How to care for your antique rugs When you`re buying a beautiful antique rug for your home, you should know that its unique and delicate material demands a special treatment. In this article we present you a few tips on how to care for it, so that it continues to calm your senses and bring a pinch of historical taste to your place. If properly cared for, your rug can last the lifetime of many generations and become an endless source of delightment.
The key to the maintenance and durability of the carpet is proper care. Here are a few rules of how to look after your carpet.
How to care for your antique rugs
When you’re buying a beautiful antique rug for your home, you should know that its unique and delicate material demands a special treatment. In this article we present you a few tips on how to care for it, so that it continues to calm your senses and bring a pinch of historical taste to your place. If properly cared for, your rug can last the lifetime of many generations and become an endless source of delightment. The key to the maintenance and durability of the carpet is proper care. Here are a few rules of how to look after your carpet. You can read more about antique rug cleaning here.
Vacuuming
You should know that the most dangerous things for a carpet are abrasions of gravel and sand that accumulate around fringes and along the extended edge. To minimize this risk, we recommend gentle vacuuming of the carpet once a week in the direction of the bristle. While vacuuming, you should lift the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner in order to avoid moving against the grain, because this can result in unnecessary mulching of the carpet. Fringes should also be vacuumed carefully to prevent drawing them into the nozzle. We do not recommend butting carpets, because it destroys the structure of the bundles.
Elimination of creases
Sooner or later there will be some dents visible on the carpet because of the furniture standing on it. Fortunately, they are easy to remove. Put a clean, damp towel on dented or imprinted parts of the carpet. Then take the iron and press the carpet through a towel in the direction of the bristles. If hair doesn’t return to its former shape, these steps can be repeated. However, it is important to avoid direct contact of the iron and the carpet.
Cleaning
When your carpet needs cleaning, there should be entrusted person who specializes in antique rug cleaning. When your carpet needs tidying, it is recommended to hire an entrusted person who specializes in cleaning antique carpets. Depending on the origin, age of the materials used to weave (wool, silk, cotton) and the dye of your carpet, a professional will decide on the best approach to the cleaning process. Also, any issues with the actual foundation of the carpet, the edge of it or the pile can be corrected by restoration and protected from further degradation. A total carpet cleaning starts with shaking the dirt such as small pebbles and grains of sand out the carpet. Then comes removing the smaller individual stains rinsing the carpet with cold water and wiping it with rubber scraper until it eliminates the dirt. Then the carpet should be dried with a special dryer and stretched if it is necessary. This method of cleaning restores flexibility of the bristle and preserves the original colors.
Rotation
Your authentic antique rug should be rotated every couple of months. This is the only way to keep the patterns even. If the carpet is placed in direct sun the colors can still remain even – all you have to do is rotate the rug. You should really pay attention to this; the fading process should be spread evenly over the entire surface of the carpet because of the fact that – in the long run – you cannot entirely prevent this process.
Damage prevention
Although many kinds of damage can be repaired, to prevent is much easier (ander) than to repair. You should avoid placing potted plants on the rug and keep an eye on your pets. Don’t forget to check the entire rug from time to time for signs of damage. Have your rug cleaned only when it really demands it. With a little bit of care, your antique rug will provide many years of utility and make you proud of being its owner.