Can you really wash your Persian rug or Oriental rug at home? I have recently come across a few articles that claim area rug owners will save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars washing their rugs by themselves rather than having their valuable wool rugs washed professionally. Well I admit that it is not very cheap to have a large rug cleaned professionally, but let’s take a quick look at what is involved in this process in more detail. Then you can decide whether or not it is wise to push your rug into the bathtub.

A professional cleaner will first get the dust out of your rug using special devices. This cannot be achieved by household vacuum cleaners. Dust particles are very stubborn to leave their nest from inside the body of a rug. They are also as sharp as a brand new razor. As you step on a dirty rug, these particles will cut the fiber, resulting in premature spots of worn pile. Have you ever seen a rug that is only 15 years old and already shows worn spots here and there? Keep in mind that this is probably the most important aspect of the washing process. If dust particles remain in the body of the rug, the result is going to be a collection of mud inside the pile when water is added to it. As the rug dries out, so does the mud inside it. This leads to a very fragile foundation, and can damage the rug as you step on it. A rug in such a condition will not fold easily, and if pressure is applied to force the folding, the warp and weft are going to break.

 A mild solution is then added to the surface in order to prevent colors from running. The exact mixture of such solutions with water, and the amount of time such a solution is allowed to remain in a rug require some expert judgments and depends on the quality of the rug, its main color of the field, and many other factors. Pouring water onto the surface of a rug at home will result in colors bleeding, especially in rugs that do not have naturally dyed wool. As a result, you will see traces of red or navy blue in spots of cream or lighter colors. At a washing facility, the rug will then be washed by regular detergents and rinsed with a high quantity of water. The excess water is removed from the rug, usually by means of simple centrifuge machines. The final step is to lay the rug flat and let it get some air to dry up. If weather conditions don’t allow the natural drying, then heating devices will have to be used, but they usually result in traces of a yellow shade on the surface. So natural drying is the best choice for handmade rugs. 

Like anything else in your home, an Oriental or a Persian rug needs some maintenance from time to time. Although natural fibers of wool rugs are soil-resistant, but at the same time, they have a tendency to absorb dust. Perhaps the easiest way to protect your area rug is to avoid accumulation of dust in its pile. It is safe to vacuum clean your rug as often as you wish. In fact, it is recommended that you use a vacuum cleaner on your rug at least once a week. The only precaution here is that you should be careful not to get the fringe of the rug stuck in the suction of the cleaner. This can damage the fringe and sometimes very costly to repair. Also, it would be a good idea to vacuum the back side of your rug twice a year. This would also be a good time to rotate your rug so it receives even amounts of traffic. Considering all the warmth and beauty that an area rug will bring to your room, all this work is well worth it. What if you had a bare floor not covered with a work of art? Would it not require regular maintenance and cleaning?

Generally, Oriental rugs, Persian rugs, and hand knotted rugs of any quality can be washed at home. The question is: “Should they?” I have seen many of them washed at home and totally destroyed. Bear in mind that these area rugs do not need to be washed too often either. Like any other fabric, unnecessary washing will shorten their lifespan. As a test, rub your hand on the pile with strong back and forth motions for 10-15 seconds and if your hand gets dirty, it is time to have it washed. Professionally.