Job completed for Gloversville Persian Rug Cleaning and Restoration Customer

Completion date: August 30, 2025

Location: Gloversville, NY

Why did the customer contact us?

Persian and Caucasian rug cleaning is an art. The rug in this picture is centuries old and is a threadbare rug. Cleaning a Caucasian antique rug (such as those from the Kazak, Shirvan, or Karabagh regions) requires special care due to their age, natural dyes, and delicate wool. Jafri Rug restoration's step-by-step cleaning process restores and preserves the rug’s integrity while removing dirt and grime

The first image shows the rug in completely worn condition where the field of the rug requires reweaving and color restoration

The second image shows the rug completely repaired and the value of the rug has now increased significantly as the antiquity of the rug has been maintained.

Solutions provided:

Jafri Rug restoration fixed this rug by doing the following:

Inspection

• 
  

  
  Check for damage: Look for worn areas, holes, moth
  damage, or weak foundation.
  

  
  


• 
  

  
  Document condition: Take photos for before/after
  comparison and note any specific concerns.
  

  
  

Pre-Repair Cleaning

• 
  A deep cleaning is performed before repairs to remove dirt,
  oils, and debris that interfere with repair work.
  


• 
  Includes:
  
  
  
  • Dusting (front and back)
  
  
  • Gentle hand washing with pH-neutral detergents
  
  
  • Rinsing and drying in a temperature-controlled environment
  
  
  • 
    Olive oil shampoo applied to lather the rug and bring back original
    color of the rug
    
  
  
  
  

Structural Repairs

These are the most critical to maintain rug integrity:

a. Edge Repair (Overcasting or Binding)

• Rewrap or rebind fraying edges to prevent unraveling.


• Uses matching wool or cotton thread.


• Restores tension and keeps the weft and warp from separating.

b. Fringe Repair or Replacement

• Stabilizes or reconstructs the fringe (often the warp threads).


• 
  May involve:
  
  
  
  • Tying off loose fringe
  
  
  • Sewing in new fringe sections
  
  
  • Weaving new fringes into the foundation
  
  
  
  

c. Hole or Tear Repair

• Small holes: patched and reinforced from the back.


• 
  Larger holes or tears: require reweaving the foundation
  (warp and weft), then tying new knots to match the original pattern.
  

4. Pile Reweaving / Pattern Reconstruction

• 
  Rebuilds worn or missing areas by hand-knotting new wool or silk into the
  structure.
  


• 
  Requires:
  
  
  
  • Color-matching wool (often hand-dyed)
  
  
  • 
    Matching the knot density, knot type (Turkish or
    Persian), and pattern
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  Done by experienced weavers to ensure seamless blending with the original
  design.
  

5. Color Restoration

• 
  In areas where colors have faded or bled, restorers may:
  
  
  
  • 
    Touch up color with textile-safe dyes where there is already wool shown
    in the pile but requires blending of color for consistency in the rug's
    colors
    
  
  
  • Avoid painting, which can damage fibers over time
  
  
  
  

6. Shearing & Grooming

• 
  After repairs, the pile is carefully sheared to match surrounding areas.
  


• Helps ensure a consistent pile height and finish.


• Brushing aligns the nap and improves visual consistency.

7. Blocking & Reshaping

• 
  If the rug is warped or misshapen:
  
  
  
  • It's dampened and laid flat under weight or pinned.
  
  
  • 
    Dried under tension to restore its original shape and prevent buckling.
    
  
  
  
  

8. Final Cleaning & Inspection

• A final surface clean removes any dust or fibers from the repair.


• 
  Inspection ensures:
  
  
  
  • Seamless repairs
  
  
  • Color and texture matches
  
  
  • Edges are secure and the rug lies flat