Can I vacuum an antique rug?

You can use a suction-only vacuum on the main pile. Never run a rotating beater bar over the fringes because it shreds the old foundation threads.

My living room gets a lot of direct sunlight through the south-facing windows during the day, will this fade the colours on a tribal rug over time?

Prolonged direct sunlight fades natural vegetable dyes eventually. Some softening of the colours is normal and dealers call this a gentle tip-fade. Turn the rug around every few months. This shares the light exposure evenly across the whole surface so one side doesn't wash out.

Do they need an underlay?

A good quality pad stops the rug slipping on hard floors. This prevents the warp threads from grinding against the floorboards when you walk across it. It also provides a cushioning layer. The extra padding reduces the crushing impact on the old wool pile.

I have inherited an old runner that has been folded up in a damp attic for years and it smells quite musty, what should I do with it?

Get it out into the fresh air and lay it flat on a dry day. The wool needs to breathe to release the trapped moisture. Take it to a professional rug cleaner who washes antiques by hand. Do not attempt to machine wash it or use harsh domestic carpet shampoos. They will soak it in shallow water and gently squeegee the dirt out without stressing the old foundation.

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Antique Caucasian Rugs

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Hand-knotted by village and nomadic weavers in the Caucasus mountains, antique Caucasian rugs are highly geometric floor and tent coverings characterised by bold vegetable dyes and striking tribal medallions.