How to Clean Oriental and Persian Rugs at Home

Remove Debris From Your Rug

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Ensuring you remove as much dirt and debris from down into the pile is important. This ground-in dirt can do a lot of damage to the rug fibers over time. Start by flipping the rug over to expose the back side. 

Run your vacuum over the back surface. If it has a beater bar on it, you can leave this down but set high as it will agitate the rug surface and help to loosen any ingrained debris. Going over the whole back side of the rug a couple of times will help to remove as much excess debris as possible.

When you vacuum the top side of the rug, make sure you retract the beater bar to prevent damage to the rug fibers. Move slowly over the surface, always move in the direction of the fibers, and take care at the edges—you don’t want the fringes to get damaged if they accidentally get sucked up. If you want to vacuum the edges, use the upholstery attachment with care. Again, repeat the process at least twice.

If you have concerns about your vacuum being overly powerful, you can opt for the old-fashioned method. Shake, gently beat, and then sweep the carpet using a dedicated soft, straw bristle brush from one end to the other in the direction of the fibers. This is especially useful if you have a braided or hand-hooked rug rather than a flat weave variety.

Apply a Natural Cleaning Solution

You can wash wool Oriental rugs using cool water and a natural, neutral pH liquid cleaner. Never use harsh chemicals or boiling water. Cleaners designed for woolen fabrics or carpets work well.

Test the cleaner on a small section of the rug first if you have concerns about color run, but this is generally not a problem with a high-quality Persian rug.

Fill a bucket with cool to warm water and add the cleaning solution to form a sudsy mixture. Use a soft bristle brush or cloth to scoop up some water and suds to apply to the rug. Always move in the direction of the rug's fibers, work in small one-square-foot sections at a time, and don’t scrub too hard. Repeat this process if necessary.

Use Vinegar and Baking Soda to Target Stains and Odors

Ideally, you want to deal with any spills straight away. Blot up the excess liquid with paper towels. Don’t rub the fibers back and forth, as this may further ingrain the stain. 

Use a quarter cup of white vinegar with some warm water—you can even mix half a teaspoon of your natural cleaner in too. Apply the mixture to the stain using a clean, white cotton cloth and let it sit for a few minutes before blotting off. For tough stains, mix up a solution of white vinegar and baking soda. Apply, and leave it for an hour or so before cleaning the whole carpet using the technique described in step two.

If the rug has a musty odor, sprinkle some baking soda over the rug before vacuuming it off. Don’t allow pets or kids to tread over the baking soda before you clean it off—you don’t want it to rub into the rug fibers.

Clean the Rug Fringe

If your Oriental rug has a fringe, you’ll need to clean this separately. First, comb it out so that it’s lying flat. If the fringe is particularly grubby, you can first apply a vinegar and warm water solution to lift off any stains. Then apply a water and natural detergent solution and gently scrub any dirt from the fringe before rinsing it with clean water.

Rinse the Rug

You can use a squeegee to remove any loose dirt and sudsy detergent from the rug. Always use it in the direction of the fibers. If you need to rinse any excess detergent off the rug, do this with a light spray of water before going over it with the squeegee.

To pick up as much excess moisture as possible, you can also lay some dry white towels or other absorbent fabrics on the rug and gently walk over them. Avoid saturating the rug, as it will make the drying process more of a challenge.

Dry the Rug

Quickly and thoroughly drying your Oriental rug out before putting it back in its usual position is a crucial step. If you don’t do this, it can lead to the formation of mildew, bad odors, and even weaken the rug weave, causing it to rot.

Dry your rug in an airy location, rotate it, and keep it flat. Consider using a fan to speed up the drying time. Although you don’t want it in the direct sun for prolonged periods to prevent the weave pattern from fading, a sunny spot will be fine just for the day or so drying duration.

Wool loves to retain water, so it could take two or three days for your Oriental rug to fully dry out.