How do I clean a wool rug?

Gentle surface brushing and regular low-suction vacuuming remove grit from the wool pile without damaging foundation threads. Professional specialist washing remains necessary for deep cleaning to protect natural dyes. Avoid chemical spot treatments and excessive water exposure. Allowing air drying prevents moisture retention in the cotton or wool core.

Are these rugs suitable for hallways?

Narrow formats and long runner dimensions fit naturally into corridors, entryways and narrow passages. The dense wool construction withstands heavy foot traffic over generations. Underlay placement prevents slipping and reduces friction against hard wooden or stone floors. This adds cushioning beneath the sturdy weave.

What is the difference between Serapi and Heriz?

Serapi carpets represent an earlier, finer tradition from the same region featuring more open fields and softer vegetable dye palettes. Heriz pieces generally display bolder, denser geometric arrangements with stricter symmetry. Both share the same robust wool materials and village workshop origins. Dating usually separates the looser Serapi style from later Heriz production.

How can I tell the age of a carpet?

Inspect the natural dye palette, wool consistency and structural wear patterns across the field and fringe edges. Subtle shifts in colour within a single dye batch indicate hand-spun village wools typical of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Machine-spun yarns, synthetic chemical dyes and rigid synthetic foundations indicate mid-to-late twentieth-century manufacture. Hand-knotted irregularities confirm traditional village production methods.