Artisan-Quality Cleansing & Repairs of All Area Rug Types & Textiles
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Persian Area Rug Side Cord Repair.

3/3/2015

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Area rug edge finishes like this Persian runner take a beating over time from foot traffic, vacuuming, pets, etc. This 22' long Persian runner has a new, hand-wrapped edge finish from Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair.
Area rug repairs are something that most people would not think that they could get done by a local artisan in the greater Jackson Hole, WY area.  If you visit a local rug dealer, your rug will most certainly be sent out of state for a few weeks at least, in order to be repaired.  At Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair, we offer ALL types of repair services for our clients' area rugs, from simple end/edge finish repairs, to re-weaving of rips, cuts, holes, etc.  We have woven corners, field/pile designs and woven in new fringes and face fibers.  If your rugs are in need of repair and you are interested in the highest quality, consider Revive-A-Rug in western Wyoming.


The rug pictured above is a 22' long Persian runner.  The rugs side cord has been through vacuuming, foot traffic, pets, all of the above.  After performing a thorough pre-wash inspection of this rug for our client in Wilson, WY, we offered this service in order to preserve the value and enhance the beauty of this textile that belongs in a long, rustic hallway in our clients home.  You can see the right hand side of the rugs edge finish and how the left hand side has seen better days.  This hand repair work was performed in our washing and repair facility by a highly talented young lady that has been working with textiles for over 25 years!  Her intricate level of skill has garnered national attention from area rug experts who have examined and admired her work.  Revive-A-Rug even occasionally hosts other area rug professionals from all corners of the US for one-on-one workshops to teach the skills and steps necessary to re-construct and repair these knotted/woven treasures.  


Repairs such as this edge cord wrapping are essential to the longevity of any area rug that you may want preserved.  Many of the rugs we service here at our rug washing and repair facility are 2nd generation or older.  We hope to help our clients pass along their treasured textiles to further generations by offering only the highest quality repair work.  Simple repairs like this can be performed when the rug is in for an annual cleaning.  Generally, we prefer to repair a clean rug that is odor free, so if your rug is sent in to our shop for repairs, and it has been a while since the rug has been cleaned, we may offer a wash be performed first, especially if there are pets in the home.  


We will be posting more repairs to this blog soon.  We have some really fun projects that have come through our doors over the last few years that we would like to share with you.  If you have an area rug that may be in disrepair, do not hesitate to call us or even email us some pictures of the rug(we service all area rugs and textile types:  Persians, Orientals, Tribal, Navajo, etc).  We are happy to give a no-cost opinion/quote on what it would take to get your rugs back into service so that you can enjoy the textile.  


-Rug Reviver
(307)774-RUGS(7847)
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The Most Thorough Rug Cleansing Possible!

3/2/2015

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Example of the emulsified 'rug beer' that we cleanse out of each rug that we wash. The crystal clear rinse water that we seek is clean enough to drink!
We have discussed the importance of area rug dusting(dry soil removal) in a previous post.  A good, thorough dusting is just the first step in a complete process for artisan quality area rug cleansing.  Facilities & equipment selection play a large role in the quality of product that one can produce in regards to proper rinsing.  At Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair, our rinsing process has evolved through the years into what we believe to be the safest, most thorough rinsing process possible.  Due to the microscopic complexities of natural fibers, we utilize a higher volume of water rather than a high pressure approach.  High pressure rinsing can cause irreparable damage to staple fiber yarns that are found in the textiles that we clean and repair.  Staple fibers are small filaments of wool, cotton, silk, etc.  that are twisted together and spun into yarn.  High pressure can dislodge, and rip apart these delicate fibers if one is not careful.  In order to provide all of our clients with consistent services and quality of work, we have decided after much testing and rigorous trials of differing methods that more water=less damage potential AND cleaner, softer and healthier area rugs and textiles. 

There are many methods available to area rug cleaning companies.  We have attended countless workshops and trade shows which showcase the diversity of our industry.  We have seen artisans from all over the world preach their own ideas; from a 5 gallon bucket with a scrub brush, to multiple hundred thousand dollar, high volume/processing equipment.  What we have noticed through all these differing methods is that each one of them has their own advantages/drawbacks.  For one, the single man operation with a scrub brush cannot work enough hours in the day to provide a reputable enough quality of work or volume to make a viable business model.  On the other hand, the higher volume processing equipment requires a high volume of rugs coming in everyday to keep the equipment from draining the initial costs and upkeep expenses of the rug cleaning company.  Also with the high volume processing equipment, the individual attention that each rug gets at Revive-A-Rug is lost.  We have seen systems where rugs are processed in groups into large tumbling devices and then all take a community bath together in a bleach-type solution, then spun out in large washing machine type centrifuges to remove the water/detergents.  This method seems very impersonal to us in comparison to where we have settled into our own method.  The processing equipment looks cool, fun to operate and certainly comes with it's own set of bragging rights, however we feel that there is a way that rugs can still be treated individually and efficiently taken care of without the need for big/bad processing equipment.  

What we have found in our own testing of our rug cleansing/washing process is that not only do dry soils release from the rug fibers in layers, but also the same is true of the oily contaminants that are stuck on the fibers and even some that penetrate the fibers themselves.  Pet urine contaminated area rugs require a soaking in a neutralizing solution in order to dissolve the salty urine deposits.  At Revive-A-Rug, we feel that as rugs differ in construction, they too differ in the process in how contaminants are removed properly.  A community bath in a urine dissolving solution attempts to emulsify and sanitize the rugs as a group(do you really want your rugs in a bath with other peoples rugs and pet issues?).  Our process treats each rug individually and caters to the unique characteristics of each textile.  I have personally seen these systems in action, considered their merits and have opted to find a better way.  Rug cleaning is nothing more than physics and chemistry combined with human labor and thought.  Experience has taught us that there CAN be a uniform approach to 'vat-type' rug cleaning, but our opinion is that the quality of the product to the client suffers in the end.  Sure there are area rug cleaning companies out there that can 'process' more rugs in a day than we can and probably for a lower price too.  However, we are more concerned with offering an unbeatable quality of product that clients cannot receive anywhere else.  We have a passion for 'quality of work.'  We view this as more than a craft, we consider ourselves to be artisans and students of textiles.  There are so many aspects to textile cleaning and repair, how can one expect to learn the intricate details of each different type of area rug or textile if their view is a processing-type of method? 

The picture that headlines this post is a great example of how a rug can go from a dirty/contaminated state, to a fully cleansed/healthy state.  We feel that we have found/developed the safest method for evacuating contaminant from rug and textile fibers.  We also feel that we can prove the level of cleanliness that each rug we clean leaves our shop possesses.  Our rinsing process not only removes emulsified contaminant from area rugs and textiles, it also leaves the fibers in a residue free, non-sticky and completely pristine state.  The top right photo displays what we call 'rug beer.'  It consists of fermented foot oils, pet dander/urine, spills, stains, spots, etc.  I would not recommend drinking it though.  We capture the rinse water from each rug throughout our cleansing process and analyze it and adjust the next step in order to achieve crystal clear water from the rug.  If the water is not clear, the rug is not clean!  Some rugs with thicker piles/naps take more time and steps than others.  This is why we offer different prices for different rugs.  If we were to just toss the rugs into a bath together with other rugs, or just clean it with a truckmount and a wand, we would offer flat rate, per square foot pricing.  While we do charge by the square foot, the levels of service depend on what each rug requires and what the client has set for a budget.  After we have thoroughly inspected each rug, we send each client a detailed report of the current condition of each rug and the recommended level of service for each piece in our care.  Regardless of the level of service that the client chooses, the wash/cleanse process is applied to all rugs and textiles.  This is what our clients have come to expect from us, and this is what we are happiest providing.  This is a rewarding process for us.  It is a labor of love.  We hope to meet you and your rugs soon.  Give us a call sometime.  We service all of western Wyoming.

-Rug Reviver
(307)774-RUGS(7847)
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Area Rug Services Start With A Proper Dusting... 

2/27/2015

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Area rugs are mysterious textiles.  Here at Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair, we service all types of area rugs; whether they are: Persian, Oriental, Tribal, Navajo, natural or synthetic, all rugs that come through our rug care washing facility receive a proper and thorough dry-soil removal treatment.  There are many ways to perform this task and this post will cover a few of the aspects of rug dusting that we offer to our clients in the greater Jackson Hole, Wyoming areas. 

Most of the area rugs that we receive into our shop are constructed of natural fibers.  Natural fibers can act as sponges for many different types of dry soils.  Wool fiber area rugs can hold many, many pounds of dirt that you just cannot see or even vacuum out of the rug.  Wool has little scales that dirt can hide in that makes it look like it is still clean.  Wool can still reflect light really well even when it is dirty.  The scales on the outer layers of wool fibers act like Velcro to certain dry soils and they require focused attention to these fibers to remove them.
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Picture taken through our microscope camera shows how wool fibers can 'hold' on to dry soils even after this rug was vacuumed.
The picture above illustrates how wool fibers can still hold on to dry soils even after the rug had been thoroughly vacuumed.  We often are asked the question from our clients in the greater Jackson Hole, WY areas if we can perform the cleaning of their area rugs in their home.  While there are always exceptions to the types of rugs that can be cleaned in a clients' home, generally we do not offer this service for many reasons, but namely for this post, it is because in order to properly remove the dust particles, dry soils and particulates from the area rugs, we need to have it in our wash facility in order to contain the large amounts of dust that will inevitably be released from these rugs.  Were we to attempt to perform this in the home, the home would then be covered by large amounts of dust and this is not beneficial to anyone.  

The three pictures at the beginning of this post represent the amount of effort that one can invest into removing dry soils from an area rug.  The dust at times, seems to come off in layers as the face fibers are manipulated with differing methods to remove it.  Different rugs with differing densities will release these dry soils based on the aggression of the tools used to remove the soils.  Each rug has its own characteristics that prevent or allow differing methods to properly and thoroughly 'dust' the rug.  Clients are usually surprised when they receive their 'Pre-Wash Report' from us after their rugs have had this step performed with the pictures of the amount of dust that was removed from the rug.  
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Dry soils removed from only one small 4'x6' area rug. Notice how fine the dust particles are...
These dry soils need to be removed prior to the rug being introduced to moisture, as it is easier for them to be removed when dry than wet(simple physics).  Many of our clients are used to having their area rugs cleaned by a local carpet cleaning company with the rugs in place in their homes.  What is happening to the rugs over time, is that if this dry soil is allowed to remain, the abrasiveness of the soils will cut, scratch, and eventually cause damage that can require a major repair of the rug.  Each time you step on a rugs face fibers, there is friction between the fibers from the pressure of your foot.  This friction can be like rubbing sandpaper together.  This even leads to destruction of the dyes of the fibers themselves(see picture below).
You can see from the two pictures above that dry soils can even cause damage to where the dyes themselves will crock onto the dry soils.  This is irreparable damage in most cases.  Unlike solution dyed synthetic carpets, natural fiber rugs with natural dyes are more delicate and require more care and maintenance.  Nylon carpets that are solution dyed contain their respective colors throughout the fiber itself.  Natural fiber materials that have natural dyes are coated and dyed usually in a dye bath(much like dyeing an Easter egg).  It is important to regularly remove the dry soils to prevent fiber damage, and a vacuum cleaner just cannot do this in your home.  

Finally, just having your area rugs given the once over in your home from a carpet cleaning company can cause the residual dry soils in the rug fibers to harden over time with the addition of new moisture from the carpet cleaners wand once it dries.  This speeds up the process of soils sticking to the fibers as the cleaning shampoos are not properly rinsed from the fibers of the rug.  It may look great when it is wet and for the next week or so, but this new, sticky environment attracts more soils which make the vacuuming even more ineffective than before.  At Revive-A-Rug Cleaning and Repair, we offer many dry soil removal options to fit the requirements of any rug that comes into the wash facility.  We hope that this post was informative and educational.  If you own area rugs in the greater Jackson Hole, Wyoming areas, please consider us as an option the next time you need area rug services.

-Rug Reviver
(307)774.RUGS(7847)
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Forget Popcorn Popping...  Natural Dyes Pop on This Clients Wool Area Rug in Wilson, WY!

2/26/2015

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While some people simply just throw out their dingy old rugs, clients of Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair opt for our exclusive 'Revival Service!'  Wool rug fibers are so much more appealing to the eye than synthetic fibers.  Wool is alive(at least it was at some point:), it is vibrant, it is warm and inviting.  Sure a wool sweater is itchy, but just look at this wool rug POP after a thorough cleansing at our wash facility in Western Wyoming.  It is almost not even recognizable from how dirty it was before.  This client from Wilson, Wyoming was so pleased when this little knotted gem was returned that she decided to keep it!  This was a typical pick-up meeting when the client says...  "See what you can do..."  A full service washing and a small repair later, she was beaming and excited to have this rug back in her kitchen.


If you are having your wool area rugs given the 'once over' by a carpet cleaning company while they are cleaning the wall-to-wall carpets in your home, please consider that there is an option to have your wool area rugs properly cared for locally at the Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair wash facility in Western Wyoming.  You do not need to take your area rugs to the local dealer to have them shipped to California to be processed by a company that is not accountable to you.  The artisan quality cleansing and repairs that are all performed right here in Wyoming are second to none anywhere in the world.  Give us a call sometime, we will prove it to you.


-Rug Reviver
(307)774-RUGS(7847)
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Introducing... Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair

2/17/2015

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Making the decision to hire a company to 'care' for your area rugs is a more difficult decision to make than hiring a professional carpet cleaner.  Most carpet cleaning companies clean wall-to-wall, synthetic fibers as a day to day practice.  Cleaning synthetic, wall-to-wall carpets comes with a host of cleaning chemicals and equipment that can permanently cause damage to your area rugs.  Area rugs require a more delicate and thorough process in order to completely maintain the integrity and value of the textile.  Further, area rugs come from many different regions of the earth.  Each of these areas has materials that are specific to their geographic location, and in order to properly care for these rugs, requires experience and know-how from one who has the facilities and expertise to provide the highest quality services. 


At the Revive-A-Rug Cleansing & Repair facility in Western Wyoming, each rug is handled individually and completely from the time of pick-up at our clients' homes, to the delivery of each rug back in its place.  Each rug has its own personality(quality of construction, dyes, condition, etc) and we take the time to inspect each rug in order to offer the most appropriate treatment.  We offer what we call a 'full-service experience.'  This means that your area rugs and textiles are not shipped out to be handled by third parties who are not responsible to you.  We are capable of handling all types of issues related to the textiles that we cleanse and repair in OUR OWN facility.  Some rugs require only a maintenance cleaning at the basic level, while others may have severe contamination from pets, floods, mold, etc.  Revive-A-Rug offers many levels of service that suit the needs of the clients that we maintain in the greater Jackson Hole, WY area.  Our climate can be hard on textiles due to the active lifestyle of our clients and their pets,  and we are equipped to provide the highest quality of cleansing & repair techniques that rival any other textile service worldwide.  We are in fact a regular stop for individuals seeking to learn the 'rug cleaning/repair trade.'  At times we offer other cleaners and designers educational workshops that relate to the area rug field.  


Our philosophy starts with what can be measured.  Levels of cleanliness/contamination, staining, structural damage, odors, pest damage(moths, etc.), color/dye migration, etc, are all taken into account before the cleansing process begins.  Each rug is carefully inspected and the client makes the decision based on recommendations from our trained staff and the clients' budget.  Rugs are not tossed into a vat of cleaning solutions with other rugs and then spun out through a large wringing machine at Revive-A-Rug.  We take the time to carefully and intentionally give each rug what it needs to preserve its personality that our clients expect to enjoy once it is returned from our facility.  We take the artisan approach in every service that we offer.  High-volume cleaning facilities are not capable of the quality that we demand of ourselves.  This we can measure and guarantee.  


Having visited many other rug care facilities, and tested differing methods and equipment, we feel that our facilities are as well equipped as any other in exceeding industry standards for rug care results.  Results are what we measure, expectations are what we desire to exceed.  We strive to be constantly improving our quality and efficiency for the benefit of the craft.  Many of the tools that we utilize in our processes have been designed by us for our exclusive use.  There are large pieces of equipment that are available to handle larger volumes of rug processing.  We feel however that the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to the quality of the product received by the client with these 'processing' tools.  Ours is a delicate approach.  We take pride in each rug that comes through our door, and we hope that shines through in our workmanship.  


Call us, we are excited to meet your rugs!


-Rug Reviver
307.774.RUGS(7847)

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