ORIENTAL RUG AND KILIM CLEANING AND CARE

Oriental rugs and kilims are valuable because of their endurance. With good care oriental rugs and kilims last centuries. Kilims and rugs are weaved by natural materials, thus they can be washed, and they are hand woven so the damage can be repaired. Natural materials such as wool and silk have natural oils, which protect the oriental kilims and rugs from stains and wear. The natural dyes used in the weaving process give durability to kilims and rugs. Oriental kilims and rugs have all the elements in place for a long lifetime should the owner take good care of them.

The most important enemies of oriental kilims and rugs are sunlight, moths, excess traffic, stains, moisture and lack of care or erroneous care.

Rugs and kilims inevitably will wear as they are walked on. Rugs and kilims placed in high traffic areas will wear faster than rugs and kilims that are hanged or placed in an area with less traffic. The colors, even if they are made by highest quality dyes, will fade in time.

Before delving deeper into the oriental rug and kilim care and cleaning, it would be useful to start with what not to do:

Do not use strong chemicals and stain removers to clean and remove stains.
Do not expose rugs and kilims to direct sunlight. The sunlight will fade the colors, which are obtained by dying natural materials such as wool or silk.
Do not vacuum rugs and kilims. Hand brooms will give you the best result.
Do not leave an oriental rug or kilim wet and do not store them at humid locations.
Do not keep waking on a dirty kilim or rug. If you keep walking on dirty kilims or rugs the lifetime will shorten because the dirt will have an abrasive effect on the surface.
And of course, under any circumstance, do not use washing machines and spin dryers.

Oriental Rug and Kilim Cleaning

Periodic Cleaning

Keeping your oriental rug and kilim ensures the long life expected from them. There are no certain guidelines when to clean or wash an oriental rug because every location of placement will be different. Some of the oriental rugs and kilims will get dirty quicker than others. The basic rule is not to clean or wash them unless they are dirty.

The best regular cleaning that you can do is the brushing with an old fashioned hand broom. This will prevent the abrasive effect of dirt and other undesired particles. Remember brushing both of the sides of the rug and the floor where it resides. Vacuuming should not be applied or kept at minimum, because it will loosen the knots and damage the surface by pulling the fibers from the pile. If you want to vacuum the oriental rug or kilim low suction power and the nozzle attachment must be used to mitigate the damage. If the rug is dirty, the cleaning should be performed by professional carpet and rug cleaners; prefer the ones with oriental rug and kilim cleaning expertise and avoid dry cleaners because a hand woven rugs and kilims should never be exposed to the strong chemicals that they use.

Stain Removal and Emergency Home Cleaning

If there is a spill do not panic but act quickly. First you should blot up all excess liquid; paper towels will do the job. Make sure that you have the entire excess spill.

After blotting, mix some warm water and mild detergent or carpet shampoo containing no alkalis or bleaches with five-to-one proportion and one tablespoon of white vinegar to protect the color. Before you apply the mixture with a clean cloth or soft brush you might want to dilute the spill with some water but avoid excessive water, half a cup for a small spill will be sufficient. It will be better if you blot again before you apply your mixture. Dip your brush or clean cloth into the mixture and saturate the spill section. Brush gently and blot the area and repeat this until the stain is removed completely. Forceful brushing or scrubbing will not clean thoroughly and is likely to damage your oriental rug or kilim while it is still wet.

Do not be concerned about getting the rug or kilim wet since the oriental rugs and kilims can stay wet for days. However, you must do your best to dry them as soon as possible. Dry places with air circulation should be preferred. And if possible elevate the rug to catalyze air circulation on both sides. Do not walk and place furniture or heavy things on to the rug and do not store it while it is still wet.

With the proper care and treatment the glamour and impressiveness of an oriental hand woven rug and kilim will last centuries and many generations will enjoy this inherited art form.

Oriental Rug and Kilim Care

Placement and Rotation

Preserving your oriental rug and kilim starts with the placement of this precious and timeless possession. You should avoid any direct sunlight on the rug or kilim to prevent the fading. In addition excessive sunlight will make the natural materials such as wool and cotton brittle and cause structural damage as well as fading the colors. Furthermore, if oriental rugs and kilims are placed near to chimneys, furnaces or any kind of fume or excessive heat source they will deteriorate and discolor. Rotating your rug or kilim will provide even distribution of direct or indirect sunlight and the effect of traffic. Wearing and discoloring cannot be prevented, kilims and rugs will change in time and that's the beauty of them, however what you desire should be the uniform effect of time on the rug or kilim.

Padding

Carefully implemented padding for sure will extend the lifetime of your oriental rug and kilim. Padding will prevent rug or kilim moving and wrinkling, exposing itself to the abrasive effects of those.

Storing

Oriental rugs and kilims are made of natural materials so they should always breathe. Do not store them in closed plastic bags or other popular air free storage solutions, which the air is sucked for more storage place. Avoid storing oriental kilims and rugs in humid and inadequately ventilated rooms. Use cloths or sheets to wrap them if you are going to store them for a long time; in that case please inspect and move the rug or kilim periodically to observe and prevent any possible moth damage.

Moth Damage Prevention

If you are storing your oriental rugs and kilims you can use moth crystals or sprays. But the easiest way to prevent moth is to move and handle the rugs and kilims frequently. Moths tend to reside on areas such as those under the furniture or parts that remain unmoved for a long time. If an oriental rug or kilim is walked on, there is little chance for moth damage. However, if some part of the rug or kilim is under furniture, especially heavy ones that prevent the movement, those parts should be checked. Consequently, if you disturb the rug or kilim, do not store them at humid or airless locations and use moth crystals or sprays you will not have any moth problem. Home | Site Map | Contact | Security & Privacy | Customer Service | FAQ's About Rugs
Rug & Kilim Store | Decoration & Gift Ideas | About Rugs & Kilims | Resources about Turkey

sales@rugsfordesign.com
Copyright © 2005 RugsforDesign.com All Rights Reserved