and restoration services. Most of these clients schedule their items for regular service to maintain the character and longevity of their items.
Planning a conservation and preservation program for your rugs, carpets and textiles as important as making certain the item(s) are being cleaned the right way.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Our planning strategy takes this old cliche to heart. With only a little effort, proper planning can help to maintain condition and character using simple preservation techniques to avoid major repair and restoration expenses.
Now is a great time to get started. Click below to begin planning your program and help protect and increase the investment of your rugs, carpets, and textiles.
How to plan your maintenance schedule.
Our brief outline will help you plan the best program to lower maintenance costs and to maintain the longevity and value of your items.
Click here to learn more about creating your conservation and preservation program ›
