Restoring Oriental Rugs After Water Damage
Handle With Care
If your Oriental carpet or rugs ever become wet in a flood or fire, remember
that these distinctive items require prompt, careful handling by professionals
or they can suffer even greater damage. That's the advice of the disaster
recovery and restoration experts at ServiceMaster Clean.
Get Your Rug Ready For Transfer
Since professional care is needed for damaged Oriental rugs, you should
not try to restore yours at home. But you should take time to safely get
it ready for a trip to a reputable rug specialist. Here are some steps
to prepare your rug for transfer:
- Extract water: Gently but thoroughly extract water from the
rug. Be especially careful if the rug has been immersed in water for
more than two days. Prolonged exposure to water can cause the fibers
to weaken and dry the oils out of your Oriental's wool.
- Fight mold and mildew: Dry the rug in a flat manner to lessen
the odds of shrinkage, rippling, or curling. Drying the rug thoroughly
can also help prevent mold and mildew. Mold and mildew often occur if
the rug is exposed to dampness and moisture for a prolonged period,
and can cause odor and dry rot. Dry rot can actually damages the rug
fibers and require re-weaving.
- Prevent dye transfer: To prevent color bleeding and other types
of dye migration, it can be helpful to apply a topical acetic acid or
tannin solution to the rug's surface and fringes. To further prevent
dye transfer, place a sheet of polyethylene sheeting over the face of
the rug before rolling it up for transfer.
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