Oriental Rug Care Guide
If your rug pleases you now, it will continue to do so, especially with proper care and maintenance. A hand-spun wool Oriental rug will require less maintenance than a rug made of synthetic materials, because of the remarkable properties of natural wool that make it naturally resilient to dirt (see ). Below are some guidelines for caring for your hand-woven, vegetable-dyed rug.
Vacuuming: The hand-woven hand-spun wool Oriental rug, unlike machine-made rugs of synthetic fibers, requires less maintenance because it does not hold dirt deep in its core fibers. Dirt is easily removed with regular, slow and deliberate vacuuming. Rugs in high-traffic areas should be vacuumed at least once a week. A vacuum with no brush is best, as brushes can weaken the knots; but if your rug has a brush, it preferably should rotate in the direction of the pile and not against it. Never use a vacuum with a rotating brush on the fringes, as it will loosen the fringe, wefts, and knots at the ends. Remember to vacuum under furniture that is placed on the rug, as this can be a dark and dusty hiding place for insects.
Rugs without pile, known as flat-weaves, should be shaken outside rather than vacuumed regularly. Delicate antiques or fragments will require special care.
High-Traffic Areas: Reverse rugs in high-traffic areas each year, in order to distribute wear more evenly. Underlays will extend the life of your rug.
Professional cleaning: Professional hand-washing is recommended for the hand-woven Oriental rug. Your rugs that undergo frequent wear should be professionally cleaned approximately every 5 years. Never have your rug cleaned by a general carpet cleaning company, as they normally use machines and chemicals, which can damage the rug's fibers. Oriental rugs should be hand-washed. Silk rugs should be dry-cleaned by expert carpet cleaners and not by the clothing dry cleaner. Wool rugs should never be dry-cleaned, because the chemicals will strip the fibers of their natural oils. Rather they should be washed with total immersion in cool water that has been de-ionized or softened. Ensure your professional carpet cleaner also rinses by hand, and not with large wringing machines. Wringing machines squeeze out the water with heavy rollers and can damage the knots. Beware of carpet cleaners that hang-dry their rugs; this stretches the shape of the rug permanently and can cause the rug to tear if only supported by one edge. Your rug should be dried flat. A large rug will take at least 3 days to dry. With each washing, a wool rug can lose some of its lanolin, and thus some of its luster. This lanolin can be restored by a professional. Do not have your rug sprayed with moth repellent. It is toxic and not reliable. The best deterrent to moths is fresh air and movement that comes from regular vacuuming.
Stains: The lanolin coating on hand-spun wool rugs that have not been washed with chemicals makes them naturally resistant to stains. Stains on rugs treated with chemicals (which Babik's refuses to carry) will be more difficult to deal with. Blot up spills immediately with white absorbent towels. Place a white towel under the area of the rug where the spill occurred, and blot or sponge with cool water. Never use hot water on your Oriental rug, as it can cause a vegetable dye that may be unstable to bleed, or can cook a protein-based stain. Seek professional advice immediately.
While area rugs pull furniture groupings together, there are some caveats to placing furniture directly on an Oriental rug. You should never put heavy furniture on an Oriental rug, as it will crush the pile and knots over time. For furniture with legs, ensure the legs are supported below the carpet. A simple interior designer's trick is to place a square tile in-between the rug and the rug underlay where the legs will stand. This will take the weight of the leg and keep it from indenting the rug. Legs with metal feet should be fitted with wood coasters. Either the rug or the furniture should be turned each year to distribute wear evenly over time. Avoid placing your rug in direct sunlight or close to spotlights. The UV rays in hot climates can fade the vegetable dyes over time. If you cannot avoid this exposure, use UV-protective lenses on your spotlights, and UV-protective windows. Finally, never place potted plants on an Oriental rug, as it often leads to mildew and rotting of the carpet.
Underlays can prolong the life of your rug. It is always recommended to place an underlay beneath an area rug on a hard floor, unless it is a thick piled rug that does not get the abuse of shoes walking across it. The underlay provides the benefits of preventing the rug from shifting too much; protecting it from the damage of pressure between your shoes and the hard floor; and making the rug more comfortable to walk on.
Discussion of underlays: Wool hair felt underlays were the most popular type of underlay used for many years, up until modern hypoallergenic felt underlays were produced at the turn of the 21st century. Wool hair felt, although natural, is not hypoallergenic, because the wool is not virgin wool; rather, it has been stripped of its protective lanolin and original properties that allowed it to be naturally hypoallergenic. In addition, wool felt on rubber will lead to a hairy crumbly mess under your rug in time. This is why wool hair felt underlays are considered outdated by many. However, some naturalists still do recommend wool felt underlays sewn to a jute backing. The problem is that not only are these not hypoallergenic, they will also cause slipping of an area rug on a hard floor, which is a hazard.
Underlays of foam rubber or vulcanized rubber, synthetic latex, or plastic are discouraged. Foam rubber hardens and crumbles over time, nastily lodging itself into the carpet fibers, and discoloring the floor. Vulcanized rubber is not preferred because it has a high sulfur emission. Natural rubber is the preferred choice of rubber. Natural latex, except if you are allergic to it, is better than synthetic latex.
Avoid underlays that have a backing of adhesive, as it can become permanently stuck to the rug fibers over time.
Area rugs on wall-to-wall carpet: Underlays are not always necessary for rugs placed on carpeting. An alternative for keeping the rug from shifting is to sew the hooked side of Velcro to the underside of the rug's edges. This will help prevent movement.
Size of your underlay: An underlay should be at least 1 inch shorter than the length and width of your rug (do not include fringe part). This will prevent the sides and corners from flipping up.
Your rug should be professionally cleaned before storage, to avoid infestation and mildew. Avoid using mothballs, as they are a toxic and smell horrible. Avoid having moth repellent sprayed onto your rug; it is not effective and can damage the fibers. No moth repellent is 100% dependable, so be sure to inspect your rug regularly. Simple fresh air and movement deter moths. Cedar blocks of wood are helpful to deter insects, but ensure the wood is sealed with a urethane, if it comes in contact with the rug. Raw wood is acidic and its oxidation can discolor the rug over time. There are also new natural herbal mixes in tea bag form that are popular for storing rugs and clothing, with no unpleasant scent.
Moisture can cause a rug to rot very rapidly, and moths and their eggs can cause extensive damage. Your storage area should be temperature-controlled, between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity, to avoid mildew and bug infestation. There is no cure for mildew in a rug.
Always roll your carpet for storage, unless it's small and can be stored flat. Roll with pile outward to prevent distress to the knots. Roll loosely, not tightly. Do not fold you rug for storage, or it can cause visible damage along the folds.
Never store your rug in a plastic bag or plastic material. Your rug needs air --- especially rugs made of pure virgin wool. Wool fibers naturally breathe by absorbing moisture from the air and releasing it back into the atmosphere, making it homeostatic. Plastic will prevent this natural process and lead to mildew. Use brown wrapping paper. For more valuable rugs, roll with acid-free tissue paper on the inner side and heavy acid-free paper on the outside. Then wrap in brown wrapping paper. For small rugs, you can use an acid-free storage box, available from your local craft store or cleaner.
Store the rug horizontally and never vertically on end. Remember to check your rug regularly during storage.