How do I clean an antique carpet?

Professional specialist cleaning is essential for antique textiles to protect fragile wool, silk, and natural dye foundations. Routine maintenance involves gentle vacuuming without a beater bar, ensuring the nozzle moves parallel to the weave direction.

Can these carpets handle daily foot traffic?

Sturdier wool carpets with dense piles withstand normal room usage when placed over a quality underlay. Silk and delicate flatweaves or smaller bag faces suit low-traffic areas or wall display to limit physical wear.

How do I distinguish regional styles?

Persian pieces often display curvilinear florals and central medallions, whereas Caucasian rugs favour sharp geometric polygons and primary blues and reds. Central Asian tribal items frequently incorporate repeating guls and deep madder-dye grounds.

What underlay should I use?

A breathable, non-slip mesh pad prevents the carpet from sliding on hard floors and reduces friction between the fibres. Avoid rubber-backed sheets that trap moisture and deteriorate the historic foundation threads over time.