The 3 factors influencing longevity and the need for immersion cleaning (contrary to steam cleaning)

How much maintenance and repair does your antique Persian rugs need?

When and how often do you need Oriental rug/ Modern area rug cleaning or repair?

Most of these questions can be answered by considering three factors, namely traffic, fabric and materials of the rug and proper maintenance.

1. Traffic

To begin with, the amount of foot traffic in the area where the rug is placed, will affect the need for (oriental and modern) rug cleaning and maintenance. Depending on the frequency and and intensity of foot traffic, it will result in more wear and tear on your valuable family heirloom (Persian/Oriental/ Modern area rug).

2. Fabric and materials of the rug

A second factor that affects the amount of maintenance for your area rug is the quality of the yarn used in weaving the area rug. The higher the quality of the yarn the less fragile the rug and prone to wear and tear (caused by embedded abrasive dirt in the foundation). Besides, regarding modern rugs there is another factor to consider: On many modern rugs the producers use a process of chemical washing to make the area rug more shiny. However, that process damages the yarns and makes them more fragile and more prone to damage by debris.

3. Proper maintenance

When rugs are exposed to traffic, sunlight, etc., their ends (sidecord, fringes/tassels) can unravel and need proper repairs before the foundation gets damaged. Also, they need to be thoroughly vacuumed on a consistent basis so the debris and dust on the surface does not get embedded in the foundation. When vacuuming, rug owners should make sure that they vacuum each part of the rug (go lane by lane) and ensure that they carefully vacuum the ends so they do not damage the fringes that might get trapped in the vacuum cleaner. The quality of the vacuum cleaner is equally important to ensure a proper maintenance level. If rugs are not properly maintained this will cause the debris, dust, and abrasive dirt on the face level of the rug yarn to get embedded in its foundation. This will damage the foundation and reduce the longevity of the rug. What can you do if your area rug cannot be cleaned and maintained by vacuuming? Read our next article.