Area Rugs
Area rug cleaning
The area rugs that accent your home require special attention.
Whether Persian or Oriental, antique or modern, our gentle, deep cleaning, immersion process will protect and prolong the life of your cherished area rugs, leaving them fresh, bright, and free of ground in dirt that can abrade and cut the woolen fibers set deep in the pile.
At RAVE FabriCARE, we specialize in Navajo and other Southwestern-style area rugs, especially those with deep black, red and navy dyes on tan or cream backgrounds. These dark colors typically “bleed” or “run” when “cleaned” by ordinary dry cleaners.
We can accommodate all sizes of area rugs up to 10′ x 12′.
Our multi-step process
At RAVE FabriCARE, we employ a multi-step process that:
- Removes particles of dirt and sand embedded deep in the pile
- Removes spots and stains (to the extent possible)
- Eliminates odors associated with animal or human urine, feces and throw up
- Removes dingyness and grayness from white, cream and pastel background colors
- Enhances the brightness of the contrasting colors
- Removes dingyness and grayness from white and off-white fringes.
This is the goal.
The results that can be achieved will, of course, depend on:
- the overall condition of the area rug,
- the nature of the spots and stains,
- the quality of the dyes used, and
- the quality of the construction techniques used.
Area rugs with urine, feces and throw up
We often receive area rugs with animal or human urine, feces or throw up stains. Some are fresh; some are months or even years old.
It's important to understand that bodily excretions contain various chemicals such as acids and salts. Sometimes, the chemicals in these bodily excretions can chemically react with the underlying dyes, permanently changing the color of the yarn in those areas.
When it comes to urine, feces and throw up, there are basically two issues: the stain and the odor.
While we can always remove the odor associated with urine, feces or throw up, it's not possible to restore the color in cases where the urine, feces or throw up has chemically reacted with the dyes and permanently changed the underlying color.
In other words, while the area rug will be soil-, dirt- and odor-free, the color change will be permanent.
Color loss due to chemical interactions between urine, feces or throw up and dyes is permanent. Please note that we do not offer re-dying services to "cover up" areas of color loss.
No “steam cleaning” or “dry cleaning”
There are companies that offer “steam cleaning” or “dry cleaning” of area rugs.
They’ll come to your home and, using truck mounted equipment, vacuum your rugs in place and then surface clean them using steam or a dry powdered process. This process “cleans” the surface of your area rugs but, unfortunately, leaves a significant amount of dirt and sand still deeply embedded in the pile.
Our process is different.
Before your rugs are cleaned, they’re turned upside down and fed through a vibrating machine. This machine shakes out the dirt and sand that’s deeply embedded in the pile.
Next, your rugs are immersed in a water-based bath and cleaned with gentle detergents.
In the case of silk area rugs, we use a chemical process instead of a water-based process.
Then your rugs are hung in a dry room until absolutely dry.
The difference between the processes
Here’s one way to think about the difference between our immersion process and their “steam cleaning” or “dry cleaning” process.
Suppose you wanted to clean some cotton T-shirts. In most cases, you’d probably load them in a washing machine, add some detergent and press the start button.
Those T-shirts get clean because (1) water passes through the fibers of your T-shirts and flushes out the dirt, (2) the dirt that’s removed from those T-shirts is suspended on the surface of the water by the suds from the detergent, and (3) the dirt and the suds are expelled from the washer during multiple rinses.
In other words, you cleaned those T-shirts by washing them.
You didn’t clean those T-shirts by vacuuming them and then applying steam or a dry powder to the outer surface.
Case closed.
Spot cleaning
We do not offer spot cleaning of area rugs.
Area rugs of lesser quality
Please note that we do not service the following area rugs:
Rugs purchased from low-priced “decorator stores”
We do not service rugs purchased from decorator stores such Bed, Bath & Beyond, Cost Plus, Crate & Barrel, Pier 1 and World Market.
Typically, these rugs use dyes that are known or suspected “bleeders”. Cleaning these types of rugs using a water or chemical immersion process is a gamble.
What’s more, it might be far cheaper to replace than to clean.
We do NOT service these low-priced "decorator store rugs.
Rugs that have canvas or monkscloth glued onto the reverse side
If you examine the reverse side of your area rug, you should be able to see the weave.
Occasionally, a manufacturer will glue a canvas or monkscloth backing to the underside. In these cases, you will not be able to see the weave.
If you’ve had the rug for a period of time and you lifted a section of the rug off the floor to examine the underside of the rug, you might see a “whitish powder”.
This typically indicates that the glues used to bond the canvas or monkscloth to the underside of your rug have started to deteriorate.
We do NOT service any rugs with a glued on canvas or monkscloth backing.
Rugs that contain sisal or jute
Many of the care labels on these rugs say "spot clean with a damp cloth" -- a process that, in all probability, does nothing to remove the soil or staining and may even result in water rings and/or bleeding dyes.
While we might be able to remove soil and stains from these rugs, the big problem is that it’s almost impossible to achieve a consistent color after the cleaning process has been completed.
Accordingly, we do not service any rugs that contain sisal or jute.
Area rugs subject to smoke, fire or water damage
RAVE FabriCARE is Arizona’s leader in the restoration of fine garments, household textiles and accessories for high value homeowners with a residence that has been contaminated by fire, smoke, soot, water, mold, mildew and/or humidity.
If any of your area rugs have been contaminated by smoke, fire, soot, water, mold, mildew and/or humidity, please contact us.
Pricing and surcharges
Basic prices (per square foot)
Silk and/or rayon area rugs: $10.00
Navajo and other Southwestern-style area rugs: $10.00
Wool and/or synthetic area rugs: $8.00
Cotton and/or linen area rugs: $8.00
Hooked area rugs: $7.00 (with no canvas or monkscloth backing)
Long haired sheepskin area rugs: $15.00
Other natural skin area rugs (such as cowhide): $17.50
Surcharges
Fringes (white, off-white, cream or tan): Add 10%
Human or animal body fluids (based on the size of the contaminated area): Add 15% to 25%
Pickup and delivery
RAVE FabriCARE offers regularly scheduled or on call pickup and delivery service in selected areas within the metro Phoenix area for garments and household textiles.
We also offer a pickup and delivery services for area rugs in the same service area. The cost is $75.
This pickup and delivery charge will be waived for 2 or more large rugs, where large is defined as a minimum of 50 square feet per rug -- on average. For example, say you have a 10' x 12' rug (120 square feet) and a 6' x 6' rug (36 square feet). The average size of these two rugs is 78 square feet. So these two rugs qualify for free pick and delivery within our existimg service area.
Please note that we do not move furniture. Your rugs must be rolled and ready to be loaded from an area that's easily accessible by staff such as an entrance hall or garage.
Minimum prices
Our minimum price for cleaning area rugs is $75.00
Deposit and Final Payment
Over the past 35 years, a minority of our area rug cleaning and/or repair clients have failed to claim their area rugs for anywhere from 1 to 5 years after the cleaning and/or repair has been completed and the client has been informed that the area rug is ready for pick up.
We can only assume that, subsequent to dropping off their area rug, the client decided that they no longer needed the area rug.
Unfortunately, some clients believe -- we think wrongly -- that RAVE FabriCARE should be held responsible for the long term storage of all area rugs until such time as a client decides to pick up their area rug -- irrespective of the time elapsed between completion of the work and pick up.
Accordingly, we'll ask for a deposit equal to 50% of the estimated final cost of cleaning and/or repairing an area rug.
No work will commence until the deposit is paid.
At the time you drop off or pick up your area rug, we will ask you to put a credit card on file with us.
Then, we'll make a ticket for the amount of the deposit and return that ticket together with your credit card receipt to you.
On completion of the work, we'll call, text or email you to let you know that the area rug is ready for pick up.
If you fail to pick up your area rug within 90 days of the completion of the work, we will charge your credit card for the balance owing.
If you have been informed by RAVE FabriCARE that the cleaning and/or repair of your area rug has been completed and is ready for pick up, and you fail to pick up your area rug within a 90 day period subsequent to being so informed, RAVE FabriCARE reserves the right to dispose of the area rug in a manner that RAVE FabriCARE, in it's sole discretion, deems appropriate.
In the event RAVE FabriCARE disposes of your area rug because you failed to pick up your area rug within the 90 day period identified above, you agree that no claim for compensation (including any refund of the cleaning and/or repair charge) for the alleged "value" of the area rug will be paid by RAVE FabriCARE.
If the deposit and/or the final balance on any cleaning and/or repair service is paid by credit card, you must agree with these additional terms and conditions of service:
If RAVE FabriCARE accepts your area rug for cleaning and/or repair and completes the work to a standard that, in the sole discretion of RAVE FabriCARE, is the best achievable result, you agree
(a) not to dispute or challenge the charge(s) with your credit card issuer and,
(b) not to assert or claim that you were unfamiliar with these terms and conditions of service.
More specifically, you agree that these terms and conditions will apply whether or not you assert or claim that you have never visited our website and are, therefore, unfamiliar with these terms and conditions of service.
Turnaround
Typical turnaround time is 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the issues associated with the rug being cleaned.
Waiver of liability
RAVE FabriCARE uses the utmost professional care when cleaning your area rugs. Nonetheless, we might still require a signed waiver of liability before accepting certain area rugs for cleaning.
Why?
Because there are so many variables involved that it’s virtually impossible to predict every outcome.
Here are some of the issues involved:
Shrinkage
Shrinkage is usually minimal. Rugs made of wool and/or cotton tend to shrink more than other types.
Discoloration
Some rugs may have been made with fugitive dyes. After washing, colors can change, bleed or fade due to air pollution, wear, sunlight, age, improper cleaning methods in the past, and/or deteriorated material.
Ripples
Ripples can occur as a result of shrinkage or moisture absorption.
Spots and stains
Some spots and stains may be evident prior to cleaning while other may be latent. Some latent stains can become more visible after cleaning. No area rug cleaning service can guarantee the removal of all stains.
Dry rot
Deteriorated material can come apart in cleaning. It’s impossible to predict the presence of dry rot before cleaning unless such dry rot is obvious to the naked eye.
Abrash
Color changes in the dyes are sometimes done intentionally by the weaver or manufacturer where colors go from darker to lighter or change completely. This is not a defect. Sometimes a weaver may dye wool at different times, and, after washing, the colors of the original wool may become more evident.
Texture change
Changes in appearance due to changes in texture may take place during the cleaning process.