Caring For Your Rug

Rugs are meant to be lived on. One of the many benefits of a high quality, hand knotted rug is that they are generally easy to care for and they maintain their beauty and luster for generations. One common myth is that if you have a busy household (kids, pets, high traffic, clumsy guests, etc.) that you should not invest in a nice rug, because they may be ruined. But with many quality oriental and hand knotted rugs, just the opposite is true. In addition to their superior construction, hand knotted and oriental rugs use higher quality wool, which contains a natural lanolin — this acts as a natural repellent to dirt and many bacteria. With the proper care and maintenance, these rugs can last a life time.

To help ensure your piece withstands the test of time, there are a few general care and maintenance suggestions you will want to consider.

Padding

A quality rug pad is important to help protect your rug from dirt and daily wear, in addition to holding the rug in place to prevent slippage.

Vacuuming

Light vacuuming is essential, as it cleans up dirt and keeps particles from becoming embedded in the rug’s fibers. The density of a fine rug will resist most soil, and surface vacuuming is generally all that you need to do on a regular basis. Be sure you don’t over vacuum. Many high powered vacuums today have suction that is too abrasive or beater bars that can damage the rug over time. Check to see if your vacuum has a beater bar (ones without are best), if it does put it on the highest setting (above the ground) and avoid vacuuming the tassels, fringe, or surged edges of the carpet. Flipping the rug occasionally and vacuuming from the back side will also help remove any dirt that has settled into the rug and reached the backing.

Rotating

By rotating your rug on a regular basis, it will help ensure even wear on your rug from daily foot traffic. You can vary rotation every six months to two years as needed, depending on the amount of usage your rug gets.

Spot Cleaning

If a spill occurs, for best results take action immediately. You don’t want to give the object spilled on the rug to set as a stain into the fibers. You can dilute the spill with cold water, and then blot gently with a clean white or light colored cloth. When possible, blot for the edge of the spill to the center. Avoid rubbing or scrubbing, as this may force the stain or spill deeper into the carpet. After extracting as much of the stain and water as possible, let the spot dry. Then vacuum. Repeat if necessary.

Avoid Harsh Detergents

Fine wool rugs have a natural soil repellent, and detergents may destroy or harm the natural oils of your carpet. When using cleaner, you can test it’s compatibility in a small inconspicuous area of your rug before using the product. A good general rule to follow is, “If you can put it on your hair, you can put it on your wool rug.” You would never use detergent, bleach, or strong solutions on your hair. Likewise, treat your fine rug with care and it will reward you with many years of beauty.

Professional Cleaning

Some fibers used in fine oriental rugs (e.g. silk and bamboo silk) should be treated with care when cleaning. A professional cleaning is usually recommended every 1-3 years for any fine quality rug, depending on the amount of foot traffic it receives. We recommend using a company that specializes in rug cleaning. When looking for a company, be sure they are a certified hand-made carpet cleaner and repair company. Professional cleaning is a separate and different process than what is used on wall to wall carpeting and machine-made rugs, so be sure you are using the right professional.

Sprouting

You may notice over time, your rug has a few “spouts” of yarn that are raised above the overall height of the carpet. This is referred to as sprouting, and is a perfectly normal characteristic of a fine handmade rug that happens throughout a rug’s life. This is not a flaw and does not affect the durability of your rug. When sprouting occurs, do not pull out the yarn! Use scissors and carefully clip each piece of yarn to the same level as the rest of the rug’s pile.