How To Clean A Rug Using Prochem Products

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Rugs tend to be neglected by homeowners when it comes to cleaning — perhaps because, unlike carpet, many can be taken to the door and given a quick shake. But professional rug cleaning delivers far superior results and is an excellent add-on service for carpet cleaners working in the domestic market.

Know Your Rug

Most rugs are made with wool or wool-rich pile. These include many Oriental, Persian and Turkish rugs, as well as Chinese and Indian rugs — although the latter can be made from fine animal hair (usually goat). As a rule, rugs should be hand-cleaned.

💡 Always test first: Identify the fibre type and test the stability of the dyes before cleaning — especially if the rug is woven with many different colours, in which case all colours should be tested.

The Burn Test

Fibres can be identified using the burn test. Take a small sample from the back or edge of the rug, hold it to a flame, then examine the ash and smell the smoke:

  • Wool: Dark, crusty ash with a smell like burning hair.
  • Real silk: Balls to a hard bead that can be crushed to ash between the fingers; smells of burning hair but less distinct than wool.
⚠ Important: If the rug proves to be real silk, only clean with a dry cleaning solvent such as Dri Pro B140. Do not use wet extraction methods on real silk rugs.

Step-by-Step Rug Cleaning

1. Vacuum Thoroughly

Vacuum both sides of the rug thoroughly before applying any cleaning products.

2. Pre-Treat

Pre-treat with Prochem Prespray Gold B107 — a Woolsafe-approved traffic lane cleaner suitable for wool and wool-rich rugs. Lightly agitate the pre-spray down into the pile to loosen any greasy soils.

3. Rinse Extract

Using a wet soil extraction machine and hand tool, rinse-extract with Prochem Fibre & Fabric Rinse B109 in the tank. This acidic rinse agent is approved by the Woolsafe organisation and gives a better hand and feel after the rug has dried.

Clean the rug in small sections at a time, working across the width.

4. Tackle Odours

Wet wool rugs can have a strong animal odour. Add Prochem Odour Fresh B124 to the cleaning solution to neutralise this.

5. Reset the Pile

After cleaning, carefully reset the pile — always laying it in one direction. If the pile is not reset, the result may look patchy and the customer will not be satisfied, as patchy shadows can look like dirty areas.

Cleaning White Cotton Fringes

Rugs often have white cotton fringes. To clean these:

  1. Pre-spray and hand scrub with Prochem Multi Pro S709 diluted at 250ml per litre of water.
  2. Extract rinse with Fibre & Fabric Rinse B109 to neutralise.

Cleaning Silk Rugs

If the burn test confirms real silk, use a dry cleaning solvent (Dri Pro B140) instead of wet extraction:

  • Pre-spray the solvent onto the rug, work it into the pile and wipe off with terry towels.
  • On larger rugs, use a rotary machine with a Soil-Absorb Bonnet to absorb the loosened soil.

Drying & Aftercare

⚠ Important drying advice to pass on to your customer:
  • Allow the rug to dry thoroughly after cleaning — especially important if they intend to roll it up for storage.
  • A damp rug should never be replaced on carpet, as dye may transfer to the carpet during the drying process.
  • For this reason it is often more practical to take a rug away for cleaning to a place where it can dry safely on a flat surface — check your insurance cover if you intend to do this.
💡 Business tip: Rug cleaning is an excellent add-on service for carpet cleaners working in the domestic market. Too many steer clear of rugs thinking they are problematic — but follow these recommendations and you should obtain excellent results.