LisaWagnerCRS
Member
In our last rug cleaning clinic we had a rug from Iran with a lot of pet activity. In fact, in three major areas, the urine repeated exposure had led to mildew and dry rot on-set (these areas were stiff and sound hollow when you knock them with your fist).
On corner had both dye migration and torn tassels from its urine exposure. We saturated it first with acetic acid (got 15% and cut it down with water to 5% and poured it straight on the worst areas first).
When a cleaner does not have a place to set up a large pit for a room size rug like this, I'll have them pour the vinegar on the spot and use the water claw to pull the vinegar, and the yellow water, out ... and repeat until the yellow does not flow. This at least gets most of the odor-causing elements out of the rug that may not be completely immersed but will only be surface cleaned (which I don't recommend, but you know it will happen anyway).
We washed this rug, after using a lot of acetic acid. What was nice about this wash floor was the grates and trench dug all around the edges, so it was a place to pull in the vehicles during snowy times, but also use as a wash floor during the day.
So... I have always had very good results using acetic acid not only as a dye stabilizer (and protector of neighboring fibers when rugs do bleed) - but also using it to remove urine from the inside fibers of these rugs.
Anything else you guys like to use to flush a rug with in order to remove the contaminants?
I find when I use the acid, I very rarely need to use any products outside of our regular wash process. I have used MB's skunk odor remover, but hated the fragrance. I prefer their Anti-Allergen Deodorizer. I've like some of Unsmoke's products a lot - but not all are approved to use in California (those commies!). Some of my students love Bridgepoint's Hydrocide.
What else? Let's ring in the new year with a healthy conversation about pet pee!
Lisa
Rug Chick post on Pet Accidents > http://www.therugchick.com/?p=403
On corner had both dye migration and torn tassels from its urine exposure. We saturated it first with acetic acid (got 15% and cut it down with water to 5% and poured it straight on the worst areas first).
When a cleaner does not have a place to set up a large pit for a room size rug like this, I'll have them pour the vinegar on the spot and use the water claw to pull the vinegar, and the yellow water, out ... and repeat until the yellow does not flow. This at least gets most of the odor-causing elements out of the rug that may not be completely immersed but will only be surface cleaned (which I don't recommend, but you know it will happen anyway).
We washed this rug, after using a lot of acetic acid. What was nice about this wash floor was the grates and trench dug all around the edges, so it was a place to pull in the vehicles during snowy times, but also use as a wash floor during the day.
So... I have always had very good results using acetic acid not only as a dye stabilizer (and protector of neighboring fibers when rugs do bleed) - but also using it to remove urine from the inside fibers of these rugs.
Anything else you guys like to use to flush a rug with in order to remove the contaminants?
I find when I use the acid, I very rarely need to use any products outside of our regular wash process. I have used MB's skunk odor remover, but hated the fragrance. I prefer their Anti-Allergen Deodorizer. I've like some of Unsmoke's products a lot - but not all are approved to use in California (those commies!). Some of my students love Bridgepoint's Hydrocide.
What else? Let's ring in the new year with a healthy conversation about pet pee!
Lisa
Rug Chick post on Pet Accidents > http://www.therugchick.com/?p=403