You cannot be in the cleaning industry and not love pets! Why? They are one of the primary reasons that homeowners pick up their phones in a panic and call us to come and rescue their prized rug or furniture that the dog or cat has chosen to “christen”. Simply put, pet accident ‘rescues’ are a big part of what we do.
Pet urine is probably the most damaging to fibres as the ammonia attacks the dyes causing permanent and irreversible staining. This is particularly pronounced in tufted rugs. For almost all rugs, full immersion cleaning at a plant like ours is the preferred method, but any rug that is contaminated by urine MUST be washed to flush out the urine salts and bacteria. This is especially applicable to tufted rugs.
Tufted rugs are manufactured by using a tufting gun to create the loops. After construction the back of the carpet is covered in a liquid latex glue that basically holds it all together. Tufted rugs can vary in price from very inexpensive (they are relatively quick to produce, certainly in comparison to a hand-knotted rug) to very costly, but at either end of the spectrum, the challenges remain the same.
Whereas spills can work their way through hand-knotted rugs, the latex backing in a tufted rugs trap the liquids at the base of the fibres causing a multitude of problems, ranging from colour degradation to odour issues, latex disintegration, rug buckling and even floor damage. This is further exacerbated in some rugs made in countries like India, where powdered marble dust is added to the backing glues leaving a residue on the floor as the backing degrades.
The video outlines the need to have a spot removal plan if you are a pet owner, but here are a couple of the highlights:
- Buy rugs that can be washed! Warning: Viscose rugs and pets are not a good combination!
- Use under-pad to protect your floors.
- If you are a pet owner, plan on having your rugs professionally washed every 1-3 years.
- Apply Fibre Protection to help suspend spills and soils on the surface of the rug.
Thanks for reading and please contact us if you have any questions!
Mike Holmes