Thursday, November 28, 2013

How to Clean Oriental Rugs

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Oriental rugs are an exotic and sophisticated touch to any home or apartment. The addition of an oriental to a room significantly alters the feel and character of your living space. Oriental rugs, despite their name, describe meticulously crafted rugs from Iran, Turkey, India, Southeast Asia and elsewhere in the Middle East. Originally, these rugs were only available by import. Today, though, one can purchase high-quality handmade Oriental rugs from reputable manufacturers in the United States, too. Once you invest in an extraordinary Oriental rug, you want to keep it clean and well-maintained.

Steps

Respond immediately to stains. You can save yourself a lot of future trouble and headaches by cleaning stains immediately after they occur. By never letting a stain set, you can avoid having your Oriental rug permanently damaged and in need of a costly professional clean. You want to clean your rug once a month; regardless of how clean you think it may be, rugs pick up a lot of dirt every day from regular use. Flip your rug regularly so that no area side sustains more damage from the sun or everyday use than another.
Vacuum both sides. The first thing you want to do when routinely cleaning your Oriental rug is to get all the loose dirt, dust and grime off the rug. Pick one corner of your rug off the ground and give it a small kick or knock it with your fist. If you see a cloud of dirt or dust explode off the surface, your rug is in desperate need of a clean. Thoroughly vacuum the top of the rug before flipping it over and vacuuming the bottom.
Concoct a cold-water and white-vinegar solution.
- Mix three parts water and one part vinegar. You don't want to overpower the smell with vinegar.
- You never want to use soap or other harsh chemicals on the Oriental rug. Most Oriental rugs are made with vegetable dyes (natural dyes) which can easily run or discolor. Harsh chemicals will encourage discoloration. You do not want to use soap because their is no way to remove it 100% without rinsing it with a hose which will cause color runs and it will become sticky with residue which will cause black stains. Vinegar is an old remedy to naturally clean and freshen Oriental rugs, the colors will become more vibrant and it will provide a natural clean.
Mix the concoction in a spray bottle and lightly spray the rug evenly, allow to dry.
Use the same solution for the fringes of the rug. You can use a light brush and work it through the fringes as if you are brushing hair.
- If the fringes are pure white, which can mean cotton, apply less vinegar and place a fan on the fringes to dry it faster. Cotton fringes are known to turn brown from the cotton fibers.
Place a floor fan on the rug to dry it faster. You do not want the Oriental rug to sit wet on your hard floors, the longer it sits wet, the better chance it has to mildew.
- Do not hang the Oriental rug when it's wet (still dripping) this will cause color runs. You can hang the rug while it's damp.

Video

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Sources and Citations

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Clean Oriental Rugs. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

http://buypersianrugs.blogspot.com/

How to Buy Persian Rugs

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Whether you're searching for a new room or want to spice up an old, a great quality, hand woven Persian rug can do just the trick. These rugs are slowly becoming a lost art, and the best ones tell fantastic stories in their patterns and by those who made them, that can be passed down for generations.

Steps

Find a rug importer in your area, preferably one who deals directly with the weaver(s) who made them, they tend to be better aware of their products' origins and quality. You should also lean towards someone who's been in the business for a decent amount of time. **see tips for more about dealer finding
Come to the store with a basic idea of what you want, and the level of intricacy you're going for (generally, the more intricate the knot, the more expensive the rugs will be). If you don't know exactly what you're going for, that's okay too. A really great rug connoisseur will be able to help you identify exactly what style would fit you and your space best.
Begin browsing rugs that are in your price range, and pick out maybe 10-12 that you like. Depending on the size you're looking at, you may not be able to lay them all out next to each other, but do your best to remember them as you view the others.
Take your list of rugs and sort them into groups. Examples would be 'rugs with heavy use of red' 'rugs with more intricate patterns' and the like.
From those groups you've made, depending on the size and quantity of the groups, eliminate two or three from each. Then you should have maybe 3 or 4 rugs left. At this point you would probably be able to put them next to each other.
If possible, get your remaining rugs next to each other for comparison. If there are any you can eliminate from there, go right ahead.
If elimination by comparison leaves you with one rug, WAIT!! Don't make any decisions until you see the rug IN YOUR HOUSE where you want it. The lighting of the room may throw off your decision or take it in another direction completely.
If you are left with 3 rugs, try to eliminate it to two. If you can't, tell your rug dealer these are the 3 you would like to be brought to your house. Set up a date for the dealer to bring the rugs over.
Once the rugs arrive at your house, bring them to the room you're decorating. If seeing the rugs in your room's light makes your decision, congratulations! If not, take the time to view the rug from all angles of the room. Are there things about them you like, don't like, things that will bother you over time?
Don't be pressured to make a decision. If your style has gone in a separate direction, say so. You can always go back and keep shopping.

Tips

Good quality Persian rugs have a dark side and a light side. Make sure you see both before making your final decision so you know what you're buying.
If you're not sure what you're looking for when you start to shop, you should get a good range of different ones. It may seem like Persian rugs are all the same but upon closer viewing it can be found that there are detailed intricacies that set them apart and can make a huge difference when it comes to your final decision.
Ask your rug dealer if he or she will bring rugs to your house before you make your decision so you can see what the rug looks like in your house.
To spot a good quality rug, flip it over! If there is netting underneath, chances are it's glued to the bottom and will shed over time. These rugs tend to be inexpensive, but don't be fooled by the attractive price tag.

Warnings

Good quality rugs aren't always cheap. Don't go looking at rugs you know you can't afford and find yourself falling in love with the most expensive one in the pile. The more detailed and intricate the rug, the more expensive it gets, so try not to pull rugs you know you'll say no to if it came down to your final two.

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Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Buy Persian Rugs. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.