Can You Use a Carpet Cleaner on a Persian Rug?

Keeping Your Persian Rug Clean

As their name indicates, Persian rugs are rugs originating in Iran. Sometimes referred to as Oriental rugs, these beautiful carpets are known for their intricate designs and the quality of their materials — rather than synthetic textiles, Persian rugs are traditionally hand woven with a blend of natural fibers including silk, cotton, and wool. Their unique design and high quality makes them quite a bit more expensive than other types of carpet. When you’ve spent the money to bring an Oriental rug into your home, it’s even more important to take care to keep it clean and well maintained. Keeping your Persian rug clean will ensure its longevity in bringing elegance and beauty to your home. Whether investing in professional rug cleaning or doing it yourself at home, there are certain measures you can take to make sure not to damage your Persian rug.

Vacuuming and Sweeping

Because they’re on the floor and potentially in high-traffic areas of your home, rugs can undergo a lot of wear and tear. That’s why it’s critical to tend to them regularly in order to avoid significant harm over time. General upkeep for your Oriental rug should include twice weekly vacuuming. Because they are hand-woven, it’s recommended to vacuum them as often as time allows to ensure that the fibers stay free of detritus such as pet hair, dander, crumbs, and moth larvae. However, you don’t want to vacuum too often, as that can loosen the delicate fibers. The same goes with sweeping: rather than moving a broom back and forth, gently sweep in one direction to wipe away dirt and dust from the surface of the rug.

Rotating Your Rugs

Avoiding wear and tear is a great way to make your Persian rug last longer. One simple way to even out any potential wear and tear at home is to rotate your rug. This prevents unsightly tread marks from walking in a single place, as well as marks from furniture legs that rest on the rug. Rotating it twice a year should be enough to avoid damage from high traffic, but there is no harm in doing it more often. This also can reveal any stains on the floor underneath the rug that need cleaning, that you otherwise wouldn’t see.

Removing Odors

Many times older rugs will acquire a musty smell from absorbing odors around the house. This is particularly common if the rug is exposed to moisture from spills or high humidity, so it’s important to keep your Persian rug in a clean, dry environment. Getting a musty or mildew smell out of a rug usually requires drying it out, which can either be done inside using fans to clean it in sections, or by taking it outside on a sunny day to dry naturally in the sun. If the odor doesn’t go away, using lemon or talcum powder on the surface before gently washing and drying with warm water and a mild detergent can do the trick.

Deep Cleaning at Home

If your rug needs a deeper clean or stain removal, you have a number of options. For a number of reasons, you should avoid using harsh chemicals and carpet cleaners on your Oriental rug. For one, these can damage the natural fibers and oils in traditional Persian rugs. Harsh cleaning agents may also harm the colors of your rug and cause them to run or bleed. For spot cleaning and removing stains from your rug, using natural home cleaners such as vinegar, baking soda, and natural dish soap will be more gentle on the fibers. It’s also important to never use scalding hot water as this can prove harmful. Start with cool water and lead up to warm if need be.

Professional Rug Cleaning

In some cases, at home carpet cleaning just won’t do the trick. If you need professional cleaning services for your Persian rug, make sure to do your research beforehand. Sometimes the business you purchased the rug from may offer cleaning services, which you can be sure of their expertise. If this is not the case, look for a qualified cleaner of Oriental rugs that is certified and has positive reviews. These businesses will have specialized cleaning products made for the natural fibers of your rug and avoid using damaging detergents or solvents. They have a proven multi-step process for cleaning that will maintain the condition of your rug. If you’re still in need of a professional cleaning for your rug, contact S&S Rug Cleaners at for all your rug repair needs and rug cleaning services.