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RAISING THE STANDARD FOR THE ENTIRE TEXTILE CLEANING INDUSTRY
ATC co-owner Patrick Santoro Jr. is a founding member of TCREI, the Textile Cleaning Research and Education Institute, an organization built by working cleaning professionals to bring real research, structured education, and professional certification to an industry that has long needed it.
THE ORGANIZATION SETTING THE NEW STANDARD IN TEXTILE CARE
TCREI, the Textile Cleaning Research and Education Institute, was established in 2026 by a group of working cleaning professionals in the across the country who recognized a gap at the center of the industry: no unified standard for education, no structured certification path, and no research body dedicated specifically to textile cleaning.
TCREI exists to fix that. Built on three pillars: research, education, and professional certification. The institute advances the science and practice of textile cleaning so that every professional in the field, from a first-year technician to a master cleaner, has access to the knowledge and credentials that the craft demands.
ATC Rug Washing co-owner Patrick Santoro Jr. was there from day one. His involvement isn’t symbolic, he’s an active contributor to the education and certification programs that are changing what it means to be a credentialed textile cleaning professional.
THREE PILLARS THAT DRIVE THE INDUSTRY FORWARD
Every program, certification, and resource TCREI produces is built on the same three commitments. Together they form a complete framework for what professional textile care should look like.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
TCREI’s dedicated research team conducts scientific studies on cleaning techniques, tests cleaning agents, and develops standardized protocols for high-end textile fabrics. Every protocol is vetted through a rigorous quality assurance process before it reaches the field.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Comprehensive training programs designed by experienced professionals cover everything from fabric identification to advanced stain removal and correction techniques. The curriculum is built by people who do this work every day, not academics removed from the field.
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION
A four-tier certification program ensures that cleaners, manufacturers, and sales representatives meet the highest industry standards for textile care. Certifications are earned through written and practical exams.
WHY THIS MATTERS WHEN YOU CHOOSE ATC
OUR CO-OWNER DIDN'T JUST JOIN TCREI. HE CO-FOUNDED IT.
When you hire ATC Rug Washing, you’re not hiring a company that took a weekend course and printed a certificate. You’re hiring a team led by someone who helped write the standard that the rest of the industry is now measured against.
Patrick’s involvement with TCREI is an extension of the same philosophy that drives ATC: that doing this work right requires real knowledge, real credentials, and a real commitment to continuous learning. The four-tier certification program TCREI developed reflects what Patrick has spent his career building toward: a field where every cleaner can prove their expertise and every client can trust the person handling their most valuable textiles.
When you look at ATC’s certifications, our partners, the products we use, and now TCREI, it all points to the same thing: we take this work seriously, and we can prove it.
WORK WITH A TCREI FOUNDING MEMBER
When you trust ATC with your rugs and textiles, you’re working with a team whose co-owner helped set the standard for the entire industry. Get a free quote today or learn more about our full certifications and partners.
