Remember the rug loom that I showed you in a previous post? On the loom, notice how the warps (the white cotton strands that run from the bottom of the loom to the top) are strung in a vertical direction.
Wool knots are twisted (actually tied) around the warp threads one row at a time, with new cotton wefts inserted between each row of knots.
I say white cotton because most rugs in your cleaning facility are woven with a cotton base. The rug’s foundation threads, or “skeleton,” can be made from wool or silk. However, these fibers are rare.
The weaver twists the wool around the warp threads of white cotton, then turns them back again, using a wood/metal comb or other device to pound the knots into place evenly, then SNAPB!!! A strand breaks.
At this point, replacing the warp thread is impossible – rugs take months or even years to hand weave. You must work with what you already have. In this case, it means tying the two ends together in a knot. You would do the same thing with a broken shoelace if there were no choice but to fix it.
The white knots are then incorporated into the rug. The weavers trim the ends of the knots so they can be hidden under the wool fibers. These knots may reappear as the face fibers of the rug are worn out with age and wear and tear.
If the rug is dirty, it may be grayed out. If you clean the carpet, WATCH OUT! You may end up with a very clean Krugman but full of freckles. The rug owner will be shocked because she doesn’t recall them.
The more you clean, the worse these freckles will look.
You can avoid unhappy clients if you identify them BEFORE cleaning and explain to the owner why they exist.
If you mention something AFTER cleaning, it’s an excuse.
The question is how much. How many rugs do you need?
They are visible on both the front and back. Make finding them a part of your routine before you inspect. Freckles don’t mean anything wrong. They are just what they are. Characteristics. A rug’s uniqueness is a characteristic.
Some rug owners are not bothered by them, but others want to remove their rug freckles. You can’t remove them, but with patience and suitable dyes, you can blend them so they are less visible. Rug makeup!
You don’t want your neighbors to make fun of you if you put on too much.