Okay - those of you using a Rug Badger to dust - I'm sure you know this already, but be careful about the edges, and careful on any very flexible rugs that can get caught up in the machinery. We got this rug in today from a competitor - Just because equipment - or chemicals - say "good for rugs" doesn't mean you don't need to look into getting properly trained to use it. With oriental wool rugs especially - the more time you spend in pre-inspection, testing, and preparing for unexpected events (dye bleeding) - the better. Good Equipment + Bad Training = Rug Disaster This is a niche that requires thinking and attention ... so if you hate the details, rugs and fine fabric care is not for you. (Sorry.) Lisa
Lisa. This is a great thread about the "pit-falls" of Badgering rugs. I will certainly make it stronger point (with my clients) to use TYVEK on the back of rugs that are suspect and even use it on less sensitive rugs as then the fringes or edges cannot get scuffed up or worse. I will even take it a step farther and put a warning label (as suggested on the ICS board)on the RugBadger that it be used with a big piece of TYVEK placed between the back of the rug and the underside of the RugBadger. This will ensure that the vibro-straps cannot hurt a rug and at the same time still allow you to get all the energy into the back of the rug to remove the soils that your clients are paying you to remove! Regarding Badgering VS using any other type of a vac we feel that the RugBadger will always outperform. I did a video when we first developed our Rugbadger proto-type over 6 years ago and put it head to head against a sanitaire vac. Here you can see clearly that a RugBadger outperforms a vac and this was only one of our early models, the newer RugBadger Pro model performs even better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXdoBMIynEI Thanks Lisa Dusty www.rugbadger.com 866 885 7847
Hi Dusty - I posted a comment about the Tyvek on my blog, and on the follow-ups to the posts. It's a good tip... though I'd venture to guess that this guy who chewed up this rug probably was texting and Badgering, and may not have paid attention to using the Tyvek either. I've heard from a number of Badger owners who have had a rug get sucked/flipped up into the unit - but were quick to stop the machine and pull it out. I gather that is where the idea of using the Tyvek came from - which is a good tip. We use rolls of Tyvek to store rugs, so it is easy to get. But I think it's important to see what can happen if you are NOT careful. I'd venture to guess the "Rug Finishers" can also create a problem to certain fibers like Rayon. I never understood why anyone would need to finish a rug with an encap product when it's been thoroughly cleaned. I've only seen that used twice, and the residue left behind just makes no sense to me ... I'd actually like to see you stop endorsing that one - but perhaps with some of your clients who are surface cleaning rugs, they need it to get the extra soil out? That's the only reason I can think maybe that might be used... otherwise, an acid rinse, removing shampoo residue and giving that silky wash finish, on a good wool rug, should be all anyone ever needs after a really good wash. Love the EZ racks though. And the Badger too in certain scenarios. Sorry it had to be the vehicle for this bad technician to ruin a good rug.... at least temporarily (because we will fix it). I'll try to get photos of the rug done. Thanks, Lisa
