How to: care for silk rugs

Another handy housekeeping tip.

Silk rugs are notoriously delicate and need to be handled with care. You can vacuum your silk rug every few weeks but make sure to only use the suction attachment, rather than the beater bar or rotating brush.

Also, avoid vacuuming the tassels or fringes of your rug. Instead, gently fluff them by hand.

Heat sources, such as a hair dryer, and hot water should never be used on a silk rug. Excess heat can cause materials to shrink and colours to fade.

Similarly, never use cleaners or stain removers as the chemicals in these products will damage or, at the very least, permanently weaken the delicate fibres.

If you spill food or liquid onto your rug, make sure to attend to it as soon as possible. Pour club soda onto the stain and wait while it is absorbed into the yarn. Blot the stain with a clean towel repeatedly until the stain is gone. Be sure that the rug is completely dry before placing it back on the floor to avoid the growth of mould or mildew.

You should rotate your rugs by 180° once a year to make sure they wear more evenly. If possible, move them to a lower traffic area of the house. And make sure to minimise your rug's exposure to direct sunlight.