These rugs should be cleaned outside the customer s home whenever possible. This is to control the drying process and provide quality control inspection prior to delivery back to the customer. It is more expensive to clean Oriental rugs than domestic rugs or carpeting because of the extra care and the process required. Most Oriental rugs can be wet cleaned except for silk because of the drying problems. Almost all hand knotted and flat woven rugs will withstand wet cleaning, but old or worn antique rugs require special expertise and gentle handling.
Fugitive colors are a major danger during cleaning.
The use of cold water and neutral cleaning solution will help prevent colors from running but does not necessarily guarantee the permanency of the dyes. Oriental rugs have intricate designs and each color may have been dyed at different times. These conditions make pre-testing of each color unrealistic. Where the problem of color migration is suspected the rug must be rinsed clear of the cleaning solution and thoroughly extracted. Then a solution of acetic or citric acid can be topically applied followed by thorough dry extraction to remove excess moisture.