Products
2019/09 - The Experience Convention (Las Vegas, NV)
Regular price $0.00Date: September 18, 19 and 20, 2019
Location: Las Vegas, NV
IICRC Continuing Education: N/A
2019/09-21 - Rug TechEd (Las Vegas, NV)
Regular price $149.00Date: Sept. 21, 2019
Location: Las Vegas, NV
IICRC Continuing Education: Coming Soon
Name:
Rug TechEd brought to you by WoolSafe and The Association of Rug Care Specialists
Price:
Early Bird Registration: Members: $149; Non-Members: $199
After August 31: Members: $179; Non-Members: $229
Brief Description: WoolSafe and ARCS are partnering to bring rug washers from around the world the best educational and technical learning opportunities at The 2019 Fall Experience Event in Las Vegas! From rug cleaning to repairs, we will cover it all. Earn IICRC Credits. Enter to Win some amazing prizes!
Why would someone want to come to this class, what will they learn? Learn a variety of rug related skills from the industry experts, Robert Mann, Randy Hyde, Ruth Travis, and many more. We will cover everything from how to build a rug plant, Rug ID and Intake, Marketing a rug business, How to Clean Viscose, How to work on Color Run, Basic Rug Repairs, shearing, sides and ends, etc. and Rugs and Moths and Mold.
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
8 a.m. – Registration
8:30 a.m. – Welcome- Ruth Travis, WoolSafe N. America Director & Meg Walker, ARCS President
8:45 a.m. – WoolSafe Research Update- Agnes Zsednai & Steve Bakker
9:30 a.m. – ARCS Update
9:45 a.m. – Sponsorship Spotlight
10:15 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – Building a Rug Plant- Jordan King
11:30 a.m. – Rug Intake- Beginner ID- Scott Ring
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 p.m. – Rug Marketing- Scott & Miranda Gwilliam
2:15 p.m. – Viscose- Kash Sobhe
2:45 p.m. – Color Run- Randy Hyde
3:15 p.m. – Break
3:45 p.m. – Demonstrations- Shearing, Tiny Simple Repairs- Robert Mann
4:45 p.m. – Moths & Mold- Jarrod Horton
5:30 p.m. – Closing speeches followed by Beer
Scott & Miranda Gwilliam
RugWorx
www.rugworx.com
Scott Gwilliam; is the Owner, Operator, inspiration and heartbeat of. He has been cleaning carpet for 20+ years and re-sparked his passion for textiles and fibers with professional rug cleaning. He loves to educate other cleaners and Designers and is an IDCEC approved Instructor. He holds a wide array of certifications including Textile Pro and WoolSafe Certified Rug Care Specialist. He spends a lot of time with his wife and their two boys. He LOVES to snow ski, play poker, billiards and golf. He is very passionate, loves what he does and loves all of his clients
Miranda Gwilliam; eased into working for Scott when their boys are little and now works full- time at the Rug Worx facility. She does EVERYTHING from scheduling, billing, customer service, management, networking, marketing to rug deliveries with Scott! She is the Mama Bear at work and at home to their 2 boys: Byron (8) & Brandt (5). She loves running their family biz, connecting with clients and taking her boys to the Zoo.
Jarrod Horton
President of Porter's Carpet Cleaning, Shreveport, LA
www.porterscc.com
Jarrod Horton; Owner of Porter’s Carpet Cleaners in Shreveport, Louisiana.
He became a certified Master Rug Cleaner in 2014, he is also an associate certified entomologists. Although he is relatively new to the rug cleaning industry, he has been battling fabric moths for almost 30 years as the owner of a professional pest control company, Anti-Pest. He will explain some of the biological aspects of the moths we encounter and some of the techniques his company employs to detect, eradicate and repel them from their customer’s fine rugs.
Randy Hyde
Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc.
www.renaissancerugs.com
Randy Hyde; Owner of Renaissance Rug Cleaning, Inc. established 1999 in Portland, Oregon. He started in the rug business with Atiyeh Brothers in the late 1980’s. In 1996 Randy accepted a job with rug dealer, author and tribal rug expert James Opie in part to manage the wash plant but also to sell rugs. Randy purchased the cleaning end of the business in 1999 and changed the name to “Renaissance Rug Cleaning”. Today Renaissance provides cleaning and service to most of Portland’s dealers and collectors. From 2015-16 Randy served on the ARCS board of directors and as ARCS President from 2016- to April 2018.
Jordan King
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
www.Orientalrugcleaningindianapolis.com
Jordan King; “Jordan is the operations manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis and Sani-Bright Carpet Cleaning. Since joining the business in 2009, Jordan’s passion for service has helped fuel their rapid growth. He is a certified Master Rug Cleaner and holds the CRS designation. Jordan has always had an entrepreneurial spirit; through high school and college, he owned & operated a successful recording studio as well as a lawn care business. He has found the networking, education, and friendships formed through ARCS events & classes to be highly valuable. It continues to give him and his team the edge they need to bring a 5-Star experience to their clients.”
Robert Mann
Robert Mann Rugs, Inc.
www.mannrugs.com
Robert Mann; In February of 1978, I began a career in the rug business as an apprentice restorer working for an Iranian man named Hamid Sharifzadeh. I had traveled extensively in rug producing countries and somehow it all made sense. Working mostly for rug stores and dealers we did basic repairs. When rugs were too dirty to repair as is, we would clean them in the bath tub or out in the driveway. It was an exciting time.
Based in Boulder, the business grew slowly. In January 1982 I opened a wash plant and restoration studio in a shop front at 32nd Avenue and Lowell in North Denver. I hired two employees.
In 1984 we moved to a large warehouse on Walnut Street, and moved again in 2009 to a bigger space on Race Ct. just north of the Denver Stockyards complex. With a staff of twenty, we had become a small business.
A Denver County plan to redevelop the Stock Yards has caused us to prepare for yet another move. In mid-2018 we will move into a new Denver facility near 56th and Pecos. Our new home will be a 24,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility for rug cleaning and restoration.
Scott Ring
Woodard Cleaning and Restoration
www.woodard247.com
Scott Ring; Scott started in the cleaning and restoration business in the late 1980s with Woodard Cleaning & Restoration. After working production in the rug plant for approximately 7 years learning the business, he went on to pursue a career in hand-knotted rug sales. He worked in retail sales and importing for 13 years before returning to Woodard to now run then rug operations. Working with a 73-year-old business, he has been able to serve all three generations of ownership. Scott spent the next few years growing the rug business and adding additional decontamination, rug padding and hand-repair services.
In 2017 he became Director of Cleaning Services at Woodard, overseeing rug, residential & commercial location cleaning. With over 25 years of textile cleaning & retail sales experience, he says he has been blessed to have several mentors to help him figure things out along the way. Working at Woodard, their core purpose is to help people get back to their lives. The challenge and the privilege to serve others, both team members and customers is what motivates him daily. Scott is on his second term on the board of directors with the Association of Rug Care Specialist and has completed the Master Rug Cleaner certification.
Kash Sobhe
Rug Ideas
www.rugideas.com
Kash Sobhe; is a 3rd generation rug expert. His late grandfather started their family business in Iran in 1953, over 66 years ago. His father, Dr. Kay, is a second-generation rug expert with over 50 years of dedication to the industry. Kash and his family moved to the U.S. about 16 years ago where they decided to continue their passion for rugs in Los Angeles. As the first and only Certified Master Rug Cleaner in the entire greater Los Angeles area, Kash is also a WoolSafe Certified Fiber Care Specialist and a Certified Color Restoration Specialist. He has grown up caring for rugs and will continue the family business. He graduated in Business Marketing from California State University Northridge.
Ruth Travis
Woolsafe Organization
www.WoolSafe.org
Ruth Travis; Ruth Travis holds a BS degree in Textiles and has over 30 years of experience in maintenance, restoration and inspection of carpet, rugs and upholstery.
In 1988, Ruth and her partner, Ginger started their fiber care service in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she performed fabric cleaning, protection, and inspection and color correction services for her clients, interior designers and carpet mills.
In 1995 she opened a retail rug store, The Rug Exchange. After selling her share of the business to her partner in 2001, Ruth shifted her focus to training and instructing others in the fiber care industry through the IICRC. She was the IICRC President from 2006 to 2008.
In 2008 Ruth became the Director of the WoolSafe Program in North America. In that capacity, she offers the on-line Fiber Care Specialist course and maintains the WoolSafe North America Directory of Service Providers.
Ruth is an IICRC-Approved Instructor for Rug Cleaning and Color Repair, Master Rug Cleaner and ARCS Certified Rug Specialist. She is also a Carpet Inspector specializing in cleaning related issues and color correction. Most recently she worked as a consultant for Chase Carpet and Rug Care in Denver where she oversaw their rug cleaning operation.
Megan Walker-ARCS President
Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration
www.aladdincleans.com
Meg Walker; is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg is the current President of the Board for the Association of Rug Care Specialists.
Dr. Agness Zsednai MD
Woolsafe Organization
www.WoolSafe.org
Dr. Agness Zsednai MD; is a research chemist; she was educated in Hungary, and got her degree in Chemistry at the University of Szeged. She started work at the Department of Colloid and Surface Chemistry at the same University, teaching undergraduates and doing research work. She obtained her doctoral degree in colloid chemistry.
She joined The WoolSafe Organisation in 2002 and has been responsible for the testing of carpet cleaning and maintenance chemicals under the WoolSafe certification programme. She has also conducted research into the soiling and cleaning of wool carpets and the effect of the various maintenance chemicals on wool and synthetic carpets.
She has been the Managing Director of The WoolSafe Organisation since August 2010.
2019/09-21 - Rug TechEd (Las Vegas, NV)
Regular price $199.00Date: Sept. 21, 2019
Location: Las Vegas, NV
IICRC Continuing Education: Coming Soon
Name: Rug TechEd brought to you by WoolSafe and The Association of Rug Care Specialists
Brief Description: WoolSafe and ARCS are partnering to bring rug washers from around the world the best educational and technical learning opportunities at The 2019 Fall Experience Event in Las Vegas! From rug cleaning to repairs, we will cover it all. Earn IICRC Credits. Enter to Win some amazing prizes!
Why would someone want to come to this class, what will they learn? Learn a variety of rug related skills from the industry experts, Robert Mann, Randy Hyde, Ruth Travis, and many more. We will cover everything from how to build a rug plant, Rug ID and Intake, Marketing a rug business, How to Clean Viscose, How to work on Color Run, Basic Rug Repairs, shearing, sides and ends, etc. and Rugs and Moths and Mold.
8 a.m. – Registration
8:30 a.m. – Welcome- Ruth Travis, WoolSafe N. America Director & Meg Walker, ARCS President
8:45 a.m. – WoolSafe Research Update- Agnes Zsednai & Steve Bakker
9:30 a.m. – ARCS Update
9:45 a.m. – Sponsorship Spotlight
10:15 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – Building a Rug Plant- Jordan King
11:30 a.m. – Rug Intake- Beginner ID- Scott Ring
12:30 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 p.m. – Rug Marketing- Scott & Miranda Gwilliam
2:15 p.m. – Viscose- Kash Sobhe
2:45 p.m. – Color Run- Randy Hyde
3:15 p.m. – Break
3:45 p.m. – Demonstrations- Shearing, Tiny Simple Repairs- Robert Mann
4:45 p.m. – Moths & Mold- Jarrod Horton
5:30 p.m. – Closing speeches followed by Beer
Scott & Miranda Gwilliam
RugWorx
www.rugworx.com
Scott Gwilliam; is the Owner, Operator, inspiration and heartbeat of. He has been cleaning carpet for 20+ years and re-sparked his passion for textiles and fibers with professional rug cleaning. He loves to educate other cleaners and Designers and is an IDCEC approved Instructor. He holds a wide array of certifications including Textile Pro and WoolSafe Certified Rug Care Specialist. He spends a lot of time with his wife and their two boys. He LOVES to snow ski, play poker, billiards and golf. He is very passionate, loves what he does and loves all of his clients
Miranda Gwilliam; eased into working for Scott when their boys are little and now works full- time at the Rug Worx facility. She does EVERYTHING from scheduling, billing, customer service, management, networking, marketing to rug deliveries with Scott! She is the Mama Bear at work and at home to their 2 boys: Byron (8) & Brandt (5). She loves running their family biz, connecting with clients and taking her boys to the Zoo.
Jarrod Horton
President of Porter's Carpet Cleaning, Shreveport, LA
www.porterscc.com
Jarrod Horton; Owner of Porter’s Carpet Cleaners in Shreveport, Louisiana.
He became a certified Master Rug Cleaner in 2014, he is also an associate certified entomologists. Although he is relatively new to the rug cleaning industry, he has been battling fabric moths for almost 30 years as the owner of a professional pest control company, Anti-Pest. He will explain some of the biological aspects of the moths we encounter and some of the techniques his company employs to detect, eradicate and repel them from their customer’s fine rugs.
Randy Hyde
Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc.
www.renaissancerugs.com
Randy Hyde; Owner of Renaissance Rug Cleaning, Inc. established 1999 in Portland, Oregon. He started in the rug business with Atiyeh Brothers in the late 1980’s. In 1996 Randy accepted a job with rug dealer, author and tribal rug expert James Opie in part to manage the wash plant but also to sell rugs. Randy purchased the cleaning end of the business in 1999 and changed the name to “Renaissance Rug Cleaning”. Today Renaissance provides cleaning and service to most of Portland’s dealers and collectors. From 2015-16 Randy served on the ARCS board of directors and as ARCS President from 2016- to April 2018.
Jordan King
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
www.Orientalrugcleaningindianapolis.com
Jordan King; “Jordan is the operations manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis and Sani-Bright Carpet Cleaning. Since joining the business in 2009, Jordan’s passion for service has helped fuel their rapid growth. He is a certified Master Rug Cleaner and holds the CRS designation. Jordan has always had an entrepreneurial spirit; through high school and college, he owned & operated a successful recording studio as well as a lawn care business. He has found the networking, education, and friendships formed through ARCS events & classes to be highly valuable. It continues to give him and his team the edge they need to bring a 5-Star experience to their clients.”
Robert Mann
Robert Mann Rugs, Inc.
www.mannrugs.com
Robert Mann; In February of 1978, I began a career in the rug business as an apprentice restorer working for an Iranian man named Hamid Sharifzadeh. I had traveled extensively in rug producing countries and somehow it all made sense. Working mostly for rug stores and dealers we did basic repairs. When rugs were too dirty to repair as is, we would clean them in the bath tub or out in the driveway. It was an exciting time.
Based in Boulder, the business grew slowly. In January 1982 I opened a wash plant and restoration studio in a shop front at 32nd Avenue and Lowell in North Denver. I hired two employees.
In 1984 we moved to a large warehouse on Walnut Street, and moved again in 2009 to a bigger space on Race Ct. just north of the Denver Stockyards complex. With a staff of twenty, we had become a small business.
A Denver County plan to redevelop the Stock Yards has caused us to prepare for yet another move. In mid-2018 we will move into a new Denver facility near 56th and Pecos. Our new home will be a 24,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility for rug cleaning and restoration.
Scott Ring
Woodard Cleaning and Restoration
www.woodard247.com
Scott Ring; Scott started in the cleaning and restoration business in the late 1980s with Woodard Cleaning & Restoration. After working production in the rug plant for approximately 7 years learning the business, he went on to pursue a career in hand-knotted rug sales. He worked in retail sales and importing for 13 years before returning to Woodard to now run then rug operations. Working with a 73-year-old business, he has been able to serve all three generations of ownership. Scott spent the next few years growing the rug business and adding additional decontamination, rug padding and hand-repair services.
In 2017 he became Director of Cleaning Services at Woodard, overseeing rug, residential & commercial location cleaning. With over 25 years of textile cleaning & retail sales experience, he says he has been blessed to have several mentors to help him figure things out along the way. Working at Woodard, their core purpose is to help people get back to their lives. The challenge and the privilege to serve others, both team members and customers is what motivates him daily. Scott is on his second term on the board of directors with the Association of Rug Care Specialist and has completed the Master Rug Cleaner certification.
Kash Sobhe
Rug Ideas
www.rugideas.com
Kash Sobhe; is a 3rd generation rug expert. His late grandfather started their family business in Iran in 1953, over 66 years ago. His father, Dr. Kay, is a second-generation rug expert with over 50 years of dedication to the industry. Kash and his family moved to the U.S. about 16 years ago where they decided to continue their passion for rugs in Los Angeles. As the first and only Certified Master Rug Cleaner in the entire greater Los Angeles area, Kash is also a WoolSafe Certified Fiber Care Specialist and a Certified Color Restoration Specialist. He has grown up caring for rugs and will continue the family business. He graduated in Business Marketing from California State University Northridge.
Ruth Travis
Woolsafe Organization
www.WoolSafe.org
Ruth Travis; Ruth Travis holds a BS degree in Textiles and has over 30 years of experience in maintenance, restoration and inspection of carpet, rugs and upholstery.
In 1988, Ruth and her partner, Ginger started their fiber care service in Chattanooga, Tennessee where she performed fabric cleaning, protection, and inspection and color correction services for her clients, interior designers and carpet mills.
In 1995 she opened a retail rug store, The Rug Exchange. After selling her share of the business to her partner in 2001, Ruth shifted her focus to training and instructing others in the fiber care industry through the IICRC. She was the IICRC President from 2006 to 2008.
In 2008 Ruth became the Director of the WoolSafe Program in North America. In that capacity, she offers the on-line Fiber Care Specialist course and maintains the WoolSafe North America Directory of Service Providers.
Ruth is an IICRC-Approved Instructor for Rug Cleaning and Color Repair, Master Rug Cleaner and ARCS Certified Rug Specialist. She is also a Carpet Inspector specializing in cleaning related issues and color correction. Most recently she worked as a consultant for Chase Carpet and Rug Care in Denver where she oversaw their rug cleaning operation.
Megan Walker-ARCS President
Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration
www.aladdincleans.com
Meg Walker; is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg is the current President of the Board for the Association of Rug Care Specialists.
Dr. Agness Zsednai MD
Woolsafe Organization
www.WoolSafe.org
Dr. Agness Zsednai MD; is a research chemist; she was educated in Hungary, and got her degree in Chemistry at the University of Szeged. She started work at the Department of Colloid and Surface Chemistry at the same University, teaching undergraduates and doing research work. She obtained her doctoral degree in colloid chemistry.
She joined The WoolSafe Organisation in 2002 and has been responsible for the testing of carpet cleaning and maintenance chemicals under the WoolSafe certification programme. She has also conducted research into the soiling and cleaning of wool carpets and the effect of the various maintenance chemicals on wool and synthetic carpets.
She has been the Managing Director of The WoolSafe Organisation since August 2010.
2019/11 - Journey to Turkey
Regular price $3,150.00Date: November 1–16, 2019
Location: Turkey
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours
Fill out form at bottom of page and please call Ann Marie Thompson at 503-949-9700 for payment
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
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Join ARCS for rugs, art, great food, history and culture.
Early Bird Registration thru July 1, 2019
ARCS Member: $2,950.00
Non-member: $3,400.00
Single Occupancy Accommodation: $400
ARCS member $3,150.00
Non-member $3,600.00
Single Occupancy Accommodation: $400
*** $350 Non refundable deposit included.
We will visit a number of different cities and villages, meeting people all along the way, including:
- Istanbul - Carpet museums, Aya Sophia, Mosques, wholesale carpet dealers, covered bazaar, markets
- Izmir - private tour of ATC - a premier carpet restoration facility. Ancient ruins of Ephesus, small village carpet production in Seljuk, visit a small neighborhood wash plant.
- Central Anatolia - Aksaray, Guzelyurt, Ilhara Valley with its ancient Christian Churches
- Hot Air Balloon Excursion- additional cost of $150-$200/person, contact Ann Marie for advance registration
- Kayseri - Visit handmade carpet industry facilities scattered around the area.
- Istanbul - back again for more sights, shopping, and great food.
Registration includes lodging, meals (no alcohol), site admission(s) and travel within Turkey.
Registration is double occupancy, single occupancy is an additional fee. Roundtrip airfare to Turkey is not included with registration fee, however group travel will be arranged from Chicago to Istanbul for those interested.
Please call Ann Marie Thompson at 503-949-9700 to arrange payment after filling out this form
2019/11 - Journey to Turkey
Regular price $3,600.00Date: November 1–16, 2019
Location: Turkey
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours
Member Price: $3,150; Early Bird: $2,950
Non-member Price: $3,600; Early Bird: $3,400
Single Occupancy Accommodation: $400
We will visit a number of different cities and villages, meeting people all along the way, including:
- Istanbul - Carpet museums, Aya Sophia, Mosques, wholesale carpet dealers, covered bazaar, markets
- Izmir - private tour of ATC - a premier carpet restoration facility. Ancient ruins of Ephesus, small village carpet production in Seljuk, visit a small neighborhood wash plant.
- Central Anatolia - Aksaray, Guzelyurt, Ilhara Valley with its ancient Christian Churches
- Hot Air Balloon Excursion- additional cost of $150-$200/person, contact Ann Marie for advance registration
- Kayseri - Visit handmade carpet industry facilities scattered around the area.
- Istanbul - back again for more sights, shopping, and great food.
Cities, Dates and Hotels
November 2nd – November 5th: Istanbul (4 nights)
Turkoman Hotel
Asmalı Çeşme Sk. No: 2 Adliye Yanı Sultanahmet 34490 Sultanahmet Istanbul / Turkey
T. : +90 212 516 29 56
Website: http://www.turkomanhotel.com/
November 6th – November 8th: Izmir (3 nights)
November 9th – November 10th: Flight to Kayseri-Bus to Guzelyurt (2 nights)
November 11th – November 13th: Kayseri (3 nights)
November 14th – November 15th: Istanbul – The Turkoman Hotel (2 nights)
November 16th: depart for the US
Registration includes lodging, meals (no alcohol), site admission(s) and travel within Turkey.
Registration is double occupancy, single occupancy is an additional fee. Roundtrip airfare to Turkey is not included with registration fee, however group travel will be arranged from Chicago to Istanbul for those interested.
"Several ARCS members recently had the opportunity to tour the beautiful country of Turkey. This trip was slated to be fast-paced and filled with interesting sights, people and amazing rug industry content. I am happy to report it did not disappoint.
Our trip began in Istanbul which was chock-full of rich history and culture. We toured some amazing sights such as the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Suleymaniye Mosque. While in Istanbul, we were able to view some wonderful carpet museums with massive collections of some of the world’s oldest & best carpets. The city and people were welcoming, and the hospitality was unmatched.
Next, we departed for Izmir, where our group had the chance to spend some time at ATC (Antique Textile Conservation). ATC is the premier facility for textile restoration work and the breadth of their knowledge is impressive. All kinds of textiles can be found here from important European tapestries to world-class carpets, and even Navajo textiles of the American Southwest. They are being expertly restored at this facility. Our group had the honor of welcoming Ahmet Opcin, one of the owners of ATC, who joined us for the remainder of our time in Turkey. Ahmet was extremely gracious with his time and was an excellent guide. The trip would not have been the same without him and it was such a pleasure to meet him.
While in Izmir we toured the ruins of Ephesus, visited local rug washing facilities, and were welcomed into the manufacturing plant of Ergin Makina. They manufacture equipment for rug washing and were gracious hosts. Our group also had the chance to tour Can Carpet where we saw natural dying of wool & carpet weaving.
Our trip continued to more central Turkey to the cities of Kayseri & Konya. We stayed in the quaint village of Guzelyurt. Here we spent a few nights in rustic bed & breakfasts. The families that operated these homes were unbelievably welcoming and hospitable towards our group. While in this region of Turkey, some of us took the opportunity to enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon tour of the beautiful Cappadocia area; it was quite breathtaking.
In Aksaray, we toured a large wool processing plant that produces machine-spun wool. We were also welcomed into many rug galleries in this same area, where many from the group were able to purchase rugs for their homes and retail businesses.
One highlight was spending some time in Sultanhani which houses the largest Caravanserai in Turkey. The caravanserai served as a roadside inn for ancient travelers and is a great example of 13th century Seljuk architecture. Our group was welcomed to Sultanhani by none other than the mayor himself, Fahri Solak, who also happens to be in the rug business. Our entire group of 18 were welcomed into his office for tea and a generous gift. We toured Fahri’s rug repair workshop & gallery as well as a carpet weaving facility down the street from his office.
At the end of our trip in Kayseri, we had a chance to visit 3 homes of kilim weavers. These women were so gracious, allowing our large group into their homes to see them working. The small looms were set up in family rooms & balconies. It was quite the experience.
Overall, the kindness of the people and sights in Turkey were excellent. The amount of rug industry content was truly spectacular. Many thanks to ATC, Ahmet Opcin, & Robert Mann for making this a trip of a lifetime. I look forward to the next one!"
-Jordan King
Oriental Rug Cleaning
"The ARCS trip to Turkey was one of the best trips of my life. I have traveled most of my life to a wide variety of places and Turkey jumped to my top 5 pretty early on the trip. The sights, sounds, culture, and food of Turkey were enough to make for an incredible trip, but the industry knowledge made it all the better. After being in the rug cleaning industry for 9 years, there is a certain amount of knowledge that one gain from working, classes and conventions, but my understanding of some of the finer points of rugs came through this trip. We were able to watch wool processing, wool dying, rug weaving and knotting, a number of finishing and distressing processes. We were invited into the premier rug and tapestry restoration facility in the world, ATC, where we watched the masters working their crafts. We wheeled and dealt with rug vendors and a rug auction. The information gained on this trip cannot be measured. The other excellent part of the trip was the interesting group of people we traveled with. Everyone was incredibly kind and getting to know everyone made the trip really great. I look forward to the next one!"
-Jennifer Colaco
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.
Dallas, Texas
"The 2019 ARCS Turkey Trip was a once in a lifetime experience. We loved the tourist hot spots that everyone loves to see. However; the more exciting part of the trip was having the opportunity to venture off the beaten path and experience things and meet people that you wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise. We thoroughly enjoyed the culture and the people as we traveled across the whole country. The memories made in Turkey will last a lifetime and the relationships that were built will have a lasting effect for years to come. If I were given the opportunity to visit a second time I wouldn’t hesitate to experience it all over again."
-Aaron Glazier
Rug Manager
Certified Clean Care
2020/01 - Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning
Regular price $1,800.00Date: January 20-22, 2020
Location: Ayoub Cleaning Service, Washington, DC
IICRC Continuing Education: 12 credit hours
Member Price: $975; Non-member Price: $1800
The Tools of Rug Identification – Grouped in a linear and methodical progression, students learn how to read a rug’s construction to identify its origins. Material progresses from easily discernible traits to more nuanced variations using the most commonly encountered area rugs as teaching material. Students come away knowing the covered material as well as how to advance their skills outside of class.
Survey of hand-tufted, machine-made and specialty rugs
Hand-knotted Rugs – a brief history, nomenclature and introduction to structure, the tools of rug ID
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Persian rugs
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Copies of Persian rugs
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Designer rugs
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Flat-weaves
Overview of Cleaning Process
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Review of the steps in a “best practice” rug cleaning as outlined in ARCS’ Industry Guide & Recommended Practice for Rug Cleaning
Rug Intake
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Pre-inspection and documentation, inventory control & prewash stabilization
About Rugs & Fibers
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A review of the most commonly encountered rug fibers and construction techniques and what their implications are for the cleaning process.
About Soils & Cleaning
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Review of the types of soils found in rugs What are they? How do they accumulate?
Rug Washing
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Getting our hands dirty cleaning the host plants inventory. Topics will include:
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How to generate a cleaning plan
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How all the host’s “toys” work and how to scale the operation up and down to meet the demands of each student
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What to do if a rug starts to go south
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Drying Theory
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Discussion of drying theory and its effects on the cleaning process.
Results
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Evaluating results and discussing the next steps. Discussion, how clean is clean enough? weighing risks vs rewards.
Finishing Processes
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A survey of the non-wash processes that go into a rug cleaning
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Grooming
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Fringe Correction
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Post-wash treatments
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Cosmetic Touchups
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Checkout procedures
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Recording and reporting results
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Spotting techniques
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A discussion of the techniques for removing common spots such as rust, paint, wax, etc.
Discoloration Remediation
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How the products work and how they differ from spotters.
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Risks and how to manage them
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Discussion and demonstrations of common applications and techniques
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Urine Stain removal
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Floor Stripping of Dye
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Dry stripping of Dye
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Review Test - Don’t worry, it isn’t graded
Armen Dohanian: is a fourth generation rug cleaner. His family owns a 100 + year old rug cleaning and restoration business in Boston, Massachusetts. Involved in rug cleaning from an early age, Armen is currently vice-president of operations at the Oriental Rug Cleaning Company in Dallas, TX, a 103 year old, “full-service” rug cleaning and restoration company. Mr. Dohanian is an ARCS Certified Rug Specialist (CRS), a certified Master Rug Cleaner and a Woolsafe North America "Fiber Care Specialist" as well as a member of the International Society of Appraisers.
2020/03 - Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer
Regular price $1,750.00Date: March 6-7, 2020
Location: Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours
*Prerequisite Required: ARCS Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning or instructor approved industry equivalent course
Member Price: $900; Nonmember Price: $1750
Friday March 6, 2020 - Day 1
8:00-8:15 AM |
Welcome and Introductions ~ Handouts, housekeeping and course overview |
8:15-8:30 AM |
Introduction to Oriental Cleaning of Indianapolis ~ Tour host plant |
8:30-9:30 AM |
PowerPoint Presentation |
9:30-10:00 AM |
Intake of risky rugs or rugs with preexisting color run ~ Talking to the client and setting expectations and risk. How to charge |
10:00 AM |
Break |
10:00-10:30AM |
Creating a plan of action, don’t just wing it |
10:30-11:00 AM |
Testing off the wash floor/pre wash |
12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch |
11:00 AM-5:00 PM |
Washing non colorfast rugs likely to need correction ~ This will involve tips and tricks to avoid and/or minimizing color run. We will be using hydro as the primary dye remover here however chlorine bleach may/will be used as well on some rugs. Setting up drying to minimize risk will also be covered |
Saturday March 7, 2020 - Day 2 |
|
8:00-8:30 AM |
Assessment of prior days wash |
8:30 AM-12:00 PM |
Washing and correction preexisting color run on the wash floor |
12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch |
1:00-4:00 PM |
Color and stain correction off the wash floor ~ Here we will be using a number of other dye and stain removers. Rugs will be on tables or the floor so everyone in attendance has their own rug to work on. |
4:00-5:00 PM |
Q & A |
Ben Knause; is the Operations Manager at Carr’s Rug Cleaning in Knoxville Tn. With almost 18yrs at Carr’s he has been cleaning oriental and specialty rugs nearly half his life. He completed the Oriental Rug Cleaning Specialist course presented by Auserehlian & Company in 2006 and received his Certified Rug Specialist designation through the Association of Rug Cleaning Specialist in 2008. He is married to his wonderful wife Rebekah and together they have raised an amazing daughter Lydia. When he’s not working he enjoys riding one of his motorcycles and spending time with his family. He is a member of ARCS and serves on the ARCS Education Committee.
Randy Hyde; Owner of Renaissance Rug Cleaning, Inc. established 1999 in Portland, Oregon. He started in the rug business with Atiyeh Brothers in the late 1980’s. In 1996 Randy accepted a job with rug dealer, author and tribal rug expert James Opie in part to manage the wash plant but also to sell rugs. Randy purchased the cleaning end of the business in 1999 and changed the name to “Renaissance Rug Cleaning”. Today Renaissance provides cleaning and service to most of Portland’s dealers and collectors. From 2015-16 Randy served on the ARCS board of directors and as ARCS President from 2016- to April 2018
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.
2020/03 - Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer - FULL
Regular price $1,750.00 Sale price $900.00Date: March 6-7, 2020
Location: Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours
*Prerequisite Required: ARCS Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning or instructor approved industry equivalent course
Ben Knause and Randy Hyde lead a two day intensive, hands-on dye correction class introduces chemicals and techniques used to remove dye run and dye stains commonly used in wash plants around the world. Participants get ample time to experience wash floor stripping, spot dye removal, and fringe color correction with reducing agents and oxidizers. As a bonus, attendees leave with a general formulation guide to the products used during the event and a list of various suppliers.
Member Price: $900; Nonmember Price: $1750
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
2020/04 - CANCELED - 10th Annual Convention 2020 (St. Louis, MO)
Regular price $950.00 Sale price $650.00Date: April 29 to May 2, 2020
Location: St. Louis, MO
Price: Member $650; Non-Member $950; One Day Guest Pass $300; Thursday Guest Dinner $100; Optional Saturday Tour $60
IICRC Continuing Education: 14
If you have registered, ARCS has several options for refund:
- Refund check to be mailed
- Use registration towards an upcoming class or event
Look for an email from Ann Marie to get this taken care of.
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
- Wednesday, April 29th
- Registration
- Welcome Cocktail Reception: Lobby Lounge
- Dinner on your own
- Thursday, April 30th
- Annual Board Meeting
- CRS Presentation
- Keynote Presentation: Zar Toolan with Wells Fargo Financial Services.
- Morning Medical Insurance Trends: Tim Wells with the Crane Agency
- How to develop a Safety Culture: Jeff Hummel, Safety Manager with Woodard
- 4 Generations in the Workforce: Boomers, Millennials, Gen X, and Y: Cali Beeman with Gallagher
- 10 year Anniversary Presentation: Ellen Amirkhan and Jennifer Colaco
- Dinner @ Kemoll’s Chop House (Hosted by ARCS in honor of our founding members)
- Friday, May 1st
- Woodard Rug Plant Tour
- St. Louis Art Museum
- James F. Ballard Rug Exhibit
- Saturday, May 2nd
- St. Louis Arch Tour (optional)
Zar Toolan
Zar leads a team of over 70 advice professionals who help WFA’s financial advisors deliver better client outcomes. Zar oversees WFA’s advice-delivery & research platforms, portfolio construction & analytics, market & advice commentary, equity & fixed income research, and capital markets guidance. Zar is a published author and keynote speaker. He has appeared on Bloomberg, CNBC, and Fox Business, and has been quoted in Fortune, US News & World Report, Business Week, On Wall Street, and other wealth management publications on investor behaviors, markets, and goals-based investing. Zar is the architect of the Plan to Pie® and RAPTRSM suite of portfolio management and risk analytic applications.
Earlier in his career, Zar worked as a Nuclear Engineer and Operations Manager for the U.S. Navy, overseeing reactor refueling of nuclear-powered submarines. Zar holds an MBA in Finance from the College of William & Mary and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University, where he was an All-Ivy League rower. Zar loves seeing the country on foot and has completed over 50 marathons and ultra-marathons, as well as many other endurance events. An active member of the Saint Louis community, Zar serves on the Board of Trustees for several non-profits, including the Saint Louis Science Center and Gateway Greening. He lives with his wife, Liz, and two children, Maeve and Finn.
Tim Wells
Tim Wells has over fifteen (15) years of experience in the insurance business assisting employer groups to drive efficiencies in their health and wellness programs. Prior to joining Crane, Tim worked with a large national brokerage firm along with one of the leading providers of Life & Disability coverage. Having spent time on both the carrier and brokerage side has afforded Tim the opportunity to become an expert in such areas as:
- Self-Funding;
- Health Care Reform;
- Pharmacy Management;
- Ancillary Benefit Coordination;
- Recruitment, Retention and Training;
- Marketing/Sales;
- Legal & Compliance.
Tim obtained his B.A. in Finance and MIS at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio after graduating from St. Louis University High School.
Jeff Hummel
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Missouri St. Louis. His career started in sociology working with youth for the state of Missouri. In 2001 he changed direction and started a new career in the construction industry as an estimator. Jeff worked as a project manager for approximately 15 years before moving to Woodard Construction Services.
Jeff is a servant leader. He transitioned into safety management due to his ability to lead safety through Woodard’s core values.
Jeff is finishing up his certification for specialist in safety & health. He has traveled around the United States working with other companies to review best practices. He has attended the National Safety Council Congress & Expo, AAIM, Captive Resources, and many OSHA classes.
Jeff is leading a dynamic and engaging safety program. He will share best practices, safety strategies, and Woodard’s journey of growing capable leaders.
Cali Beeman
Cali joined the Gallagher Benefit Services team in 2013 servicing large accounts and currently serves as Benefits Consultant from the San Antonio office. She is a certified Human Resources Professional with benefits administration and compliance experience. Her past employers include the San Antonio Spurs as a Benefits & Staffing Specialist and Calvert Memorial Hospital in Southern Maryland as a HR Projects & Compliance Specialist.
As the spouse of a US Air Force member, she has had the privilege of working in various industries and company cultures. Her previous involvement with corporate strategic planning provides her the ability to find a balance between business and employee needs in regards to cost-control for budget planning and value for employee satisfaction.
Her background in Benefits Account Management and previous Human Resources experience gives her the unique ability to provide client insight for tying their Benefits and Human Capital Strategies together most effectively.
Although Cali and her husband are originally from the East Coast and have traveled the U.S. for the past 20 years, their dedication to the USAF came to a close, and they have finally “settled down” in New Braunfels, Texas with their two children.
Meg Walker
Meg Walker is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg is the current President of the Board for the Association of Rug Care Specialists.
Jennifer Vickery
Jennifer joined Oriental Rug Cleaning in Dallas, Texas as office manager in 2010, becoming the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flothe Association of Rug Care Specialist Board (ARCS), a Certified Rug Specialist, and Master Rug Cleaner.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Jennifer and has spent the majority of her professional career interfacing with customers. Her focus on delivering excellent customer practices for her team led her to create and teach “Effective Communications for Rug Cleaners”, currently offered through ARCS.
Ellen Amirkhan
Since 1980, Ellen Amirkhan has served as president of Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas, a business started by her grandfather in 1911 that specializes in cleaning, repairing, appraising and selling oriental rugs. A Past President of RIA, Ellen holds the designations of Certified Rug Specialist and Certified Oriental Rug Appraiser through the International Society of Appraisers. She is a co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program, co-author of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning and serves as an expert witness for the legal profession.
Marc Braun
Marc joined the Cambridge family in April 2008 as the VP of Operations, has served as Executive VP of Sales and Marketing and most recently been promoted to President in January 2017. Through Marc’s leadership, Cambridge has been able to set strategy that works on the internal and external growth of the organization. Organizational health is everything and Marc’s goals for the organization are to double sales in 5 years through healthy and sustainable growth by holding our employees to the highest of expectations and to love them unconditionally.
Woodard Cleaning & Restoration
Woodard began in 1946 when Earl and Nancy Woodard began to offer their customers in-home rug cleaning door-to-door — an innovation at the time. Today, the Woodard family adheres to that same dedication to quality, customer service and innovation. Justin Woodard — grandson to Earl and Nancy, and son of Charlie Woodard — continues the family legacy as he owns and oversees Woodard’s operations.
Justin and the Woodard family attribute the company’s success to the superior knowledge and expertise of their team, the dedication to providing high-caliber cleaning, their 100% satisfaction guarantee and the many loyal customers they’ve been honored to serve for the past 70+ years.
Sheraton Westport Chalet - $129/night!
191 W Port Plaza Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: 314-878-1500
Follow this link to book your group rate for the Association of Rug Care Specialists!
2020/04 - CANCELED - 10th Annual Convention 2020 (St. Louis, MO)
Regular price $950.00Date: April 29 to May 2, 2020
Location: St. Louis, MO
Price: Member $650; Non-Member $950; One Day Guest Pass $300; Thursday Guest Dinner $100; Optional Saturday Tour $60
IICRC Continuing Education: 14
If you have registered, ARCS has several options for refund:
- Refund check to be mailed
- Use registration towards an upcoming class or event
Look for an email from Ann Marie to get this taken care of.
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
- Wednesday, April 29th
- Registration
- Welcome Cocktail Reception: Lobby Lounge
- Dinner on your own
- Thursday, April 30th
- Annual Board Meeting
- CRS Presentation
- Keynote Presentation: Zar Toolan with Wells Fargo Financial Services.
- Morning Medical Insurance Trends: Tim Wells with the Crane Agency
- How to develop a Safety Culture: Jeff Hummel, Safety Manager with Woodard
- 4 Generations in the Workforce: Boomers, Millennials, Gen X, and Y: Cali Beeman with Gallagher
- 10 year Anniversary Presentation: Ellen Amirkhan and Jennifer Colaco
- Dinner @ Kemoll’s Chop House (Hosted by ARCS in honor of our founding members)
- Friday, May 1st
- Woodard Rug Plant Tour
- St. Louis Art Museum
- James F. Ballard Rug Exhibit
- Saturday, May 2nd
- St. Louis Arch Tour (optional)
Zar Toolan
Zar leads a team of over 70 advice professionals who help WFA’s financial advisors deliver better client outcomes. Zar oversees WFA’s advice-delivery & research platforms, portfolio construction & analytics, market & advice commentary, equity & fixed income research, and capital markets guidance. Zar is a published author and keynote speaker. He has appeared on Bloomberg, CNBC, and Fox Business, and has been quoted in Fortune, US News & World Report, Business Week, On Wall Street, and other wealth management publications on investor behaviors, markets, and goals-based investing. Zar is the architect of the Plan to Pie® and RAPTRSM suite of portfolio management and risk analytic applications.
Earlier in his career, Zar worked as a Nuclear Engineer and Operations Manager for the U.S. Navy, overseeing reactor refueling of nuclear-powered submarines. Zar holds an MBA in Finance from the College of William & Mary and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University, where he was an All-Ivy League rower. Zar loves seeing the country on foot and has completed over 50 marathons and ultra-marathons, as well as many other endurance events. An active member of the Saint Louis community, Zar serves on the Board of Trustees for several non-profits, including the Saint Louis Science Center and Gateway Greening. He lives with his wife, Liz, and two children, Maeve and Finn.
Tim Wells
Tim Wells has over fifteen (15) years of experience in the insurance business assisting employer groups to drive efficiencies in their health and wellness programs. Prior to joining Crane, Tim worked with a large national brokerage firm along with one of the leading providers of Life & Disability coverage. Having spent time on both the carrier and brokerage side has afforded Tim the opportunity to become an expert in such areas as:
- Self-Funding;
- Health Care Reform;
- Pharmacy Management;
- Ancillary Benefit Coordination;
- Recruitment, Retention and Training;
- Marketing/Sales;
- Legal & Compliance.
Tim obtained his B.A. in Finance and MIS at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio after graduating from St. Louis University High School.
Jeff Hummel
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Missouri St. Louis. His career started in sociology working with youth for the state of Missouri. In 2001 he changed direction and started a new career in the construction industry as an estimator. Jeff worked as a project manager for approximately 15 years before moving to Woodard Construction Services.
Jeff is a servant leader. He transitioned into safety management due to his ability to lead safety through Woodard’s core values.
Jeff is finishing up his certification for specialist in safety & health. He has traveled around the United States working with other companies to review best practices. He has attended the National Safety Council Congress & Expo, AAIM, Captive Resources, and many OSHA classes.
Jeff is leading a dynamic and engaging safety program. He will share best practices, safety strategies, and Woodard’s journey of growing capable leaders.
Cali Beeman
Cali joined the Gallagher Benefit Services team in 2013 servicing large accounts and currently serves as Benefits Consultant from the San Antonio office. She is a certified Human Resources Professional with benefits administration and compliance experience. Her past employers include the San Antonio Spurs as a Benefits & Staffing Specialist and Calvert Memorial Hospital in Southern Maryland as a HR Projects & Compliance Specialist.
As the spouse of a US Air Force member, she has had the privilege of working in various industries and company cultures. Her previous involvement with corporate strategic planning provides her the ability to find a balance between business and employee needs in regards to cost-control for budget planning and value for employee satisfaction.
Her background in Benefits Account Management and previous Human Resources experience gives her the unique ability to provide client insight for tying their Benefits and Human Capital Strategies together most effectively.
Although Cali and her husband are originally from the East Coast and have traveled the U.S. for the past 20 years, their dedication to the USAF came to a close, and they have finally “settled down” in New Braunfels, Texas with their two children.
Meg Walker
Meg Walker is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg is the current President of the Board for the Association of Rug Care Specialists.
Jennifer Vickery
Jennifer joined Oriental Rug Cleaning in Dallas, Texas as office manager in 2010, becoming the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flothe Association of Rug Care Specialist Board (ARCS), a Certified Rug Specialist, and Master Rug Cleaner.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Jennifer and has spent the majority of her professional career interfacing with customers. Her focus on delivering excellent customer practices for her team led her to create and teach “Effective Communications for Rug Cleaners”, currently offered through ARCS.
Ellen Amirkhan
Since 1980, Ellen Amirkhan has served as president of Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas, a business started by her grandfather in 1911 that specializes in cleaning, repairing, appraising and selling oriental rugs. A Past President of RIA, Ellen holds the designations of Certified Rug Specialist and Certified Oriental Rug Appraiser through the International Society of Appraisers. She is a co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program, co-author of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning and serves as an expert witness for the legal profession.
Marc Braun
Marc joined the Cambridge family in April 2008 as the VP of Operations, has served as Executive VP of Sales and Marketing and most recently been promoted to President in January 2017. Through Marc’s leadership, Cambridge has been able to set strategy that works on the internal and external growth of the organization. Organizational health is everything and Marc’s goals for the organization are to double sales in 5 years through healthy and sustainable growth by holding our employees to the highest of expectations and to love them unconditionally.
Woodard Cleaning & Restoration
Woodard began in 1946 when Earl and Nancy Woodard began to offer their customers in-home rug cleaning door-to-door — an innovation at the time. Today, the Woodard family adheres to that same dedication to quality, customer service and innovation. Justin Woodard — grandson to Earl and Nancy, and son of Charlie Woodard — continues the family legacy as he owns and oversees Woodard’s operations.
Justin and the Woodard family attribute the company’s success to the superior knowledge and expertise of their team, the dedication to providing high-caliber cleaning, their 100% satisfaction guarantee and the many loyal customers they’ve been honored to serve for the past 70+ years.
Sheraton Westport Chalet - $129/night!
191 W Port Plaza Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63146
Phone: 314-878-1500
Follow this link to book your group rate for the Association of Rug Care Specialists!
2020/06 - Rug Repair
Regular price $1,800.00 Sale price $975.00Date: June 11-12, 2020
Location: Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc., Portland, OR
IICRC Continuing Education: 12 credit hours
Randy and Val Hyde of Renaissance Rug Cleaning in Portland, Oregon will teach this intense two day, hands-on repair class. They will take students through some of the most common repair techniques for cleaning businesses, including a variety of end and edge repairs, repairing splits, ways to hang rugs and more.
Member Price: $975; Nonmember Price: $1800
Don't forget to fill out the registration form after checking out - you must complete the form in order to receive your credit hours!
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
2020/06 - Rug Repair
Regular price $1,800.00Date: June 11-12, 2020
Location: Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc., Portland, OR
IICRC Continuing Education: 12 credit hours
Randy and Val Hyde of Renaissance Rug Cleaning in Portland, Oregon will teach this intense two day, hands-on repair class. They will take students through some of the most common repair techniques for cleaning businesses, including a variety of end and edge repairs, repairing splits, ways to hang rugs and more.
Member Price: $975; Nonmember Price: $1800
Don't forget to fill out the registration form after checking out - you must complete the form in order to receive your credit hours!
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
2020/09 - CANCELED - The Experience Convention (Las Vegas, NV)
Regular price $0.00Date: September 9, 10 and 11, 2020
Location: Las Vegas, NV
IICRC Continuing Education: TBD
ARCS, The Association of Rug Care Specialists, is offering all Experience participants a chance to learn from some of the most experienced and skilled rug washers in the country. This is one of the best educational and technical learning opportunities at The 2020 Fall Experience Event in Las Vegas! From rug cleaning to repairs, we will cover it all. Earn IICRC Credits. Enter to Win some amazing prizes!
Come visit us at our booth and The Rug Cleaning Pavilion!!
2020 TRADE SHOW HOURS:
- DAY 1: Wednesday, September 9th - 4:00 - 8:00 pm
- DAY 2: Thursday, September 10th - 2:30 - 6:00 pm
- DAY 3: Friday, September 11th - 12:00 - 3:00 pm
ARCS Speakers - Track 5 - Thursday September 10, 2020
ARCS Welcome - How to Handle Flooded Rugs – Scott Ring, Woodard’s Cleaning and Restoration. Many times, rugs are permanently damaged not from a water incident, but from improper handling. Scott will guide you through the best practices for mitigating and restoring wet rugs.
ARCS - Spot Cleaning Rugs 101 – Jordan King. Join the conversation with Jordan King, owner of MasterBlend and operations manager of Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis, as he shares insights on this crucial skill needed to deliver the best results when dealing with area and oriental rugs.
ARCS - Rug Intake & Wholesale Programs – Jennifer Colaco. The most important step in rug cleaning occurs before the actual cleaning process begins. Many common problems, complaints and re-dos can be eliminated if both sales and technicians properly inspect and pre-qualify with the customer. Jennifer works closely in servicing a large base of wholesale customers and shares how this program can be a win-win for you and the wholesaler.
ARCS - Viscose – Kash Sobhe, Rug Ideas. Whether we like it or not, viscose rugs are here to stay. Most often, the problem is not the viscose but the cleaner’s lack of experience, knowledge, finesse, understanding of chemistry and task appropriate cleaning and extraction equipment. Kash Sobhe has perfected methods that will dispel fear, promote confidence and deliver great results.
ARCS - Rug Construction and Why It Matters – Randy Hyde, Renaissance Rug Cleaning. Successful cleaners should understand the importance of rug identification and rug construction as it relates to rug cleaning. Join Randy for a great presentation that will increase your bottom line and enhance your reputation.
Jennifer Vickery Colaco - President
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Inc.
www.dallasrugcleaner.com
Jennifer Vickery Colaco; has served on the ARCS Board of Directors since 2017, as member-at-large, Vice President and is now the current president. She is Office Manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas and is the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flooring business. She is a Certified Rug Specialist and Master Rug Cleaner.
Randy Hyde - Past President
Renaissance Rug Cleaning Inc.
www.renaissancerugs.com
Randy Hyde; Owner of Renaissance Rug Cleaning, Inc. established 1999 in Portland, Oregon. He started in the rug business with Atiyeh Brothers in the late 1980’s. In 1996 Randy accepted a job with rug dealer, author and tribal rug expert James Opie in part to manage the wash plant but also to sell rugs. Randy purchased the cleaning end of the business in 1999 and changed the name to “Renaissance Rug Cleaning”. Today Renaissance provides cleaning and service to most of Portland’s dealers and collectors. From 2015-16 Randy served on the ARCS board of directors and as ARCS President from 2016- to April 2018.
Jordan King - Secretary
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
www.Orientalrugcleaningindianapolis.com
Jordan King; “Jordan is the operations manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis and Sani-Bright Carpet Cleaning. Since joining the business in 2009, Jordan’s passion for service has helped fuel their rapid growth. He is a certified Master Rug Cleaner and holds the CRS designation. Jordan has always had an entrepreneurial spirit; through high school and college, he owned & operated a successful recording studio as well as a lawn care business. He has found the networking, education, and friendships formed through ARCS events & classes to be highly valuable. It continues to give him and his team the edge they need to bring a 5-Star experience to their clients.”
Scott Ring - Treasurer
Woodard Cleaning and Restoration
www.woodard247.com
Scott Ring; Scott started in the cleaning and restoration business in the late 1980s with Woodard Cleaning & Restoration. After working production in the rug plant for approximately 7 years learning the business, he went on to pursue a career in hand-knotted rug sales. He worked in retail sales and importing for 13 years before returning to Woodard to now run their rug operations. Working with a 73-year-old business, he has been able to serve all three generations of ownership. Scott spent the next few years growing the rug business and adding additional decontamination, rug padding and hand-repair services.
In 2017 he became Director of Cleaning Services at Woodard, overseeing rug, residential & commercial location cleaning. With over 25 years of textile cleaning & retail sales experience, he says he has been blessed to have several mentors to help him figure things out along the way. Working at Woodard, their core purpose is to help people get back to their lives. The challenge and the privilege to serve others, both team members and customers is what motivates him daily. Scott is on his second term on the board of directors with the Association of Rug Care Specialist and has completed the Master Rug Cleaner certification.
Kash Sobhe - Director at Large
Rug Ideas
www.rugideas.com
Kash Sobhe; Kash is the 3rd generation in his family business, Rug Ideas. He is the FIRST and ONLY Certified Master Rug Cleaner in the entire greater Los Angeles area. Kash is also a WoolSafe Certified Fiber Care Specialist and a Certified Color Restoration Specialist. He has grown up caring for rugs and will continue the family business. He graduated in Business Marketing from California State University Northridge.
2021/03 - Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer (Indianapolis, IN)
Regular price $1,750.00Date: March 4-5, 2021
Location: Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours
*Prerequisite Required: ARCS Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning or instructor approved industry equivalent course
Ben Knause leads a two day intensive, hands-on dye correction class that introduces chemicals and techniques used to remove dye run and dye stains commonly used in wash plants around the world. Participants get ample time to experience wash floor stripping, spot dye removal, and fringe color correction with reducing agents and oxidizers. As a bonus, attendees leave with a general formulation guide to the products used during the event and a list of various suppliers.
Member Price: $900; Nonmember Price: $1750
For safety and accordance with the CDC health guidelines, a mask will be required and social distancing will be practiced for all live events.
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
Thursday March 4, 2021 - Day 1
8:00-8:15 AM |
Welcome and Introductions ~ Handouts, housekeeping and course overview |
8:15-8:30 AM |
Introduction to Oriental Cleaning of Indianapolis ~ Tour host plant |
8:30-9:30 AM |
PowerPoint Presentation |
9:30-10:00 AM |
Intake of risky rugs or rugs with preexisting color run ~ Talking to the client and setting expectations and risk. How to charge |
10:00 AM |
Break |
10:00-10:30AM |
Creating a plan of action, don’t just wing it |
10:30-11:00 AM |
Testing off the wash floor/pre wash |
12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch |
11:00 AM-5:00 PM |
Washing non colorfast rugs likely to need correction ~ This will involve tips and tricks to avoid and/or minimizing color run. We will be using hydro as the primary dye remover here however chlorine bleach may/will be used as well on some rugs. Setting up drying to minimize risk will also be covered |
Friday March 5, 2021 - Day 2 |
|
8:00-8:30 AM |
Assessment of prior days wash |
8:30 AM-12:00 PM |
Washing and correction preexisting color run on the wash floor |
12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch |
1:00-4:00 PM |
Color and stain correction off the wash floor ~ Here we will be using a number of other dye and stain removers. Rugs will be on tables or the floor so everyone in attendance has their own rug to work on. |
4:00-5:00 PM |
Q & A |
Ben Knause; is the Operations Manager at Carr’s Rug Cleaning in Knoxville Tn. With almost 18yrs at Carr’s he has been cleaning oriental and specialty rugs nearly half his life. He completed the Oriental Rug Cleaning Specialist course presented by Auserehlian & Company in 2006 and received his Certified Rug Specialist designation through the Association of Rug Cleaning Specialist in 2008. He is married to his wonderful wife Rebekah and together they have raised an amazing daughter Lydia. When he’s not working he enjoys riding one of his motorcycles and spending time with his family. He is a member of ARCS and serves on the ARCS Education Committee.
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.
2021/03 - Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer (Indianapolis, IN)
Regular price $1,750.00 Sale price $900.00Date: March 4-5, 2021
Location: Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
IICRC Continuing Education: 14 credit hours
*Prerequisite Required: ARCS Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning or instructor approved industry equivalent course
Ben Knause leads a two day intensive, hands-on dye correction class that introduces chemicals and techniques used to remove dye run and dye stains commonly used in wash plants around the world. Participants get ample time to experience wash floor stripping, spot dye removal, and fringe color correction with reducing agents and oxidizers. As a bonus, attendees leave with a general formulation guide to the products used during the event and a list of various suppliers.
Member Price: $900; Nonmember Price: $1750
For safety and accordance with the CDC health guidelines, a mask will be required and social distancing will be practiced for all live events.
If you have any questions, please contact info@rugcarespecialists.org.
Thursday March 4, 2021 - Day 1
8:00-8:15 AM |
Welcome and Introductions ~ Handouts, housekeeping and course overview |
8:15-8:30 AM |
Introduction to Oriental Cleaning of Indianapolis ~ Tour host plant |
8:30-9:30 AM |
PowerPoint Presentation |
9:30-10:00 AM |
Intake of risky rugs or rugs with preexisting color run ~ Talking to the client and setting expectations and risk. How to charge |
10:00 AM |
Break |
10:00-10:30AM |
Creating a plan of action, don’t just wing it |
10:30-11:00 AM |
Testing off the wash floor/pre wash |
12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch |
11:00 AM-5:00 PM |
Washing non colorfast rugs likely to need correction ~ This will involve tips and tricks to avoid and/or minimizing color run. We will be using hydro as the primary dye remover here however chlorine bleach may/will be used as well on some rugs. Setting up drying to minimize risk will also be covered |
Friday March 5, 2021 - Day 2 |
|
8:00-8:30 AM |
Assessment of prior days wash |
8:30 AM-12:00 PM |
Washing and correction preexisting color run on the wash floor |
12:00-1:00 PM |
Lunch |
1:00-4:00 PM |
Color and stain correction off the wash floor ~ Here we will be using a number of other dye and stain removers. Rugs will be on tables or the floor so everyone in attendance has their own rug to work on. |
4:00-5:00 PM |
Q & A |
Ben Knause; is the Operations Manager at Carr’s Rug Cleaning in Knoxville Tn. With almost 18yrs at Carr’s he has been cleaning oriental and specialty rugs nearly half his life. He completed the Oriental Rug Cleaning Specialist course presented by Auserehlian & Company in 2006 and received his Certified Rug Specialist designation through the Association of Rug Cleaning Specialist in 2008. He is married to his wonderful wife Rebekah and together they have raised an amazing daughter Lydia. When he’s not working he enjoys riding one of his motorcycles and spending time with his family. He is a member of ARCS and serves on the ARCS Education Committee.
Oriental Rug Cleaning of Indianapolis
ARCS’s “Practical Dye Removal for the Rug Washer” course is a good primer on a complex subject. Ben did a great job explaining the principals and practical application of the most commonly encountered bleaches used in our industry. Those applications were then demonstrated at work in multiple real-world scenarios, not just “ideal” situations. Balancing risk versus reward, Mr. Knause walked students through an experienced professional’s thought process and approach to each problem. Participants were then given ample opportunity to practice with each product under the watch of an experienced cleaner, allowing them to get a better handle on the use of each type of product. This class will shorten the learning curve of anyone getting into color correction and is a must-attend course for any experienced cleaner who wants to know more about the subject.
Armen Dohanian - Oriental Rug Cleaning Co.
2021/04 - Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning (Dallas, TX)
Regular price $1,800.00Date: April 28-30, 2021
Location: Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Dallas, TX
IICRC Continuing Education: 12 credit hours
The class consists of three intensive eight-hour days taught primarily on the work floor of an operational wash plant. Topics covered will be cleaning chemistry, spotting, rug identification, learning to ‘read’ and identify rug construction, rug intake assessment, rug washing, drying theory, and finishing after wash. Hands-on portions of the class will demonstrate the practical application of all that theory on an active wash floor in real time. The hands on training will focus on wet cleaning; students will wash a lot of rugs and have the opportunity to try a range of techniques and observe the results. More than just an opportunity to work and learn on a high production wash floor, students will gain a broader understanding of the cleaning process and how it applies to their own businesses. Fee for the class includes lunch for the three days, handouts, and all teaching materials. A short test will be given at the end of the class session. You will need to bring wash boots.
Member Price: $975; Non-member Price: $1800.
The Tools of Rug Identification – Grouped in a linear and methodical progression, students learn how to read a rug’s construction to identify its origins. Material progresses from easily discernible traits to more nuanced variations using the most commonly encountered area rugs as teaching material. Students come away knowing the covered material as well as how to advance their skills outside of class.
Survey of hand-tufted, machine-made and specialty rugs
Hand-knotted Rugs – a brief history, nomenclature and introduction to structure, the tools of rug ID
-
Persian rugs
-
Copies of Persian rugs
-
Designer rugs
-
Flat-weaves
Overview of Cleaning Process
-
Review of the steps in a “best practice” rug cleaning as outlined in ARCS’ Industry Guide & Recommended Practice for Rug Cleaning
Rug Intake
-
Pre-inspection and documentation, inventory control & prewash stabilization
About Rugs & Fibers
-
A review of the most commonly encountered rug fibers and construction techniques and what their implications are for the cleaning process.
About Soils & Cleaning
-
Review of the types of soils found in rugs: What are they? How do they accumulate?
Rug Washing
-
Getting our hands dirty cleaning the host plants inventory. Topics will include:
-
How to generate a cleaning plan
-
How all the host’s “toys” work and how to scale the operation up and down to meet the demands of each student
-
What to do if a rug starts to go south
-
Drying Theory
-
Discussion of drying theory and its effects on the cleaning process.
Results
-
Evaluating results and discussing the next steps. Discussion, how clean is clean enough? Weighing risks vs rewards.
Finishing Processes
-
A survey of the non-wash processes that go into a rug cleaning
-
Grooming
-
Fringe Correction
-
Post-wash treatments
-
Cosmetic Touchups
-
-
Checkout procedures
-
Recording and reporting results
-
Spotting techniques
-
A discussion of the techniques for removing common spots such as rust, paint, wax, etc.
Discoloration Remediation
-
How the products work and how they differ from spotters.
-
Risks and how to manage them
-
Discussion and demonstrations of common applications and techniques
-
Urine Stain removal
-
Floor Stripping of Dye
-
Dry stripping of Dye
-
Review Test - Don’t worry, it isn’t graded
Armen Dohanian: is a fourth generation rug cleaner. His family owns a 100 + year old rug cleaning and restoration business in Boston, Massachusetts. Involved in rug cleaning from an early age, Armen is currently vice-president of operations at the Oriental Rug Cleaning Company in Dallas, TX, a 103 year old, “full-service” rug cleaning and restoration company. Mr. Dohanian is an ARCS Certified Rug Specialist (CRS), a certified Master Rug Cleaner and a Woolsafe North America "Fiber Care Specialist" as well as a member of the International Society of Appraisers.
2021/04 - Intermediate In-Plant Rug Cleaning (Dallas, TX)
Regular price $1,800.00 Sale price $975.00Date: April 28-30, 2021
Location: Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Dallas, TX
IICRC Continuing Education: 12 credit hours
The class consists of three intensive eight-hour days taught primarily on the work floor of an operational wash plant. Topics covered will be cleaning chemistry, spotting, rug identification, learning to ‘read’ and identify rug construction, rug intake assessment, rug washing, drying theory, and finishing after wash. Hands-on portions of the class will demonstrate the practical application of all that theory on an active wash floor in real time. The hands on training will focus on wet cleaning; students will wash a lot of rugs and have the opportunity to try a range of techniques and observe the results. More than just an opportunity to work and learn on a high production wash floor, students will gain a broader understanding of the cleaning process and how it applies to their own businesses. Fee for the class includes lunch for the three days, handouts, and all teaching materials. A short test will be given at the end of the class session. You will need to bring wash boots.
Member Price: $975; Non-member Price: $1800.
The Tools of Rug Identification – Grouped in a linear and methodical progression, students learn how to read a rug’s construction to identify its origins. Material progresses from easily discernible traits to more nuanced variations using the most commonly encountered area rugs as teaching material. Students come away knowing the covered material as well as how to advance their skills outside of class.
Survey of hand-tufted, machine-made and specialty rugs
Hand-knotted Rugs – a brief history, nomenclature and introduction to structure, the tools of rug ID
-
Persian rugs
-
Copies of Persian rugs
-
Designer rugs
-
Flat-weaves
Overview of Cleaning Process
-
Review of the steps in a “best practice” rug cleaning as outlined in ARCS’ Industry Guide & Recommended Practice for Rug Cleaning
Rug Intake
-
Pre-inspection and documentation, inventory control & prewash stabilization
About Rugs & Fibers
-
A review of the most commonly encountered rug fibers and construction techniques and what their implications are for the cleaning process.
About Soils & Cleaning
-
Review of the types of soils found in rugs: What are they? How do they accumulate?
Rug Washing
-
Getting our hands dirty cleaning the host plants inventory. Topics will include:
-
How to generate a cleaning plan
-
How all the host’s “toys” work and how to scale the operation up and down to meet the demands of each student
-
What to do if a rug starts to go south
-
Drying Theory
-
Discussion of drying theory and its effects on the cleaning process.
Results
-
Evaluating results and discussing the next steps. Discussion, how clean is clean enough? Weighing risks vs rewards.
Finishing Processes
-
A survey of the non-wash processes that go into a rug cleaning
-
Grooming
-
Fringe Correction
-
Post-wash treatments
-
Cosmetic Touchups
-
-
Checkout procedures
-
Recording and reporting results
-
Spotting techniques
-
A discussion of the techniques for removing common spots such as rust, paint, wax, etc.
Discoloration Remediation
-
How the products work and how they differ from spotters.
-
Risks and how to manage them
-
Discussion and demonstrations of common applications and techniques
-
Urine Stain removal
-
Floor Stripping of Dye
-
Dry stripping of Dye
-
Review Test - Don’t worry, it isn’t graded
Armen Dohanian: is a fourth generation rug cleaner. His family owns a 100 + year old rug cleaning and restoration business in Boston, Massachusetts. Involved in rug cleaning from an early age, Armen is currently vice-president of operations at the Oriental Rug Cleaning Company in Dallas, TX, a 103 year old, “full-service” rug cleaning and restoration company. Mr. Dohanian is an ARCS Certified Rug Specialist (CRS), a certified Master Rug Cleaner and a Woolsafe North America "Fiber Care Specialist" as well as a member of the International Society of Appraisers.
2021/06 - Essential Rug Repair by Master Rug Cleaner (Denver, CO)
Regular price $2,500.00Date: June 14-16, 2021
Location: Denver, CO at Robert Mann Oriental Rugs
Instructor: Robert Mann
Price: $2,500
A three-day immersive course held at Robert Mann’s new, state of the art rug cleaning and repair facility is designed for those with an understanding of oriental rugs and their structure. Regardless of skill level, former students found this class to deliver far beyond their expectations. These essential and fundamental day-to-day skills can be sold readily to a broad base of retail and wholesale customers.
- End sewing and securing—all commonly used techniques
- Hand sewing of machine-made fringes
- Selvage wrapping and repair
- Correcting side curling
- Closing cuts and tears
- Velcro hanging systems
- Dyeing with both synthetic and natural dyes to achieve colors you can’t buy off the shelf
- Patching/Adhesive support patches
- Re-spinning materials with a drop spindle to better match structure
Included with $2500.00 tuition:
- Complete toolkit suitable to begin doing the work taught and a copy of Marla Mallett’s book Woven Structures: A Guide to Oriental and Textile Analysis”
- Rug scrap to work on in class and take home with examples of all techniques taught
- Comprehensive hand-outs with recommended books and supplier lists.
Class size limited
Application & Payment Forms
Learn more about this event on the Master Rug Cleaner website.
2021/07 - State of the Union Address
Regular price $0.00Date: July 22, 2021
Location: Online
The postponement of our annual convention doesn’t mean that you can’t have an update on what we’ve been up to! Join us live online Thursday, July 22nd at 5 PM CST for an overview on our financials, to meet the new board members, take a look at what we did during the pandemic and what we are working on for the remainder of 2021 and 2022.
You will be emailed the meeting login information closer to the date of the event.
2021/09 - The Experience Convention (Las Vegas, NV)
Regular price $0.00Date: September 8, 9, and 10, 2021
Location: Las Vegas, NV
ARCS, The Association of Rug Care Specialists, is offering all Experience participants a chance to learn from some of the most experienced and skilled rug washers in the country. This is one of the best educational and technical learning opportunities at The 2021 Fall Experience Event in Las Vegas! From rug cleaning to repairs, we will cover it all. Earn IICRC Credits. Enter to Win some amazing prizes!
Come visit us at our booth and The Rug Cleaning Pavilion!!
2021 TRADE SHOW HOURS:
- DAY 1: Wednesday, September 8th - 4:00 - 8:00 pm
- DAY 2: Thursday, September 9th - 2:30 - 6:00 pm
- DAY 3: Friday, September 10th - 12:00 - 3:00 pm
ARCS Speakers
ARCS - Viscose – Presenter: Kash Sobhe. Whether we like it or not, viscose rugs are here to stay. Most often, the problem is not the viscose but the cleaner's lack of experience, knowledge, finesse, understanding of chemistry and task appropriate cleaning and extraction equipment. Kash Sobhe has perfected methods that will dispel fear, promote confidence and deliver great results when cleaning these rugs.
Wholesale Instead of No Sale – Panel: Jennifer Colaco, Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Dallas, TX; Meg Walker Aladdin Rug Cleaning, San Antonio, TX; Robert Mann, Mann Rugs, Denver, CO. Overview: Carpet cleaning and restoration businesses are always looking for ways to diversify and add revenue. Rug Cleaning is usually on their radar. There is no need to invest thousands of dollars in equipment, training and space. The easiest and most profitable way to offer rug cleaning is to partner with a well-established, successful and reputable in-plant rug cleaner in your area. Jennifer, Meg and Robert work closely servicing a large base of wholesale customers and share how this program can be a win-win for the carpet/restoration industry and rug cleaning plants.
Kash Sobhe - Director at Large
Kash Sobhe; Kash is the FIRST and ONLY Certified Master Rug Cleaner in the entire greater Los Angeles area. Kash is also a WoolSafe Certified Fiber Care Specialist and a Certified Color Restoration Specialist. He has grown up caring for rugs and will continue the family business. He graduated in Business Marketing from California State University Northridge.
Jennifer Vickery Colaco - President
Oriental Rug Cleaning Co., Inc.
www.dallasrugcleaner.com
Jennifer Vickery Colaco; Jennifer has served on the ARCS Board of Directors since 2017, as member-at-large, Vice President and is now the current president. She is Office Manager at Oriental Rug Cleaning Co. in Dallas, Texas and is the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the flooring business. She is a Certified Rug Specialist and Master Rug Cleaner.
Megan Walker - Past President
Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration
www.aladdincleans.com
Meg Walker; Meg is Vice President of Aladdin Cleaning & Restoration in San Antonio, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas Christian University in 2004, Meg began her career at Aladdin in accounting, marketing and HR. In 2016 she graduated from the Master Rug Cleaner Program. Meg has served on the ARCS Board of Directors since 2016, as Secretary, President and currently as Past President.
Robert Mann
Robert Mann Rugs
mannrugs.com
Robert Mann; Robert is the owner of Robert Mann Rugs in Denver, Colorado. His technical expertise is unrivaled having worked extensively in rug production, weaving design, dying, carpet finishing and washing, both domestically and internationally. Robert is generous with his knowledge and is a great resource for our industry.