Your One-Stop Rug Shop!

Posting to this blog of ten involves stories of our cleaning and repair work, of which we are extremely proud of as we hold ourselves to the highest standards. What we don't want the public to forget, though, is that we have an extensive collection of NEW rugs for sale as well!

If you are in the market for a rug stop by our showroom as we carry a variety of sizes and styles. From handmade to machine made, from large palace sized rugs to runners, we have a great selection that will bring a new vibrancy to your home.

Come in today so we can show you just how easy it is to brighten up your living room, dining room, bedroom or any other space in your house that could use a textile touch. We also carry rug pads & offer spill protection and moth proofing for extra protection for your rugs.

We are everything rug, so if you are looking to buy a new rug, clean/repair an old one, or have a custom job contact us so we can guide you with our 50+ years of expertise. Rug Ideas is your one-stop rug shop!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Deep Cleaning - Needlepoint

A repeat customer of ours brought in her beautiful 9 x 12 Needlepoint Rug for it's scheduled yearly cleaning and boy did it need a good cleaning this year. She lives on the beach so sand is constantly tracked into her house and onto this rug. Take a look at the past year's worth of foot tracking on the rug:

This Needlpoint Rug was in dire need of a deep cleaning, which we started right away. The result speak for themselves; take a look below:

The rug cleaning worked its wonders and our customer is happy once again with how her rug looks. Another smile brought by Rug Ideas, and we will see our customer next year for her scheduled yearly cleaning so we can bring back that smile we love to see!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)

Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)

www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com

www.RugIdea.com

Tel. 310-770-9085

How To: Vacuum Your Rug

At Rug Ideas we not only love selling, cleaning & repairing rugs but we also love giving our customers the knowledge to keep their rugs in the best condition possible. This desire to help our customers has led us to create a series of informative videos regarding rugs and their care. Today's post involves showing you how to properly vacuum your rugs so as not to damage them in the process. Take a look below:

We also have this video in Spanish, which can be seen at:

Keep an eye out for future helpful videos regarding everything rug... from Rug Ideas!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Area Rug - Deep Cleaning

A customer brought in an 8 x 11 area rug to our showroom for a deep cleaning last week which definitely needed it as it had not been cleaned in about 7 years. It was in a high traffic area and was also hit with dog urine as well. Take a look below:

This rug has seen cleaner days and was in dire need of a good deep cleaning. Our deep cleaning process involves dusting, complete wet washing, water extraction and natural drying which is the highest level of care you can give to your rug. Check out a great video we produced at our facility which show our process below:

We were really happy with how the deep cleaning worked on the area rug; you can see the results below:

The stains were removed and this area rug is now cleaned, sanitized and deodorized. Our customer was ecstatic that the stains came out and that there is no trace or smell or dog urine. If you have an area rug in your home that needs attention bring it to Rug Ideas for our deep cleaning treatment!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)

Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)

www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com

www.RugIdea.com

Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Tours and Workshops in Los Angeles

We are going to have a rug tour and workshop in Los Angeles from August 10 to 12, 2012.

You can expect to learn about: 

• History

• Designs

• Dyeing process

• Weaving

• Pricing

• Appraisal

• Rug Weaving Centers of the World with A Detailed Rug Center Map of Iran

• Rug ID and How It Can Generate Confidence and More Income

• Rug Cleaning and Related issues

• Rug Repair and Color Restoration

• Live Hands on Projects. We Will Teach You How To Do Repair Yourself and Make More Money

• Literature, Resources, Books and Websites

• Market Taste (What sells and what doesn't)

• Online and Social Media Marketing for Rug Industry

• Attract Customers and Make Money When You Are Asleep

This workshop is for carpet and rug cleaners and those who love and appreciate rugs. Watch this video to see if this workshop is for you.

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

The Rug Ideas Difference

Besides our outstanding service for our customers, one great thing that sets us apart from our competitors is our attention to detail. Take our rug cleaning process for example. When a rug comes into our store we do a thorough evaluation of the rug to determine its construction and how best to treat it, whether it be for repair or cleaning. Take a look at a Navajo Blanket that came in recently below:

This Navajo Blanket had MANY holes that spanned the entire blanket. While most cleaners would just hope for the best, we at Rug Ideas know that these holes have the danger of growing bigger once it starts getting deep cleaned. To prevent this we secured all those areas so they could hold together through the cleaning. Take a look at the secured area below:

It is this attention to detail that keeps our customers happy and coming back. We have love for rugs and it shows with the Rug Ideas process. If you love your rug and desire a team that will put that same kind of love into repairing/cleaning it then come to Rug Ideas, where we can help give it the TLC and attention it deserves!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rug Repair/Rug Knowledge

Rug repair, when it's done right, is an art form in and of itself. While handmade rug making is absolutely also an art form which take creativity/time & patience, the making of handmade rugs usually sticks with one type of construction depending on what area/tribe the rug is from. For example, a Kashan rug has a certain type of construction which the Kashan weavers are familiar with and that have been passed down for generations. And while they may be fantastic at creating that kind of rug, it differs greatly from other rugs produced around the world.

Master rug repair involves knowing rug knowledge that spans MANY different types of rug construction as you never know which type of rug may come in at any time. A Tabriz might be brought in one day, a Kerman the next and maybe a Turkmen rug after that. All these different rugs are made with different techniques so knowing only how to repair one type just won't do. At Rug Ideas we have several Master Repair Technicians who have worked with all kinds of rugs/carpets for many years so they know the subtle or major differences of how to work on each individual piece. This type of expertise is what sets us apart from other repair facilities who may only know how to repair certain type of rugs. So no matter what kind of rug you have, you know it's in great hands when you bring it to Rug Ideas!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Rugs: Handmade vs Machine Made vs Tufted

Many people ask us what difference it makes whether a rug is handmade or machine made. The answer is that a good quality handmade rug will look beautiful for generations. We often see rugs that are in the third or fourth generation in a family and are still in use, still beautiful, and worth more today than ever.

In general a Handmade Rug will outlast a machine made rug by many decades. This is because a handmade rug is constructed very differently than a machine made rug. The fringe in a handmade rug is actually the warp threads of the rug, running through the rug from end to end. The pile is tied into the warp threads using one of two traditional knots, the Persian knot or the Turkish knot. Neither knot is superior, though you will occasionally see the Turkish knot referred to as "double-knotted". A weft thread is then woven in between each row of knots to secure them even more tightly into the rug. All this is compacted tightly to form a very dense and strong structure that can withstand many years of hard use.

Machine Made Rugs: In a machine made rug, the pile is constructed by pushing a "V" shaped piece of yarn into a foundation, instead of an actual knot. The warp and weft threads are more loosely woven together. Once a machine made rug gets damaged, there is very little that can be done to repair the rug. Even the best machine made rugs will generally only last about 20 years in use before they begin to fail. Once a machine made rug begins coming apart, there is little that can be done to repair it. Handmade rugs on the other hand can be professionally repaired and remain in use for many years. Machine made rugs often come with 100% wool piles, but are often made of synthetic materials.

Hand-Tufted Rugs: Lately we have seen a vast number of "hand-tufted" rugs sold in many department and furnishing stores. These rugs have the "V" shaped tuft either pulled through the warp threads by hand, or shot into a plastic grid with a tufting gun. A layer of glue is spread over this to hold it all together, and then a cloth backing is put on to cover this ugly construction. This technique saves the manufacturer time, but creates a rug that will not hold up well over time. In the trade we call these rugs "glue-backs". 

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)

Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Pet Stain Removal - Cat Throw Up

Pets seem to be causing havoc on our owners rugs this season. We've seen plenty of dog and cat urine and poo stains, dogs chewing through the design of rugs and cats leaving scratch marks on their owners rugs. The rug below came in because the owners cat recently threw up on it: Check it out:

We've dealt with pet stains for over 50 years so we knew exactly how to tackle the problem. This rug went through our deep cleaning process and came out looking absolutely brand new. Take a look below:

No matter what damage your pets do to your rugs, come to Rug Ideas so that we can step you through your options to bringing back the life to your rug!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Proper Rug Storage

The biggest dangers for rugs placed in storage are BUGS, FLOODS, and THUGS. Insect damage, flood or mildew damage, and theft are the most common problems we hear from clients who have placed rugs in a local storage unit or placed in a far corner of a closet or garage. Many times rugs with high appraised or sentimental value are placed in storage to save them for family members, or to save them from a remodel mess, or to protect them from the summer sunlight. You want to make sure you are not actually causing damage by incorporating the wrong storage procedures.

• DO clean rugs before wrapping for storage. The first, most important piece of storage advice is to always store rugs clean. Never wrap up dirty rugs. Have them washed properly and then prepared for storage, otherwise there’s a chance you’ll wrap hungry little rug-snacking critters in with your rug in a nice, protected environment, and in a year or more, when you open it up again, you could be in for an ugly, expensive surprise.You must clean your rugs of food and liquid material because though moths are normally the storage “bad guys” – ANY insect will eat sugars and other food materials, and they will eat the wool fibers that are holding this meal for them too.

• DO roll your rugs starting at the bottom end to the top end, fuzzy side inside. To find the bottom end of your rug, you want to “pet” your rug to determine when you are going WITH the nap, and AGAINST the nap. When you run your hand WITH the grain, it will take you to the tassels of the bottom of the rug (where the weaver began weaving your rug). Roll from this end. Folding rugs causes cracking over time, so do not fold rugs being put in storage.

• DO roll your SILK rugs with the fuzzy side outside. Wool and cotton rugs have more “give” to them than silk rugs, so when placing silk rugs into storage, roll them with their fuzzy silk side outside.

• DO wrap your rugs in TYVEK or brown acid-free PAPER. Wool has a moisture content even when it is dry, so changes in heat will cause it to “sweat.” Because of this you can NEVER wrap wool rugs in plastic or you will create a mildew problem. Tyvek Paper is best (tear and water resistant).

• DO elevate your rug packages off of the ground. Many storage facilities are built in lowlands that have a tendency to flood during bad weather, so whether in your home or their location you always want to keep rugs at least six inches off the ground in case flooding occurs.

• DO make certain nothing heavy is stacked on top of your rugs. Heavy items can cause damage to the rug’s foundation.

• DO acquire insurance to protect your rugs when placed in a storage facility. You also want a photograph and appraisal on file in case you need them.

Find the Best Rug Storage Location
For those of you who like to switch your rugs out to create a fresh look in your décor, or to save them from too much wear, take care to properly store your rugs according to theTextile Museum in Washington, D.C.
The best location for the storage of your collection would be in a room that is cool, dry and where blinds or curtains block natural light. Few of us have the luxury of having a spare room that we can devote to storage, and have to make do with closets, cupboards and under beds.While it is possible to adapt many spaces in the house for storage, avoid using attics and basements, which are usually without climate control and suffer the largest swings in temperature and relative humidity.

Maintaining Rug Storage Areas
Most moth and carpet beetle infestations appear in rugs that were improperly stored. Sometimes infestations will start while the rug is in use, and then quickly accelerates when the piece is stored. It is, therefore, important to have a good housekeeping plan for your storage areas. Every couple months unroll at least one rug to make sure that there is no evidence of infestation. Choose a different rug each month. Wipe off shelving and shelf padding, and if necessary clean or replace dustcovers and padding. Vacuum the room thoroughly to eliminate insect-attracting dust. Remove dust from all baseboards and windowsills as well.

sourced from: referralcarpetcare.com & arearugfacts.com

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Sheepskin Cleaning

At Rug Ideas we clean not only Persian and Oriental carpets but many other types as well, including sheepskin rugs(see a great previous post on sheepskin rugs HERE). Today's post involves the cleaning of a black sheepskin rug that a customer brought in earlier this week. The rug in question had been used for many years without a cleaning which was immediately evident upon seeing it. Take a look below:

Every rug is different, and sheepskins need a different kind of cleaning approach that other rugs. The pile on sheepskins is often very high, like shag rugs, but also very delicate as one can tell when pulling on the fibers. We know the construction of sheepskin rugs very well since we've dealt with them for over 50 years. This rug went through our deep cleaning process and we were 'wowed' by the results. Take a look below:

Not only is this sheepskin totally cleaned, sanitized & deodorized but the black sheen has come back as well. If you have a sheepskin that has been ignored for a couple years and needs a good cleaning, bring it in to Rug Ideas!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Bokhara Rug Reweaving

A nice Bokhara rug was brought in by a customer for a deep cleaning; it definitely needed it as the rug had not been cleaned in about 3 years. While we were inspecting the rug a noticeable blemish jumped out at us... a chunk was torn off one of the ends of the rug. Take a look below:

We had 2 options for our customer: One was to go as deep as the damage and secure the rug straight across (which would go into the design a bit) or we could do a reweave of the area (which is more costly but would bring the rug back to its original condition). The owner had this rug in their possession for about 15 years and it meant a lot to them, so they decided to do the reweaving to bring the rug back to life. We first secured the rug at the tear to prevent any further damage during the cleaning. Take a look:

After the cleaning was complete the rug was now clean, sanitized and deodorized. We had our master weaver work on the rug and the results speak for themselves. Take a look at the cleaned, rewoven rug below:

The cleaning and reweave have brought this rug new life and the owner was extremely happy with how everything turned out. We were happy to return this piece of art in such great condition; if you have a rug that is dirty or damaged bring it in to Rug Ideas so we can help in the rejuvenating process that we have been experts at for more than half a decade!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085