Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I have my area rugs cleaned?

Just like changing your air filters routinely, you also need to clean your "floor filter" to improve the indoor health of your home. For area rugs under moderate use, the longest you should wait between professional cleaning is two years. A wide variety of contaminants come into your home from air, shoes and paws. In SW Florida, we have a specific culprit that causes the worst allergy issues - tree pollen that looks like "yellow dust". Additionally, smoke, mold spores, dust mites, cooking odors, aerosol chemical sprays, bacteria and germs also make their way into your area rug. Entry rugs that get high traffic, should be cleaned annually. Even when rugs look clean they are able to hide a great amount of sand and contaminants, so don't be fooled.

Is area rug cleaning expensive?

Like everything else in life, you get what you pay for. Hiring a cheap vendor will get you a rug hosed down in a parking lot. Unless you can go to their facility during regular business hours, you may be surprised at their process. Visit their website and make sure that the photos that they are displaying are of their facility and not something they copied and pasted from the web.

At Naples Rug Spa, we employ a variety of cleaning methods depending upon the size and make-up of the rug. We guarantee that each of these methods clean the entire rug. In our 30 years of experience in the rug business, we have seen it all and there isn’t a rug that we can’t handle.

Can pet stains and odors be removed?

Pet urine and vomit will cause rug dyes to bleed and discolor the fibers. The damage caused by the acidity setting the stain makes time a crucial component. Putting an enzyme treatment on the rug to dwell and then rinsing it in a centrifuge system is the only way to break down the contamination and rid it from the fibers and foundation of the rug for good. The homeowner should immediately spot clean with 1 part vinegar to 1 part cold water then blot with paper towels. Why blot? Rubbing will crush the rug pile and lead to permanent damage. Remember: In-home spot cleaning will never resolve the issue but will buy time to get the rug to a professional area rug cleaner.

Do I need padding under my rug?

Padding under your area rug is the best way to be proactive and remove the hazard of an unintentional injury in your home from a unsecured rug. A quality pad will act as a shock absorber, control curling, bunching, wrinkling and stop them from slipping out of place. With hand knotted rugs especially, dry soils travel through the rug pile, collecting under the rug. These particles act like sandpaper and over time premature wear appears in high traffic areas. At Naples Rug Spa, we carry the highest quality dual use rug pad available on the market and will hand cut it to your specific needs.

Can you tell me what my rug is worth?

Yes! Our certified appraisers can give you verbal and documented appraisals on your area rugs with current market value.

There is more to an area rug then just the look. Fiber content and construction are key essentials in cleaning safely and effectively. Experience out numbers all other aspects. At Naples Rug Spa, our owners are third generation in the Oriental Rug Business, including all current area rug market trends and new rug constructions

Which rugs needed to be dry cleaned?

Area rugs come in numerous fiber contents, and knowledge is the key to how it is cleaned. The preferred method for cleaning natural fiber rugs (recommended by Wools of New Zealand and the Association of Specialists in Cleaning and Restoration) is an immersion wet wash, because it is gentle, and also thorough rinsing removes residue from the fibers. Synthetic fibers can also be wet washed, but care is taken with a quick 95% water extraction method from a centrifuge system so that latex does not have a chance to breakdown. Dry cleaning methods leave chemical residue that can lead to discoloration, and irritation to sensitive people or pets.

I want to store my rugs at home, what should I do?

Why doesn't your company offer in home cleaning?

When a company cleans a rug in your home they can only clean the top portion of it, causing several problems for customers later. If only the top 1/4 inch of the pile is being treated, what does that mean for the remainder of the rug? Not only are the contaminates in the deepest part of the pile not addressed, special enzymes, that need time to work, cannot be employed to truly remove the stains and odors. At home methods also leaves water and moisture in the rug that promotes floor damage and mold growth. If the rug is made with natural vegetable dyes, the rugs can blead damaging the rug, the fringe and staining flooring.

Another issue caused from home cleaning is that deep dusting (not mere vacuuming) is crucial to getting sand and soil out of the rug prior to shampooing. This and thorough rinsing are the only way not to have sludge left in the pile. The recommended method for cleaning natural fiber (wool, cotton and silk) rugs is a full immersion wet wash. At Naples Rug Spa, not only do we have a 1200-gallon wash tub, but 14’ centrifuge system, that spins at 1500 rpm. Rugs washed by us will be truly clean, soft to the touch and fibers won’t re-soil at the rapid rate of a in-home cleaning. Money well spent!

Should I use over the counter cleaners on my area rug?

The short answer is NO! Learn why.

When something is spilled on our precious area rugs, we instantly want to clean them and will often reach for whatever is under our counter. Unfortunately, that is the worst thing you can do. Many over-the-counter products set the stain, and because they are bleaching agents, sometimes add to the stain themselves. Some of the most popular products, such as Oxi-Clean cause the most damage. If you have made this mistake, please be sure you let your area rug cleaner know what you used and when.

How safe are the products you use to clean customers rugs?

At Naples Rug Spa, we are proud to say that we are Totally Green: non-toxic to humans, animals, or plant life! Our solutions are made from extracts of corn, grain, soybeans, potatoes, coconut and palm, all on the list of FDA, approved GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) products. We only use the most effective, non-toxic cleaning solutions in the business. This proprietary line of product is the result of years of development that has the capability to break down organic molecules and hydrocarbons. This includes great results in dissolving rug contaminates like urine, wine, grease, dirt and oil.

Does tub washing contaminate my rug when being washed with outher peoples rugs?

Tub washing is a proven wash method used by the best in the business that has been around forever. Water is called the "universal solvent" because it dissolves more substances than any other liquid. If a facility has a 1200-gallon washtub, full submergence beats all methods hands down. Facilities that bad mouth this ancient method usually simply can't afford the equipment.

It is important to remember that when you are washing clothes you do not wash one piece at a time, but, you do separate the lights from darks, delicates from towels, etc. You also don’t put contaminated items in with other washables. We do the same with area rugs. We don’t wash flood rugs with smoker rugs with pet stained rugs with rugs that have never seen that type of contamination. Additionally, cross-contamination only occurs when items stay stagnant with one another for long periods of time. Tub washing has constant water movement and a thorough rinsing process so cross-contamination is not likely. It is also only the first washing step and is used primarily to make dirty rugs “swim”, bending and turning and giving up their soil which is then encapsulated in soapy micelles.

It is important to understand that the tub is used to release contaminants prior to the washing that is done on the wash floor. We double clean all rugs using two different processes. All area rugs first undergo deep dusting and pre-spray that sanitizes area rugs prior to submergence in the bath. The actual wash baths consist of properly measured, bio based, wool safe products that only enhance the deep cleaning method. After the bath the rug goes to the wash floor, for a second individual cleaning. Then all area rugs are thoroughly rinsed with a final 1500 RPM spin in our centrifuge system which extracts 93% of the water. This is the most advanced, technologically proven system today that flushes contaminates out of rugs better than any other method. We clean the entire rug better than anyone in SW Florida and cross-contaminate none of them!

Rugs should always be stored, cleaned and moth-proofed if going into storage for longer than six months. Rugs should be rolled with the smooth side of the pile going inward, unless your rug is silk, which is rolled in reverse. Never store in plastic, which will create moisture and in a humid client and can lead to mold. Wrap your rug in acid-free, brown paper. Tyvek paper, used for shipping, can be used, but brown paper should be your first choice. In case of flooding, store them off floor with nothing stacked on top of them. Naples Rug Spa offers packing, shipping and storage by our experienced staff.

They said I have a "tufted rug" what does that mean?

Rugs that have a latex backing and covered with fabric are tufted. The pile of these rugs is held together with glue, not by knots, as in a hand knotted area rug. Tufted rugs need to be purchased from a reputable dealer, since some rugs have been made in foreign countries where adhesives are not regulated. If the area rug smells like burning rubber and was made in India, then it more than likely was not cured before shipping and the odor cannot be removed by any cleaning process. The adhesive absorbed the odors in transit and they are unfortunately permanently part of the rug.

What should I be looking for in a quality area rug cleaning company?

What does it mean when area rug cleaners say they "hand wash?"

Images come to mind of a person on their hands and knees scrubbing a rug. Hand wash terminology is quit deceiving. Yes we use our hands, but regardless the size of the operation, the bulk of the work is done with technology. Even the smallest business that doesn't have the ability to purchase top of the line, cutting edge equipment, still use hand propelled automated dusting machines, pressure washers and fans. At Naples Rug Spa we take everything a step further, and the difference can be compared to a pair of jeans hung on the line (stiff as a board) or soft from the dryer. Our centrifuge system takes our "hand wash" the extra mile, extracting the water for rapid drying and a difference that makes our customers satisfied.

Is my rug worth cleaning and repairing?

It depends … how well do you like the area rug? Can you easily replace it for the cost of the cleaning and repair? What it would cost to buy another one in a retail store? Can you find another rug that compliments your decor? Is the rug inherited? Does it have sentimental value? These questions will help you make a good decision.

Keep in mind that with proper cleaning and repair, your rug can be restored to look new or almost new. Things that cannot be repaired are: sun-damage, fiber-damage due to traffic and bleaching from over-the-counter cleaners. Call on Naples Rug Spa for a consultation.

Does cutting off the original worn fringe affect the value of the rug?

It depends … the first question to ask is if the rug is machine made. In this instance, it is recommended to replace the fringe or remove it and bind.

In the case of original hand knotted rugs, the fringe is the foundation of the rug! Therefore, if there is any alteration or damage to the fringe, it would take away from the condition of the rug and effecting the appraised value. This particularly true for antique rugs. As an example, restoring a fringe in an antique Persian Sarough Farahan is much more appropriate then adding a new fringe. The best course of action is to speak with our in-house certified oriental rug dealer and appraiser to help you determine the right route.