Drying Rack Question

[Walrus Gumboot]

Do you hang the rug over the rack bar, or hang it using some other method? We drape it over the bar, but some tufted rugs with latex backing will take on the shape of the bar. That requires time using a hand held steamer to relax it back down. I think I remember seeing comments that mentioned some other method of attaching rugs to the rack bar.
Flat drying these tufted rugs takes up a lot of space, and it takes longer to dry.
Our rack is 12 ft tall and 16ft wide.
Any suggestions?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

A few thoughts:

1. Unless a tufted rug is subject to urine contamination (so many rugs are...I know), you don't necessarily have to give them a full immersion wash. I know that might be seen as sacrilege by some, but many plant operators use portables or truck mounts with pressure and heat adjustments so that they don't soften the backing in the first place. Some even use VLM on them.

2. What is the circumference of the poles that you are using? 6" irrigation pipe should at least minimize the buckling should you still need/want to do a full wash and dry on a rack.

3. When we had our plant, we had a bars that had strips on the top with stainless steel tacks. We would hang tufted rugs lengthwise at the edge. You have to get good penetration and be in far enough not to create a tear of course, but it worked for us for decades.

4. If you get one of those that buckles on you, try just cleaning it with a portable or low pressure adjusted truck mount from the back. Sometimes that will relax the rug quicker and with less labor than hand steaming.

Hope this helps

 

[hogjowl]

Anybody know a good exorcist?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Anybody know a good exorcist?

I'm not sure of how you connected this, but your thoughts reminded me of this call I received a couple of years ago:

A guy called me and asked:

"We got asked to clean a sofa that was in a home where an exorcism was performed. If we clean out the holy oil that was sprinkled on during the ceremony, will the demon come back?"

I told him that question is for the exorcist, and that I was completely unqualified to answer that question.

 

[hogjowl]

A few thoughts:

1. Unless a tufted rug is subject to urine contamination (so many rugs are...I know), you don't necessarily have to give them a full immersion wash. I know that might be seen as sacrilege by some, but many plant operators use portables or truck mounts with pressure and heat adjustments so that they don't soften the backing in the first place. Some even use VLM on them.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

A few thoughts:

1. Unless a tufted rug is subject to urine contamination (so many rugs are...I know), you don't necessarily have to give them a full immersion wash. I know that might be seen as sacrilege by some, but many plant operators use portables or truck mounts with pressure and heat adjustments so that they don't soften the backing in the first place. Some even use VLM on them.

2. What is the circumference of the poles that you are using? 6" irrigation pipe should at least minimize the buckling should you still need/want to do a full wash and dry on a rack.

3. When we had our plant, we had a bars that had strips on the top with stainless steel tacks. We would hang tufted rugs lengthwise at the edge. You have to get good penetration and be in far enough not to create a tear of course, but it worked for us for decades.

4. If you get one of those that buckles on you, try just cleaning it with a portable or low pressure adjusted truck mount from the back. Sometimes that will relax the rug quicker and with less labor than hand steaming.

Hope this helps

Thanks, Jim. We use the 6" irrigation pipes to cover the steel bars.

 

[Sierra Clean Care]

We run six 6”, three 8”, and three 10”.
Whenever I foresee a problem, I’ll run tufted or other really large rugs over the bigger pipe.
To be on the safe side, I usually use the 10”, and haven’t had an issue since.
Our fan system are all on rolling vertical dollies. (X4 dollies). There are 4 fans per dollie, and they are 8’ tall each.
We run 2 commercial dehus in the rug drying area.

 

[Cleanworks]

Do you hang the rug over the rack bar, or hang it using some other method? We drape it over the bar, but some tufted rugs with latex backing will take on the shape of the bar. That requires time using a hand held steamer to relax it back down. I think I remember seeing comments that mentioned some other method of attaching rugs to the rack bar.
Flat drying these tufted rugs takes up a lot of space, and it takes longer to dry.
Our rack is 12 ft tall and 16ft wide.
Any suggestions?

I use 4 inch PVC pipes. I hang rugs diagonally. You may get a little hump but it generally comes out when you roll it up and is unrolled in the customers home. Have never had a complaint.