Care + Maintenance
It all begins with an idea.
We answer a lot of questions regarding the best ways to care for and maintain your investment in an Atelier piece. The good news is that our pieces are thoughtfully designed to wear and clean well, requiring very little maintenance between professional cleanings.
We have a quick reference guide below for intercepting spills before they set in with easy solutions and general guidance. It is best to research a professional rug cleaning expert in your area to call for more stubborn spots and for professional cleanings.
All of the suggestions below are intended for use with our handmade, high-quality wool rugs. We carefully design these to wear and clean well. (This is why you do not find synthetics marketed to indoor/outdoor spaces being sold for family rooms at Atelier KH. More on this in another post.)
Keep in mind each piece our Atelier creates is made using the finest wool, that is strong and rich in natural oils using the best time-honored techniques ensuring a durable construction, to help your investment piece last for generations- just like the well made antiques!
General Care for your King’s House Rug:
Always test a small spot on your wool rug before proceeding to a larger area.
Rotate your rug periodically for more even wear and sunfading. * Subtle wear and fading can be beautiful in carpets and rugs, so be sure that any areas are even throughout by rotating and using both sides of a flatweave, as they are fully reversible.
Use a broom or vaccuum on the most gentle setting. Ideally without the beater bar.
Never use harsh chemical cleaners on your handmade rugs.* See our spot cleaning guidlelines below for details and quick fixes for spills and stains.
Use a high-quality rug pad to protect the side of the rug that is not in use, preventing rugs from stretching with wear.
Have your rug professionally cleaned every 1-3 years depending on the level of traffic and use. * Be sure to vet the service. They should specialise in the cleaning of handmade carpets and rugs - not wall to wall carpeting. Never use steam to clean a handmade rug.
Spot Cleaning at Home:
If you have a liquid spill that has not set in yet:
1. Use paper towels or white terry cloth towels on both sides of the rug, pressing simultaneously to wick the moisture. Always blot the area with the towels and avoid vigorously rubbing back and forth as this can damage the fibers. If this takes care of the spot but the rug is damp place a fan on the rug to help it air dry.
2. If the spot is still there after blotting or the area needs to be disinfected, we recommend a soution of liquid dishsoap like Dawn with cool or room temperature tap water. Other solutions that work well are club soda or distilled vinegar and water.
* Mop up excess moisture from spot cleaning using the paper towels as described above in Step 1. Always put a fan on the rug to help it air dry if the area remains damp after spot cleaning.
*The steps above apply to all liquids including the pet variety.
Due to the high quality construction and materials of our carpets the steps above typically are very effective. If you encounter a tougher spot or stain please contact a professional oriental rug cleaner in your area or reach out to us directly for more specific spot cleaning guidlelines.