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.