In an oriental carpet, the pile and weft provide the foundation and the pile gives it its durability. In order to give the carpet a long lifetime, it is of great importance that it is kept clean; gravel and sand wear the carpet and this is often shown on the fringes and the longer sides.
Please also keep in mind that even if a handmade carpet is viewed as a piece of art, it is intended to be used and to be walked on. A handmade carpet is often very durable so that you can use it without any worries. As a matter of fact, a carpet that is normally worn actually can be more beautiful as it ages!
We will give you some advice on daily care and what you can do if you have an accident, such as a spill.
Vacuuming
This can be done once a week in the direction of the pile. You can easily feel in which way the direction of the pile lies, stroke your hand along the carpet. If the pile feels nice and smooth, it is in the direction of the pile. If on the other hand, it feels rough and rises; this is against the direction of the pile.
Also keep in mind to lift the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner after every move – don’t push it forward and back!
Be careful so that the fringes are not sucked into the nozzle.
When the carpet is new some surplus wool can occur and some fluff comes out. On a Persian carpet, this often disappears after vacuuming 1-2 times, but in Indian made carpets, for example, it can remain for a longer time.
Some good advice though is not to try to vacuum away all the surplus wool/fluff at one time, let it disappear slowly to reduce the wear of the carpet.
Beating a carpet should be avoided because of the risk of damaging the knots.
Dents or impressions in the carpet
If you have any dent, impressions or other marks made by furniture for example they can be easily removed. Begin by rinsing a cloth in cold water; cover the area with the marks using the cloth. Then use a flat-iron and iron the cloth a few times, in the direction of the pile. If the mark/marks does not disappear, repeat the treatment.
Give new life and luster to your carpet
One way to refresh a carpet is to lay it in snow with the pile facing the ground. Before this is done, the carpet should be kept outside so it gets cold and doesn’t melt the snow.
Rotate the carpet
A carpet should also be rotated at 180 degrees every few months. This is done to prevent the carpet from being discoloured in the same area, if it is exposed to direct sunlight. Another reason to rotate a carpet is to prevent it from being worn out in the same spot.
Carpet cleaning
After a few years of using the carpet it is recommended to have it washed, not at a drycleaner but preferably by a cleaner specialized in oriental carpets. At a specialized cleaner the carpets are shaken and released from small particles such as gravel and sand. After this, small stains are treated specially. The carpet is then washed with cold water; soaked in water and then rubber rakes are used to get rid of all the dirt. When this is done the carpet is dried in special drying rooms, and stretched if necessary. Washing it in this way brings back the pile vitality, lustre and clarity of the colours.
Repairing
A handmade carpet can be repaired if it gets accidently damaged. A carpet can have its fringes repaired or replaced, if it is torn or falls off, if it has damages along the sides of the carpet, or has smaller holes or have colours restored in places that have been worn out. These kind of damages should be repaired by a specialist in oriental carpets to achieve good results.
It is often very expensive to repair a handmade carpet so, one should consider this carefully if this should really be done – some carpets are kept nicer in their original condition, with certain amount of wear.
