How to clean a Persian rug?

A few days ago, I was talking to mom and she said they had sent a number of rugs to a rug cleaning shop to be cleaned for Nowrouz. Knowing, how my cute mother loves her rugs , I was frightened. I asked if they researched about that shop and if they asked expert advise on which place provides the most reliable service. She answered that yes she had talked to an expert and that is how she was referred to that shop. But she called the shop again and made sure they do their best..

So that reminded me ooops I forgot tell you about cleaning your rugs.

Look all I have to say is :

1) Read this very good link but ONLY for emergencies when there is a stain..
http://www.rugs-oriental.net/cleaning-persian-rugs.html.

The above link says "The longer a stain remains in the fabric of your Persian rug, the harder it becomes to remove. Scoop up solid material with a spatula or a spoon. Absorb any excess liquid with a clean, white, absorbent cloth, towel or paper towel. To prevent spreading a stain, work from the outside edge of the stain toward its centre."

Read the rest yourself. It is a very good webpage and the above quote was from it (www.rugs-oriental.net).

2) If you want to wash the stain yourself, always make sure that the dye is stable and can be washed. You can try a small corner first, if the rug is not a very expensive one. Good quality rugs always have natural and stable die.  But ALWAYS test.

3) Always ask expert advice. Handmade rugs are not like machine made rugs and carpet. You cannot use the same methods to clean them. If you have a painting at home and it damages, do you borrow your kid's colour pencil and amend it yourself? So shop around , ask experts, seek guarantees and ask them how exactly they gonna clean it and what material they use…

4) Never ever wash very expensive rugs yourself, except those measures you must take in emergency (step 1).

5) Always keep a white cotton towel around- in case of an accident. Read about it before an accident.

6) If it is not an emergency, please do NOT do it yourself. Cleaning handmade rugs is a speciality itself.


By the way, my mother's rug did not have a stain. They were used in common areas (living room , corridors etc) so they needed to actively participate in Spring Cleaning. You must see Iran before Nowrouz, when people wash their rugs themselves (I know what you just thought) and hang it over balcony to get dried…  So pretty.. It is a very magical scene …

XOXO