Rita Oriental Rugs - Common Questions

1. What is an Oriental rug?
An authentic Oriental rug is a handmade work of art representing an art form dating back to about 3000 B.C. The key word is "handmade". Most are handknotted. Some, such as kilims and dhurries, are handwoven.

These exquisite treasures have been hallmarks of homes of distinction down through the ages. Interior designers often refer to them as "functional works of art for your floor."

Such a rug will enrich and add character to any type decor...from ultra-modern to Victorian. Most become cherished family heirlooms, to be handed down to your children - and your children's children.

With proper care, a fine Oriental rug has a life-span of up to 200 years!

2. What about machine-made rugs?
It is important to know that no machine-made rug is a genuine Oriental rug. Before shopping it is wise to do a bit of "research". Unscrupulous dealers have been known to sell machine-made copies as genuine Orientals to the unwary.

While the information provided here can protect you from such a happening, your local library is a rich source of more detalied information. An excellent book on the subject of Oriental rugs is titled Oriental Rug Primer, by Aram K. Jerrehian, Jr.

Today in America, machine-made copies must by law, be labeled, "Oriental-design" or "Oriental-style". This is something important to keep in mind when shopping for an Oriental Rug.

3. How do you identify an authentic Oriental rug?
When shopping for an Oriental rug look for these earmarks of authenticity:

• Construction: All genuine Oriental rugs are handwoven or handknotted through a strong cotton or linen backing. In handknotted rugs, separate the surface pile and look for the knot at the base of the yarn. A magnifying glass can be helpful here.

• Surface Pile: In a handknotted rug the pile is almost always wool and is clipped and sheared to form a dense, smooth, plush surface. Rugs with silk pile are rare and very costly and are usually used as wall hangings due to their delicacy.

• Fringe: One quick and easy way to tell a genuine Oriental rug from a machine-made copy is to carefully examine the fringe. It should be an integral part of the backing of a handknotted rug...an extension of the backing itself. The fringe in a machine-made rug is added on after the rug is manufactured.

• Selvedges: The selvedges or side edges of an authentic Oriental rug are overcast by hand. Copies are machine-bound or machine-serged.

• Back design: The design on the back of an Oriental rug is as well defined as it is on the front. The design on the back of machine-made rugs is less distinct. If the rug has a jute-backing which obscures the design, it is machine-made.

4. How do you judge the quality of an Oriental rug?
Not all genuine Oriental rugs are of equal quality. In a handknotted rug, the knot-count can range from as low as 10 to 500 or more per square inch. The higher the knot-count, the denser the pile and the finer the quality. Notice the fringe. Is it bulky or fine? A general rule of thumb is: The finer the fringe, the finer the rug.

Unlike most American rugs and carpets, thickness does not necessarily indicate quality in an Oriental rug - density does. For example, some of the finest Indian rugs have pile that is sheared very close. These thin, dense, low-pile rugs have great durability and an amazingly velvety feel.

Run your hand over the surface pile of a handknotted rug. The wool should feel strong, smooth and elastic and the pile should be the same height from end to end. If it feels stiff or brittle, the wool is of an inferior grade. Undulations in the surface are the sign of poor shearing. In handwoven rugs notice the tightness of the weave. The finer the better.

When you find a rug you like, always have it laid out on the floor before you buy it. Does it lie flat without ridges, puckers or bubbles? It should. The sides should be relatively straight and parallel rather than crooked or uneven. The design should be clear all over - not blurred. Blurred designs often indicate that the dye is not colorfast and has run.

5. What exactly do the different Oriental rug names mean?
Tabriz, Sarouk, Bokhara, Kerman...just a few of the magical names you've read in prestigious interior design books and magazines. But what do they mean? Most people aren't sure and with good reason.

Oriental rug names can indicate many things: The style of weaving (kilims, dhurries), its general design (prayer rug, garden design), its size or use, how it was made, and many more. Today, however, in new Oriental rugs (as opposed to antique Oriental rugs), the name most often indicates the region where the rug's design originated...not necessarily where the rug itself was made. If you are interested in the study of Oriental rug names, your local library is sure to have books on the subject.

6. How should you care and clean your Oriental rug?
The best padding for a large Oriental rug is hair or fiber-filled, with rubberized surfaces. Small accent rugs are often placed over wall-to-wall carpeting and require no pad. Felt pads on the bottom of furniture legs will help protect the surface.

When vacuuming an Oriental rug, do it slowly. Move the vacuum outward over the fringe, then lift it back onto the rug - not back and forth. This would tangle and yank the fringe. A vacuum with beater-bars works well, but do not hand-beat it. Before vacuums were invented, hand-beating ruined many rugs that should have lived to become priceless antiques. It is also important to rotate your rug 180 degrees periodically to insure that it wears evenly all over.

Clean up spills promptly, as you would with any good wool carpet. Cope with stains immediately. Use mild detergent (Ivory) and white vinegar for the following:

• Acids or alcoholic beverages
• Excrement
• Mud
• Sauces
• Regurgitated food

Glycerine should be used on coffee stains, and for heavy grease use cleaning fluid or scrape and vacuum. If recommended procedures are not effective, call a reputable rug cleaner.

Although dirt does not penetrate a dense Oriental rug as it does machine-made carpets, all will eventually need cleaning. When you purchase a rug from Rita Rugs, we ask that you let us know when it needs cleaning and we will make arrangements for you. The same applies if ever your rug is damaged and needs repair. Proper care can be given only by experts who use the right methods.

Rita Rugs does not charge to make these arrangements...and the experts we use charge no more than others who specialize in Oriental rugs. In fact, their prices are lower than many. And finally, if you should ever have to store your Oriental rug for a period of time, first have it cleaned, and treated with a good moth repellent, then roll it into a cylinder (don't fold!) and store it in a dry place.