* The Two most commonly ask questions of our customer service staff: How do I clean my Claire Murray rug? * What do I do if my rug needs repair?     1) Bits of yarn have appeared, should I pull them out? 2) How are Claire Murray rugs made? 3) How do I keep my area rugs from sliding? 4) How long will it take to receive my order? 5) My puppy chewed the corner of my rug, what can I do? 6) My rug is soiled, can I wash it? 7) Should I use a protective spray on my rug to repel soil? 8) What method of shipping do you offer? 9) What's the best way to care for my new rug?  10 Will the colors fade with time?       La Vie Claire Questions 11 When will my next La Vie Claire Magazine arrive 12 What do I do if I have not received my La Vie Claire Magazine? 13 If I move, will the post office forward my magazine?         How do I clean my Claire Murray rug?   Claire will share her favorite method of cleaning her rugs with you. She has several in her kitchen where they often experience drips and spills. She uses an old fashion remedy with great success by mixing ammonia and Water. Make a solution of 5 parts water to 1 part ammonia and put it in a Little spray bottle. If the rug gets soiled simply shake the bottle and spray the stain. Do not saturate the area, but spray enough to raise the stain. Then with a clean dry cloth dab at the area, do not rub, removing the stain and any excess moisture. Then let air dry. This should do the job. Claire’s rugs have been down for many years and this is all she uses. Should you need all over cleaning, Claire recommends using a Chem-Dry franchise. So that you can find the one nearest you, here is an 800 number, 800-243-6379. Since all franchises are not quite the same Claire recommends that you ask a few questions before you allow them to clean your rug. Do they use a carbonated cleaning solution, which is water based, quick drying, non-toxic, organic and pet friendly? After all our pets are not the only ones to come in direct contact with our rugs. You should also mention that they not use too stiff a brush, but treat your Claire Murray rug like an Oriental rug. Should you not be able to find a franchise in your area, we at Claire Murray use Whalen Cleaning Services at 800-287-3222 and ask for Deborah. People often ship their rugs to them for cleaning, as they are very experienced in dealing with Claire Murray rugs.       What do I do? My rug needs repair   In the event that you need to have your rugs repaired for any reason, here are the names and phone numbers of two women who do excellent work. They are experienced independent contractors whom you may contact directly. Nancy Magliocca on Cape Cod can be reached at 508-385-8233 and Maureen Fitch is in VT and can be reached at 802-875-3971. They are both extremely helpful and easy to work with. Should you need this kind of service we believe that you will be very pleased with the results.         1) Bits of yarn have appeared, should I pull them out?   Occasionally, long ends of yarn may appear on the surface or edges. These are called "snipper ends". Do not pull out. Instead use scissors to trim even with rug surface.     2) How are Claire Murray rugs made?   They are all individually hand-hooked using 100% wool fibers. As each rug is hand-made, sizes and colors are approximate. We are currently taking requests for custom sizes of Claire Murray rugs. If you are fond of a particular design and you would like a size that is 5x7 or larger, contact our webmaster.     3) How do I keep my area rugs from sliding?   Most area rugs have a cotton or synthetic backing that acts as a smooth surface which can cause the rugs to move a bit. We recommend using our special rug underlay for all your area rugs whether they are on hard wood floors or on top of carpeting. An underlay will also protect the value of your rugs. The Claire Murray Rug Underlay comes in a variety of sizes and are available through our online ordering or by calling one of our customer service representatives at 1-800-252-4733.     4) How long will it take to receive my order?   In most cases your rug will ship to you via UPS within a few days. We do our best to keep as many designs in stock as possible. Because your Claire Murray rug is completely hand made, there are times when the rug that you order is still being worked on. As soon as we receive the completed item, we then process your payment and ship directly to you. Feel free to contact our webmaster if you have a question about an order or contact our customer service department at 1-800-252-4733. Claire Murray Customer Service is available Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm eastern standard time.     5) My puppy chewed the corner of my rug, what can I do?   We do not repair rugs however we do have the names of a few people who do. Contact our webmaster for a referral.     6) My rug is soiled, can I wash it?   Claire shares her favorite method of cleaning her rugs: She has several in the kitchen where they experience mishaps and has wonderful success with the old fashioned ammonia and water mixture of 1 part ammonia to 5 parts water. Do not saturate, air dry and Never Dry Clean! Heavily soiled rugs should be brought to a professional that cleans other fine wool rugs. Many of our customers have had wonderful success with ChemDry. They use a carbonated cleaning solution that is waterbased, using far less water than traditional steam cleaners. Not all ChemDry franchises clean area rugs, so if you can't find one near you, contact our webmaster for a referral.     7) Should I use a protective spray on my rug to repel soil?   Wool is a natural fiber that needs to breathe. Wool produces oil that naturally repels soil. We do not recommend the use of products that coat the surface with a protective shield to repel dirt.     8) What method of shipping do you offer?   Our standard shipping service is UPS ground. Please be sure to provide a "street" address for shipping information. UPS will not deliver to a post office box. If you have a specific shipping requirement, need an express shipment or need shipping out of the continental United States, please contact our webmaster for an individual quote on shipping charges.     9) What's the best way to care for my new rug?   Our rugs are hand-made, heirloom quality pieces that deserve protection and care against the wear and tear of daily use. Vacuum regularly using floor attachment. Surface clean only. Treat your rug as you would any other fine quality Oriental or Persian rug. Not recommended for wet areas. Claire's Rug Underlay is a terrific product that can extend the life of your rugs by protecting the fibers from below. Ask our Customer Service Representative about sizes and types of underlays available for all your area rugs. We also advise occasionally moving your area rugs to different places in your home as heavily traveled areas can cause excessive wear.     10) Will the colors fade with time?   All Claire Murray rugs are treated for colorfastness and fade resistance; however if placed in direct sunlight over extended time, colors may fade.         11) When will my next La Vie Claire Magazine arrive   La Vie Claire Magazine is published 4 times yearly - Spring, Summer, Fall, Holiday Spring Magazine on sale date is February 20th Summer on sale date is June 20th Fall on sale date is September 20th Holiday on sale date is November 20th Every effort is made to deliver all subscribers issues prior to the on-sale date. If you do not receive your magazine by that time, please contact customer service by submitting the customer service form.     12) What do I do if I have not received my La Vie Claire Magazine?   If you believe that you have not received your La Vie Claire magazine in error, please contact customer service by submitting the customer service form.     13) If I move, will the post office forward my magazine?   No, the postal service makes no guarantee to forward magazines. You are responsible for informing our subscription department if you intend to move prior to the next magazine. Please notify us using this form. Your delivery will go uninterupted if you notify our subscription department of any address changes on the following schedule: Spring Issue: Summer Issue: Fall Issue: Holiday Issue: If for some reason you are not able to notify us on time, as a one time courtesy, we will extend your subscription by on issue and you may order your missed issue for $6.95.