Oriental rugs can be a great way to liven up a boring room or bring color to your life. By the most strict definition of the term, oriental rugs are carpets hand knotted in Asia and are often named for the village, town or district where they were woven or collected. Nomadic pieces may be named after the tribe that wove them rather than the location where they were woven.
Generally, your local oriental rug dealers will carry rugs made of two basic types of material: wool and silk. Often the materials used and the way they’re used will differ based on where the rug came from. Persian oriental rugs, for example, often have a very thick pile of up to 160 knots per square inch and feature vibrant color combinations and unique designs.
Your local oriental rug dealers may also carry rugs made of imitation silk created from synthetic rayon or mercerized cotton. It’s important to know what the rug you’re purchasing is made of so you know how to go about cleaning and maintaining it.
You probably won’t need professional oriental rug cleaning if you have a rug made of wool, imitation silk or rayon. You should be able to clean your rug at home fairly easily. If you have a rug that’s delicate, valuable, antique, damaged, or made of an indeterminate material, you should probably bring it in to a professional.
Your local oriental rug dealers may also be trained to clean and repair an oriental rug using special solvents that don’t harm the material.
You can do your part to keep your oriental rug looking great between cleanings. Keep your rug out of direct sunlight and don’t lay a rug down in a room that’s damp or humid on a regular basis. You should also rearrange your furniture every so often to keep table and chair legs from making permanent indents.
