How to Clean a Silk Rug

Silk Rugs Maintenance

• Protect your silk carpet from heavy use and soiling. A silk carpet is a luxury and should be treated accordingly.
• Lightly vacuum as needed. Avoid catching the fringe in the vacuum.
• Inspect your carpet regularly for wear and damage. By turning the carpet frequently, regulate its use to evenly distribute wear.
• If the carpet has sustained structural damage such as holes through the carpet, worn pile, or tattered fringes and edges contact an Oriental rug repair specialist.

If your carpet becomes stained follow these instructions:

• Work fast.
• Blot up excess spill using paper towels or a clean cloth. Do not rub the affected area.
• If the area is not stained, dry it with a fan or hair blower. Restore the pile's direction with a clothes brush.
• If the area has borne a stain, contact an Oriental rug repair specialist.

Rug Revelations

"You want to look for basically the same thing you would in buying carpet," summarizes Barbra Wilson, technical information manager for the Carpet and Rug Institute. Wilson makes these suggestions: Look for rugs that feature a dense construction. You don’t want to see your floor, or carpet, easily through the fiber. Choose a shorter pile for a high‐traffic area; a taller pile height for a low‐traffic area. Make sure to secure the rug so that it does not slide. There are two kinds of nonskid mats: One for hard surfaces, such as hardwood floors or linoleum; and one for rugs on top of carpet. If you’re using an area rug as the focal point of a room, consider buying a rug with a medallion shape in the center. Repetitive patterns are better for floors in front of fireplaces or bay windows. Simpler patterns contrast well with ornate wallpaper or furniture upholstery.

Feel free to have two different patterns of area rug in the same room, as long as the patterns complement each other. Bring samples of wallpaper or paint when shopping for new area rugs. Interior designers suggest three basic methods of decorating with area rugs: The focal point method (use of an eye‐catching rug as the foundation of your interior for rooms with relatively neutral decor); the accessory method (use of a delicately patterned rug as an accessory to a busy interior, with colors that blend well with existing paint, furniture, and other design elements); and the practical method (use of darker colors and sturdier fabrics for high‐traffic areas, lighter colors for an open an airy look, deeper colors for a cozier feel, etc.). Large area rugs go well in living rooms, kitchens, and large bedrooms, while smaller area rugs work best in foyers, hallways and bathrooms. Rugs placed under tables should be larger than the table itself, ideally with an equal amount of border showing on all sides.