How Do I Clean An Oriental Rug

Download Article

Oriental rugs are a common fashion of rug that originate from countries like Islamic republic of iran, China, and India. These rugs are known for their rich colors and unique designs and tin exist establish in thousands of households across the world. Oriental rugs come up in all shapes and varieties and are commonly made from materials like wool or cotton, but can also be made from things like silk or constructed material. Adding an oriental rug to your house can bring a room to life, but like most rugs, they are prone to getting muddy. Luckily, if you use the proper techniques to make clean and treat your rug, you lot tin can keep your rug looking new for a long time.^[1]

1
Check the rug'south label. Lift the corners of your carpeting to reveal the carpet's characterization. Usually, on the label, information technology will take instructions on the safest fashion to clean your Oriental rug. Rugs can be made of silk, wool, cotton, or synthetic material and each requires a certain degree of finesse when cleaning. Cotton and wool rugs are generally more durable and easier to clean.
- If yous have a silk rug, consider taking it to a professional instead of cleaning it yourself in the case of severe stains.^[2]
two
Vacuum and tend to the carpet regularly. Vacuuming your carpet at to the lowest degree one time a week will lift recent debris and dirt from information technology and keep it smelling and looking new for a longer fourth dimension. Vacuuming also prevents the wool fibers in your carpet from condign packed downwards.^[3]
- Do not frequently vacuum antique or silk oriental rugs as it tin can damage them and reduce their value.
Advertizing
3

Keep your carpet out of direct sunlight. Oriental rugs tin can be prone to sun damage, and so keep it away from windows if you lot tin. Keeping an oriental carpeting in the sun will cause the colors to fade over time.^[4] If your rug has to be in direct sunlight, rotate it at least once a month. While the colors are nonetheless likely to fade, at least they will fade evenly.^[v]
4
Test to see if your carpeting is colorfast. Some carpets are colorfast and won't bleed when wet, while others will. If the rug'southward label reads "dry clean merely," so there'due south a good possibility your carpet is not colorfast. If yous want to test your carpet, saturate a minor corner of the carpet with room temperature water, then press on it with a clean white cloth. If there is dye on your rag, and then your carpeting is likely to bleed if you lot clean information technology yourself.
- In the example that your rug is non colorfast exercise a lite cleaning simply avoid getting your carpet moisture or using chemic cleaners on information technology.
- If you lot need to deep clean a carpet that is non colorfast, your all-time option would be to bring information technology in to exist professionally cleaned.
5

Move your piece of furniture around occasionally. Heavy pieces of furniture that sit down on superlative of your oriental rug can work down the fibers and harm your carpeting over time. To preclude this, rearrange your furniture every six months. This volition even out the wearable and tear on your rug and increase its longevity.^[6]

Advertisement

one
Sweep your rug. Use a broom with straw bristles or a rug sweeper to do the initial cleaning of your carpet.^[7] Sweep in i management from end to end. Don't rub your broom back and forth considering y'all could finish upwardly damaging it. Once you're done sweeping the entirety of the carpeting, repeat the bike and go over it a second time.
- Electric carpet sweepers utilize static electricity to choice up dirt and are the safest method for apace cleaning an antiquarian oriental carpet.
2
Vacuum the rug on both sides. Lay out your rug in an empty surface area and vacuum over the rug slowly to remove excess abrasives, hair, and dirt that can damage your carpet over time.^[8] Repeat this procedure three or more times to get all the dirt and debris from the rug.^[nine] Avoid the carpet's fringes because they can get stuck in the vacuum'southward sweeper.^[10] Once you lot're done vacuuming, flip the rug over and repeat the procedure on the other side.
- Make sure you vacuum in the direction of the carpeting fibers, non against them.
- When cleaning an expensive or antique rug, make sure to utilize the carpeting tool because a revolving castor tin impairment your carpeting and injure its value.^[11]
3

Beat out and milkshake your rug outside. If you can pick your carpeting up, you tin take it exterior and shake it to remove embedded clay and other particles. If your rug is too big to shake, hang it on a clothesline and shell it with your hands. You lot should come across the grit and dirt come off of the carpeting as you practice this.^[12]
4
Spot clean your rug. It'south best to tend to spills as soon as they occur because if they dry it will be much harder for yous to get the stain or smell out of your rug. Equally shortly as the spill occurs blot upwardly as much of the liquid as you can, with a paper towel or clean rag.^[13] In one case you've soaked up the spill, dampen a rag and use common cold water to absorb the stain again.
- Do not rub back and forth on the spill because y'all could end upwardly rubbing the stain deeper into the carpet.
Advertisement

1
Vacuum both sides of the rug. Bring your oriental rug outside so that you can lay it out on a flat surface. Sweep and make clean the area before you lot begin to clean your rug.^[14] Vacuum the rug until virtually of the dirt and debris is lifted from it, then flip it over to the other side and echo the process. After yous vacuum, shake the rug to remove whatsoever boosted clay or debris.
- You can also use an electric sweeper if your vacuum is non effective.^[xv]
2

Employ a garden hose and spray the rug with cold h2o. Soak the entirety of the carpet on one side and then flip it over and spray the other side with water. You should simply accept to practise this for a few minutes on each side for your oriental carpet to become saturated with water.^[16]
three
Fill up a bucket with cold water and a mild liquid soap. Yous tin can use a mild liquid detergent or dish soap to clean your rug. Fill up a bucket with one gallon of cold water and three tablespoons of your mild soap. Mix the solution together in your bucket.^[17]
- You tin besides use a mild shampoo for oriental rugs that are made from wool.^[18]
4
Test your solution by cleaning a modest part of the carpet. You can apply a long haired brush or a non-shedding sponge to clean your carpet. Dip your sponge or brush into your water and soap solution until it's saturated and lightly become over a small part of the carpeting. Wait upwardly to ten minutes to see if the cleaning solution has an adverse consequence on information technology before proceeding to the next stride.
- If the cleaning solution is irresolute your carpeting'due south color or making the colors drain, terminate cleaning information technology and take information technology a professional.
5

Make clean the residuum of your rug. Lather your carpet in the direction of the nap, or and so that the fibers lay down, opposed to sitting up.^[19] Lather your carpet plenty to create suds on the surface of the carpet.
6

Rinse your rug with your garden hose. Rinse the rest of the cleaner off with the garden hose. One time yous're done doing one side, flip the carpet over and rinse the other side of it. The suds on the height of the rug should exist washed off thoroughly before drying.
vii
Dry your oriental rug thoroughly. Wet rugs can build mildew over time and create a bad aroma. In one case you're done rinsing your rug, it's important that y'all allow information technology to dry out before putting it dorsum to where information technology belongs. Utilise a squeegee to squeeze the remainder of the water out of your carpeting, and then permit it to dry flat on the ground. Remember to flip your rug over and then that both sides can dry out.^[20]
- If drying is taking too long try pointing a fan on to quicken the process.
Ad

1
Apply talcum powder to remove unwanted odors. Later on vacuuming your carpeting thoroughly, sprinkle some talcum powder on the surface and allow it to sit down on the carpeting overnight. The pulverization will blot unwanted odors left by pets or smoke. The adjacent twenty-four hours, utilize your vacuum to lift the powder from your carpeting.
- You lot can purchase talcum powder at many different department stores.
2
Utilize vinegar, water, and detergent to remove pet or coffee stains. Mix i/4 cup (59.1 mL) white vinegar and i/2 tsp (2.5 mL) liquid dishwashing detergent with 2 cups (473.17 mL) of room temperature water in a bucket and use it to remove harder stains.^[21]
- The vinegar'due south acerbity prevents the colors in your carpet from running and tin can eliminate unwanted odors.
iii

Consider contacting a professional rug cleaner. If your carpet is expensive, made of fabric like silk, or has sentimental value, it may be a good idea to accept it to a professional person rug cleaner rather than trying to do it yourself. Carpet cleaners accept years of experience working with different types of rugs and will know the best course of activity for your problem. While it will price money, information technology may be worth information technology then you tin can avoid repairs in the future.

Advertisement

Add together New Question

Question

How do I get grease out of one corner of our Persian carpeting? Our domestic dog would chew greasy bones there.

Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Driscoll received her Masters in Public Wellness from the Colorado Schoolhouse of Public Health in 2016.

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Practiced Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Starting time by cleaning the spot with degreasing dish soap mixed into common cold h2o. Use a sponge to absorb the stain. Rinse the spot with make clean h2o, then dry it with a textile. If this technique doesn't piece of work, you lot tin can try using vinegar. If the stain remains, information technology's best to take information technology to a professional rug cleaner.
Question

What can I practise when the dye rubs off?

Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Driscoll received her Masters in Public Health from the Colorado Schoolhouse of Public Health in 2016.

Founder, Mulberry Maids

Skillful Answer
Question

How do I become dog urine out of oriental rugs?

Endeavour using the vinegar and h2o method to get rid of pet odors and stains. Keep in mind that the quicker y'all make clean information technology, the less hard it will exist to get it out of the rug.
Question

Will the water/vinegar method accept the musty basement smell out of an oriental rug?

It should. I pour straight vinegar into a modest plastic container and place it in my unfinished basement, it takes the must smell away. Replace once information technology evaporates. Easy and cheap.
Question

How do I clean oriental rugs?

Follow the instructions listed in the article above.
Question

How tin I tell what my carpeting is made of if at that place is no label?

Carefully remove a tiny bit of the material and fire it with a match or lighter. Utilise tweezers to hold it while doing this. Constructed will shrivel, not burn, and will smell like called-for chemicals or plastic. Wool besides shrivels, merely will smell similar singed hair. Silk shrivels and smells like burning hair, feathers or meat. Cotton burns, does not shrivel, and smells more like burning paper. Many traditional rugs are wool pile on a cotton base, and so the fringe would be cotton, and the colored office would be wool.
Question

Should a pad be used nether a wool oriental carpet?

Information technology'southward a skillful idea if y'all are putting it direct on a floor, and may even be helpful if you lot put it over another carpeting, for example wall to wall. A reputable rug dealer should be able to help you choose the type of pad that is all-time for your situation.
Question

How do I remove dried in glue from a rug?

Place a thin cloth over the stale gum and use a clothes iron to heat up the substance. Once it turns to liquid, dab the area with a wet textile. If this doesn't work and so you may need to accept it a professional or carefully scrape the stale mucilage from your carpet.
Question

Should I vacuum a Persian rug against the fiber or in the direction of the fiber?

It's best to vacuum parallel to the fringe in both directions if possible. This will lift the weave and release the most debris.
Question

How exercise I make clean dog diarrhea from a silk and wool oriental rug?

Scrape up what you lot can, let it completely dry, then vacuum. Rinse the edge with common cold water, and then spray it downward with vinegar and apply an olive oil bar soap to clean. Let it dry past a heating vent.

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to become a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Make sure you don't use rough brushes on the rug, as it can impairment the fibers.
Handle your rug with care while you're cleaning it, every bit wool gets weaker when it's moisture. Continue to use special care with your carpeting until information technology's dry.
Oriental rugs should be done every ii to three years to preserve them.^[22]

Video

About This Commodity

Article Summary 10

To clean an oriental carpeting, spot clean any stains past first blotting upwards any excess liquid with a newspaper towel. And then, apply cold water and a clean cloth to lift the stain. For stubborn stains, make a mixture of water, vinegar, and dish soap and rub it onto the spot. No matter what you apply, rinse the rug until information technology's clean. You can also clean the whole carpeting by sweeping the surface with a broom and vacuuming it twice. So, flip the carpeting over and vacuum the other side to remove whatever droppings that can damage the rug over time. To learn how to deep clean your oriental rug at domicile without damaging information technology, keep reading.

Did this summary help y'all?

Thank you to all authors for creating a page that has been read 292,437 times.