Expert: Jahann and Sons Persian Rugs - 12/21/2011

Question
I just uncovered that my cat has been having accidents on my room carpet.  It is a 5 x 7 area rug for my living room and anchors the room on top of another carpet.  It is in excellent condition and I am very upset as I know how difficult it is to get the smell out.  Do you recommend that I use a home shampoo unit or professional done and if so are there any in my area ie Orange County California that are experts with this time of carpet and issue.  Thanks.

Answer
Hi Ann Marie,

I'm sorry to hear about your rug.  It is definitely a good idea to get a professional cleaning done on your 5x7 rug, as it may end up being more headache and more expensive if you have to buy the right equipment to do it yourself.  Orange County has a lot of higher end rug dealers, so I'm sure there is someone in your area that can take care of cleaning your carpet.  If you call a local department store with an Oriental rug department and ask for a recommendation, you'll get a good reference.  Make sure you go to a cleaner that actually cleans the rug with soap and water, and not someone who dry or steam cleans the rug, as this is too harsh a process.

Where I think you may run into issues is with your carpet underneath.  If your cat has been continually going on the same spot, the padding underneath the rug may be saturated and in need of replacement.  Try removing the Karastan from the room and cleaning the carpet underneath.  Don't put the Karastan back for several weeks, so you can be certain that your cat isn't returning because of a lingering smell in the carpet or rug pad.  If that is a-okay, then go ahead and put the cleaned Karastan back.

I hope the information is helpful.

Regards,
Katie
www.jahannandsons.com