Owning a Persian rug is not the same as other pieces of furniture in a home. Persian rugs can be worth thousands of pounds and carry a cultural or historical meaning. A Persian rug can be an investment, a pleasure to own or a family heirloom; and it is most definitely the responsibility of the owner to understand relevant rug care, cleaning, and maintenance of their Persian rug.

When treated well and kept in the right conditions, a Persian rug will be passed down through generations and enjoy a long life whilst retaining its’ vibrancy and vigour.

Here are our top 7 tips on how to take care of Persian and Iranian rugs:

1. PREVENT MOISTURE & INSECT DAMAGE BUILD UP BY AIRING  YOUR RUG

To air your rug, hang it up outside on a dry, sunny day (preferably with a breeze). The air will help to dissipate moisture and remove any odours that might have built up in the rug.

2. ROTATE RUGS

Persian rugs will be affected by wear and tear if they are in high traffic areas and fading because of atmospheric influence and footfall. To avoid this, a Persian rug should be rotated every few months. If there is any furniture on top of the rug, this will eliminate crushing of fibres. If possible, furniture on top of rugs should be moved In between rotations.

3. VACUUMING PERSIAN RUGS

4. KEEP OUT OF SUNLIGHT

Persian rugs are made from organic, natural sheep’s wool, cotton, or silk. These natural fibres are more susceptible to colour fading by sunlight than other fibres. Whilst positioning a beautiful Persian rug in direct sunlight might carry aesthetic appeal, the more sunlight that a Persian rug is exposed to, the quicker it will fade. As well as colour fade, the UV rays within sunlight dry out the fibres making them brittle which will lead to tearing, augmented by any form of contact.

The ideal solution to this problem would be to place your Persian rug in a shaded area. If the rug must be kept somewhere that enjoys natural sunlight too, try to close curtains or blinds at times when the sun would fall on the rug or consider having the windows treated to eliminate UV rays.

5. CLEAN SPILLS IMMEDIATELY

There is a myriad of things that can be spilt on a Persian rug in a home. From coffee to wine to animal urine and more: the method of caring for a rug will differ depending on what has been split.

In general, any liquid should be removed as much as possible by being blotted with white paper towel (do not use paper towel with any colouring) and the remaining area flushed with clean water to dilute any staining. The rug should then be blotted again to remove as much moisture as possible and hung outside in fresh air to expedite drying if possible.

Urine should be treated with white vinegar and water as the components of urine can affect the composition of the dyes that are in the fibres.

As a rule, do not scrub your Persian rug to remove a stain or mark. You run the risk of making it worse and damaging the rug fibres.

That said, if the thought of caring for an expensive family heirloom concerns you, then it is always best to contact a specialist Persian rug cleaner and repair expert and let them take care of the rug. This is a sensible and well-placed investment, especially for more valuable pieces.

The ideal solution to this problem would be to place your Persian rug in a shaded area. If the rug must be kept somewhere that enjoys natural sunlight too, try to close curtains or blinds at times when the sun would fall on the rug or consider having the windows treated to eliminate UV rays.

6. USE UNDER RUG PADDING OR UNDERLAY

Persian rugs, especially on wooden floors, can move or ‘creep’ when people walk over them. To prevent this, use a rug underlay which not only provides stability for a rug but also offers a protective layer between the rug and hard flooring. This layer will protect the underside fibres from wear and tear and improve air flow under the ug which will help to prevent issues arising from damp. It will also protect your floor underneath from staining from erroneous spillages.

7. GET IT PROFESSIONALLY DEEP CLEANED

Persian rugs are works of art as well as pieces of furniture. As such, they need to be cared for and treated accordingly. As well as this, whilst there are plenty of preventative measures that can be taken to care for Persian rugs, accidents also happen which oftentimes require a more professional level of intervention. As previously mentioned, if your Persian rug is of a high value or a family heirloom, it is worth having your rug collected by a trusted specialist who can undertake whatever repair, cleaning or renovation that is required so that you can enjoy your Persian rug for generations to come.

If your rug is made of silk, we would recommend that you do not try to clean it yourself. Always contact a professional silk rug cleaning or repair specialist

If you are asking how often should I clean my Persian Rug? Then we would say that a Persian rug should enjoy a deep clean every few years and if anything happens in between that might affect the integrity or condition of the rug and you are unsure of how to treat it, contact James Barclay for advice and professional services on 0203 174 2427 or email us at info@jamesbarclay.co.uk

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