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Cleaning Up/Questions Answered by Expert Jahann and Sons Persian Rugs

Subject	Date Asked
Pet Urine on my Karastan room carpet	12/21/2011
Q: I just uncovered that my cat has been having accidents on my room carpet. It is a 5 x 7 area rug ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug. It is definitely a good idea to get a professional cleaning done ...
Re-lanolizing	10/8/2011
Q: How do I know when it is time to re-lanolize my rug, and can I do this myself or should I send my ... A: Congratulations on your newest acquisition! With an antique rug, or any rug of real value, I always ...
cleaning old dirt stains on brown color carpet?	8/21/2011
Q: I have some old stains and dirt on my brown color carpet. Most of these stains are salt, slush and ... A: I would agree with your friend and clean the entire carpet. Purple Power, though it may seem like ...
Cleaning of Woolen Carpets	7/26/2011
Q: Can you assist with do's and dont's of cleaning white woolen fitted carpets. They are at the stage ... A: My apologies, I hadn't realized you had a follow up question. Yes, to clean wool you need to use a ...
Cleaning of Woolen Carpets	7/24/2011
Q: Can you assist with do's and dont's of cleaning white woolen fitted carpets. They are at the stage ... A: I would highly recommend a professional cleaning, as cleaning your own carpets can be quite a chore ...
carpet bleed from cat pee and subsequent clean-up	6/30/2011
Q: I have read many of your answers on Cat pee in Persian carpets. I have a 75 year old Moroccan wool ... A: I'm so sorry to hear about your predicament. My family actually had a cat named "muffin" too, if ...
Rolling or folding to transport a rug, which is better.	5/27/2011
Q: I was told that to move our rugs across country that we needed to fold them and they would be fine, ... A: The answer to this question depends on the rug that you have, but in general, folding will not cause ...
smelly runner	5/2/2011
Q: the runner in our former house was subjected to a water break from the second floor. I have no ... A: From your photo, it appears that your rug is a 1940s or 1950s hand-knotted, Sarouk Persian rug. It ...
smelly runner	5/2/2011
Q: the runner in our former house was subjected to a water break from the second floor. I have no ... A: Sorry to hear about your rug. Do you know what kind it is? A week of airing out the rug should be ...
Cleaning Oriental Rugs	2/24/2011
Q: I am moving from Singapore to the US. I was wondering if you had any recommendations on where in ... A: Welcome Back! I'm actually not familiar with Fairfield County, Conn. Generally, what we recommend ...
dog urine on Afgan handmade rug	2/7/2011
Q: what would be the best method to remove the dog urine spot without ruining the rug. thank you A: Sorry about your rug! Unfortunately, the DIY options aren't great with an Aghani rug. Afghani rugs ...
silk 9x12 carpet cleaning question	1/5/2011
Q: My mother-in-law has a 9x12 silk oriental carpet which she has had for about 17 years. She wants to ... A: If the carpet cleaning company attempts to clean the rug in-home, find another company. Silk rugs ...
Cleaning an afghan rug	11/18/2010
Q: I recently discovered that our cat threw up on one of our Afghan carpets. What is the best way to ... A: Sorry to hear about your rug! The best way to clean Oriental rugs is to have it done ...
cleaning a wool karastan rug	11/11/2010
Q: a pro cleaner cleaned my wool rug and the colors have run. She denies she did it. the rug had never ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug. Karastan rugs don't run that often, and if the colors were to ...
bleach	11/9/2010
Q: My daughter was trying to be helpful by cleaning up the dog accident but grabbed bleach instead of ... A: Sorry to hear about your rug! Bleach is tough, as it doesn't stain, but rather removes the dyes in ...
Gasoline spill on concrete	10/19/2010
Q: Our generator leaked out gas onto the carpet and also the cement,I pulled the carpet up and tossed ... A: I'm actually a rug expert, so this is a little bit beyond my expertise, but I'll try and answer with ...
ink and dye stains out of carpet	9/26/2010
Q: I have a 100% wool white rug that has dye stains from a colored rug that was on top of it for ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug! You have a tricky situation, as the rug is not actually stained, ...
spot cleaning	9/10/2010
Q: How do you get a dog urine stain out of our oriental? A: Sorry to hear about your rug! When it comes to pet stains, there are two things that you need to ...
oriental rug, chemical odor after cleaning	8/17/2010
Q: Hallo, We just had our three oriental rug cleaned by a professional cleaner. There was no ... A: So sorry to hear about your rugs. What kind of cleaning did you have done on your rugs (dry clean, ...
Paint spill on Persian rug	7/28/2010
Q: I have been gifted a Persian rug, but it has an old set in latex paint stain. Is there anything i ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug! Latex paint is brutal. We've successfully used paint thinner to ...
Persian rug	7/25/2010
Q: I have a room-size Persian rug which was rolled up under an air conditioner. The air conditioner ... A: If it has been more than 5 years since the last time your rug was professionally cleaned, then you ...
Dog and cat poop on top of persian rug	7/5/2010
Q: My dog and cat are having a pooping contest on a small 2x3 wool hand knotted rug. The poop just ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug! Unfortunately, there really isn't a good enough product on the ...
Nian Rug w/wrinkles	6/11/2010
Q: I recently moved to Hawaii from D.C. I have a 5x8 high quality signed Nian (sheeshla?) that was ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug and very jealous of your move to Hawaii! Your rug just has a bad ...
Wool rug	5/11/2010
Q: Wow. Just read your answer on cleaning a wool rug-too late. We had a carpet cleaner clean our ... A: So sorry to hear about your rug! We never wash wool with hot water, whether it be a rug or a ...
Help!!!!	5/4/2010
Q: There was a mysterious brown stain on my mum's white fluffy carpet, i knew she loved the carpet so i ... A: Sorry to hear about your rug! Bleach is harsh, so the damage may have been done, but there may be a ...
4x6 Karistan Rug	4/10/2010
Q: I am considering a purchase from an estate sale of a 4x6 Karistan Rug. It is beautiful but there ... A: I'm going to go with 'no' on this one, and I'll tell you why. Karastan rugs, while they are ...
Persian Rug Carpet Discoloration	4/6/2010
Q: I recently purchased a very lovely wool/silk Persian rug from a very well-renowned rug dealer in the ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug! I think the best way to figure out what and if something happened ...
red wine on Oriental carpet	3/17/2010
Q: When the dog got on the table and knocked over a bottle of red wine on the red Bukhara carpet I ... A: Very often red wine stains are made up of a combination of red and blue dyes. If you use a blue dye ...
red wine on Oriental carpet	2/27/2010
Q: When the dog got on the table and knocked over a bottle of red wine on the red Bukhara carpet I ... A: I'm so sorry to hear about your rug! My apologies for the delayed response. I've just returned ...
Sheep or goat smell from carpet	2/19/2010
Q: How good of you to provide this service. I recently bought a Bakhtiar 323x221 carpet but find the ... A: I'm so sorry to hear about your rug. Bakhtiaris are great rugs that wear very well. I have one in ...
carpet stain removal	11/13/2009
Q: Our adult children got grease on their apartment carpet, have you any suggestions as to removing it. ... A: I find that it is the adults that always make the biggest messes! Sorry to hear about the rug. I'm ...
Afghan rug and laundry detergent	10/24/2009
Q: I have a wonderful Isfahan Afghan that unfortunately was the victim of a laundry detergent fall. ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug! Are you able to send me a digital pic of your rug? Is the ...
Yellow bleach stain	9/26/2009
Q: How to remove yellow bleach stain at linen??? Thanks A: I'm sorry about your fabric. I don't work with linen, but I will tell you what we'd do with a ...
Musty smell in oriental rug	9/25/2009
Q: After noticing a distinct musty smell when we would walk in our foyer entry, we determined it was ... A: To remove mildew, you need to have your rug cleaned. A standard cleaning may work if you have a ...
cleaning persian	9/11/2009
Q: how do you remove old animal urine stains out of a persian? thx A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug! If the stain is older, it is quite possible that what you have is ...
White powder/stains on carpet after carpet cleaning.	8/19/2009
Q: Over the weekend I rented a Carpet Cleaner from Home Depot to clean my vacuum. I did use the "7 In 1 ... A: Yes, you can take a clean, wet brush, brush the area where the is powder, and continue to use water ...
White powder/stains on carpet after carpet cleaning.	8/19/2009
Q: Over the weekend I rented a Carpet Cleaner from Home Depot to clean my vacuum. I did use the "7 In 1 ... A: Sorry to hear about your rug. It seems as though the residue on your carpet is the deodorizer that ...
Afghan Rug cleaning	8/18/2009
Q: Our son, stationed in Afghanistan, has purchased and shipped several Afghan rugs. One rug has a ... A: That is too bad about the rug, but not at all uncommon. You know your rug is authentic, at least! ...
Afghan rug/spilled paint	8/18/2009
Q: My sister recently sent me an Afghan hand made rug and dropped a can of latex paint on it today. I ... A: What luck that you managed to get the paint out! That is definitely a tricky stain, so I applaud ...
how to clean berber carpeting	8/3/2009
Q: what,s the best way to clean berber carpet? w/w size. A: With berber, I'd first do a little spot cleaning with mild soap, water, and good old fashioned elbow ...
Vaccum cleaner	8/3/2009
Q: Hey there, I don't really know if this question is suitable to this subject but I didn't know were ... A: Unfortunately, I am not well versed in overseas vacuum use, but from what you describe about the ...
Colors Bled	7/27/2009
Q: I have an oriental rug that I laundered after doing a colorfastness test. Even though the test ... A: Oriental rugs are very tricky, and a colorfast test does not always work out, as the entire rug is ...
Carpet cleaning	7/27/2009
Q: I apologize this is not an Persian Rug question per say, but more one of carpet cleaning in general. ... A: You should not steam or dry clean this rug. First, you're going to want to spot clean it with a ...
afghanistan rug	7/11/2009
Q: Hi Your site looks relly helpful I have a genuine rug bought from an afghanistan rug specialistabout ... A: Unfortunately, buckling tends to be a problem with rugs that have wool foundations. I'm guessing ...
Persian rug	6/29/2009
Q: My son has split coca cola on his uncles persian rug and we have a few days to sort the problem ... A: I'm sorry to hear about the spill. Coke is a difficult stain to get out, as it is a dye-based stain ...
Turkish silk rug	6/8/2009
Q: We recently had a flood inside our home and our 6x9 silk rug got wet. We dried it outdoors hanging ... A: I am sorry to hear about your flood and your rugs. Color and dye issues are generally a tough fix, ...
Persian carpet, black mold.	6/8/2009
Q: My children evidently dropped some food or spilled something on the persian rug that we did not ... A: I would definitely clean the area where the mold has grown. Woolite is a mild enough soap. What ...
Karastan rugs	6/2/2009
Q: I have three 9x12 karastan area rugs. One was bought from some people who obviously had a dog that ... A: I don't have any contacts near you, but if you're going to look for someone in your area, you can ...
Karastan rugs	6/2/2009
Q: I have three 9x12 karastan area rugs. One was bought from some people who obviously had a dog that ... A: Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way or quick fix to remove pet odors from rugs. Soaking or ...
oriental carpet bleed	4/27/2009
Q: I bought my oriental carpet a few years ago from an older couple, downsizing. I paid $50.00 for it, ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug. Since you've said you have problems with the colors running in ...
Old Karastan Rugs	4/7/2009
Q: I have several Karastan rugs over 40 years old and I don't think any of them have ever been cleaned. ... A: Sorry for my delayed response. You're quite ambitious! We've never had anyone ask us that question ...
Old Karastan Rugs	4/6/2009
Q: I have several Karastan rugs over 40 years old and I don't think any of them have ever been cleaned. ... A: You're very brave to try rug cleaning yourself! I think due to the age, condition, and value of ...
Throw/oriental rug	4/2/2009
Q: I rented The Rug Doctor carpet cleaning machine the other day and cleaned the carpet in three rooms ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug. It sounds to me as though the foundation of your rug has shrunk. ...
storing oriental rug	3/18/2009
Q: please tell me the best way and what materials to use for storing my wool persian rugs. ... A: If possible, the best way to "store" a wool rug is to loan it to a rugless friend who will keep the ...
color running and pet stains in rug	3/5/2009
Q: I purchased an old handmade rug (approx. 8x11) in Turkey 4 years ago. Unfortunately, my dog has had ... A: I'm sorry to hear about your rug. There are multiple steps that need to be taken in order to repair ...
Removing Smells from the carpet	2/9/2009
Q: I have wall to wall carpeting but the carpet has a mouldy smell. I had the carpet shampooed and ... A: I'm sorry about your carpet. Unfortunately, I don't have very good news. If in fact the moldy ...
persian carpet with bleeding colors	11/16/2008
Q: I have a tenant with a beaded persian runner that got wet from a plumbing leak and the dyes bled. We ... A: Many tribal Persian rugs are made with beads and are susceptible to color bleeding if saturated with ...
worried about drying a persian rug humid weather	11/14/2008
Q: I have two large persian rugs and not a professional carpet cleaning available near home, I got an ... A: and my apologies for taking so long to get back to you. You're right to not use drycleaners to ...
smelly wool rug	10/22/2008
Q: I have wool rug I purchased from a designer that cost $800.00 and now 3 yrs later it smells like an ... A: I'm sorry about your smelly rug! Generally, I discourage people from buying rugs from stores or ...
Removing Enfamil stain from Persian rug	10/21/2008
Q: Have you ever been successful in removing an Enfamil (thick, liquid food supplement) stain from a ... A: We use different stain removal processes for different types of stains. In some cases the stain ...
Persian Rug	10/16/2008
Q: I am writing to ask you how can I get rid of bleach stain on my $1000 Persian Rug that I got from my ... A: My apologies for the delayed response. I actually don't know of anyone in the Memphis area that ...
Persian Rug	10/16/2008
Q: I am writing to ask you how can I get rid of bleach stain on my $1000 Persian Rug that I got from my ... A: Bleach is tricky, as it isn't actually a stain. It removes color from your carpet, and even if you ...
Wool rugs	10/15/2008
Q: My woolen rugs were soaked when our house flooded on Monday night. I laid them outside in the shade ... A: I'm so sorry to hear about your home. Depending on what kind of rugs you have and how extensive the ...
Colour bleed on Silk Persian	10/5/2008
Q: Please advise what to do on severe colour-bleed on most of the surface area of a very expensive 100 ... A: Michael, I am so sorry to hear about your rug! Unfortunately, most silk rugs do not survive color ...
cleaning a karastan rug	9/6/2008
Q: I recently purchased a 9 by 9 karastan rug at a garage sale . It had been in storage for a year ... A: Sorry for the late reply! We've just moved our business and gotten the office set up. Brown marks ...
oriental rugs in hot weather	7/27/2008
Q: We have two fine oriental rugs at our condo in Boca Raton, Florida. We're there 6 months of the ... A: Yes, it is obviously ideal to keep your rugs stored in a cool place, but with today's energy costs, ...
Rug Cleaning	7/21/2008
Q: I have a more modern orential style rug. (a couple hundred rug.) It has a couple spots were pets ... A: Can you tell me a little bit more about your rug? Pet urine is a touchy issue, and cleaning it can ...
rug odor	7/7/2008
Q: I purchased a Surya carpet online from Costco about 3 years ago. It was and still is beautiful ... A: So sorry for the delayed reponse. I've never gotten a follow-up question before. What I've noticed ...
rug odor	7/7/2008
Q: I purchased a Surya carpet online from Costco about 3 years ago. It was and still is beautiful ... A: I'm guessing that the smell is a foot/rotten egg smell. Unfortunately, what you're smelling is the ...
Dog crap on oriental rug	6/13/2008
Q: I have a large black lab that was recently sick and had a few accidents on my roommates oriental rug ... A: Sorry for the delayed response. I am sorry to hear about your situation. Sometimes certain ...
Bleach	5/22/2008
Q: Is there any way to put the color back into a spot on the carpet where bleach was spilled? The spot ... A: There is no way to return the rug to its original look, but you can improve it by quite a bit. ...
Cleaning a small kilm that reeks of cat urine	4/9/2008
Q: I have a small kilm/persian(?) rug that smells so badly. I 'inherited' this rug in this condition. ... A: I am sorry about your rug! You know, rug cleaners have seen everything, so don't let that be a ...
stain on a couc	3/21/2008
Q: We think we have vasoline stain on our couch. What can we do to get rid of the stain A: Vaseline would be a grease based stain, so almost any grocery-store product will work to remove this ...
Roll lines on stored carpet	2/25/2008
Q: I have a large rug that has been rolled and stored for a couple of years. 100% Wool - Belguim. It ... A: You're welcome to send me some pictures if you'd like (ruglady@jahannandsons.com). You'll ...
Roll lines on stored carpet	2/24/2008
Q: I have a large rug that has been rolled and stored for a couple of years. 100% Wool - Belguim. It ... A: The creases may come out with prolonged use, but with a huge emphasis on prolonged. In order to ...
wool/silk oriental rug cleaning	1/19/2008
Q: I have a 3 year old wool/silk hand made oriental rug that was made in Peoples Republic of China. The ... A: I hope your granddaughter is feeling better. There are several things that might be up with your ...
Silk rugs	1/15/2008
Q: We purchased two small silk rugs in Abu Dhabi in June2007.They were folded and packed into the ... A: In order to remedy your creasing situation, you should take your rugs to a carpet shop and have them ...
color restoration	1/6/2008
Q: I have two semi-antique persian rugs at a specialized rug cleaning company. They would like to do ... A: The process that you talk about is what the trade calls rug "painting". In some cases, it helps to ...
Steam too hot for wool rug?	1/1/2008
Q: I noticed in a previous answer you gave that suggested steam cleaning is not a preferred method for ... A: Ahhh....no hot water, please! Steam cleaning is not a good idea for Oriental carpets: wool, silk, ...
Cleaning wool persian rugs	12/9/2007
Q: I know that persians are ideally supposed to be removed from the home and sent out for cleaning. ... A: I am afraid that you already know the answer to your question. Oriental rugs cannot be successfully ...
Cat urine and possible feces cleaning of Heriz rug	11/21/2007
Q: How can I effectively have cleaned a Heriz rug which is wool and the dye will run if it is wet? I ... A: I hope you had a nice holiday. I am sorry for the delayed response, and quite sorry for my answer, ...
4x6 silk persian	11/17/2007
Q: We use this rug as a wall hanging -- and have since we got it cleaned, a result of the dog laying on ... A: Great choice on a rug wall-hanging. You can appreciate them more that way, and your dog will ...
Cleaning persian rug	10/24/2007
Q: I have a 10-month old baby. Is it okay to use my Ladybug steam cleaner (heat up to 290 degree) to ... A: Congratulations on the little one! In response to your question, NO! Please do not use a steam ...
cleaning a 9x12 Karastan rug	10/4/2007
Q: There are no fine rug cleaners in our area. We do have a company called Chem Dry. Not sure about ... A: You are right to clean the rug yourself. You'll do a better job than any type of dry cleaner. Try ...
storing an oriental rug not currently in use	9/30/2007
Q: Have a very old wool/and or silk oriental rug. been in the family since I was a child. 50 years or ... A: You know, if your rug has survived a steam cleaning, the chances are 99.9% that is is wool and not ...
cleaning	9/23/2007
Q: I have been offered the chance to purchase a large wool persian rug (8.5ft X14ft), and I was ... A: To clean a Persian rug of that size, you are looking at a cost of roughly $250-300. When looking ...
Cleaning Oriental rugs	7/29/2007
Q: I would like to know if it is possible for me to clean my own rugs. I have noticed that ... A: It is possible to clean your own rugs outside, but to do it properly and in a way which will put you ...
Family heirloom -persian rug	7/24/2007
Q: My partner's father gave him a rug to take care of and he had stored it thinking it was free from ... A: Melody, Thank for your positive feedback! I'm not sure where in WVA you are, but if perchance you ...
color bleeding on persian rug	7/17/2007
Q: I just bought a beautiful used handmade Persian rug. The problem is that it has quite a bit of ... A: Color bleeding (especially when the bleeding is the red or blue colors) is possible to remedy. As ...
restoring finish on plastic	11/22/2006
Q: I know this isn`t exactly a home question katie, but here goes anyway. I was trying to clean the ... A: I have to preface my answer by saying that my home cleaning expertise is in oriental carpet care, ...
Vacuum Cleaner Question	11/7/2006
Q: This question has nothing to do with Oriental rugs but I was hoping to get your opinion. Is it ... A: It is always worth it to hire a professional to clean your Oriental carpets because if you damage ...
Toothpaste on my Carpet	8/25/2006
Q: Katie, I'm glad you're there-- I need to ask you a question. Do you give advice on regular ... A: You're lucky it was toothpaste! Toothpaste is a cleanser, so all you basically have to do is scrub ...
ink on carpet	8/14/2006
Q: How do you get ink stains off a gray carpet? A: Sorry for the delayed response. I actually need a little more information from you in order to ...
Yellow Bleach Stain	8/6/2006
Q: I used chlorine bleach to remove a brown spot on a white knit top that is 98% cotton and 2% spandex. ... A: Carpets, not clothing, are my expertise, but I thought I'd answer anyway, as we sometimes have ...
Cleaning Color Bleed	7/26/2006
Q: I purchase a new garment with red background and white floral. It's a 100% cotton and I have washed ... A: I'm actually not a clothing expert, but color running is a problem that we run into a lot with rugs, ...
Carpet stains	7/16/2006
Q: I have quite a few set in stains spilled coffee or coke plus pet stains. Is there an over the ... A: Hopefully, I can be of assistance. First, it may help to give you a little stain tutorial. There ...
Carpet Stains	7/6/2006
Q: I had someone install ceramic tile with grout in the bathroom. The installer did not cover/protect ... A: Due to the nature of the stain, cleaning or treating will not work. You must use a dye remover. ...

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Jahann and Sons Persian Rugs

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I can answer any and all questions you have regarding the cleaning, restoration and repair of Oriental rugs. I am more than happy to view your pictures via email and to give you advice on what you can do yourself and what needs to be left to the pros. I can also advise on the cost-effectiveness of repair on your rugs.

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My family has had a Persian carpet store in the Washington, DC metro area for nearly 30 years (www.jahannandsons.com).

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