ORIENTAL RUG MERCHANT

Rotate you Oriental Rugs, Persian Rugs, area rugs, antique carpets, end to end every six moths. If you have established pathways across your rugs, move them also side to side, to create a new walking area. Rotate rugs to different areas of the house whenever possible. (this also gives your house a "new look"!

Whenever possible keep all rugs out of direct sunlight. Some of the most vivid colored rugs like Heriz, Hamaadan, Tabriz, Bijar, Qum, Sarouk all can and will fade over time.

Medium traffic areas should have their rugs washed every two-five years. High traffic areas nine months to a year and a half. Make sure the wash is by hand, and with COLD WATER. Why? Although hot water has more cleaning power, it also extracts the natural lanolin in the wool. How do you tell its rime to wash? Look at light areas of rug in traffic area and in non-traffic area. Check the fringe. STEAM is a number one enemy. Do not try to clean a rug yourself.  If a pet has done his #one on a rug, and it is still wet, you may neutralize the destructive power of the urine by dabbing a little baking soda water on the spot. Don't get it too wet, as the base (baking soda) will also try to make the colors run. Just because an oriental rug dealer says he washes rugs, does not mean he does. Many dealers send them out! Check to make sure the washing is in-house! Even if a rug is not dirty, the wool needs moisture at least every five year. So wash it!

A simple spray solution to stop the wool moth in their tracks is an ounce of prevention that can save rug owners thousands of dollars. If you can't locate the product, contact us. The wool larva eat 600 times their body weight before leaving a rug!

Good padding is essential for hard surfaces, and carpeting for different reasons. A natural rubber based pad, with a synthetic horse hair top is best for hard surfaces. Actually many antique rugs had the backs of the knots worn off because the owners never used pads. On carpeting you need to find a pad that holds the two together. If you don't the rugs will stretch and the ridge or bump will surface, which will never go back. Good padding is not cheap, but it can add 40% to the life of your rug. It makes perfect sense to have your Oriental carpets, Persian carpets, and antique oriental rugs last 40-50 years longer!