An Oriental rug adds an unmistakable touch of elegance to any space. If you have Persian or Oriental rugs in your home, you’ve already experienced the one-of-a-kind natural beauty of these heirloom pieces. Both antique rugs and new acquisitions require special care to look their best for decades to come. Yet by their nature as floor coverings, your beautiful rugs can become dirty or grungy over time. Oriental rug cleaning is a necessity when preserving these works of art. S&S Rug Cleaners offers special services designed with your heirloom rugs in mind. Learn more about your oriental rug cleaning Atlanta options to keep your home looking exquisite.
The Unique Properties of Oriental Rugs
Oriental rugs are still made using traditional methods that are completely distinct from other current methods. Most modern carpets and rugs are machine-made from nylon and other artificial materials. Nylon fibers are connected to a netlike plastic backing material using latex or other adhesives. These floor coverings can be quickly produced and easily cared for, but they lack hand-crafted appeal.
High-quality Persian or Oriental rugs, on the other hand, are still hand-made by artisans. These pieces feature individual, hand-tied knots of natural fibers such as cotton, silk, or wool. This traditional design process offers a completely different look, feel, and texture when compared to mass-produced floor coverings. A modern hand-knotted Persian rug will look at home next to your collection of antique, heirloom, and inherited Oriental rugs.
Just like Oriental rugs are constructed using traditional methods, they’re also colored with heritage dyes. Many rugs are designed with vegetable dyes instead of harsh chemical colorants. Vegetable dyes produce rich, classic designs but also offer some challenges. These natural dyes will run or migrate throughout the rug when exposed to hot water. This unique quality means that you need to employ an expert Oriental rug cleaning service to maintain your pieces.
Can You Steam Clean Oriental Rugs?
Persian and Oriental rugs should never be steam cleaned. Steam cleaning is a common and effective way to clean rugs, but it’s not suited for antique or modern Oriental rugs. The steam cleaning method can damage your valuable rugs as well as your floors.
Steam cleaning involves forcing water into a rug, then applying heat to remove the liquid. The steaming process is a great solution for wall-to-wall carpets as well as modern rugs because it offers a deep clean. Water is easy to remove from synthetic fibers than compose most current floor coverings. However, rugs made of natural fibers won’t see the same results.
Oriental rugs are usually made of natural fibers such as wool, cotton, or silk. These materials react differently with water than man-made materials such as nylon. Cotton and silk absorb water, making it hard to extract during the steam cleaning process. Wool is especially tricky because its fibers can trap water as well as dirt. If you have Oriental rugs steam cleaned, you’re creating mud inside the rug. The process can make your rug dirtier than before it was cleaned.
Steam cleaning can also cause the natural vegetable dyes in your rug to run. Hot water causes natural fibers to release their dyes. The colors can migrate to other parts of your rug, creating permanent and unappealing stains.
How to Clean an Oriental Rug
Oriental rug cleaning requires a specialized process. It is possible to clean and refresh your heritage rugs, restoring them and giving them a new life. However, this isn’t an at-home process. Your regular cleaning crew doesn’t have the tools or skills to properly clean Oriental rugs, either. Experts like S&S Rug Cleaners have years of experience working with Persian rugs and other woven works of art.
Our Oriental rug cleaning service involves a comprehensive five-step process. Once your rug arrives at our facilities, we take the following steps.
- We air dust your rug to remove surface debris.
- Submersion handwashing combines old-world techniques, where rugs are washed in fast-flowing rivers, with gentle modern cleansing agents.
- High-speed rinse in our rug centrifuge removes excess liquid.
- Controlled drying allows your rug to gently dehumidify.
- Detailing restores tassels, fringes, and other borders to their usual glory.
Oriental Rug Cleaning in Atlanta
Oriental rugs are an investment that can last for generations. Think of your rugs as walkable works of art, and treat them carefully. S&S Rug Cleaners can help you maintain beautiful Persian and Oriental rugs throughout your home for years to come. Contact us today to learn more.
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