Rug Care Windsor

This rug originates from the Quchan (Qouchan) area in the north west of Iran (Persia), near Mashad. The rugs are also known as Ghoochan, Khabooshan and Koochan/Koojan. There is a population of Kurds and Afshar settled in the region and their influence can be seen in the production of Quchan rugs.

This rug was fully washed using gallons of water to completely flush away soil. The overnight colour test indicated that some of the dyes were loose, so we tailored the chemistry and process accordingly to make sure there was no colour transfer into lighter areas. The fringes on these rugs tend to be made of wool, making them easier to deal with than cotton. The rug’s colours were revitalised while the wool pile returned to its soft supple condition once again.

As with all rug cleaning it is important to initially remove all the dry soil from the rugs foundation.  We carry this out by vacuuming the pile side and then flipping the rug to vacuum the back.  We then run a vibration machine over the back side of the rug.  The vibrating action removes the stubborn dry soil from deep within the rug’s pile.  If not removed the soil will continually cut away at the fibres, eventually wearing the rug prematurely.

Another condition with this rug was the loose dyes.  This situation can be controlled by using very low pH solutions to wash the rug.  It is also very important to dry in the correct way as extended drying times can lead to delayed dye migration during the  drying process.  With this particular rug we overcame this issue by drying the rug upside down on absorbent cotton sheets.  We also covered the back with sheeting and forced large amounts of air over the back of the rug.  This meant that any loose dye would transfer into the sheeting and not areas of the rug’s pile.