Persian Rugs & Antique Carpet

Oriental Carpets Cleaning Index

• Acid – 4
• Alcoholic Beverage – 1
• Ammonia or Alkali - 1
• Beer – 5
• Berries – 5
• Bleach – 1
• Blood – 4
• Butter – 2
• Candy (sugar) – 1
• Carbon Black – 2
• Catsup – 2
• Charcoal – 1
• Chocolate, Cocoa – 1
• Coffee – 4
• Cooking Oil – 2
• Cosmetics – 2
• Crayon – 2
• Crème de Menthe – 3
• Dye, Blue, Black – 3
• Dye, Red – 5
• Egg – 2
• Excrement – 2
• Fish Slime – 2
• Fruit Juice – 5
• Furniture Polish – 5
• Gravy – 1
• Hair Oil – 2
• Hair Spray – 1
• Hand Lotion – 2
• Ice Cream – 2
• Lacquer – 2
• Lard – 4
• Lipstick – 1
• Machine Oil – 2
• Mayonnaise – 2
• Mercurochrome – 5
• Merthiolate – 5
• Metal Polish – 1
• Milk – 1
• Mixed Drinks – 5
• Mud - 1
• Mustard - 5
• Paint - 2
• Perfume - 1
• Rust - 1
• Salad Dressing – 2
• Sauce – 1
• Shortening – 2
• Soft Drinks – 5
• Soy Sauce – 2
• Starch – 2
• Tar – 2
• Tea – 5
• Tooth Paste – 1
• Urine – 5
• Varnish – 2
• Vaseline – 2
• Vomit – 2
• Washable Ink – 1
• Wine – 5

Cleaning Persian Rugs do not have to be a mystery. For over 2,500 years, Oriental Carpets have been used in the East by nomads and villagers for warmth and beauty. More recently in the West, they have graced homes with their art and luxury and complement any décor. Antique Carpet will last a lifetime, and when properly maintained they will last for generations to come. The information contained on this page offers basic advice for the care and protection of your fine art investment.

Wool Makes an Oriental Rug Last

Antique Rugs are generally made of wool, which makes them easy and inexpensive to clean and maintain. Antique wool rugs are extremely durable and consistently out perform other materials. Wool cleans easier, stays clean longer, and is more resilient than most fibers.

Cleaning Hand Knotted Rugs

Get professional Oriental Carpet Cleaner to clean your Hand Knotted Rugs, do not steam clean, chemically clean, or spot clean your rug. We also recommend the you do not Scotchgard your Oriental Carpet, as it interferes with lanolin's stain resisting properties. Also, do not have your rug dry cleaned, or saturate it in the tub. Cleaning your Oriental Rug is an important procedure in order to maintain rich colors and softness. We recommend taking your rug to Persian Rug Cleaners every 3-6 years, depending on the amount of traffic. Make sure you pick a trusted, professional Cleaning Service, qualified to clean Antique Carpet. We Have a list of them here.

Rotating Persian Carpets

Persian Carpets should be rotated rug around once a year to ensure even wearing.

Vacuuming Antique Carpet

Like most carpeting, be sure to vacuum your hand knotted rugsregularly, but do not vacuum the fringe.

Rug Padding for Oriental Carpets

A quality rug pad under your rug helps protect it from dirt, wear, and slippage. We will be happy to provide you with the best pad for your hand knotted rugs.

Removing Kinks and Creases

To remove kinks and crease from Persian Carpets soak a white towel or cloth and wring it out until it is damp. Make sure your towel or cloth is white otherwise color may transfer to the fibers of your Persian Hand Knotted Carpet. After you have your damp cloth or towel place it over the creases and place heavy objects over the towels. Regular traffic and vacuuming will also help.

Repairing Antique Rugs

If your Persian Carpets have been damaged, the chances are a professional restoration will fix it. Old and antique rugs sometimes need to be rewoven where it was worn, and restored back to life. Newer rugs are rarely in the need of repair. When it comes to Repairong Antique Carpet, always consult a professional.

Blotting Stains

When Blotting a stain on Persian Wool Hand Knotted Rugs it is important to use a white cloth and blot the stain from the edge to the center.

When a stain occurs, dilute it with plenty of water, then blot the stain, avoiding rubbing the area. For solid spills, take a spoon and carefully scoop up the material.

It is always best to take care of a stain right away. The following information will help you eliminate most stains. For further advice, please contact us.

Removing Wax from Persian Rugs

Put a blotter or brown paper bag over the spot. Then put a hot iron over the blotter. Wait a few minutes until the wax is absorbed into the blotter. Repeat if necessary. Make sure you move the iron constantly and do not let it stay on one place.

Removing Ink from Oriental Carpets

Saturate a spot with hairspray, allow it to dry. Then brush slowly with a 7% white vinegar solution.

Removing Glue from Antique Rugs

Saturate the spot with a cloth soaked in a 7% white vinegar solution or alcohol.

Removing Chewing Gum from an Oriental Wool Rugs

Press ice cubes against the spot. Then wait until the gum becomes brittle and breaks off. Afterwards, use spot remover to vanish traces of the spot.

Stain Removal Procedures for Persian Rugs