HAND CLEANING ORIENTAL RUGS – THE PROCESS

At James Barclay we pride ourselves on having a team of experts with over 100 years of experience in the cleaning Persian, Oriental, modern & contemporary rugs. Our team of trained rug and carpet restorers use traditional methods that get right to the heart of every piece.

It’s crucial that you reach the very roots when hand cleaning rugs. More basic methods may remove the more obvious stains and grime, but unless you can get to the fibres themselves, you’re literally just scratching the surface of the dirt. If not removed, particles can cut right into the fibres themselves, shredding them and damaging the carpet in the process. Allowing dirt to be continually walked in to the rug, over time the yarns will fall out and the colour will fade or disappear. Our cleaning & stain removal is all done by hand.

Most rugs will go through a beating process prior to the washing to eradicate any dirt and dust that might be in the foundation of the piece. Water, brushes and shampoo are then used to wash the wool and/or silk of the rug, brightening up the colours and resetting the pile.

The drying process is just as important, and we have special techniques that extract all excess moisture, but that won’t affect the colour or the material, or stretch the carpet out of shape. Rugs are at their most vulnerable when they’re damp. If they take too long to dry out, mildew and mould can form, perhaps damaging the carpet, and undoubtedly increasing its odour. A rug that has been dried by us is one that will remain fresh and fragrant.

Our hand cleaning process usually takes 1-2 weeks to complete and is recommended every 5-7 years. This does depend on foot fall, as some rugs do need to be cleaned sooner if in heavy use. Whereas rugs in bedrooms can last a little longer before they need to be freshened up. We are happy to advise on whether your rugs needs to be cleaned and our team will also look after any repair work you require. We can offer a range of different types of repairs from full restoration, prevention restoration and essential works.