• Area Rug Cleaning
  • Why Choose Us?
• Carpet Cleaning
• Upholstery Cleaning
  • Boat & Patio Cushions
• Tile & Stone Cleaning
  • Mexican Tile Cleaning
  • Slate
  • Linoleum & VCT
• Testimonials
• Certifications

Oriental & Area Rug Preservation Cleaning Specialists Certified Rug Specialists - 1 of only 57 in the United States

Cleaning & Repair of Hand Knotted Rugs Proper, Safe Cleaning of Veg-ital Dyed, Specialty and Antique Oriental Carpets & Area Rugs From Around the World Contact Us

The first principle of area rug cleaning is: It should not be done in the client’s home.

There are many different types of rugs, each with inherent problems when cleaning or washing them. It is the wealth of knowledge in the minds of the Ziegler team that keeps your rug safe through the cleaning process.

We make certain to ensure the proper care and custody of your family heirloom, Oriental or throw rug while it is in our facility. Our facility is set up properly for the process of washing and drying rugs. Our plant is secure with alarms and cameras to protect items in our custody. More importantly we carry the proper care, custody and process insurance to clean this type of floor covering... Many Do Not.

We Pick-Up & Deliver Your Rugs  Bring Your Rugs To Our Plant And SAVE 10%!

How To Waste Money and Ruin Your Rugs by   Having them Cleaned In Your Home   Wool area rugs have a natural propensity to hide soil... vast amounts of soil. Going once over the top with a steam cleaner will make it look better... but it isn't even close to being clean. In fact, 90% of the allergens, sand, dirt, dust, dander, dust mites and their droppings are still in the rug! Having a rug cleaned in-home may at first seem monetarily beneficial, however that would be the only benefit.  The rug would not only be receiving improper care, but may even be harmed.

•  Mostly, it is the lack of knowledge on the part of many cleaners. Truck mounted units run very hot water, in excess of 240 degrees. If not turned down, the use of water this hot can bleed colors, felt the wool and cause excessive shrinkage. •  The detergents used on synthetic wall to wall are too strong to be used on wool. It can bleed colors immediately or weaken the dyes so they run the next time the rug is cleaned, especially if not rinsed out properly. •  The critical drying step is left to you. Orientals are not wall to wall, it is a dense mat of entwined natural fibers that needs controlled drying. Prolonged drying on this type of material promotes microbial growth which is associated with dry-rot.

•  Fringes on rugs cannot be cleaned in home. •  The Most Important Step is Skipped..."Dusting" or dry soil removal, the step that removes all the dry contaminants like the allergens, dander and dust mites. If dusting was done in the home it would completely destroy the air quality in the home. Dusting is an extremely critical step before real cleaning takes place. •  Damage to wood floors limits the use of proper rinsing and dusting techniques for the body of the rug. It is understood that sometimes circumstances dictate cleaning a rug “on-location,” (under a billiard table), but it should be a rare exception rather than the rule. This may seem like an inconvenience to a homeowner; however it is imperative for a proper cleaning to be done.

There are 3 Critical Pre-Cleaning Steps Inspection ~ Dusting ~ Pre-Spotting

The Ziegler Oriental Care facility handles 200 to 300 rugs per month. The procedure used to navigate a rug through the cleaning process is just as important as the actual cleaning itself. The most important of which is the inspection and check-in of a client’s rugs. The inspection step is where and when all the critical information is recorded and a road map is set for the rug’s journey through our plant. Inspection:

Upon arrival at our facility, a rug is rolled out, identified and measured. The rug is then inspected for any pre-existing conditions or problems, which will then be discussed with the client.

At this time, possible solutions are offered to the client i.e.; repairs, re-weaving or urine odor removal etc. We will then note any concerns that the client may have regarding spots or stains, and discuss the likelihood of removal.

Different cleaning options are also discussed and priced, as are other beneficial treatments that are available like moth repel, sanitizing or stain protection.

Dusting:Thorough Dry Soil Removal For Truly Healthy Cleaning - This is singularly the most important step!

	Wool fibers are constructed in such a way that they naturally hide soil. Synthetic fibers have been engineered to duplicate a wool fiber’s soil hiding capabilities.
	Consistent professional cleaning every 3 to 5 years keeps this concentration from building up. Hoover Vacuum Company states "a 9 x 12 rug can hold 90 lbs of dirt... and still look clean on its surface!"
	The most commonly overlooked pre-cleaning step is proper dry soil removal or “Dusting." This deeply embedded soil cuts at the fibers of the rug and causes premature wear.

The soil is also a food supply for allergens like dust mites, bacteria, fungus and destructive insects like moths... moths love a dirty rug. We use three primary tools for dry particulate removal

Rug Duster (pictured above) Vacuuming Air Washing (pictured right) Each rug is assessed as to which method will be used for the dusting process. Most rugs receive the full three-step treatment, however delicate, old or threadbare pieces are mainly air washed only.

The rug duster "RugBadger" which produces 40,000 harmonic vibrations a minute is hand guided over the rug which is placed up-side down. The gentle vibrations dislodges stubborn soil and contaminants causing them to fall free of the rug. The rug will then be vacuumed on both sides (front and back). These two processes remove the bulk of the larger particulate such as sand, grit and some finer debris. Finally, the rug is air washed front and back. A specially designed attachment forces air through or across the rug, blowing out finer silt-like fragments of soil.

Pre Spotting: In treating spots, the goal is to remove the contaminant without harming the rug. Having all the spotters and the equipment is one thing but more importantly knowing when to use them and when not to, is really what makes a specialist a specialist.

Although many know it as pre-spotting, spots are removed throughout the cleaning process. Certain spots such as ink, grease, and wax are treated before cleaning, while others are removed during and after cleaning.

Knowing what the spot is, can be extremely helpful in the attempted removal. Pre-conditioning agents are also used prior to cleaning to break the bond of sticky oils that accumulate in rugs from such things as cooking, heating and pets, just to name a few. Things to remember: •  A spot is a material that has the possibility of removal. •  A stain is a substance that has a material which contains a dye or pigment and is permanent. •  A spot that is lighter than the rest of the rug is most likely color loss. There are special spotting techniques and chemicals available, but in most cases they are risky to use and therefore they will not be used without the client’s written consent.

Oriental Rugs Bleed from Urine! Explained In layman’s terms Wool rugs are low pH acid dyed. When urine first hits your rug it is in a low pH acid state. If un-treated: within a few days natural bacteria begin to feed on the urea of the urine and emit ammonia like waste material. The pH of the rug will move from low acid to a high alkaline, often resulting in permanent damage to the dyes and fiber. This high pH residue is essentially the key to unlock the dyes, causing the dyes to bleed before or during cleaning as the urine has weakened the dye/fiber bond. The longer the urea stays there the more time it has to break or unlock the dyes, especially if the animal continues to “go” in the same area. Wool and some nylon rugs that have urine on them are always susceptible to color run, please notify us if your rug has the possibility of urine.

Ziegler cleans and restores a variety of rugs from different countries like: Persia - Iran China Tibet Nepal Turkomen - Turkistan Afganistan Pakistan India Africa - Morrocans  America Russia Romania Many others...

Guaranteed Urine Odor Removal   Surface & Submersion Washing Dry Cleaning Spot & Stain Removal Blocking & Straightening Re-Weaving - Museum Quality Binding, Serging, Re-Fringing Water Damage Rug Remediation  Dye-Run Correction Soot Damage Rug Remediation Moth Protection Moth Infestation Rug Remediation Rug Padding - Felt and Non-Skid All Facets of Rug Preservation Certified Appraisals Available

Clean Your Rugs Every  2 to 5 Years Traditionally, the primary purpose for cleaning has been to protect human health. Secondarily, we have cleaned to restore the appearance of valuable property. Far too often, the objective of cleaning has been the reversed. People have cleaned for appearance and failed to consider health implications altogether. The result of this approach has led to the illusion that a surface cleaning is healthy... that neat equals clean... equals healthy. The cleaning frequency guide above is realistic. Your rugs, even your wall to wall carpet and upholstered furnishings are keeping you healthy. All three surfaces are giant filters...  filtering the contaminants out of the air you and your family breath. Ziegler Preservation Cleaning Specialists cleans for health first and appearance second. We are well aware of the concentration of pollutants in the rugs, furnishings and carpeting of todays modern home... and how to remove them properly, safely and thoroughly.

Some rugs are not suitable for all washes and require the choice of a professional rug cleaner to obtain optimal cleaning with minimal risk. Below is a discription of washes that may be recommended or perscribed to clean your rug properly.

Submersion Wash The submersion wash is the most thorough of our washes Inspection ~ Dusting ~ Pre-spotting... and then: The rug is submersed under water while soaping, scrubbing and rinsing the front face and back. This enables the detergents used to loosen the soils deep in the rug so they can be freely rinsed. From the volume of water used, the rug releases imbedded dirt, oils and other foriegn debis. This process will also flush detergents left by previous inferior cleanings. The rug is groomed and hung for controlled drying. Not all rugs can be washed in this manner

Sanitizing Submersion Wash The ultimate in healthy rug care: submersion plus anti fugal and bacterial neutralization Detergents and soaps break the bond of oily soils for their removal from the rug. Sanitizing detergent does all the same things as regular soap. It also neutralizes, reduces and controls the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi. Common household spills leave contaminants in the fibers of carpeting and rugs. It is on these contaminants that fungi begin to grow. What looks perfectly clean on the surface can have fungus and bacterial growth at the microscopic level at the base of the fibers. Sanitizer neutralizes this fungal and bacterial growth. There are 5 primary reasons to Sanitize your rug: When a higher level of clean is desired. Allergies to mold. Musty or moldy smell to the rug... signs of dry rot. Minor urine odor. Urine odor is caused by natural bacteria that digests urea, the bacteria emits the odor comonly associated with urine.  Water damaged rugs or prolonged wetness due to water damage. The rug is prone to, or has dry rot. Sarouk Orientals are prone to dry rot. Inspection ~ Dusting ~ Pre-spotting... and then: The rug is submersed in water, scrubbed and rinsed front face and back with an EPA registered sanitizing detergent. The sanitizer used has passed the Wool Safe criteria and is safe to be used on wool. The rug is groomed and hung for controlled drying.

Basics on mold... and what is dry rot? Mildew will lie dormant in temperatures from 32 to 68 degrees F. It will become active between 68 and 86 degrees. Above 115 degrees mildew will die. Dry rot is a term applied to the decay of cellulose (plant matter) caused by various kinds of fungi. Most rug foundations are made of cotton (cotton comes from a plant) which is suseptible to dry rot. The fungi feed upon the organic material causing it to become lighter in weight and density, weaker, more brittle and less elastic. Usually, a musty odor can be detected if dry rot is present. This odor is caused by the bacteria which eats the by product produced by mildew. A quick test to determine if your rug has dry rot ~ exhale your breath onto a small area on the back of the rug, smell the area for a musty odor, the moisture from your breath will activate the odor if it is present. What to do if you suspect dry rot Thorough in plant washing front face and back. the use of a registered sanitizing disinfectants prior to and during the wash process. Regular cleaning to limit the amount of soils from which fungi can feed off of. In severe cases, after the mildew has been nuetralized the black color that remainsmay need specialized spot treatments to remove or lighten the black coloring.

Surface Wash  For lightly soiled or well maintained rugs. Also for “problem rugs”. Let’s face it, not all rugs need to be submersion washed. A well maintained machine made rug may only need the full treatment every other cleaning. Hand knotted Orientals can also be done in this manner.  If possible, submersion washing is the best course of action on true hand knotted pieces. Broad looms, Saxony, Shags, synthetic fiber or latex backed rugs are some machine made rugs that are cleaned in this manner.   Rayon fiber rugs, cotton face rugs and some silks are some of the problem rugs that are surface washed (these rugs are not scrubbed). Inspection ~ Dusting ~ Pre-spotting... and then:  Lightly shampooed with oriental shampoo, flood jet rinsed, groomed and hung for controlled drying.

Dry Cleaning Used as an alternative to washing problem rugs Primary uses of dry cleaning  Problematic rugs that bleed. Rugs with pile distortion problems. Delicate or thread bare rugs.   Inspecttion ~ Dusting ~ Pre-spotting... and then: Three options for dry cleaning Dry cleaning with organic solvents Low moisture encapsulation Screen cleaning for delicates Advantages: Color bleeding and texture distortion is limited Disadvantages: Soil removal is limited and fringe cannot be adequately cleaned.

Urine Decontamination Wash For severe urine odor or urine saturation of rugs Guaranteed urine odor removal Our beloved pets always seem to choose our most favorite rug to have an accident on.   Many people just don’t realize the damage that is being done until there is a humid day. The humidity activates the acrid odor and it becomes all too noticeable that the family pet has been doing the naughty on the living room rug. You are not alone. There are many clients, especially in the spring, that bring rugs to our facility after noticing a foul odor coming from their rug. The only guarantee of this odor removal is our “decontamination” soaking process.  Further inspection at our plant is suggested, so that we are able to better determine if your rug is a candidate for this process. Removal of urine is essential in order to keep the high alkaline salts from breaking the dyes in the rug, which will lead to dye bleeding. Inspection ~ Dusting ~Pre-spotting... and then: The rug is soaked for 6 to 8 hours in a special bath that allows the urine to be neutralized and flow out of the rug. The rug is then bathed in short fresh water soaks. It is then moved to the wash floor where it under goes a sanitizing submersion wash (see above), followed by controlled drying. If the rug still smells, it goes back in the special soak until odor is eliminated. Becuase of the damaging effects that urine has on the dyes found in wool and nylon rugs, ziegler uses a process that is designed to limit dye run. The running of colors during this process is highly unlikely. The entire process is designed to stop dye run by reversing the pH level of the urine and the dyes effected by the urine.