Choosing Oriental Carpets and Rugs

There are many galleries and stores that feature Oriental rugs and carpets and so when you are ready to get yourself one, you will need to know some basic knowledge on them to help you choose the best. It is important that you get a carpet that will look at and be happy about your choice many years on. One of the things to look for in oriental carpets and rugs are; look for a look for oriental carpets and rugs that have a dense construction. A carpet does not look good when you can see the floor or carpet through the fiber. For an area with high traffic, it is best to choose a shorter pile and a taller pile height for a low traffic area.

Finding Oriental Carpets and Rugs

Today Oriental carpets and rugs have become an important part of beautifying a home and there are all sorts of carpets. Some are expensive while others are cheaper, but in the world of oriental rugs and carpets the price and quality of the carpet mostly depends on materials used and the country from where they come from. The way you take care and place your carpet goes a long way to determine its lifespan. In your home make sure that you secure your rugs so that it does not move or slide. There are nonskid mats for surfaces like floors made of hardwood or linoleum, and others for rugs on top of carpets.

Placing Oriental Carpets and Rugs

If you want to use an area rug as a rooms focal point, it would be best to have one with a center that is medallion shaped. Oriental rugs and carpets with patterns that are repetitive are more suited for use in front of fireplaces and bay windows. Patterns that are similar will contrast well with ornate wall paper or furniture upholstery. It is okay to have 2 varying patterns of any oriental carpets and rugs in the same room that is if the patterns complement each other. When shopping for oriental carpets and rugs it would be a great idea to bring with you a sample or samples of your wallpaper or paint.

Antique Oriental Rugs History

Since the 16^th century and up to the 20^th century, Middle eastern countries have had a great impact on the antique oriental rugs trade. Any antique oriental rugs that were imported to Europe and North America, were mostly from the middle east. Antique oriental rugs date back to many years BC, but it is until the 16^th century that they started being used in a grand scale.

Methods Used By Ancient Antique Oriental Rugs Makers

Antiques oriental rugs scholars have always puzzled over the method that rug makers from the past gave their rugs such rich, deep colors. Nest Rubio and Jack Haldane are two such scholars who have recently tried to replicate ancient dyeing process. Their studies focused on the yarns ability to absorb color red from natural madder root.

Nest and Jack the two scholars figured that antique oriental rug makers didn’t want to use their valuable fuel to heat water that needed to be used to dye the wool for the antique oriental rugs. They figured that the madder dyes absorption must have occurred over a period of time at about temperatures equal to those of making yogurt. These findings by the two scholars Rubio and Haldane showed that the ancient rug makers did not do things in a hurry and also had an excellent mind set. The findings that came from that study shows the ease of the process that is use for dyeing the wool used to make the antique oriental rugs. Wool was most likely soaked for up to one month in a water like solution mixture with 25% Alum. Another mixture of madder root and water was used to soak the wool for 3 to 7 days. The result of these soakings was antique oriental rugs that were very beautiful with vivid reds, pink colors and deep striking Burgundies.

Growth Of the Antique Oriental Rugs Industry

Over time, the rug makers increased the antique oriental rugs in size and many more designs were developed. The rug industry flourished because of many big investments by interested parties from all over the world. The rug making industry has gone from hand made designs to machine made. Many designs have been made from traditions of rug making countries all over the world and today Antique oriental rugs still remain some of the most beautiful carpets of all time.

Oriental rug pads provide non-skid protection

This is perhaps the most important benefit of using oriental rug pads; the pad basically ensures that your rug does not skid on the floor hence preventing it from causing falls due to slipping off under foot especially when they are placed on extremely smooth surfaces like linoleum or hardwood floors. An oriental rug pad will firmly grip the rug plus the floor; in addition to eliminating any wrinkles in the rug which often lead to tripping.

Oriental rug pads protect the floor

A rug placed a-top a wall-to-wall carpeting can easily cause damage to the fibers through its backing; in fact a harsh or stiff backing can scratch the finish on a vinyl or hardwood flooring. The oriental rug pad will simply prevent direct contact between the rug backing and the surface beneath with the overall effect of protecting both the carpeting and the floor.

Oriental rug pads enhance the comfort of carpeting

Part of the reason we get rugs is to derive some level of comfort from the carpeting; so you will be looking for the kind of carpeting that will improve the comfort-this is exactly what the oriental rug pads will help you achieve. The pads will make the rug’s surface softer and quite easy to stand on even if it it’s for long periods of time. The room and the floor get a more luxurious look thus adding to the comfort that you want to feel in your house.

Oriental rug pads absorb sound

Oriental rug pads will always ‘kill’ the sound of someone walking on the rug; walking can be a source of interference to the relaxing nature of your room. The pad absorbs the sound thus making the surrounding area silent and helps to protect occupants of other rooms from disturbance due to footsteps. The oriental rug pads will also act as perfect sound proof to any noise occurring in lower floors.

Ways To Clean Your Wool Oriental Rugs

There are two main ways of cleaning wool oriental rugs.  The first is to clean the whole rug, and the second is to spot treat for stains on small stained parts. You can choose to clean it yourself or to use a cleaning company but it is definitely worth the time and money spent in the cleaning process. You should always be careful of the cleaning agent that you use to clean your wool oriental rugs to ensure their safety while washing. Avoid the use of just any cleaner you can find and if you need to clean a small carpet at home, be sure to contact someone who is an expert in oriental rug cleaning in order to get reliable advise on how to clean your valuable wool oriental rug.

Vacuuming Your Wool Oriental Rugs

When cleaning your wool oriental rugs, one of the best ways is to use a vacuum cleaner. You should make a point of vacuuming your carpet at least once or twice in a week or more depending on how frequent it gets soiled. Never wait for a wool oriental rug to start looking dirty before you can vacuum it. To make sure that your carpet looks good and lasts long, do not forget that even with regular vacuuming, it is advisable to have your wool oriental rug professional cleaned at least once a year. Making sure that the cleaning method used by your cleaner are low moisture system you will realize that the results are better.

Wool Oriental Rugs: Stain Cleaning

Preventing a stain from spreading is perhaps the most important part of spot cleaning. You should use water to remove and also dilute spills in wool oriental rugs. Another option you can use at home for cleaning is to use a mixture of mild dish soap with water and white vinegar. It is however advisable to ask an expert in wool oriental rugs about using the mixture on the rug. To soak up most of the spill, be sure to use a white towel because rubbing on the surface will just cause more damage to the carpet. The proper way to do this is to blot the area until most of the liquid is removed, then use another cloth to apply the recommended solution by dabbing the surface. The last step to clean wool oriental rugs is to blot the area, again with a new cloth and absorb most of the liquid and solution.

History of Oriental Rugs

In many of these countries, rug weaving is a tradition that dates back thousands of years. In 1949 the oldest complete rug was found in a princes burial site in Pazarik Valley of Altai Mountains in Siberia. It had been frozen in permafrost for over 2500 years and is today on display at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The Pazyrk Carpet is depicted in the cover of many rug books and even though the exact weaving technique is still in use today, nobody knows for sure where it was woven.

Choosing Oriental Rugs

Genuine Oriental rugs appreciate with time and even when the color fades or repairs have been done, they still look good and that only helps to show the rugs age and authenticity. Some oriental rugs are very expensive but there are still some originals that are cheaper. You should never compromise on quality based on the price because good quality oriental rugs enhance the beauty of your home and also last for a very long time. You can bring the old world charm and more color to your home with carefully selected rugs.

When choosing a good oriental rug, it is very important to make sure you buy the right carpet and at the correct price. It is advisable to buy from reputable dealers who can help you resell in case you need to in the future. Before making a purchase, it is advisable to find out about new designs and trends to help you choose a carpet that will suit you depending on where you intend to use it. Remember that as much as it is good to buy based on latest trends, some of the undervalued oriental rugs might be the most precious some years down the road. An original rug can actually last for many years perhaps generations but it is of great importance to take care of them as instructed by the maker.

Where to find Oriental Rugs

In the United states no oriental rugs are made but we do produce copies made by machines that are classified as Oriental design rugs and stocked in various stores countrywide. The easiest way to find out more about oriental rugs is the Internet and you can also make online purchases from available e shops. Many online rug vendors have a big variety of good quality oriental rugs and since many of the companies have little or no advertising and marketing expenses, they often sell their oriental rugs at lower rates.