So you’ve found the perfect rug for you home and now you want to make sure you keep it in tip top condition, but you’re unsure on how to do so. In this blog post we aim to bring you the most useful and concise information on how to care for your new rug.
Unfortunately caring for a Persian rug isn’t a one size fits all system, there are many variables that affect what you will need to do, thankfully however no matter the type, age or materials of the rug, looking after one has a relatively low level of interactivity.
Factors Affecting How You Care For Your Rug
Age: A new Persian rug is essentially bullet proof and unless you set it on fire, there isn’t much that can’t be cleaned out or repaired on it. Antique rugs are slightly different, they whilst still extremely durable take a little more care which will be described later in the blog post.
Materials: Wool rugs very rarely gets dirty and is a material that has proven it can stand the test of time, so you can expect great durability and little to no concern should be felt with a wool rug. Silk rugs are ever so slightly more delicate and require a bit more care, but it isn’t anything unmanageable. Whilst the perception would be that no one should walk on a silk rug or that it should be on the wall, no such concern is needed, we’ve had 400 year old silk rugs in our warehouse!
Condition: This may not come as a surprise to anyone, but we thought we should mention it anyway. If your rug is in bad condition, the fringing is fraying or the binding is unraveling, these rugs will obviously require more care and should be in areas where there is little to no footfall.
To Hoover or Not to Hoover
One question we are asked quite often is wether someone can hoover their rug, and its a valid question that comes with a multilayer answer. For the most part yes, yes you can hoover your Persian or Oriental rug, however if your rug is fraying at the fringing or binding, has holes or is an antique piece it is best to not hoover it.
When using a vacuum on a rug it is best to avoid going over the fringing, especially if it has a longer fringing, this is due to longer fringing getting caught in the beater. If you have an antique rug in good condition with a decent pile, you can vacuum it, but make sure the vacuum is set on a lower setting.
If your rug is antique with a low pile or damaged in some manner, it is best to take your rug outside and whilst holding it aloft beat the back of the rug so the dust and grit comes out of it.
Finding Mud on Your Rug
Muddy feet, the bane of any clean home! But not for a Persian or Oriental rug. If you happen to find mud on your rug and it is still fresh/wet leave it to dry out and then simply vacuum over and the rug will be as good as new. This applies across both wool and silk rugs.
Wine/Drink Spillage
You and your partner or friends are enjoying an evening tipple when someone accidentally knocks a drink over on to your brand new Persian rug. This doesn’t have to be the catastrophe that you think it may be.
If you have noticed straight away or within a minute or two of it happening, simply grab a tablespoon, a bowl of cold water with a small amount of washing up liquid in it, a second empty bowl and a washing up sponge.
Firstly use your tablespoon to scoop up any excess liquid from the surface of the rug and place in the empty bowl. Then take your sponge and dip it in the water with washing up liquid and going with the pile of the rug rub the area where there was a spill, keep doing this until the area becomes darker, then take your tablespoon and again going with the pile of the rug scoop out as much excess water as possible, then leave to dry naturally. Once the rug has dried it should be as good as new.
However if you have noticed this a few hours or days later, do not try to get the stain out, you can call us on 01264 811033 or 0208 800 2626 and we can professionally clean your carpet for you in the traditional methods that will properly look after the natural dyes in the rug. Prices start from as little as £35.
Signs You Need Professional Assistance
Sometimes no amount of added care will be enough for your Persian or Oriental rug, and the longer you leave it the more costly it will be to repair. So what is it that you need to look out for when caring for your rug?
Look for any signs of fraying in the fringing
Look for any signs of fraying on the binding
Check for signs of ware on the main field of the rug, this can quickly lead to a small whole
The fringing of a rug runs through from one end of the rug to the other, it was what all of the wool or silk is knotted on to, in some ways it is the spine of the rug. So when this starts to fray it can quickly lead to much more structural damage and cost to repair.