How to Care for Oriental Rugs

People think that because Oriental rugs are valuable they must be pampered like fine China. But Oriental rugs have earned their reputation for being magical in part because of their sheer endurance. When they are dirty, they can be washed (unlike wall-to-wall carpeting, which can only be surface cleaned). And when they are injured they can be fixed. Their dyes resist fading and running, and their wool, full of natural oils, keeps many potential stains from penetrating and setting.

Still, rugs need a congenial atmosphere and a little attention to help combat their several natural enemies; sunlight, moths, carpet beetles and moisture.

Spills and Pet Stains
Remove as much of the content of the spill immediately by blotting with a dry towel. Be sure to blot from the top and bottom of the rug.

After blotting, dilute the remaining content of the stain with water (assuming the stain is water soluble). Test the area first for dyes that may run. The quality of dyes used in an Oriental may vary even in the same village or mill. It is simply a question of economics at the time the rug was woven.

Continue to blot the diluted spill. If after several dilutions the rug becomes very wet, elevate the wet part to promote air circulation. In good conditions, the rug should dry in two days.

If the rug is still stained after your efforts, seek out the services of a professional rug laundry.

If your rug has become wet from a plumbing or fire disaster, make an effort to remove the rug to an area that is dry and lay it out flat. A wet rug can take three to four days to dry in this manner if the weather is dry. In extremely cold or wet weather, Heirloom will provide emergency pickup services to dry your rugs. You can worry about washing and cleaning them later.

Mold and Mildew
If a rug stays wet too long, they become mildewed and may eventually suffer dry rot. This is the worst possible condition for your rug. Sometimes the smell associated with mildew cannot be eliminated.

The warp and weft of your carpet is made of organic material. The damage from mildew can be stopped but not reversed. So while your fine rugs can tolerate some moisture, attend to rugs that have been wet for more than two days.

Sunlight
A congenial atmosphere includes protection from too much sunlight. Not all rugs are affected by sunlight the same way. The damage from light can happen in as little as a month of heavy sun exposure. The fading from sunlight will not be even and in normal light the damage can be alarming.

You can prevent the problem by keeping curtains and shades drawn during the day or by coating your windows with Mylar film, which filters out harmful UV rays.

Some fading can be addressed in our shop by a good washing. Fading merely affects the tips of the pile. More severe fading can be addressed professional shearing of the tips of the pile.

Moths and Beetles
Insects prefer conditions where they might not be disturbed by light, or even the occasional vacuuming. Be wary of large pieces of furniture place on areas of your fine rugs. To even wear you should rotate you rugs anyway.

Moths and Beetle larvae are the culprits. They eat tracks along fibers or in the case of the Carpet beetle, a hole straight through the rug. The best defense is good house keeping and regular cleaning.

Storing
Since insects prefer dark undisturbed conditions, it is best to have your rugs cleaned prior to storing them for any length of time. Heirloom offers dry storage facilities and we will wrap your rug with insect repellant capsules. We offer a deodorizing service prior to redelivery of your carpet.