Oriental & Area Rug Cleaning and Repair in North Easton

Jafri Oriental Rugs has serviced Warren County for over 45 years The third  image 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:
Age, origin, weave style

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

Dye stability (natural vegetable dyes vs synthetic dyes)

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

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

Air dusting / compressed air

This removes the following:

Packed dust

Sand/grit

Allergens

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:

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

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:
Rug is submerged in a cool-water wash pit.

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

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

Water is circulated to remove embedded dirt.



5. Rinse & Water Extraction

Thorough rinsing removes soap residue that can attract dirt later.

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

No high-heat drying (which can shrink wool or warp foundations). 6. Controlled Drying
Antique rugs are dried:

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:

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

Fringe is hand-cleaned and straightened out with a comb

8. Repairs or Restoration


Reweaving worn areas 

Edge/selvage reinforcement

Fringe repair or replacement

Moth damage treatment

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:

Even pile direction

Clean fringe

No soap residue

No odor

Proper color stability

Smooth, flat drying Why Antique Rugs Need Special Care?
Antique rugs are different because:

Natural vegetable dyes can bleed

Wool fibers become brittle with age

Cotton foundations shrink easily

Hand-knotted structure can loosen

Value (sometimes thousands of dollars) depends on condition


Machine carpet cleaning or steam cleaning can destroy antique rugs.

This is an example of a Lavar Kerman timeless masterpiece rug made in Iran. This rug is no longer able to be produced on the loom. It is over a century old. A rug of this quality comes from the finest weavers of Iran from the town of Lavar but the rug had enormous wear and was destroyed in numerous areas. This type of work can only be performed by hand and Jafri Rug's weavers are skilled artisans who understand the curvilinear characteristics of the rug and can reweave into the wool without making the rug look new. The time to restore this rug took approx 6 months.

Picture 1 shows the pre-restoration work where the rug was showing as worn and the fringe and binding was unraveling and the color was faded.

Picture 2 shows the post-restoration work where the rug was completely rewoven and color restoration was treated on the rug.

Jafri Rug restoration repaired this rug by doing 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
• 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

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