Rug Care Advice

This rug care advice guide is a list of simple tips you can follow at home to increase the life of your rug.

laying a washed Kashan rug on John Lewis underlay

Nick re-laying a washed Kashan rug on John Lewis rug hold underlay

Vacuum Regularly

Rugs must be vacuumed regularly (at least weekly) to remove grit and dry soil which has a sandpaper effect. This dry soil will wear down the fibres over time and is the biggest risk to your valuable rug. Always vacuum in the direction of the pile and be very careful near fringes.

Deep Soil Removal

Occasionally a more thorough vacuuming will be needed to remove any soil which has worked down into the foundation. To do this vacuum the front of the rug then the back, both with a beater bar vacuum. Vacuuming the back should loosen any soil trapped in the foundation which will be on the floor when you lift the rug. Now sweep up the dry soil on the floor and vacuum the front again.

Rug Rotation

Rotate the rug periodically so that it wears evenly. All rugs which are walked on will wear down to some extent over time however a rug which is heavily worn in one area will be devalued considerably.

Quality Rug Underlay

Good quality rug underlay (or padding as it’s known by our good friends across the pond) will provide an essential protective layer between the rug and the floor. This will increase the life of the rug and help to keep it in place. It is important to use the correct type of underlay for the floor you are laying the rug on, and for it to be the correct size. We recommend John Lewis non-slip rug hold underlay. In our opinion it’s the best rug underlay available in the UK, and can be used on both hard floors and carpet. If in doubt contact us for advice.

Protect Your Rugs

Your rug will have extra protection from stains and soil if it is treated with a fabric protector. This does not alter the colour or feel of the rug in any way but serves to seal the fibres so that spillages are not so easily absorbed into the pile. Our rug protector treatment is woolsafe™ approved.

Spills & Accidents

If you spill anything onto your rug the first step is to absorb as much as you can with a plain white towel. Just blot. DO NOT RUB as this may damage the wool or silk fibres permanently. At this point call us for further advice. Do not be tempted to use over the counter spotting chemicals. These are often aggressive oxidizers which can permanently discolour the dyes in the rug.

Fading

Remember that rug dyes will fade over time, especially newer chemically washed persian rugs. If you want to slow down this process consider keeping curtains closed if the rug is in a room which is only used occasionally.