How to properly clean an oriental rug

Weekly care

Vacuum without a beater bar, in the direction of the pile. Don't vacuum the fringe; it can tangle and tear.

Spills

Blot immediately with a white towel and cold water. Don't rub; don't use colored or alkaline cleaners, which can make dyes bleed.

Never do this

Don't steam-clean or shampoo an oriental rug in place, and don't hang it outside in the sun for long periods.

Moths, sun and fringe

Moths love wool in dark, undisturbed spots like under sofas and beds, so vacuum those areas and check the back of the rug a few times a year. Rotate rugs that sit in sunny rooms so they fade evenly. Never pull loose fringe or knots; trim nothing yourself and have loose areas secured before they unravel.

When a rug is washed, ask for the fringe to be cleaned by hand and for the rug to be dried flat, never hung while wet.

When it needs a real wash

Every one to two years in busy rooms, or sooner after pet accidents. A full wash dusts out the dry soil from the foundation, which home cleaning can't reach.

Around Long Island

We clean oriental rugs in homes across Long Island, from Great Neck, Manhasset and Garden City to Huntington and Southampton.