Job completed for Troy Persian Kerman Rug Cleaning

Completion date: December 15, 2025

Location: Troy, NY

Why did the customer contact us?

This Kerman is an antique Persian rug. Jafri Oriental Rugs has serviced Troy and Schenectady County for over 45 years and is an authority on not only the history of the rug but the most proper way to repair it. The rug is incredibly valuable and is 9x12. The first image shows the rug completely worn requiring the following work:

-Warp and weft coming thru the rug, and various holes throughout the field requiring reweaving and color restoration work where Jafri Rug restoration weavers match the wool dyes lots and reweave into the floral motifs of the rug.

-Fringe completely fraying requiring fringe implant where Jafri Rug restoration take off the existing fringes and replace the fringes with newly made fringe that comports to the design and era of the rug

-Edging completely unraveling into the field where Jafri Rug restoration will remove the existing binding and replace and blending the same type of wool on the binding of the rug.

-Moth damage of the rug requiring Jafri Rug restoration to reweave into the field of the rug (refer to image 3)

Solutions provided:

The second and third images shows the rug completely restored

Jafri Rug Restoration fixed this rug by applying its professional museum-quality antique rug cleaning process step-by-step:

1. Inspection & Documentation

A specialist first examines the rug to determine:

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  Age, origin, weave style

  
  


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  Fiber type (wool, silk, cotton foundation, etc.)

  
  


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  Dye stability (natural vegetable dyes vs synthetic dyes)

  
  


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  Fragile areas: worn patches, dry rot, loose fringe, holes, moth damage

  
  


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  Previous repairs or color touch-ups

  
  

Why it matters: Antique rugs often have unstable dyes and delicate foundations. The cleaning process is tailored based on the following factors: fabric, type of dye used, age of rug

2. Dry Soil Removal (Dusting)

This is one of the most important steps.

• Gentle vibrating dusting machines

  
  


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  Air dusting / compressed air

This removes the following:

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  Packed dust

  
  


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  Sand/grit

  
  


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  Allergens

  
  


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  Moth larvae and eggs

  
  

Why it matters: Up to 70% of soil in antique rugs is dry particulate that tears fibers if washed without dusting.

3. Colorfastness Testing

Before any washing:

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  Each dye color (reds, blues, greens, blacks) is tested with water and mild detergent.

  
  


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  If dyes are unstable, cleaners apply dye stabilizers or choose a dry-cleaning or low-moisture method.

  
  

Why it matters: Natural dyes can bleed or fade; this prevents damage.

4. Specialty Hand Wash (Traditional Bath)

Most high-end cleaners wash antique rugs by hand, never by machine.

Steps:

1. 
   

   Rug is submerged in a cool-water wash pit.

   
   


2. 
   

   Olive oil wool-safe shampoo from Italy is gently applied, no harsh chemicals are applied as that can cause color run/color bleeding

   
   


3. 
   

   Both sides of the rug are cleaned using soft brushes or hand tools.

   
   


4. 
   

   Water is circulated to remove embedded dirt.

   
   

5. Rinse & Water Extraction

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  Thorough rinsing removes soap residue that can attract dirt later.

  
  


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  Water extraction is done by rolling, squeegeeing, or suction tools.

  
  


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  No high-heat drying (which can shrink wool or warp foundations).

6. Controlled Drying

Antique rugs are dried:

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  In climate-controlled rooms with proper airflow

  
  

Drying can take 24–48+ hours depending on the rug’s age and thickness.

7. Grooming & Fringe Care

After cleaning:

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  Rug pile is brushed in its natural direction going the grain and fibers of the rug

  
  


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  Fringe is hand-cleaned and straightened out with a comb

  
  

8. Repairs or Restoration

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  Reweaving worn areas 

  
  


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  Edge/selvage reinforcement

  
  


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  Fringe repair or replacement

  
  


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  Moth damage treatment

  
  


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  Color restoration is used where actual dye and New Zealand worsted wool is used to bring back the original condition of the rug

9. Final Inspection

The rug is checked for:

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  Even pile direction

  
  


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  Clean fringe

  
  


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  No soap residue

  
  


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  No odor

  
  


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  Proper color stability

  
  


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  Smooth, flat drying

Why Antique Rugs Need Special Care?

Antique rugs are different because:

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  Natural vegetable dyes can bleed

  
  


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  Wool fibers become brittle with age

  
  


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  Cotton foundations shrink easily

  
  


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  Hand-knotted structure can loosen

  
  


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  Value (sometimes thousands of dollars) depends on condition

  
  

Machine carpet cleaning or steam cleaning can destroy antique rugs.