Protecting Your Antique Decorative Rugs

Looking for antique decorative rugs? No better way to bring class and heritage to your interiors. Their intricate designs and patterns have won the hearts of people all over the world for decades. After all, it's not a minor task to present an object of great age and with complex historical associations in a contemporary way with relevance to the current settings.

Though antique decorative rugs are more or less the same as antique rugs, they differ in their purpose. They bring you value for their ornamental elements rather than lasting ability. So, to live up to their name, they are antique of course but more effort goes into the decorative part rather than the durability. At the same time, you cannot help but feel at home with the warmth, ambience and comfort that they provide wherever you are.

The source of antique decorative rugs, more often than not, leads us to the dark caves of the nomadic tribesmen rather than the established weaving centres. And, as the weavers concentrate more on making the rugs more decorative, they normally have flashy colours and unconventional colour combinations. Therefore, the weaving and knotting techniques and patterns are secondary.

With the many finer qualities that antique decorative rugs provide, you are indeed making a wise investment while choosing them. Want to know a few more alluring sides of these carpets? Here you go:

* Easy to handle as they don't require installation aid but just an aesthetic eye
* Bring class to your living rooms
* Shift effortlessly from one place to another
* Preserve for future use

With great colours and beautiful designs antique decorative rugs add vibrancy to your interiors. It is true that they would stand the test of time. Proper care and maintenance can even ensure that the antique rug can be bequeathed to the next generation. However, there are a few things that you could do to prevent their early or pre-mature deterioration.

First things first: Prevention is always better than cure. Keeping the rug clean is the first thing you need to do. Also, even though you plan to get your rug cleaned by a professional cleaning company it is better to have some basic knowledge of maintaining an antique decorative rug.

Check often whether your rug needs cleaning. You can do this in different ways.

* Lift a corner of the rug and kick. If you find a cloud of dust your rug is dirty and badly needs a cleaning.
* If your hand becomes dirty even after a small touch on the rug, better start thinking of cleaning it.
* Fold the rug with the pile facing you. Check whether the warp and weft look dirty. If there is dirt deep down there, it is time for a thorough cleaning.

Here are a few ways to keep your antique decorative rugs clean.

* Walk barefoot or with socks on the carpet. Avoid shoes, sandals and slippers over it.
* Provide guests with clean soft slippers that would make them feel at home and comfortable, while protecting your carpets.
* Vacuum your carpets regularly.
* Remove the spills on the antique rugs as soon as possible. Use water to dilute the spill and a paper towel to blot it out. Never rub the spill.
* Rotate the rug every year so that it wears evenly. If antique decorative rugs are worn unevenly they lose their visual appeal soon.
* Keep away things like ink, drinks, food, glue, wax, etc. from the rug, especially if you have kids or pets.
* Placement of an antique decorative rug is very important. Correct placement of the rugs not only helps keep it clean but also visually appealing.

When it comes to an antique decorative rug, for its value, cost and worth it deserves the best treatment. Hence, get the rugs cleaned at least twice a year by a professional carpet cleaning company.

Doris Leslie Blau, operating from East 61st Street, New York, has been in the business of high quality rugs since 1965 and can proudly claim to have sold some of the most beautiful carpets from a wide range of antique as well as custom made contemporary designs.