If your Persian carpet gets a lot of foot traffic, in no time it will reach a state where just a good vacuum won’t get rid of dirt and dust. Here’s what you need to know before attempting to clean your Persian carpet.
Is it safe to clean a Persian carpet?
Yes, proper cleaning techniques will keep your carpet in good condition for a longer time. Check the label for care instructions – but generally it’s a safer bet to opt for professional cleaning instead of attempting it at home.
Can you steam clean a Persian rug?
This will depend on the rug material. Most Persian rugs are made of wool, silk, cotton, nylon or synthetic materials.
Natural materials require extra care, and running a steam cleaner over the front and back of a thick wool carpet won’t clean it all the way through.
At the worst, too much moisture can also stretch or shrink natural fibres, and you run the risk of permanently damaging your rug.
How to get the musty smell out of a Persian rug
Older Persian rugs often have a stale, mouldy smell. Wool rugs are particularly prone to developing an odour, as they tend to hold moisture which develops into mildew. There are a few ways to try and get rid of bad smells:
- Take your rug outside on a sunny day, and leave it out for a few hours.
- Fan dry the rug on both sides, working in sections.
- A custom clean job by a professional carpet cleaner is a guaranteed way to get rid of mildew.
Ways to protect Persian rugs from damage
The best way to keep your rug in top condition is to keep it dry and clean.
- Moth larvae that nest in Persian rugs will be kept at bay with regular vacuuming, a few hours of sun every so often, and professional cleaning.
- When placing your rugs in storage, have them cleaned professionally, and keep them in a sealed container. Ask your carpet cleaner for a sealable bag and directions on keeping it safe for the duration of storage.
- Moisture is most often to blame for carpet damage, so always keep your rug in a clean, dry area.
- Use furniture casings on table and chair legs to avoid compression damage on your carpet.
- Thick, rubber pads placed underneath loose rugs will prevent it from sliding, and help absorb the weight of furniture.
Persian carpet cleaning mistakes to avoid
- Never sweep your Persian carpet, as this can damage fibres.
- Frequent vacuuming can also loosen and damage fibres. Aim for 1-2 times a week on a high-pile setting, depending on the size of your rug.
- Don’t spot clean your rug with chemicals. Rather blot stains with a white cloth as soon as possible, and have the stain treated by a professional carpet cleaner.
- Don’t take your Persian carpet to the neighbourhood dry cleaner’s – do your research and find a place that specialises in cleaning Persian rugs, Kilims, and Dhurries.
How do professionals clean Persian carpets?
At Chelsea Cleaning, we use a process that has amazing results. At no stage will your Persian carpet be at risk to shrink, fade or get any type of damage.
- First, the rugs are beaten with our Rug Master machine, removing most of the dirt from the rug.
- Depending on the material the carpet is made of, we treat stains with a specialised stain remover.
- Again depending on the carpet material, it will either be cleaned and rinsed in our wash pond, or dry-cleaned using a perc solvent.
- To remove moisture, rugs are spun in our state-of-the-art centrifuge.
- The carpets are air dried to get rid of any excess moisture. Highly sensitive carpets are not spun, but rather air-dried only.
- Finally, a last round of inspection is done before the carpet is packed and ready for collection.