[ady]

have any of you got drying rooms for rugs ? i have a small room in my lock up and my idea is extractor ,dehumidifier and air blower  any suggestions very welcome regards ady
  :

[carpetguy]

There was a good diy set up on a web site somewhere. I will try to find it..................................in the mean time............................for drying, you might consider a couple of these twin  hanging rails which I think B&Q sell.  Two will give a decent span and enogh strength.

Don't consider a de humidifier, they are too expensive for this, turbo air flow will do the job, but remember to keep moving them.

[Cloverleaf]

I use 2 room fans, 1 dehumidifier and a 3kw heater.
This will dry perhaps 5 or 6 rugs for example in 4 to 8 hours depending how damp the rugs are when finished. Perhaps a little longer on some types of rugs where cleaning has gone through to  the backing.

I used to use a couple of air movers....but found room fans are more than enough.

A dehumidifier is a must to remove the water from the air, contrary to the above. The water collection  tank will have a few litres of water in it after drying perhaps 4 or 5 rugs.

You can also take advantage of the warm weather by having the door open and just running the fans.

John 

[Liahona]

If you are going to have a closed room for drying then it is a MUST that you use a de-hu.  Air movers alone will not speed dry anything if all you are doing is saturating the air with moisture.

If you are replacing the wet air with dry by displacement then you wouldnt need a de-hu but again and cant be stressed enough, with a closed room it is a must to use a de-hu.

Brand new a good one cant be more than £1000 so its not like they are expensive.

Cloverleaf, care full as warm weather doesnt always mean dry air and you could be actually slowing down the drying process.  If the outside ambient air is dry then what you have suggested is quite right.

Best, Dave.

[carpetguy]

Whatever you do, it must be cost effective................what Dave says, is technically correct and highlights the reasons why the average c/c will not have the space or capacity to carry out the full, cleaning / drying operation successfully.

What you should avoid, is the introduction of heat, into the process, due to the high cost of producing heat.

rob

[Cloverleaf]

Hi Dave,

I'v done 100's of rugs in the past and also clean them for some dry cleaning companys.

I sometimes get up to a dozen rugs to clean in one week  :
So an effective drying system is essentiial to get them out on time.

Those hot summer days save on electricity but when the humidity is up the d/h comes on with closed doors and a warm room.  

John

[Liahona]

Rob, but why not introduce what is going to help dry the textile quicker?

 More heat equals or should be used to equal a faster dry.  Which means air movers and de-hu's and the heater can be turned off quicker equaling a saving not  a higher cost.

Not only that but and I know this is just an example,

  9ft x 12ft rug =  £200 to £300 or more

Heat cost, air moving cost and de-hu cost, a few pounds at most.  Lets be silly and say £20......... well need I say more.  

If we invest in this business to become better at what we do then we can charge more.

If a cleaner is going to clean a rug with all the goodies to help not just dry the textile but clean it to a higher standard  then he or she has every right to charge more for their services.  That would leave the cleaner who doesnt, offering a less of a service and accordingly always complaining about not getting what he thinks he deserves although not coming up with the service.

Best, Dave

P.S. Cloverleaf, well stated and good on you for finding that amount of rugs to clean.  Where are you as I may be able to get you some more rugs to clean if you want or need them.

[will_turton]

 i think clover leaf is welsh, he looks like a farmer

[carpetguy]

This takes us back to the ubiquitous .....................how much you will get for cleaning a rug and obviously, if a rug only costs £300 to £ 400, you will be lucky to get circa, £40 - £50

Yes, I know about the £3k  to £5k rugs, but the average guy on here will never even see such a rug !

rob

I agree that you should make life as easy and effective as possible, if the financial return is there !

[Cloverleaf]

Hi  Liahona,

Thanks for the offer, but cannot take on anymore as usually busy enough.

Billy, a farmer?.....what are you taking? 

John