Caring for implies looking after something that you like or love and safeguarding it from any damage. So if you are overly fond of one or all of your Oriental rugs or kilims in particular, this article should give you some good ideas, suggestions and tips to take good care of this adorable possession of yours.



To begin with, your hand woven Oriental rugs can last for several decades together based on several aspects. One deciding aspect is the quality of the rug that you possess, if the quality is good and you take good care of it, it will definitely last you longer than a rug or kilim of lower quality. Besides there are plenty of factors that could damage your Oriental rugs, so learning about them will help you take the required steps to avoid such damage making sure that your treasured kilims enjoy a long life.

Listed below are the most widespread damages:

?Water damage: This is the most common. People normally keep potted plants over rugs. Each time the plant is watered, the pot leaks some water and wets the rug, keeping it perpetually moist. Over time, the rug gets weak and begins to disintegrate. So, avoid putting the pot directly on the rug ? you can use a low stool to place it on or put a plate or bowl under the pot to collect the excess water. If ever you find that one of your kilims or Persian rugs has got wet, clean it and put it to dry immediately. Another problem could be created by damp floors, so do look out for this as well.

?Damage by moths: Moths don't really eat rugs but their larvae feast on the fibers of the rugs. They choose to love in places where there is little traffic like under the furniture where you don't vacuum on a daily basis. To prevent this from happening it is advisable to vacuum the surface once a week and the back side, pad and floor a few times a year. For places that are out of reach of the vacuum cleaner, use a good household insecticide for moths. Do not depend on moth balls, flakes or crystals as they are ineffective in killing moths; they only repel them.

?Damage by pets like cats and dogs: Puppies normally chew whatever they can get their teeth into and rugs are no exception. So beware of your new puppy chewing into one of your favorite Persian rugs or kilims. This can be prevented by putting some moth flakes under your Oriental rug. Cats like to use rugs for sharpening their claws. But all you can do is watch your cat's activity and shoo it off when it attempts to do so.

?Damage by the sun: Sunlight can affect and fade the colors in your Oriental rug. Try to avoid your rug from getting exposed to direct sunlight or if it already partially faded turn it around so that it gets faded on the other side as well to match.

?Dame from vacuum cleaning: Vacuum cleaning your Oriental rug is a good practice, but you must be careful if your cleaner comes with a power brush; it can rake up your rug. It is advisable that you use the simple vacuum nozzle.

?Damage from chemicals: Sometimes, after getting your rug back from the cleaners you find that the fringe looks nice and whiter but the process ends up weakening and damaging the fibers bit by bit over time. If you must have the pure white fringes you could use a bleaching solution which has been diluted some.

?Storing your rug: If you intend putting you rug away, you must first clean it, spray it with an insecticide and then wrap it in a plastic bag.

The majority of damages to Oriental rugs are easy to repair but it is easier to prevent the damage rather than to restore the original state. Following these tips and checking your kilims every now and then and cleaning them only when required will make them last for a lot more years.