Caring for Your Antique Rug

Key Takeaways

• Avoid damage by keeping rugs away from moisture, direct sunlight, and harsh cleaning methods like beater bar vacuums or chemical cleaners.
  
  
• Regular maintenance, like gentle cleaning, custom rug padding, and protecting against moths, helps preserve the rug’s structure and appearance.
  
  
• Store rugs in a clean, climate-controlled environment and seek professional cleaning for stains or long-term care.
  

Tips for Maintaining Your Favorite Antique Carpet

Although antique rugs created from natural materials represent some of the strongest and most durable textiles ever created, they still require meticulous, loving care to maintain them in their current condition. Here is a comprehensive list of dos and don’ts to help you take excellent care of your antique or vintage carpets:

1. Keep Plants Off of Vintage Rugs and Antique Carpets

Never place potted plants on an antique rug. Water damage occurs rapidly to rugs incorporating a cotton weft and warp foundation, leaving weakened spots that can be torn away from affected areas.

Moths do not eat carpet materials, but larvae hatched from moth eggs do. Antique rugs lying in undisturbed, darker places are vulnerable to being consumed by moth larvae, especially if the rug isn’t regularly vacuumed. Possible signs of a larvae infestation include veil-like cobwebs and debris resembling fine sand. Although rugs damaged by moths can be repaired, reweaving of larger rug areas may be quite expensive.

2. Vacuum Without Beater Bars

Do not use vacuums equipped with beater bars (power brushes) on antique rugs. They will “rake” the rug’s pile and place unnecessary stress on the rug. Manually brush your rug or have it professionally cleaned.

3. Reduce Rug Fading in Sunlight

While dyes used in antique rugs resist bleaching or fading, you should still try to keep your rugs out of direct sunlight. Hanging sheers in rooms where rugs are exposed to the sun’s UV rays can help reduce the risk of fading.

4. Always Use Premium Rug Pads to Protect Your Rugs

Always place high-quality rug padding under your antique rugs to prolong the condition of the rug. Padding cushions the impact of shoe soles on hard floor surfaces, reducing wear and tear and preventing accidental rips. One of the best materials used to make antique rug padding is polyester felt, which is a strong, dense material that won’t crumble or stick to rugs like rubber padding.

5. Prevent Damage from Furniture and Everyday Use

Cover furniture feet with furniture cups to avoid crushing the carpet pile. If you move heavy furniture across large antique rugs, slip furniture sliders under the feet to help prevent damage to the carpet.

Woven with lanolin-rich wool, antique Persian carpets are exceptionally stain-resistant. If you accidentally spill something on one of these magnificent rugs, blot the spill with a moist, clean cloth and then blot the spot with a damp sponge. Elevate the spot to facilitate air-drying of moist areas.

6. Store Rugs Properly

Store antique rugs in a dry, clean, climate-controlled environment, preferably between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity levels around 65 percent. Wrap carpets in paper instead of plastic, since plastic encourages mildew via moisture condensation. Also, cleaning oriental rugs before storing them makes them much less attractive targets for female moths searching for the perfect places to lay eggs.

7. Over-the-Counter (OTC) Organic Cleaner Can Ruin Oriental Rugs

Finally, never use chemical cleaners or OTC (over-the-counter) organic cleaning solutions on antique rugs to eliminate stains. If a stain persists even after you have blotted and wiped the stain, contact Esmaili Rugs to have your rug professionally cleaned.

Have a question? You can connect with our support team by phone at (214) 651-7847 or schedule an appointment virtually or in-store at 1511 Dragon Street in the Dallas Design District. We always love hearing from antique rug enthusiasts, architects, interior designers, decorators, or anyone searching for rare, authentic carpets.