Washing persian carpets DIY

[i-need-a-martini]

Anyone ever done it?

I usually send them all out to be professionally cleaned every few years but it costs a bomb.

I figure I will just do it Turkish style - lay it on the concrete outside, hit it with the hose, spray it with hair shampoo, stomp all over it, rinse off and wait to dry.

Anyone else do this? Or what is your method?

[not_an_eloi]

do woolworth's still hire-by-the-hour carpet cleaner machines.  

this site looks to 'ave some good info. on the matter 

http://www.orientalcarpets.com.au/home/services/34-my-thoughts/newsletters/155-how-to-wash-an-orient...

[***super_nova***]

 I also used to have them cleaned professionally but worked out I might be better just buy a new one every few years LOL

I wash mine on the patio with woolwash and a hose, some are 40 years old have not shrunk as yet.  Some colour usually come out but it does not make difference to the rug.   I usually wash a rug late afternoon on day before really hot one.  Once washed I drape it (the right way up) over a pole  suspended between 2 garden chairs and let it drain over night, then I dry it next day either in shade or the underneath side up.  Or it will fade.  Lifting wet rugs is hard, so I always only do one at the time, and move them regularly or you end up with a fold where it is touching the pole. 

Small ones I wash in the bathtub also with woolwash, and then do as with the bigger ones.

[i-need-a-martini]

Wool wash? Makes more sense.

I won't be able to lift any of them - too big. So they will have to dry flat. I'll pick a seriously hot day.

The persians should be fairly colour fast - those things generally have had a hard life so not too worried about colour leaching.

The chinese rugs I am not too sure about. Plus the pile is really, REALLY dense on these. Anyone ever cleaned one of those in the backyard?

[just_me_karen]

You shouldn't hang the rug on the line, it'll ruin the warp. Dry it flat on the concrete or lawn.

Martini you can learn how to wash Turkish rugs on YouTube.

[lakeland27]

---

@i-once-was-bump wrote:

---

@lakeland27 wrote:

 an antique rug i had was washed by someone many years ago, destroyed the rug and the machine. a big ball of multi -coloured string.

---

That is so sad, you need to wash them in a bath tub or on a concrete slab.

If they will fit in the bath rolled up then you just wash them a bit at a time while rolling and unrolling until you get to the other end or as martini said on a concrete slab.

---

it was terrible i was in disbelief someone would do such a thing, but the intentions were good.

[i-need-a-martini]

Thanks eloi. That sounds exactly the process I was planning to use. Looks like mine might be old enough to have used vegetable dyes too so no colour run...

Still not sure about the chinese carpets though.

[i-need-a-martini]

I have YouTubed it but can only find sites showing machine/professional washing.

But eloi posted a link to a site that says to stomp on them like you are crushing grapes for wine - that's what I had planned so I think I will do it this way.

[flashie*]

I put my rugs on the trampoline............I uses the hose.......and bar of natural soap.............and my fingers to rub it in..........hose it off......and leave to dry.

[i-need-a-martini]

Good idea flashie but mine are too big. 

[lakeland27]