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With years of experience,
we professionally hand wash and repair your fine rugs.
The parts of an Oriental Rugs,
Warps are the paralles strings stretched
from loom beam to loom beam upon wich rows of knots are
tied. Most weavers use cotton for warp. Weavers who are semi-nomadic postoralists (i.e. not farmers) are much more likely to use
Wool than Cotton for warp and weft.
Wefts run across the width of the rug, over and under
the warp strings and between rows of knots. Most often wefts are made of
Cotton, Wool, or Silk. Wefts help hold rows of knots in place and strengthen
the structure of the rug.
Knots are tied by looping yarn around pairs of Warps
and cutting off the standing end. The ends of the
"Knot" becomes the Pile Or Nap of the rug.
Edge Bindings are made by wrapping several Warps at the
edge of the rug with yarn to reinforce this part of the rug.
End Finishes hold Knots and Wefts from working off the rug's
Warp Strings. Many rug types have a Flat-Woven Kilim
type at both end.
Fringes
are formed by gathering and knotting together bunles
of Warp strings at both ends of the rug after the rug has been cut from the
loom. The Knots in these bundles of Warp strings keep pile knots and finishes
tight at the rug's ends.
Caring for your Oriental Rug,
A
genuine handknotted Oriental rug will last a very
long time if you take a few precautions to protect it from premature wear and
the most common kinds of damage. Common problems include water damage, moth
damage, dog chews and cat scratching, pet stains, vacuum cleaner damage,
chemical damage,sun damage,and uneven wear.
Water Damage
Most varieties of Oriental rugs have wool pile, but many have cotton warp and
weft. This cotton foundation can be weakened, and sometimes actually rotted, if
the rug is wetted repeatedly and not properly dried.
A common cause of such damage occurs when potted plants are placed directly on
a rug. The plant is watered regularly, the pot leaks, and the rug under the pot
stays permanently damp. Within few weeks the foundation of the rug can become
so weak that chunks can be torn from the affected area by hand. If you use
planters near a rug, try to place them on a slim legged stool, or a
caster-based support that lets you see under the pot and allows for
ventilation. After watering the plant check to be sure the rug under it is
completely dry.
Another form of water damage can affect rugs used in a basement or other area
below grade level. If the basement floods the potential for damage is obvious.
The rug must be removed quickly, properly cleaned, and allowed to dry
completely. A more insidious form of damage can be caused by using a rug over a
damp floor (as is often the case if the floor is cement). Even though the floor
is not noticeably wet to the touch, there can be enough moisture to allow
microorganisms to flourish in the material of the warp and weft and to degrade
the strength of the rug's foundation.
Moth Damage
Flying
clothes moths do not eat your rugs, but the females do lay hundreds of eggs
each, and the eggs hatch into larvae that consume wool, fur, feather, and silk
fibers. Moths and their larvae thrive in dark, undisturbed areas where a rug
gets little traffic and is not often vacuumed. A bad infestation sometimes
leaves a cobweb-like veil in the area of the damage, along with fine, sand-like
debris. An infestation often involves more than one rug, and can spread to (or
from) woolens or furs hanging in a closet or sweaters stored in a drawer. A rug
damaged by moth is not difficult to repair, but reweaving a large area of a rug
can be expensive.
To identify the presence of moths, look for one or more of these signs.
Flying moths .Bare spot in the pile .Webs .Small
cocoons .Larvae in the pile .Sand-like particles .Broken/loose piles.
To prevent moth damage
Vacuum
the entire face of the rug weekly if possible. At least several times a year,
vacuum the back side of the rug and the pad and floor underneath.
Be aware that moth balls, flakes, or crystals are ineffective in moth control
for rugs. These material act only as a minor repellent
to moths. They do not kill moth larvae, and the moth ball's odor can be
unpleasant and difficult to remove from the rug.
Any place the vacuum can not reach, such as areas of the rug under furniture,
or a rug hung on the wall, can be sprayed with a household, non-staining
insecticide made for the purpose. Most of these products contain pyrethrins among the active ingredients. Although poisonous
to many varieties of insects, pyrethrins break down
quickly after application and are considered safe for use in the home. BE
CAREFUL IN CHOOSING AND APPLYING ANY INSECTICIDE AND USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Carpet Beetle Damage
Similar in appearance to moth damage, but caused by the larvae of a small, dark
brown or brown-black insect. Beetle larvae damage is usually not as severe, nor
as messy as moth damage. Strategies to prevent or treat
moth damage will be effective against carpet beetles as well.
Dog Chews
Puppies tend to chew rugs because of tooth growth. The best way to prevent chew
damage is to control the puppy by keeping it away from the rug.
Cat Scratchings
Cats which are not declawed can do significant damage
to a rug if they habitually sharpen their claws on it. As with dog chews, the
best prevention is to control the cat's activities.
Vacuum Cleaner Damage
In almost all instance, regular vacuuming of an
Oriental rug with an electric vacuum cleaner is good for a rug, a dirty rug
wears prematurely, and regular vacuuming helps prevent dirt on the surface of
the rug from filtering down into the pile where it can accumulate and cause
increased wear. Still, be careful with a cleaner equipped with a power brush or
"beater bar", these powered brushes in the vacuum head help the
vacuum do a good job on machine-made carpeting, but they cause a raking effect
on the top layer of an Oriental rug's pile if used too strenuously. If your
vacuum cleaner has a power brush, use it only occasionally and lightly on your
Oriental rug. For routine cleaning, use just plain vacuum nozzle. This is
especially important for fringes. Try not to run an upright vacuum or a power
brush attachment over fringes. The brush shreds the fringes and causes rapid
wear. Frequently fringes get caught and chewed up by the rotating mechanism of
the brush.
Sun Damage
Most rug dyes are quite resistant to sun fading or bleaching. Still,
ultraviolet rays are a powerful force of nature, and a rug will likely fade
over time if used for years in a very sunny area. Consider sheer drapes to block
some of the direct sunlight, and try to rotate the rug once a year to even out
possible color changes.
Uneven Wear
A rug should be rotated once every year or two to even out wear and color change.
Try not to use a rug on a very uneven floor. An area of the floor that is
raised (a loose floorboard, a transition strip from one flooring material to another,....) causes the part of the rug that covers it to
wear much more rapidly than the rest of the rug.
Rug Pads
Pads under rugs can prevent sliding and wrinkling, prolong the life of the rug
by cushioning the impact between shoe sole and hard floor surface, and provide
comfort under foot. A pad should be about an inch smaller than the rug all the
way around (not counting the fringe) so that the pad will not show beneath the
rug.
Summary
You should vacuum your rug often-both front and back sides, and rotate it once
in a while. Although many kinds of damage can be repaired, prevention is much
easier (and cheaper) than repair, so avoid placing potted plants on the rug,
and keep an eye on your pets. Inspect your entire rug periodically for signs of
wear or damage. Have your rug cleaned when it is dirty. When you see something
wrong with your rug that is beyond your ability to rectify, don't hesitate to
call a reputable rug dealer for advice. With just a bit of care your rug will
provide many years of utility and pride of ownership...
