Fine Rug Cleaning Process

The Best Rug Cleaning Company in Austin, TX

The only thing you need to do is call me at 512-327-1900. I will ask you a few simple questions about your rugs and any unique concerns you may have about them. Tell me as much or as little as you like. I love to hear how you acquired your rugs.

Aegis is Austin’s only premium, full-service rug-washing company. We are as close as your front door. You never have to “lug your rug” when doing business with us. Making you load your rugs into your car or truck to bring them to us is not even an option. We will schedule a convenient appointment to pick up your rugs at no extra charge.

I will meet you personally on our appointment day to discuss your rugs. I’ll ask you some questions about their use and when they were last cleaned. I will review my notes with you, measure the sizes of the rugs, and discuss delivery times; the process usually takes 7-10 business days from pick up to delivery, barring repairs.

I’ll then take your rugs to my workshop, where I will thoroughly remove the dry foreign material from your rugs. Rugs die from the inside out.

Therefore, it is necessary to remove all the dry contaminants before starting the washing process, which is one of the reasons why rugs cannot be adequately cleaned in your home. Removing dry contaminants is accomplished with a combination of compressed air and harmonic vibration on a “screen” that lets the newly dislodged contaminants that vacuuming can’t remove fall harmlessly to the floor. Then, an industrial vacuum and air scrubber can quickly contain all that airborne debris. A rug that “looks” clean can still hold dozens of pounds of dry soil, dander, dead skin, dust mites, and grit. These airborne and gravity-distributed contaminants prematurely wear out your rug and nose if you have allergies.

I then test various components of your rug. Color stability, pile direction, construction, and materials to custom blend the perfect environmentally friendly cleansing “cocktail” for your rug. Since I am not a franchise owner, I don’t have to use harsh “one size fits all” cleaning products. My 35-plus years of experience and my Master Textile and Rug Certifications are your assurance that your Austin oriental rug is going to be safely and completely washed. I have cleaned thousands of rugs over the years, and this part of the delicate rug-cleaning process is far too important to trust an employee. I’m very hands-on. It’s my reputation here. I’m the only owner in town who personally washes every rug. Again. It’s my reputation. I don’t risk it to anyone else.

“The best customer service I’ve had in a long while, and the rug cleaning itself was excellent. Highly recommend.”

Now that I have a plan, I’ll wash each rug individually. I will not put your rugs in with someone else’s rugs, as it may cross-contaminate them. The safest solution is individual rug cleaning. I do not use automated rug cleaning machines that quickly spray soapy water on the rugs running down the conveyor belt. I do not believe that type of cleaning is thorough enough—it’s barely cleaning the rug’s surface, and the machines can potentially tear the rugs.

Since your fine rugs are not wall-to-wall carpets, I don’t treat them as such. Therefore, I don’t steam clean your rugs. It is much cheaper and faster, which is why so many lower-priced companies do that, but it damages the fibers and dyes of fine rugs.

After the initial rug washing is completed with the customized solutions, your rugs will be gently rinsed, and all of the loosened and dissolved soils that have been dislodged will carried away in clear, cool, soft water. This process is usually repeated at least twice and, on severely soiled rugs, can be done as many as four times. We wash rugs with people and pet-friendly rug cleaning solutions. When the soil has been safely removed and rinsed away, it’s time to dry your rug.

Your rugs will be safely dried and never hung. Thanks to industrial dehumidification equipment, every rug is dried horizontally on a cushion of air in a room with very low humidity, where vast volumes of dry air rush under the foundation of and across the face of the freshly cleaned rug. I never hang them to dry. I never spin them to dry. I never wring them out to dry. I have seen each of those processes damage rugs, so I will not do that to your rugs to save some money, time, or space.

When your rug is completely dry, I apply fiber protectors and other treatments depending on your wishes. Again, I do not charge extra for these treatments.

If you decide to purchase hypoallergenic underlayment for your rug, I’ll custom-cut it to fit it perfectly. If your rug needs some repair, fringe replacement, or removal, this will now be completed. Voila—our delicate rug cleaning process is complete! I will call you to confirm the delivery date and time, and I will return your rug to you, your new home, or your storage facility.

I want you to be happy with every aspect of my service.

I do collect full payment at the time I pick up the rugs. We accept all major credit cards, including American Express. You will have a copy of my notes and charges and your credit card receipt if that is how you paid.

Unfortunately, due to the logistics involved, we no longer service condominiums, office buildings, apartments, or other commercial buildings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does Fine Rug Cleaning Take?

Usually, the time between rug pickup and delivery is two weeks. The preparatory, cleaning, and drying steps take time. However, the time estimate is longer if the rug is damaged and needs to be repaired. Once a rug professional sees the extent of damage, it is easier to provide a specific time estimate. The time can vary based on the rug size, the type of damage, and the extent of the damage.
Is Fine Rug Cleaning Something You Can Do Yourself?

Rug cleaning is a back-breaking, tricky, messy endeavor; I would only suggest people with a fine rug clean it themselves. Too many things can go very wrong, very quickly and irreversibly so. As with most trades, it looks deceptively easy or much easier than it is. Having said that, if you have an inexpensive, synthetic rug such as an olefin or polypropylene, you can hose it down outside and let it dry in the sun. I would not recommend it with anything of value or that you care about.
Can Rugs be Cleaned in Your Home?

No, rugs should never be cleaned in your home. No professional rug cleaner would ever suggest it. The dry residue or spills must be washed away with fine rugs. Even a rug that has been vacuumed and appears clean can hold pounds of dirt and debris. The dust mites, allergens, and other contaminants can be dislodged with thorough dirt removal, but this process alone is far too invasive and dusty to do in your home. Also, most rugs are on wood floors, which the wet cleaning process would damage, and only the top of the rug would get “cleaned,” so it would just be a surface cleaning at best. A properly cleaned rug cannot be thoroughly dried in a “home” setting before mold germinates.