Pitch-Black Rug Cleaners (まっくろじゅうたん洗い屋): how to play, tools and stains

Pitch-Black Rug Cleaners modes

• Orders: the main game. Pick a customer's order, wash one rug and hand it in. Later orders are bigger and dirtier, and each clean is rated from 1 to 5 stars
• Tool upgrades: spend the coins from orders to upgrade the vacuum, detergent, brush, extraction wand, dryer, black light, treatment set and magnifier up to three levels
• Rug album (図鑑): collect the rugs you have washed, with before and after photos. Result pictures can be saved and shared

Basic rules of Pitch-Black Rug Cleaners

• The rug is so filthy that you cannot even tell its pattern. The dirt lies in many layers, so one pass never gets it out.
• The basic loop is to vacuum up the debris, lay detergent foam, loosen the dirt with the brush and draw it up with the extraction wand. You repeat this many times and finish by drying the rug.
• Foam can only hold so much dirt. Foam that has taken up dirt turns brown, and once it is full it cannot lift any more. The wand's dirty-water tank also stops drawing when it is full, so empty it before you go on.
• If you dry the rug without drawing up the loosened dirt, it dries and turns back into dirt.
• While you work, no number or gauge tells you how clean the rug is. You judge the result yourself from how the rug looks and sounds.
• When you hand the rug in, the customer checks it under black light. Leftover dirt, stains and detergent glow, and that decides the stars, a short comment and the coins you are paid. For a rush order, finishing in time with a high enough rating pays extra.

How to play on Asobi Lounge

• On a computer, click a tool at the screen or press a number key (1-8) to pick it, then drag across the rug. On a phone or tablet, tap a tool and swipe with your finger.
• The first time you use a tool, a short explanation appears. Close it with "Got it" (わかった).
• Pick a treatment from the treatment shelf (薬剤の棚), spray it only on the stain and scrub with the brush. A job holds a limited amount of each treatment, and what is left in each bottle shows on the shelf.
• Tap a stain with the magnifier to get a clue about what kind of stain it is. It never names the stain, so you work it out from the clues.
• When you think you are done, press "Hand in" (納品する). Before that, you can use the black light yourself to check for missed spots. The result screen lets you compare the rug before and after.

What each tool does

• Vacuum: draws up debris and surface dust. Going back and forth leaves stripes in the pile
• Rake: pulls out debris tangled deep in a long pile. Vacuum up what it pulls out
• Detergent spray: lays a foam of neutral detergent
• Brush: scrubs on top of foam or a treatment to loosen the dirt. Scrubbing a dry spot does not get it out
• Extraction wand: draws up loosened dirt, foam and treatments together with water
• Dryer: dries the wet spots to finish
• Treatment shelf: solvent, rust remover, enzyme, freezing spray and scraper. Use them on stains only
• Magnifier and black light: the magnifier gives clues about a stain, and the black light makes leftover dirt glow. The black light can be used only a limited number of times

Stains need the right treatment

Rugs carry all sorts of stains, such as mud, wine, ink, paint, gum and rust. Which treatment and which steps work depends on the kind of stain. The game does not say which method works on which stain; reading the magnifier's clues, guessing and trying things out is part of the fun.

Scrubbing with a treatment that does not suit the stain sets it, and it gets harder to remove. Old stains start out half set already.

Rug materials

Each material needs different care. Even the same way of washing suits some materials better than others.

• Wool: the basic material. Avoid treatments strong enough to take the colour out
• Silk: its colour is easily damaged, and it bleeds if it gets too wet
• Synthetic: tough, and stains do not set as easily
• Shag (long pile): debris gets tangled deep in the pile and the vacuum alone cannot get it out
• Coir (palm fibre): needs hard scrubbing with the brush, and is damaged if it gets too wet
• Cotton dantsu rug: dyed with plants, so it is weak against treatments and too much water

Tool upgrades (8 tools, 3 levels each)

When you have saved up coins, open "Upgrade tools" (道具を強化) to strengthen your tools. Upgraded tools work faster, and they look different too.

• Vacuum: a wider head, and a power head with a rotating brush at level 3
• Detergent: the foam holds more dirt and spreads wider
• Brush: a motorised rotating brush from level 2, and a twin brush at level 3
• Extraction wand: a wider, stronger draw and a bigger dirty-water tank. Level 3 drains by itself
• Dryer: dries faster and wider
• Black light: more uses and a wider beam
• Treatment set: more treatment per job, and a stronger effect
• Magnifier: more clues about each stain

Orders, reputation and the album

There are 11 customers in all, such as a neighbourhood grandmother, a cafe owner and a nursery teacher, and each brings a different rug. Later orders are bigger and dirtier. Some orders insist on one stain being removed, or come with a rush deadline.

Reputation goes up only when you beat your best star rating on that order, and only by the difference. A higher reputation opens new orders and raises your title from "Apprentice cleaner" to "Legendary cleaner". Orders you cannot take yet show only the rug's shadow and the reputation they need.

Washed rugs go into the album, with the before and after photos of your best clean. From the result screen you can save a before and after picture (wide or square), and share it from the share sheet on devices that accept files, or by X, LINE or a copied link elsewhere. The picture carries the game name, the rug's name, its material and the stars, but not your name.

Tips for a clean wash

• Plan on 10 to 15 minutes for the first order. Vacuum first, repeat foam, brush and wand, and finish by drying.
• Once the foam turns brown it holds no more dirt. After brushing, draw it up with the wand and lay fresh foam, and repeat that a few times.
• Do not judge a stain by looks alone. Collect clues with the magnifier before you choose a treatment, and if it is not working, try another method instead of scrubbing on.
• Check with the black light before you hand in. It can be used only a few times, so use it where you suspect a missed spot.
• Every material has a weak point. Watch out for too much water and strong treatments on silk and plant-dyed dantsu rugs.
• You cannot upgrade everything at once. Start with the tool for the step you find hardest to make the work easier.

Frequently asked questions

Can I play without signing in?

Yes. Orders, upgrades and the album all work right away from this page without signing in. Your progress (coins, reputation, upgrades and album) is saved in this browser.

Which treatment works on which stain?

It is not written here. Which treatment and steps work depends on the kind of stain, and finding out from the magnifier's clues is part of the fun of the game.

I cannot tell how clean the rug is while I work.

The game shows no clean-ness number or gauge. You judge by how the rug looks and by the colour of the foam and the dirty water, and check what is left with the black light before you hand in.

What happens if I quit in the middle of an order?

The state in the middle of a job is not saved, so that order starts over. Coins and reputation grow only for orders you have handed in.

How long does one order take?

The first order takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Later orders take longer, but upgrading your tools makes them faster.

The screen does not show or does not move. What can I do?

This game draws in 3D (WebGL). Update your browser, turn off power-saving mode and open the page again. On a device that cannot draw it, an error screen appears.

Is Pitch-Black Rug Cleaners free to play?

Yes, it costs nothing. You can play everything right away from this page without signing in. Your coins, reputation, upgrades and album are saved in this browser.

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