Oriental rugs, or Oriental carpets are in fact generic terms that are used to describe any rug that is created by hand knotting pile over an extended warp. In many cases, people refer to Oriental rugs as ‘Persian’, although in fact the two are completely different, as a Persian rug or carpet refers to a rug made specifically in Persia (Iran), whereas an Oriental rug refers to a carpet made in Turkey, Jordan, Armenia, and other countries.

Persia is the spiritual home of rug making, which is why the name Persian Rug has become synonymous with Oriental rugs and carpets in general. Although other countries wove carpets, and today many countries have begun emulating Persian design and techniques, the sheer diversity of Persian design, along with the long tradition of rug making in many families and villages, are the reason that a Persian Rug is still a masterpiece that should be maintained and cleaned to preserve its beauty.

Is the name and origin of the Oriental rug purely technical?

The matter of the names and the origin of the Oriental rug isn’t just technical, of course. If the rug is woven in Iran or elsewhere, it makes a difference when you maintain the rug during its daily use, or when you call a professional carpet cleaning company, this is information that it is important that they have.

Different Oriental rugs are created differently, and require different treatment

As the rugs are created slightly differently, using different techniques, styles, dyes and materials, the cleaning process and cleaning solutions that need to be used are also different. Cleaning solutions that may be used on one type of rug can cause severe damage or the dye to run on another sort of Oriental rug.

Find out where your Oriental carpet or rug originates from

It is best to be sure when purchasing your Oriental rug or carpet to find out where it comes from, what sort of fabric is used, and what cleaning solutions they recommend that you use to clean and maintain the rug with.