This fortnightly feature was published on September 13, 1998

Silk carpets or rugs are the most beautiful and expensive with
a sheen and quality that is unsurpassed, says Harkiran Sodhi
Caring for your carpets

CARPETS form an integral part of any household. Proudly displayed in prominent areas, they could be full-sized carpets that cover the room from wall-to-wall or simple throw rugs placed to attract the eye as well as give the room a warm, lived-in, finished look. Surprisingly, buying a carpet is often the easiest part of the whole process.

Selecting the right type for each room and the correct placing, colour, design and then care — all these factors are where the real knack comes into play.

Carpets and rugs come in many different types, silk being the most expensive and carpets made of synthetic material and cotton rugs coming at the cheapest ends of the spectrum. These are found in either all wool or all silk or then a combination of two materials as well.

This combination has the warp in one material and the weft in another. Warp refers to the strands that run the length of the carpet or rug while weft means the strands that form the breadth of the rug. Some carpets are entirely in one material while in other cases the warp can be of silk, while the weft can be of wool, or other such combinations. Silk carpets or rugs are the most beautiful and expensive with a sheen and quality that is unsurpassed. All-wool carpets are certainly not as fine though they are cheaper.

It is obvious that a good quality silk carpet should be placed in the formal sitting room. If this is large in size, then it can go on the floor by itself, but if it is a small rug size then it will only look good if the floor it is being displayed on is of good quality as well. Often a small rug of good quality is spread over a soft natural coloured wall-to-wall carpet when the floor is not to great to look at. This way the floor gets hidden and the small rug gets a display it deserves.

Cheaper carpets can be used in the other rooms quite easily. Try to avoid using carpets with heavy patterns in rooms that are already rather busy to look at. Plain carpets should preferably not be placed in areas where there is a likelihood of stains or spillage, like the dining room as stains on plain carpets tend to stand out. Small rugs placed on slippery floors can prove to be a hazard with chances of people either tripping or slipping over them.

While buying a carpet, apart from the aesthetics of the piece, we would like to ensure that the quality is good and all that it is made out to be. Though there are no hard and fast rules that will point out a good and bad carpet at a glance, there are some points we should look out for:

* Turn the carpet upside down from the corner and check to see the weaving quality from the rear, the number of knots and the evenness of the weave. The basic yardstick here is the more the knots the better the quality of the carpet. The weave should also run evenly down the back.

* Have the carpet opened and spread out on a open space to see how it lies on the floor. Good carpets should lie flat and even on the ground. Avoid buying carpets which bunch up or have waves in them.

* Make sure you are not being sold a repaired or refurbished carpet. Turn the carpet over and examine the back, any signs of repair often show up only on the back rather than the front.

* Check that the quality of the material used as well as the colours are all of good quality. If the dyes used are not of a good quality then they tend to fade.

* Often a new carpet is sold as an antique by a simple process of chemical washing. This gives it an aged and softer look. To check for chemical washing the best way is to gently part the pile of the carpet and look at the base. Often the wash does not penetrate deep down and the original is visible.

Caring for the carpet we have bought is another concern most people face once they have purchased it.

* First of all remember that prevention is better than cure and clean your carpets regularly. Machine-made carpets can be either cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or with a broom or carpet brush. Older carpets, particularly repaired carpets, are more fragile and need to be treated with care, and soft carpet brushes are the best bet here.

* Always remember to go with the pile when you are cleaning your carpet and not against it, as this tends to pull out the pile eventually.

* Washing carpets certainly sounds good but don’t overdo it either. Firstly give the carpets to a reputed cleaner to wash rather than try to do it yourself. Old carpets should not be washed if possible and when they have to, it should be done with care. These carpets are not dried laying flat but left trolled up to dry.

* Sunning carpets every few months is a good idea. Firstly, this dries out any damp that might collect and eventually damage the carpet, and secondly, it helps clear out the dust that tends to cling to the innermost edges of the carpet. Hang the carpets face down. A wide ledge or sill is the best, not a clothes wire, as this will cut your carpet.

* Whenever there is an accident and something spills on your carpet, clean it up immediately. One way to do this at home is to first remove the excess dropped material with a clean cloth and then put some soda on it and quickly wipe the entire lot up.

* While storing carpets ensure that they are placed in a dry place away from damp or direct sunlight. Make sure that the carpet has been properly cleaned and sunned before it is rolled and placed away.

* Avoid storage places where the carpet does not fit in easily and is bunched up or squashed in or even ledges where an end of the carpet tends of hang off in to air. Your carpet can get spoiled with incorrect storage.

Carpets were made by man to indulge and pamper himself. Today they are what make a home complete and give it that special lived-in warm feeling. With a little care we can ensure the carpets we buy are not only good but stay with us for years.