Standing Behind the Rugs You Stand On

By Bob Cox

When it comes time to clean your carpet and oriental rugs, why not call your local carpet cleaner and have them wash your rug with their truck mounted steam cleaning system? What could possibly be more efficient? After all, just like your carpet, your rugs are nothing more than a floor covering you stand on every day, right?

Ah, not so fast. Majid Moghisaei, the owner of Shanei Persian & Oriental Rugs here in Gold River and over 10,000 of his delighted customers from as far away as San Jose and Reno would be eager to share a different perspective that’s grounded in something even more solid than the floor beneath your feet: the truth.

While sitting on the floor of his warehouse and meticulously working on a rug, I asked Majid what he was doing with that particular rug. He told me that the rug had been cleaned and damaged by a local carpet cleaning company and he was restoring it. With the touch of a skilled artist, Majid gently applied a fine paint brush and a mild solution upon the rug to provide a stunning contrast to the damaged areas where the colors had bled into each other like feuding neighbors. “This rug is from a nice lady who gave it to a carpet cleaner and as you see, all the colors are blending together. So I’m taking the running color out inch by inch to reveal a clear and clean design”, explained Majid.

Majid went on to explain the biggest difference between how he cleans a rug when compared to a typical carpet cleaning company. “We clean rugs by hand, just like they do in the Far East, like Iran, Pakistan and Turkey where these rugs are woven. We wash both sides of the rug with water and a special mild shampoo and then rinse it very well so there’s no shampoo left. Finally we clean the fringes. The rugs are then air dried. We vacuum the dried rugs and wrap them in plastic for pick up. When our customers get their rugs back, they always say that it looks even better than when they bought them”, Majid explained!

Shanei Rugs offers more than just rug cleaning. Majid also has a vast knowledge base when it comes to restoring damaged rugs. “In the past 35 years, I’ve only said no to two rugs and that was because the cost of the repair was far greater than the value of the rugs. I’m a Weaver, so we are able to repair practically every part of your rug, including the fringes, borders, moth holes and stain removal. We also buy, sell and appraise rugs”, said Majid.

Majid shared how he got into the rug business, learning from his father and grandfather. He told me that it is still a family business as two of his brothers also restore and sell rugs in Italy. “My rug business was established in 1989 and I am still enjoying bringing old rugs life back to life”, explained Majid.

When I asked Majid what made his business truly special and unique, he emphasized the selection and quality. “If I don’t like the quality and design of a particular rug, I never buy it. I’m not just a rug salesperson that sells whatever. I must love a rug enough to be able to talk about it, so I normally choose my rugs for sale”, Majid said.

That laser focus on premium quality and service is something that keeps Majid’s customers coming back for more. “Every rug we sell is in excellent condition and our customers never have to worry because we always thoroughly examine and clean every rug before we sell them”, Majid explained.

If you’re looking to purchase a rug or have a rug that has not been washed for over 3 years, remember Shanei Persian & Oriental Rugs in Gold River. Their address is 11267 Coloma Road, their phone number is (916) 792-5408 and their website is www.shanei.com. If you have large or heavy rugs, no worries: Shanei Rugs offers pickup and delivery service as well.