Turnout Rug Professional Cleaning - experiences?

[domane]

Being a cheapskate, I've always power-washed my winter rugs in the summer and then painted them with Thompsons Water Seal to re-proof them - never had any problems with leaking afterwards.

However, this year I am nursing 7 broken ribs which have displaced and are likely to take several months to heal, so I'm not up to heaving heavy wet combo rugs around so I thought I'd bite the bullet and pay for them to be done properly.

I've read about people having leakage problems after cleaning and just wondered how common this is?

Can I have your experiences, good AND bad please? (And/or recommendations/advice)

Thanks

 

[horsemadelsie]

In my experience you just need to check what products they use to clean the rugs- I didn't used to ask, and my rugs came back less waterproof, but now I only take them places that use nikwax or another 'proper' rug wash brand- its the detergent that makes them leak. Can be a bit more expensive but its really hard to get detergent out of rugs, and its cheaper than buying new rugs!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I think that some people have bad experiences because they send their rugs away for cleaning & not cleaning & reproofing. When a rug is cleaned properly & detergents are used there is little doubt that it will lose its waterproofing to a degree.

 

[domane]

Thanks..... thinking about it, maybe I'll just have them cleaned... and then paint them with Thompsons myself to reproof them. At least then I won't have to handle them sodden-wet and heavy - AND if they leak I will only have myself to blame!