CARING FOR RUGS / CARPETS

                 Fine Oriental rugs—benefit enormously from proper custodial care. Investors understand the importance of protecting their investments, both for themselves and for posterity.
The best 19th century carpets are disappearing into private ownership and becoming increasingly more difficult to find. Today’s buyers will likely be the last generation with access to Golden Age rugs in floor condition. Proper preservation is more important than ever.

Basic Care
A few simple practices will go a long way toward preserving your rugs for a lifetime of enjoyment.

Proper padding. We strongly recommend using high-quality pads under antique carpets. These will significantly extend the life of your rugs, preventing sliding, wrinkling and stretching, and guarding against punctures from furniture legs. Padded rugs also feel better underfoot and provide better sound absorption..contact us for all the options in rug pads

Furniture cups. Always use furniture cups for heavy furniture pieces like pianos placed on carpets to prevent crushing the carpet’s pile. When moving heavy furniture, lift or use sliders to prevent tearing.

UV protection. Given daily exposure to direct sunlight in areas where draperies are not desirable, we recommend screening your windows with a product that minimizes the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays. Using either Low-E glass or a spectrally selective applied window film effectively inhibits sun-fading of the rug’s naturally dyed colors.

Spills. Fine antique Persian carpets were woven using lanolin-rich wool, which is amazingly stain resistant. Blot up spills with a moist cloth, and then wipe the pile with a rinsed damp sponge. If the area remains moist, elevate it for quicker air drying. Avoid using home remedies for stain removal, as they can cause irreversible discoloration or dye-run.

Cleaning. A manual carpet sweeper is best. Avoid using electric vacuum cleaners (once in 3 months is fine); the rotary action is unnecessarily strong on any rugs. To protect the natural qualities of hand-spun wool, have your rugs hand-washed by a professional Oriental carpet cleaner like Rugport, in most cases every three to four years.

Long-term storage. After being professionally washed, rugs should be stored in a clean, dry environment. The ideal humidity is less than 60 percent. Cleaning rugs before storing makes them far less attractive to moths. Always wrap your carpets in paper, as plastic can lead to moisture condensation and mildew. Use cedar chips or a cedar-lined trunk for short-term storage. For storage over a period of months, have rugs professionally packed, contact us

Restoration. Annually inspecting the front and back of carpets will reveal any restoration needs while they are still minor. Necessary work should always be done by a specialist.