Care And Maintenance Of Your Oriental Carpet

Padding • Vacuuming • Washing • Spills & Stains • Restoration • Mothproofing • Storage • Appraisals

Padding

The first step in caring for your Oriental rug begins even before you lay it on the floor. We recommend that padding designed specifically for Oriental rugs be placed under every rug. Padding helps to protect your Oriental rug from wear, dirt, slippage and wrinkling. The Magic Carpet carries padding for wall-to-wall, wood, linoleum and tile floors.

Vacuuming

Regular vacuuming can help remove harmful grit and prolong the life of a rug. When vacuuming an Oriental rug, we recommend minimizing your use of a rotary type vacuum cleaner which beats the rug while it vacuums. This can increase the wear on the rug. Using the suction attachment is a better alternative. Once or twice a year, it is a good idea to flip the rug over and vacuum its back using a rotary vacuum. This will help knock out grit that has fallen into the rug's foundation. Depending on the amount of use, you should rotate your rug every six months to a year. This will help ensure even wear of the rug's pile.

Washing

Over time, grit and dirt will become embedded so deeply in your carpet that it will require a professional cleaning. Proper cleaning will remove this dirt as well as brighten the rug's overall appearance. Depending on the amount of traffic, we recommend that a rug be cleaned at least every three to five years. The only way to clean your Oriental rug is to have it hand washed. The Magic Carpet has washed thousands of rugs using traditional methods. The rug is saturated with water and a pH balanced shampoo, scrubbed with a soft bristle brush until clean and then rinsed meticulously to get all of the soap out. There is no substitute. The human touch allows for special attention to potential problem areas of the rug. Although this appears to be a simple process, the art of washing Oriental rugs lies in knowing how to deal with different types of stains, fabrics, dyes and emergencies that arise when, for example, colors unexpectedly break and run. Proper hand washing will maintain the primary oils and lanolin that protect the rug and provide it with beauty and luster.
Never steam clean or dry clean your Oriental rugs. These cleaning methods actually trap dirt in the rug instead of removing it. The rug is stripped of its natural oils, and harmful residue sticks to the rug. In some cases, the rug will suffer irreversible damage. Simply stated, it is not proper to use anything on an Oriental rug that you would not use on your own hair.

Spills and Stains

When a spill occurs, it is best to act immediately. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove. The first step is to quickly blot up or scrape up as much of the mess as possible. Always work from the outer edge of the spill towards the center taking care not to rub it deeper into the pile. After the spill has been contained, we encourage you to give us a call at The Magic Carpet for further advice.

Restoration

Oriental rug owners often make the mistake of not taking care of minor repairs promptly. This often leads to much more costly problems and permanent devaluation of the rug. Generally speaking, after ten to fifteen years of use your rug will require a little preventative maintenance. The fringe protecting the ends of your carpet will begin to wear and could require a stop off stitch to secure it and prevent the rug's pile from unraveling. Similarly, the protective wrapping along your rug's edges, known as selvedge, will need to be rebound from time to time. The Magic Carpet offers full professional restoration services that not only include the above repairs but also re-weaving and blocking. We would be happy to look over your carpet with you and offer suggestions on what maintenance is needed.

Mothproofing

If your rug is in an area that is seldom walked upon, such as under a sofa or bookcase or hung on a wall, there is a possibility of moth infestation. For circumstances such as these, we recommend that your rug be washed and mothproofed.

Storage

If your rug has to be stored for any extended period of time, we strongly suggest that it be cleaned and mothproofed as a dirty rug provides an attractive home for wool-eating insects. To store, roll the rug against the nap into a tight cylinder and wrap it with heavy brown wrapping paper. Do not use plastic which may cause the rug to mildew. Store in a dry, cool, well-ventilated area to avoid mildew and heat damage. For added convenience, the Magic Carpet can wash, mothproof and wrap your rug for you.

Appraisals

In the event of a natural disaster or theft, having had your rugs appraised will insure that you get full replacement value. The Magic Carpet has a nationally certified Oriental rug appraiser that can furnish you with a complete written description, including value, of your rug. Old Rug Buying: The Magic Carpet is always interested in buying your old rugs, no matter what the condition. Please give us a call.