Cleaning your Oriental rug

The first rule of cleaning oriental rugs is to remove the grit, dirt and other debris that gather in the pile. Small particles of grit will slowly grind the fibres of the rug away. The old method of beating is one approach although it can be somewhat rough. A good hoover on the back first and then front can remove a good deal of the dirt. A hoover with a beating bar is best on the back to knock the dirt out of the pile.

Once the dirt has been removed you can wash in a light detergent. The question of dye run needs to be addressed before any water meets your rug. Older rugs with vegetable dyes are generally sound but the later aniline dyes and other synthetics can be quite unstable. If in doubt consult an expert but you can try small areas by rubbing a damp cloth over the suspect colours before you start.

A cosmetic surface clean is a safer approach and can really brighten a rug up by doing this, however it will not remove the ingrained dirt and grease further down the pile.

The importance of removing dirt before washing can’t be overstated. To immerse a dirty rug in water is likely to turn the dirt into a heavy cake of mud that will stick in the foundation and be much harder to remove. This effect can be quite damaging.

I often immerse rugs in a cool bath of water with some detergent and gently brush the pile. They often need several changes of water to rinse out and it is also important to finish off the process by squeezing the water out in the direction of the pile to leave it flat.

Drying sodden rugs can be a real problem and placing them in direct sunlight is likely to bake them and sometimes leave the pile misshapen. You also don’t want the rug to be wet for days on end so hang it in an area of good ventilation and turn occasionally.

The best solution is of course to find a professional cleaner. They have equipment to vibrate the dirt out very effectively and understand how to deal with colour run and more stubborn stains. They also have centrifuges to remove the water quickly. Sometimes a good professional clean of a rug can produce a startling difference, they can even bring colour back to the surface of the later tip faded pieces.

I started my journey many years ago buying cheap old rugs in auction and then transforming them by washing them and carrying out basic repairs. There is something very pleasing about seeing a rug come to life, the better quality pieces have fine wool with a long staple and these pieces shed their dirt more easily and the colours soon glow again as they did when new.

I think the choice you make should be determined by the quality of the rug. A cheap old Hamadan is something anyone might take on but a collectors piece or anything of high value should always be referred to a specialist.