Clean & Care
Spills
​
A handmade rug offers excellent durability. They can be cleaned and repaired almost infinitely and should last a lifetime. We recommend treating everyday stains and spillages by mopping up the area and using a solution of soft soap in warm water if required. Accidents do happen and if you experience a serious spillage please call your nearest showroom for recommended cleaners and advice.
If a water-based spill occurs, douse the area completely with water. Press, blot and rub in the direction of the pile with a dry cloth. Continue to saturate the area with water and blot, and then allow it to air dry once the stain is removed.
If you find a dry stain, scrape the excess of the stain, mix a small amount of neutral-PH soap with water, and gently rub the area with a clean towel. Thoroughly rinse with water to remove all traces of soap.
​
Professional Cleaning
​
For persistent or oil-based stains, contact a professional cleaner accustomed to cleaning fine hand-knotted, antique, or oriental carpets.
Long Term Care
​
Shedding & Sprouting
​
The pile of Tibeténa’s hand-knotted carpets is hand cut. For the first few months after installation and usage, wool may pill in the form of lint and rise to the surface. This dimishes over time with weekly vacuuming.
Strands of wool that are missed when the pile is cut may emerge with normal use. Carefully snip off the threads that have risen above the surface of the carpet with a household scissor.
​
Fading
Tibeténa uses only the best dyes that offer the most resistance to fading. However, there are no dyes that are completely photostable or impervious to fading in sunlight. Over time, any material left in strong sunlight will fade. Traditionally, the best way to mitigate this effect is to turn a rug from time to time so that at least any fade is even.
​
Abrash
Yarn prepared by hand is not completely uniform in colour or thickness. When this yarn is dyed it does not take the color evenly, and these inconsistencies produce a subtle stripe effect in the finished rug, called 'abrash'. This is a desirable feature of hand knotted rugs, imparting them with life and character. Rugs made without abrash appear flat and look machine made.
​
Vacuuming
​
The carpets should be vacuumed a minimum of once a week on a low-moderate setting, to ensure removal of lint and to maintain the sheen of the rug. Avoid using a vacuum cleaner with an aggressive brush on a regular basis. The back of the carpet should be vacuumed at least once a year.
​
Rug Pads
​
Use a natural rubber pad under the carpet to avoid carpet slippage. This helps to protect the knots of the carpet on the back surface and keeps the carpet from moving on the floor.
​
Wear Patterns & Furniture Marks
​
Turn the carpet 180 degrees every 12 months to eliminate the appearance of traffic patterns and uneven softening of colors from light exposure. Marks from furniture can be easily removed by first wetting the depressed areas and then allowing them to dry naturally or with the use of a warm iron. Over time they will disappear on their own due to the resiliency of the high quality wool.
​
​