Navajo Rug and weavings care:
Navajo rugs are tough.It is reported, in the l930's, 2.8 million people walked across an old style Navajo rug at the Chicago World's fair without damaging one fiber. This may be an overstatement, but some experts say that a good Navajo rug will survive 40 years on a floor. Depending on a persons life style and if pets are involved, good judgment should always be used in deciding whether a rug should be put on the floor or hung on a wall. Finer and thinner pieces will survive best as a wall hanging, and since any quality Navajo rug will be expensive, most buyers choose to put their hand loomed pieces on walls. Your Mexican/ Zaptec rug at more reasonable prices are ideal as tough floor rugs.
Hanging
An inch-and-a-half wide strip of
Velcro (the hook side) with adhesive on one side provides the simplest
and safest way to hang a rug. (Velcro can be found at most fabric stores.)
Place the sticky side against the wall even with the top of the rug.
Press the top edge of the rug against the hooked side of the strip. When
it's time to turn or clean the weaving, it can easily be pulled off the
strip without harming the rug. Keep in mind, the adhesive Velcro strip is a
semi-permanent installation. Removal destroys the Velcro and requires a
paint touch-up on the wall. If you prefer, the Velcro strip can be attached
to a thin board that can he nailed or screwed to the
wall. Another option is to use a plywood commercial carpet attach
strips. Be careful of the tiny nails in the strip as they are very
sharp.
Care
Never shake out dirt. The whip snap
action breaks fibers and loosens the corner tassel knots which can then
loose the warp threads. Vacuum cleaning is the recommended way for regular
maintenance for both wall and floor rugs. After each vacuuming, reverse the
rug. This evens the light exposure, and in the case of floor rugs,
uniformity of wear and tear on both sides. It suggested that
the floor rug be turned end for end after each vacuuming. After prolonged
exposure to bright sunlight, the dyes in the rug may tend to fade. Time will
fade the colors slightly anyway so it's a good idea to turn the piece to
allow it to mellow evenly. To prevent wear and skidding, always
use a foam mat beneath a floor rug.
Moths and spiders are your worst cause of damage. Whether placed on the floor or wall, wool weavings should be turned at least twice a year. Use a good commercial moth/spider spray and spray each side without saturating.At the Trading Post, we have had more problems with spiders than any other cause of damage. This is also recommended for rugs in storage. If water lands on a rug, blot immediately, all aniline dyes and some vegetable dyes will run Wool shrinks and stretches, and many dyes will run, therefore, never wash a Navajo rug with soap or detergent. Do not use WOOL-LITE. Small spots can usually be removed with light amounts of dry cleaning fluid. For overall cleaning, however, contact a dry cleaner who works with Oriental, Persian, or Navajo rugs. When in doubt, go to the city's finest Oriental rug dealer and ask them to recommend a dry cleaner who they use and has cleaned Navajo rugs in the past.
For storage for larger weavings, it is best to roll on a card board tube. Folding is not recommended at the rug may develop crease.
Curling Corners
Curling corners may be straighten by
untying the corner knots and working the yarns in the corners. Leave
untied for a few days under some weight like a large book.
