Maintaining the beauty of your Oriental Rugs
Vacuum your Oriental rugs regularly, being sure to go back
and forth in the same direction over the entire rug (avoiding the
fringes). If you are vacuuming with a beater brush, we suggest you set
the brush so it just touches the top of the pile and moves easily
across the rug. When vacuuming with a carpet tool, ease the suction of
the vacuum by adjusting it accordingly. Be sure to periodically vacuum
the back of the rug.
Rotate your Oriental Rugs as often as possible (1-2 years),
when you notice the high traffic areas of your rug starting to look
dirty, or the nap has lost its original direction or shape. Rotating
your rugs will allow them to wear more evenly, maintaining their
original appearance and value. Also, rotate your rugs according to the
amount of direct sunlight. Over time direct sunlight can fade the dyes
of your rugs.
Padding will stabilize and protect your Oriental Rugs shape,
enhancing the value and making your Rugs safer to walk on. We have
investigated many different types and qualities of padding. For hard
floor surfaces we recommend Blue Miracle Grip manufactured by Rug Hold
Company and Durahold manufactured by No-Muv Company. On top of
wall-to-wall carpeting we recommend No-Muv. If you are interested in
purchasing padding from Alex Cooper Oriental Rugs.
Spot Cleaning
Certain stains such as coffee, colas, juices, animal, medicines,
milk, foods and certain dyes must be spotted immediately for best
results.
First remove any solid materials from the area and then immediately
blot the area with a clean Turkish towel. To neutralize the spot, blot
with club soda or a mix of half-white vinegar and cold water. Repeat
this if necessary and blot again to remove most of the moisture. A
moderate amount of rug cleaning detergent is also recommended. Do not
rub the spot. Some Oriental Rug dyes can bleed upon contact with
liquids. Before the area dries you should comb the pile so that it
blends with the rest of the rug. If the stain is caused by a
non-emergency situation such as tar or dirt, a cleaning fluid similar
to Afta is a great and easy-to-use product for eliminating hard to
remove stains. For removing most dirt stains, a rug detergent similar
to Stain-X seems to get the job done. A Turkish towel or toothbrush
can be used to blot the area. Again, do not rub the spot. After
blotting, follow the directions we mentioned above.
If you cannot seem to remove a stain, or if you notice that the
area you have spot cleaned appears cleaner than the rest of your rug,
it may be time to consult a reputable Oriental Rug cleaning
specialist.
Oriental Rug Cleaning Specialists
Cleaning your Oriental Rugs properly enhances their look and value.
To select an Oriental Rug cleaning specialist, you many want to
contact your dealer and ask for their recommendation. From our
experience in the Baltimore/Washington region, most carpet and
wall-to-wall cleaning companies do not specialize in the cleaning of
Oriental Rugs. If you decide to try to clean your own Oriental Rugs,
you should be totally familiar with the process and be sure to test
the dyes first. After receiving a rug from cleaning, you may notice
some white areas. Dirt is good at covering up worn areas on your rug.
You should discuss your options with your Oriental Rug dealer or
weaver.
Restoration & Repair
When considering having a rug repaired, evaluate the cost of the
repair to the value and your personal attachment to the rug. Only
allow a reputable and knowledgeable craftsman/weaver to restore or
repair your Oriental Rugs. The most common repairs are re-fringing and
over-rounding the sides.
Re-fringing
We suggest re-fringing, where the weaver will use the selvage or a
minimal part of the rug, rather than adding a fringe to the rug. [A
stitch or blind-stitch should be used to hold the rug in place. If
several lines of the rug are removed to make the fringe, the weaver
should consider using a cashmere stitch (a line or two of wool to
match the design around the rug) to enhance the look of the repair.]
If the corners of the rug are damaged due to wear, we suggest having
the weaver secure them or re-weave them.
Over-rounding
When the entire siding of the rug needs to be repaired, the weaver
either over-rounds by hand or by sewing a cord with a matching color
to the sides. We would suggest repairing the rug the original way it
was made. Make sure that the weaver is able to match the wool color.
The colors used in Persian rugs should be easily matched but matching
the colors in an old Chinese carpet may prove to be more difficult.
Re-weaving
If your Oriental Rug is worn or has been damaged, you will need to
locate an experienced weaver with expertise in all the different types
of knots and with an ample supply of wool colors. You may even want to
look at some of the weaver's current projects because re-weaving can
be the most costly repair done to your rugs.
Ideas for maintaining & improving the look of your rugs:
- If the fringe is uneven, the edges can be trimmed.
- If parts of your rug are curled, steaming will usually alleviate
the problem. We suggest steaming with an iron over a clean, damp
Turkish towel. Be careful to keep the iron moving over the towel
and not to touch the iron directly on the rug. Also, be sure to
consider the flooring and padding underneath your rug.
- If your rug buckles, a blocking/stretching process could improve
the rug's shape. We would suggest trying to steam the back of the
rug, first before having it blocked. If you then decide to have
your rug blocked, before proceeding you should discuss the process
with your Oriental Rug dealer.
- If the pile/nap of your rug is indented or laying the wrong way,
steaming (with an iron as mentioned before) the areas should
neutralize the pile and greatly improve your rug's appearance.
Before the area dries, be sure to comb the pile to blend with rest
of the rug. When the area is dry, the nap should be laying in its
natural direction.
- If you plan to store your Oriental Rugs, we suggest having them
cleaned, wrapped in brown Kraft-paper, and covered with a
waterproof material. Rodents and moths are a primary concern, so
it is advisable to include moth flakes and keep your rug in a dry
area above ground.
- Moths and carpet beetles can destroy an Oriental Rug. Check the
edges and area of your rug under furniture for any infestation.
Act immediately if you see any bugs or eggs. You will probably
need to have your entire house sprayed and all wool rugs cleaned.
Check your wool clothes if there is a problem.
