Do Persian Rugs Need Special Cleaning?
We are often asked whether Oriental or Persian rugs need special cleaning or treatment. The honest answer is no, Persian rugs do not require any special cleaning or treatment that can not be replicated at home. That may sound odd coming from someone who makes a living cleaning and caring for rugs. But the truth is that most of the people in Iran, Turkey, and the carpet weaving world clean their rugs at home. One of the very best ways to clean rugs is the old fashioned way - to beat them. In fact, we recommend that to all the clients we have. Of course, not many people in NYC have the luxury of having a space to take their rugs out to beat them, but if they did, that would be the number one thing I would say can extend the period in between professional cleanings. Beating a rug dislodges all the dirt and particles that stay embedded deep within the pile that even the best vacuum cleaners simply can't reach. Furthermore, even cleaning rugs with soap and water is not something technically difficult. The biggest challenge is controlling and managing any color run that may occur from dyes that may be unstable. But with enough practice, you can control (but not prevent) color run. It's true, you might ruin a few rugs before you get the hang of it and that poses a particular challenge if you only have a few rugs to begin with. The point is though that cleaning is a task and skill that requires no special equipment - just soap, water, and a nice big place to do the job, which also includes proper drying. So be wary of any provider who claims to have "state of the art" cleaning tools or practices - as is often the case, traditional techniques sometimes can't be beat.