ABC MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

January 2017

A Very Happy New Year 
from our Staff to You and Yours!

Welcome to Our Monthly Newsletter!

We hope you will enjoy this month's articles.  

This month's topics are:  

ORIENTAL RUGS

Sarouk Oriental Rug Design

HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Obsession With Cleanliness?

A Health Cleaning Environment vs. Harmful Everyday Products

It's Time for Our 

REGULAR CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DISCOUNT!

Special Discounts in 

JANUARY, FEBRUARY and MARCH

 and Extra Discounts  

The More You Spend, the More You'll Save!

Details at abcclean.com

If there is a topic you would like us to cover in one of our upcoming newsletters, please call us at  607-272-1566 or contact us by clicking here.

---

SAROUK ORIENTAL RUG DESIGN

The Sarouk oriental rug design, as seen in rugs typically available today, consists of some easily recognizable motifs, making it another good choice for the study of Oriental Rugs by Design.

However, the same caveats must be repeated:        

• The way to accurately identify a handwoven oriental rug is not just from the design, but from the way it is woven and the materials used.

• Many countries produce rugs with designs that may copy another country's rug.

• Because of the individual nature of hand-woven rugs, we can study the most common examples (and there will be variations!) but we must be aware there are many exceptions to every example and the terms 'always' and 'never' cannot be used when it comes to the study of oriental rugs and their designs.

SAROUK ORIGINAL DESIGN HISTORY

Traditional Sarouk oriental rug design (Saruq, Sarough) in rugs woven from the late 19th and early to mid-20th century were, forthe most part, produced in the region of what is now the Markazi province of Iran and within the area surrounding the city of Arak in Northwestern Iran between Tehran and Hamadan.  

The Persian rug-making industry had declined to near distinction in the 18th and most of the 19th centuries. Fortunately, thanks to carpet exhibitions held in Vienna and London in the last quarter of the19th century, a rising demand from the West for these rugs encouraged carpet merchants to organize rug weaving centers in and around Arak.

It did not take long for Western companies to establish themselves in Arak, producing rugs for Western tastes. One of the first of these was Ziegler and Company, established in Tabriz. Other companies spread out in the area and included the Eastern Rug Trading Company of New York and the Atiyeh brothers of Oregon, among others. 

FARAHAN SAROUK ORIENTAL RUG DESIGN - ONE OF THE EARLIEST

The Farahan Sarouks were some of the first Sarouk oriental rug designs woven from about approximately 1890 to WWI in town workshops close to the cities.

The Farahan Sarouk designs are typically curvilinear (mostly floral motifs and patterns that are usually more intricate and fine). Their designs were most often medallions on blue or ivory fields with natural dyes. They could also feature trees and birds in pictorial designs.

There were many weaving centers in and around Arak and rugs produced there such as the Lilihan, Mir, Malayer, etc., were often similar in design to the Sarouks, though not necessarily in structure, and were often mistaken for Sarouks. 

THE 'AMERICAN' SAROUK ORIENTAL DESIGN

Sarouk rugs produced between the 2 World Wars (approximately 1920s to 1930s) featured naturally dyed rose-colored fields with blue borders and scattered floral sprays without a center medallion or corners. (A small number of these rugs had blue fields with red borders.) During this time period Persian Sarouk rugs were made specifically for the American market and were known as'American Sarouks.'

Americans were not impressed with the original color of the field in the Sarouks produced for them, and as a result, the rugs were taken to Rug Renovating (a firm still operating today in New York City, the port of entry) and chemically stripped and hand re-dyed a deep burgundy to please American tastes. Thousands upon thousands of these rugs were repainted through the 1950s. Other colors were also often altered including greens, blues, yellows, etc.

To learn more about the Sarouk Oriental Rug Design and what you can expect in the design of the rugs woven following the production of the American Sarouks with photos, please continue reading here.

---

OBSESSION WITH CLEANLINESS?

Do you have an obsession with cleanliness?

• Do you make sure to stock the bathroom with anti-bacterial soap?
• Do you believe you are protecting your children by using an endless supply of anti-bacterial wipes to clean their hands and everything they touch? 
• Do you routinely use bleach to clean and 'sanitize' any number of surfaces in your home? 
• Do you use those fabric softeners or dryer sheets that promise to produce soft and fresh-smelling clothes, free of static and wrinkles?
• Do you use chemical pesticides in and around your home? 
• Do you find yourself picking up antibiotics on a regular basis to treat your family's recurring illnesses ?

A SIMPLE TRUTH

This obsession with cleanliness is so widespread we may have forgotten a simple truth our parents and grandparents believed and practiced. That is, as young children, we need to be exposed to the outside - dirt and all!  

Did you know that many common childhood illnesses and disorders could be avoided if children were exposed early on to the microbes that can be found in healthy dirt? A young child's immune system must be exposed to as many diverse microbes as possible in order to grow a healthy immune system.  

Eating a range of vegetables and fruits grown organically in healthy soil in our own gardens or bought in our local markets can positively bolster a child's immune system as well. This, along with spending as much time outside in nature as possible can actually give a child the resilience he or she needs to avoid typical chronic childhood illnesses such as asthma, behavior disorders, and allergies, among others.

Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child

Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klein, a pediatric neurologist, has written a very interesting book titled, ' Healthy Food, Heathy Gut, Happy Child.'

Dr. Shetreat-Klein advocates a lifestyle centered around contact with the microbes present in soil. This theory includes eating food grown in healthy soil as well as providing adequate access to the outdoors, especially for our children.  

Dr. Shetreat-Klein believes this may be the answer to our children's health problems. She points out in her book how our obsession with cleanliness (leading to the over-sanitization of our lives) deprives our guts of the biodiversity found in healthy soil. This in turn makes us more susceptible to conditions such as allergies. 

'When there are fewer organisms and compounds in our gut, the immune system starts turning its attention to attacking our food and the things it's exposed to in the environment.'

If you would like more information on this subject, especially what steps to take to lead a healthier lifestyle for yourself and your children, please continue reading here.

---

A HEALTHY CLEANING ENVIRONMENT
vs.
HARMFUL EVERYDAY PRODUCTS

---

A healthy cleaning environment should be, and is, a major concern for ABC and the cleaning industry as a whole. We became a 'green' company long before the word 'green' became a watchword. We monitor our cleaning methods and purchase and use cleaning solutions that are third-party certified as non-toxic and biodegradable.

We feel we provide the best possible cleaning and our highest priority is the health and safety of our families, our employees, and our customers. We also feel obligated to warn of the use of certain cleaning products that pose health hazards to a healthy cleaning environment and may not be understood as being harmful by the general public.
 The health hazards of 2 such products used widely today are discussed below...

DISINFECTING WIPES vs. A HEALTHY CLEANING ENVIRONMENT

One of these harmful everyday products is disinfecting wipes and they are currently in use every day and just about everywhere. Most of us believe this product to be a time saving and useful one. Because it is used by so many and fills a perceived need, we don't usually question what type of chemical ingredients may be used to make them.

But beware--This product is particularly toxic to the health of our children as well as to our own health. It can damage the indoor and outdoor environment and pollute the air.  

Why Are They So Widely Used?

Cheap, convenient, and pleasant smelling disinfecting cleaning wipes have become an integral part of routine cleaning everywhere. We are led to believe that the disinfecting chemicals contained in these wipes are necessary to kill germs effectively.

They are recommended for schools and sometimes even included as requirements by teachers for back-to-school supplies! Children in school may be expected to clean their desks with these wipes.

Does Routine Cleaning Have to Include Disinfection?

But the truth is, routine cleaning does not have to include disinfection to be effective. 

In addition, the labels on these wipes caution that they can cause skin and eye burns. Why would we want to expose our children or anyone to that kind of potential hazard? 

Additionally, the active ingredients in the wipes are quite powerful and can possibly trigger allergic reactions and asthma. The active ingredient known as 'quat' (quaternary ammonium compounds) can cause reproductive problems in lab animals during intense exposure.

Disinfection Has Its Place

Disinfection has its place, of course. Its use is absolutely necessary in hospitals and when cleaning up after a sick person. (Caution: The clean up of blood and bodily fluids requires a trained adult and EPA Certified products). 

A necessary requirement for disinfection is to get the surface visibly wet and to allow for 'dwell time.' When children are given a wipe to clean their desk, the amount of time the chemical has to be on a surface such as a desk in order to effectively disinfect it is simply not enough. Nor is just 1 wipe enough.

Disinfecting wipes are specifically made to kill viruses and bacteria that cause disease. In a school especially, they should only be used when there is a serious risk of transmitting germ-causing disease. In those instances, the benefits must outweigh the risks and they should be in use for a short time only. For that purpose, it would be far better and safer to use disinfecting wipes with ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide or citric acid instead of quats to kill the germs.

The Problem With the Overuse of Disinfectants 

To find the solution to this problem as well as the 2nd everyday harmful product to avoid, please continue reading here.

---

---

Get New Posts Right To Your Inbox!

Get our monthly newsletter, just like this one, delivered right to your inbox each day. Just sign up and we will send you the best new articles and videos as they become available.

Your email address will NEVER be spammed, sold, or shared. You are welcome to unsubscribe at any time with the link in the email.

---

This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields (labelled below in red) have been filled in
SUBSCRIBE To Our NEWSLETTER
Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.
First Name*
Last Name*
E-Mail Address*
Please complete the challenge that you see below.

---

Top of January 2017 Newsletter

Back to Newsletters

Back to Homepage

---