Oriental & Area Rug Cleaning and Repair in Claverack, NY

A Kilim rug is a flat-woven textile, so its repair process differs from repairs on pile rugs such as Persian or Moroccan shag rugs. Professional Kilim repair focuses on restoring the weave structure while preserving the rug's appearance and value.

1. Inspection and Documentation

Jafri Rug examines:

• Tears, holes, and worn areas
• Loose or missing weft and warp threads
• Fringe damage
• Color fading or dye lot issues
• Structural weakness

2. Removing binding and fringe Prior to Cleaning

The rug is typically cleaned before field work restoration, but in the case of binding and fringe work both are removed prior to cleaning

• Dirt and grit are removed.
• Stains and contaminants are treated.
• Cleaning exposes all existing damage and shows any damage that the customer may not have known existed prior to cleaning

3. Stabilization

Weak or unraveling sections are secured to prevent further deterioration.

• Loose threads are anchored.
• Edges may be temporarily supported.

4. Warp Repair

The warp threads (the rug's structural foundation) are repaired if broken.

• Missing warps are recreated.
• New foundation threads are inserted and tensioned to match the original weave.

5. Weft Reconstruction

The weft threads that create the design are rewoven.

• Matching wool, cotton, or other fibers are selected.
• Colors are matched as closely as possible.
• Traditional weaving techniques are used to recreate patterns.

6. Hole and Tear Reweaving

For holes and tears:

• Damaged fibers are removed.
• The area is rewoven thread by thread.
• Patterns are reconstructed to blend with surrounding sections.

7. Edge and Selvage Repair

The side edges (selvages) are reinforced.

• Frayed edges are rewoven or wrapped.
• New edge bindings may be added if necessary.

8. Fringe Restoration

If the fringe is damaged:

• Existing fringe is secured.
• Missing fringe may be reconstructed.
• The repair is designed to match the original style.

9. Blocking and Reshaping

Many older Kilims become distorted over time.

• The rug is carefully stretched and aligned.
• Dimensions are corrected where possible.
• The rug is dried under controlled tension.

10. Final Finishing

The repaired area is inspected for:

• Structural integrity
• Pattern accuracy
• Color consistency
• Overall appearance

Common Kilim Repairs

• Small tears and splits
• Hole reweaving
• Fringe replacement
• Edge reinforcement
• Moth damage restoration
• Pet damage repair
• Full panel reconstruction

Important Consideration

For collectible or antique Kilims, such as this, Jafri Rugs often aims for stabilization and preservation and the artistry is that the rug should not look like there was any repair work done to the rug and the antiquity of the rug was maintained. This approach helps maintain the rug's historical integrity and value.

Typical repair costs vary widely depending on the amount of hand reweaving required. A small tear may take a few hours, while a large patterned hole can require many days of artisan weaving work.

Jafri Oriental Rugs restored this rug by doing the following:

1. Inspection and Identification

• Rug origin and weaving style such as warp and weft
• Fiber type (wool, silk, cotton, camel hair)
• Natural vs. synthetic dyes
• Age and wear patterns
• Existing damage:
  • Fraying of fringe
  • Holes for the wool replacement
  • Dry rot
  • Moth damage
  • Color bleeding
  • Water damage

Antique rugs often require dye-stability testing before any moisture is introduced.

2. Dusting and Dry Soil Removal

Before washing, deep dry soil is removed.

• Rug dusting machines
• Gentle compressed air
• Soft beating/vibration systems
• Hand brushing

This step is critical because antique rugs can hold pounds of embedded grit that cuts fibers over time.

3. Dye Testing

Technicians test every major color area for bleeding risk.

Especially vulnerable:

• Reds
• Dark blues
• Blacks made with iron compounds

If dyes are unstable, cleaners may:

• Lower water temperature
• Adjust pH
• Use moisture-controlled cleaning
• Apply dye stabilizers

4. Hand Washing

Antique Persian rugs are usually hand-washed flat on a wash floor.

Typical process:

1. Pre-soak (if safe)
2. Gentle wool-safe shampoo application
3. Soft brushing with the pile direction
4. Thorough rinsing
5. Fringe cleaning by hand

Harsh steam cleaning is generally avoided because it can:

• Damage lanolin in wool
• Cause shrinkage
• Distort the foundation
• Trigger dye migration

5. Water Extraction and Drying

Excess water is carefully removed using:

• Centrifuge wringers
• Compression rollers
• Controlled extraction systems

Then the rug is dried in a climate-controlled room with:

• Air circulation
• Dehumidification
• Temperature monitoring

Proper drying prevents:

• Mildew
• Browning
• Fiber weakening

For the repair work Jafri Rugs will do the following:

Fringe Repair

Jafri Rugs will add new fringe implants to the rug

The side edges are reinforced to stop unraveling.

Hole and Tear Restoration

Color Restoration

When fading or bleaching occurs:

• Vegetable-dye matching may be performed
• Small areas are color-corrected by hand

Jafri Rug restoration will do the following:

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 so as not to erode the fibers of
  the rug


• Rinsing
  and drying in a temperature-controlled environment

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

The first image shows how this rug has been left in a very poor condition. The rug is an example of an antique Persian circa 1900 rug. This rug requires enormous attention to the following areas:

-Reweaving worn areas where warp and weft is showing

-Refringing as the fringe is torn off

-Rebinding as the binding is unraveling

-Vegetable dyes are fading

-Field of the rug is also showing unevenness in the wool pile

The second image shows the full restoration process where Jafri Rug restoration fully repaired this rug to its original condition while maintaining the antiquity of the rug by doing the following:

-Reweaving all worn areas to bring back this rug's dye lots are amazing and look vibrant

- Brush the rug with oil and dye in areas where the wool was not worn and distressed

-Matching the wool so that it blends perfectly within the field of the rug

This is a classic Persian Tabriz that should be preserved