Pretty excited, finally got a tagging gun so I can keep track of my rugs to clean. And got my racks organized to separate dirty from done. Got a lot of advice on here to help get organized, thanks!
Looks good! One thing I do is tie them up when cleaned - don't wrap them unless asked. I find that tying them makes them look nicer and makes the bigger ones easier to handle.
You aren't worried about them getting dirty when you bring them back? I wrap them in craft paper. They would get filthy in my truck.
Oh yea, btw, I do not mean to take all credit on this, eyeball is equal parts of this soon to be industry dominating "old world rug spa" based here in Indianapolis!
I respect everyone's individual ways of doing things but how does that make it easier to handle? I have found that once the rug is thoroughly dry I roll it up on our machine and wrap it nice and tight (not too tight) creating a total seal from dirt or moisture that could make contact in transit. Not to mention it makes the rug fairly rigid when wrapped for easy carrying, instead of all loose and floppy. I use this machine to auto roll them while I wrap them. It has a foot controll to start and stop it.
Cool, looks good. What kind of tag gun did you get and where from, I like that idea better than the safety pins I am currently using.
Tron and I have kicked around putting a wax seal on rolled up rugs and logo stamping it, like they do with signet rings. That would be so cool.
I'm not a rug cleaner (Maybe in the future) but is tagging only done after it dries? What if you are cleaning multiple rugs at one time, how do you guys identify the customer's rugs as they are wet and drying? It would seem logical to use some type of plastic identifier as they are still wet and drying? Or are you only doing one rug at a time? Ranier
Your right, I plan on getting water proof tyvek or something tags. But for now I do only clean one at a time, so I'll just retag it when I hang it on the drying rack. We bought the only tags they had at that store today. I had to do it today because I've gotten mixed up when I've had just 3 or 4 in but right now we have a couple dozen..
Tyvek tags and perm marker as soon as they come in - makes it through the wash. If you put rugs in your van with all your cleaning stuff then wrap them in paper so they won't get dirty. I had a separate van. I tied them so they would stay rolled - delivered them then just cut the string and rolled out. Tron - I like your system but I just wouldn't wrap them like that - any trapped moisture would reel havoc if the rug sat for a while. If the customer wants to store a rug I wrap in Tyvek so it breathes. I used to get this stuff called "extensible" paper - it actually stretches so you could wrap a rug and when you picked it up the paper wouldn't rip - now if I wrap i leave the ends open. Can't find the other stuff any place.
Tyvek tags and perm marker as soon as they come in - makes it through the wash. If you put rugs in your van with all your cleaning stuff then wrap them in paper so they won't get dirty. I had a separate van. I tied them so they would stay rolled - delivered them then just cut the string and rolled out. Tron - I like your system but I just wouldn't wrap them like that - any trapped moisture would reel havoc if the rug sat for a while. If the customer wants to store a rug I wrap in Tyvek so it breathes. I used to get this stuff called "extensible" paper - it actually stretches so you could wrap a rug and when you picked it up the paper wouldn't rip - now if I wrap i leave the ends open. Can't find the other stuff any place.
Good ideas, And I've thought about the moisture thing, I don't wrap untl I'm absolutely sure it's dry, and so far I've delivered them all and opened for the customer. Thanks for the insight, please keep any ideas coming!
As long as you are going to open them when you get there that is fine - just make sure. I think it was Dusty that had the idea of buying a big roll of sleeved plastic and drilling holes in it - I really liked that one!
And - get some concrete form tubes - put them on the shelves and put the rugs in them. It will help when you get lots of rugs - makes it easier to get them out when they are on the bottom.
Carpet cleaning should be a regular event. Rugs should be vacuumed twice a week, but few people actually do it. Try to do it at least every week or two, particularly if you have pets.
Thats really cool. The guy I trained with, was setting up a rug cleaning shop. He paid 18K for the large drying rack with the motor that lifted the rugs up and down. The coolest thing though was the stationary Butler system that was electric. Keep posting pics, this stuff is cool!
Since you have connection with a carpet retailer, keep the heavy cardboard tubes carpet comes on. This can be a core to roll larger rugs or for custom tufted rugs that can't be rolled (the standard way) without damaging the seams.
I share the shop with Torrey and his dad. I use those big cardboard carpet tubes all the time. I cut them to size with a sawzall. Works really well. Especially on big floppy rugs.
