Special Tips For Pet Owners

Do you have a pet? Join the crowd. About 70 million US households have pets - and that number represents a 35 percent increase from 1988, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

Dogs especially have urine retention problems when they're puppies, elderly or sick. For puppies, packs of 100 temporary absorbent pads can be purchased from pet supply stores. These work better than newspaper, so spread them around on the spots where your puppy tends to gravitate. When Fluffy makes a mess, throw the pad out.

Sometimes when a new dog is introduced into a home where another dog has been, they will mark spots in the house in the same way they mark territory in the neighborhood. Cats also mark territory inside the house.
You can combat pet odors and stains in many ways:
-Check out the CRI Seal of Approval products that are specifically designed for pet stains and odors.
-Vacuum more frequently to capture pet hair and dust drifting from Fluffy's fur.
-Have your carpet professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months, or more frequently.
When dealing with urine spots, don't use a steam cleaner, because the heat will set the stain and the smell.
Carpet cleaning firms *like Rug Ideas* know how to permanently remove pet stains and odor, where possible.

If you have caged pets, check pet-supply stores for scent-killing products (mineral or earthen products sold in bags), which you place near their cages. Plain old baking soda or clove oil on a cotton ball may mask the stench. If fleas should become a problem, keep in mind that your carpet is probably harboring eggs - keep up a regular vacuuming schedule! Check with your veterinarian for treatment options as well as tips for getting fleas out of the household environment.

*sourced from 'Carpet Cleaning Tips for Dummies' by Elizabeth B. Goldsmith

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

Area Rug Deep Cleaning - Shades of Grey

A customer brought in an area rug recently into our showroom that needed cleaning. This rug had not been cleaned in over 5 years and one area that showed just how dirty it had gotten was the fringes. Sometimes a person doesn't realize just how dirty their rug is because dirt and dust have evenly been put on the rug. Take a look at some before pics below:

The dirt makes a hazy look on the rug; it desperately needed one of our deep cleanings. We thoroughly dusted the rug before we completely wet washed it with specialty wool shampoo. We then naturally dried it and the result came out great. Take a look below:

This rug now looks new, and look at those fringes! Who would have thought they were actually white?! Our customer was thrilled with her rug cleaning and is coming to our Big Tent Sale this black Friday to take a look at some runners for her home. If you have a rug that is long overdue for a deep cleaning, bring it in to Rug Ideas so we can help you get it back into great shape!

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

Rug Cleaning & White Knots

Rug cleaning may cause some white knots to show up in a cleaned and washed hand made carpet. The foundation of a rug can be made of cotton, wool or silk. This foundation is a collection of vertical strands called warps.Sometimes strands are not long enough to go multiple times from one end of the rug to the other end and weavers have to tie knots to make a longer strand. These knots called the "white knots" if not trimmed may show up after the pile is worn out and may make the rug look ugly. Sometimes when a rug is dirty, these white knots do not show up but when we clean the rug, the white knots show up. There are two ways by which we can get rid of these white knots. One is to dye and re-touch them. This is an easy fix but if the rug is in use, the touch up may fade away so the white knots would show up again. Second, white knots are usually cotton and ordinary color markers cannot dye cotton or the color of the marker may not match the color of the pile of the rug.

Another fix is to cut and clip the white knots from the base and this is what we prefer and usually do. Of course this should be done by an experienced rug repair person otherwise by removing and clipping the white knots, you may create some holes in the rug which would make it look very ugly. I recently took care of the white knots on an Indian rug we cleaned. There were many white knots showing in the pile of this rug after we did the cleaning . I used a special type of rug weaving and repair sharp scissors to clip the base of the white knots. If I could not remove the base completely, then I would push the base of the trimmed white knots to the back of the rug by using a special type of hook. 

 

 

 

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

Rug Inspection

At Rug Ideas we do thorough inspections of all rugs that come in before and after cleaning. Doing the inspection before cleaning helps us determine what type of stains we are dealing with so we know just what measures to take to get the best cleaning possible. We take hi-res digital photos before and after the cleaning to document any stained areas as well as how well the cleaning worked. Take a look at some before photos of a customer's rug below:

We also go the extra mile to spot stains if we find out that the customer has any pets in their home. Often times customers do not even know their pet has urinated on their rug unless a heavy smell comes along with it. If we find out the customer is a pet owner, we go over the rug with a UV light to spot any pee stains. Take a look below:

Urine shows up like neon on a rug that has been pee'd on, and we can immediately see on this rug that Fido had an accident. Our customers are sometimes shocked to see just how many times their pet has used their rug as a bathroom. Once we identify the trouble spots we know we need to pay special attention to them during the deep cleaning. All this attention to detail means your rug is getting the best possible care and cleaning. All in a days work at Rug Ideas, where we love rug!

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

Shag Deep Cleaning

Many of our customers own shag rugs; they are a great addition to a home, offering a soft, high pile that feels great underneath the feet. Problem is most shags come in an ivory color, which over time shows up when foot traffic brings dirt or when things are spilled on it. A customer recently brought one of her shag rugs in for our deep cleaning as it had foot traffic as well as other stains. Take a look below:

This shag needed our deep cleaning process, which we started right away. First we dusted the shag to get all the dirt and debris out, then it was hand washed with special cleansers that would help penetrate the dirt layer and get it looking new again. Then it was naturally dried  and then brushed to get the pile fluffy once again. Check out the results below:

This shag now looks brand new and it ready for more use in our customers home. They are repeat customers of ours, having seen what our cleanings have previously done to this shag as well as other rugs in their house. If you have a shag that needs a thorough deep cleaning, bring it into our showroom so we can help you get the best cleaning a shag can have!

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

Water Damaged Rug - A Rug Rescue

Last week a customer brought in a rug of hers that had just gone through some water damage. She was away for the weekend and when she returned home, her whole apartment had flooded due to a water pipe breaking. While removing the rug from her living room, she placed it in her backyard. Unfortunately it was not dried flat, so bubbling of the rug occurred. Not only that but it was hard water that damaged the rug so it's texture was very rough/hard. Take a look below:

The owner thought her rug was a complete loss, but we put her mind at ease. What this rug needed was a thorough deep cleaning, which involves a complete wet washing. We went to work right away on the rug and  after we completed the natural drying it was a completely different rug. Take a look below:

Not only did we get all the bubbling out, but after our deep cleaning the pile is nice and soft again as well as being sanitized and deodorized. Our customer was so happy that she did not have to call this rug a loss. It now looks brand new and is ready for many more years of use. Another happy customer left with their rug and we were more than happy to help. If water damage occurs in your home and you need our help to rescue your rug, contact us right away so we can step you through your options to just that... the Rug Ideas way!

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

Deep Professional Cleaning - The Journey Back to Clean

A rug was recently brought into our showroom that had not been cleaned in 3 years and had a lot of foot traffic that had come across it. It had very visible dirt markings that were a very big eyesore. Pictures show it all, so take a look below:

This rug was in dire need of a good deep professional cleaning and the owner knew he wanted it done the right way... the Rug Ideas way! We first dusted the entire rug to get all the loose debris and dust out of it, and then it went through a full wet washing, use rug shampoo that is safe for the rug fibers but extremely tough on all the stains and dirt. It was then completely rinsed to remove all cleansing agents and naturally dried. The results speak for themselves; take a look below:

The rug look absolutely wonderful now and our client was extremely happy with our deep cleaning. If you have a rug that has a lot of stains due to foot traffic and needs a deep cleaning to get it back into shape, contact us at Rug Ideas so we can help you give the best care you can to your carpet!

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)

Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)

www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Handknotted Silk Rug Cleaning

Sometimes rug owners take cleaning duties into their own hands, with varied results. A new customer of ours recently got a stain on their Handknotted Silk Rug and tried to clean the are himself. Not only did the stain not come out but the washed area started creating a color variation that worried him the instant he saw it. He was so upset at possibly having damaged this expensive piece of art. From one end of the rug it looked like a dark blotch on a light rug and from the other end looked like a bleached out part on a darker rug. We calmed him down and let him know that we would put the rug through our deep cleaning process so as to restore the rugs colors. Take a look at the before pics below:

We thoroughly dusted the rug to remove any loose debris before it was completely wet washed. We use special cleansers depending on the type of rug we are washing, and silk rugs require special attention as well as cleansers that won't damage the fibers of such a nice rug. After the rug bath we naturally dried the rug flat under the sun. The results speak for themselves; take a look below:

The rug is beautiful once again and put some welcome relief on to our customers face after he saw how well our deep cleaning process works. If you accidentally made a mistake cleaning your rug or have a stain that you need taken care of, call or stop in at Rug Ideas so we can show you the best way to care for your treasured rugs!

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

Why You Want Clean Rugs

Have you ever noticed that only a few days after cleaning, you can see dust everywhere, settled on glass tabletops and the like? Dust happens. Household dust carries bacteria, dander, mold spores, germs and pollen. To add to the flurry of grime, your family, friends, pets and even that open window bring in fresh dirt all the time. A lot of it is settling on your rug/s.

Between longer work days, time-consuming commutes, and kids' activities that keep the calendar full, who has time to worry about cleaning your rugs? Today we're spending less time on household tasks, yet we still expect excellent results. Lucky for you, we at Rug Ideas can take care of all of your rug cleaning needs! Cleaning your rugs may seem like more of a chore than dusting a coffee table, but properly cleaning and maintaining your rug makes all the difference in the world. If you have a rug that needs a good deep cleaning, bring it in to Rug Ideas so we can do all the hard work for you!

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

Indian Rug - Cleaning & Repair

A repeat customer of ours brought in his newly purchased Indian (Heriz Design) rug last week for cleaning. He had put his previous rugs through our deep cleaning process, so he knew that's exactly what he wanted for his Indian rug. While we were inspecting the rug it was immediately noticeable that one side(selvage) had totally come apart. This is bad new for the rug as the structure had now been weakened and damage to the rug could happen at a fast rate. Take a look below:

We first secured the rug on the damaged side so that no further unraveling would happen during the cleaning process. After the rug was completely washed, sanitized, deodorized and dried we proceeded with the repair process. One of our master weavers did the job, sewing the whole side by hand using fresh New Zealand wool. The results came out fantastic and can be seen below:

The structure of the rug is now secure again and the owner was happy once again with our cleaning and repair work. If you have a rug that needs either a good deep cleaning or has some repairs that are needed to keep it in great shape bring it in to Rug Ideas where we are your one stop rug shop for sales, cleaning and repair!

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

Dog Troubles & A Deep Cleaning Solution

A new customer of ours recently brought in her favorite rug that had been soiled by her dog. Not only had her dog urinated on the rug but had also thrown up on various places on it. She had tried a home cleanser but she said it only seemed to make the problem worse. The rug also had a trouble area at the middle of 1 end of the rug. Take a look below:

This rug went through our deep cleaning process which cleans, sanitizes and deodorizes the entire carpet. Color stabilizers were used before the washing began to prevent color bleeding. When the rug was done drying the vibrancy of the colors looked absolutely great. We then had one our of weavers secure the rip at the end so that unraveling would not continue. Take a look at the results below:

When the owner came in to pick up her rug yesterday, she was ecstatic at how vibrant the rug looked and how much it looked just as it did when it was brand new. If you have a rug that has had an encounter with your pet, bring it in to Rug Ideas where we can help bring it back to life!

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