Buckled rug

[matthewfiles]

One of our techs comes back from a customers house and says that the area rug she wanted
cleaned couldn't be moved because it's under a baby grand piano so he just cleaned it in place.
The customer knew it wasnt ideal but she didnt want the piano moved. She calls back one or two days later and says her rug is all buckled. I can't imagine why so I ask the tech about it and he says he didnt have any problem cleaning it, and then says "but I did tell to put some tupperware stuff under it so air would get under it to help dry it" Oy Vey!
I can't see it unbuckling if it stays under the piano, (she wants us to sign a paper saying we accept responsibility for the piano if we damage it) but my real worry is that it won't unbuckle at all
even if we bring it to the shop and give a full bath. Any comments on this little dilemma.

Thanks,
Matthew

[M4sT3R T3CH]

I would have explain to the customer that she is the one who wanted you to clean the run with the piano on top of it. However your tech should have never told her to put stuff under the run while it dried. I see a couple of options here. #1 clean the rug again and put a airmover on it see if it dried the correct way. #2 Move the piano or have some piano movers or look up how to move one on the net, and then clean the rug then dry it and put it back. Those would be the routes I would consider b4 I replaced a rug. Unless the rug was a cheap and more cost effective to replace it.

Here is a site I found on how to move a grand piano. Hope this helps ya out.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4760287_move-grand-piano.html

[LisaWagner]

Using an extractor on a rug anchored in place by a piano could have stretched and misshapen the rug especially if it is machine made product, or tufted. This is why you clean in-plant, so it can be properly blocked out during dry time if required.

Send some photos. Tell her the rug will need to be blocked in-plant and if she refuses tell her you need some photos to see if there are any other solutions. then post them here.

thanks,
Lisa

[matthewfiles]

Thanks Lisa.
Here are a few pics with the rug back in the shop.
I was thinking to completely reclean it here and after extracting
it with my Steamin Demon let it dry on the floor with fans rather
than hang it up.

Matthew

[M4sT3R T3CH]

Let us know how it turned out man.

[owenscott]

Not as bad as i imagined.

[Richard Baldwin]

I can almost bet that if you clean this rug and lay it back in the lady's house, tell her to give it a week or so, it will lay back down on its own, provided she doesnt put the piano back on it. Another option is to roll it up after completely drying it, leave it rolled up tightly for several days, then go unroll it at her place and tell her to give it a week or so, it should lay itself flat in time.

[LisaWagner]

These machine made products will get a different "memory" of shape when they have heavy things on top of them ESPECIALLY when the rug is ON TOP of a soft surface (wall-to-wall carpet).

I wrote about the importance of using a good pad to counteract this in my blog:
RUG CHICK: Stop making waves

For this one - I would clean it, dry it out FLAT (don't hang it) - and when it is 100% dry (use a moisture sensor) then roll it into a TIGHT roll over night one way, and a TIGHT roll the opposite way, and then lay it out for the client.

One way to help offer a little support for a thin rug like this one is to get that double-sticky pad, and attach it to the carpeting and the rug and put it out tight and flat and then put the furniture on it. It won't hold forever, but it will help.

But when it comes down to it... rugs are meant to be on a HARD floor, not on carpeting.

Hope that helps,
Lisa

[Bud B]

Had an oriental,one end of it had alot off heavey backing hanging beyond pile , whilen drying it started to pucker. I went and took a board used carpet stapler,stretched and staplede rug onto board , hung, let dry removed staples and rug was straight as a board!

[LisaWagner]

Just need to make sure you have rust-proof staples when you do that - and use stainless steel nails if the rug is WOVEN - staples can create some structural damage to a woven rug.

We also will tack up flatweaves sometimes, or needlepoints, and put weights along the bottom to keep the textile's shape during dry time.

We also have a stretching floor as well. And I know many who in their plants have a wood floor with planks to use as guides, and will tack out rugs during surface cleaning, or drying.

With this particular rug up top, because it is machine woven with synthetic foundation fibers, there is not much "give" that hanging would counteract. I find with these low-end pieces, doing that tight roll helps.

Thanks for chiming in Bud,
Lisa