Can I be honest? I don't like that rug, and yes the walls look very purple against it. Since it was used, smells like a wet dog and I don't like it, I would say get rid of it.

It's such a busy pattern it will be hard to decorate around it. I hate the oriental in my room and after the bathroom reno is done, it is history.

Hope you're not sorry you asked!

If it's a real, hand-woven Oriental rug, get it professionally cleaned. If it's an Oriental-look from some factory, you can probably use carpet shampoo.

I think it looks fabulous!!! I have always had Orientals in my home...since 1957 when my parents gave us a5 by 7 for a wedding gift.
I don't think it's fair to ask about color with the filter of your camera, photobucket and my computer monitor....could be entirely different in person....but I know they do it all the time on the decorating forum.
I don't think it's "real" because that pattern doesn't look like any rug I know of....but I for sure havent' seen them all!
If it is "real" how you clean it depends largely on the dyes. Moisten a white towel and rub and see if any of the dyes come off....if they dy, it has been dyed with vegetable dyes, if not it's been dye with analine dyes and you can use soap and water on it.
If it's not vegetqble dye, just use a mild soap and water in a machine like a Rug Doctor....or a lot of terry towels, hands and knees and a spray bottle.
BUT...before I killed myself over that, I would sprinkle on some corn starch....not a lot, sort of work it in with your feet and then vacuum vacuum it up.
As for the pattern, think how much of that pattern will be covered by furniture.....lay a bedspread on the floor and cover other areas with perhaps a couple of small chairs.
I vote keep it there!
Linda C

I have carpet in my bedroom that reeked of the previous owners' dogs, and even after professional cleaning, the smell was still nauseating. The previous owners had room deoderized plugged in to mask the smell. After six months, however, the smell finally went away.

Arm & Hammer makes a carpet cleaner that is supposed to deodorize rugs/carpet, but nothing will completely elminate dog odor. You also try plain baking soda, but you should definitely use something that is a base rather than an acid.

Do you have a ventilated attic where you could let it air out for six months after cleaning?

Lars

Thanks. I LOVE oriental rugs and will definitely put one in this room, just a question if it is *this* one or one of the others I still have in storage. I will play with it with some water and a white towel tonight and see what the deal is with the dyes. It really comes down to - it needs to be deodorized whether I keep it or sell it.... and yes, it is supposedly a "good" one. It came from my mothers old house and when she was moving it was appraised for several thousand, so I really need to decide what I am going to do with it.

Thanks again and I am still open to suggestions!

Alexa

That's a valuable rug. I take mine to be cleaned at a shop that sells them. It's important to keep them moth-proofed, too. Perhaps they can give you more info about it, too.

If it's very good, you shouldn't mess with cleaning it yourself. It's a shame about the smell.

I adore the one in my living room.

Check some antique dealers for their sources on cleaning. Here in Chicago we have several companies that take the rug and give it a "shower". It is run through cleaners in a very large tub/pool then the dirt is sprayed out in a water shower, like a car wash. They are carefully dried and repaired if needed.The cost is generally less than $200.

I tried to get a better look at the photos but bucket is not working right. I do not think this is a true Persian, and not an oriental that I can see. Is it wool? If so, do not clean it yourself.

Okay - the dye test was not a successful as I would have hoped. This rug is so filthy I would not have been able to SEE any traces of dye because of all the dirt. In the tiny spot I tested, I was amazed to see that the background is actually white and not tan and all I got was a really dirty spot on my white towel and a peek at how complex the weaving actually is when you can see the color changes within the individual squares.

BTW - I think the pattern is called a Bakhtiari,, it does have the distinctive floral pattern in several of the repeating squares.

"The Bakhtiari confederation of tribes is large and powerful, covering much of central and southwestern Iran (Persia). Small rugs and trappings are woven by migratory Bakhtiari, while large carpets of great magnificence are woven in the settled villages. The most classic pattern is the garden design of repeated squares or diamonds, each of which encloses a tree or blossom motif. Their name translates roughly as "the lucky ones". A tribe located mostly in western Iran which is known for weavings of rugs having compartments filled with brightly colored garden motifs. Rugs can be either single wefted on cotton foundation (village rugs) or double wefted on wool foundation (nomadic rugs). Other designed rugs include those with a large bold central medallion, or others with long vertical stripes filled with small botehs."

Maybe this will shed some light......

I should have mentioned - those are close-up photos of the back of the rug....

Thanks for looking and offering any opinions. I suspect I will have to schlep this thing down to Philly to have an oriental rug guy look at it. Sigh......

Akexa

Yeah! It's real......
And the thing about a real oriental, it's hard to hurt them.
I wouldn't worry at all about using a spray bottle with a little water with a drop or 2 of something like baby shampoo and following up with a dry towel.
I have done lots and lots of hands and knees work on my rugs!

Peppi? $200 to clean and repair a rug? who? Where? Tell me more!! But the one that most needs it is too big to haul in there!!
Linda C

I have a good size oreintal rug of a different design. Here was how I cleaned it.

1. I used a garden hose and laundry detergent and washed the rug on a large clean driveway a few times, both sides.

2. Each time I used a shop wet vacuum to suck away the water.

3. Rainsed a few times, and used the shop vac to really get out as much water as possible.

4. Let it hang out to dry in shaded area so that it wouldn't be bleached by the sun.

It took about two days to be completely air dry, and it smelled very fresh.

dcarch

Thanks again Linda & dcarch.

I found a rug dealer not far from my house, I had no idea they were even there, and will stop in to talk to them later about having it professionally cleaned. Unfortunately, it s just too cold out for me to attmpt this by myself and we are supposed to get snow over the next few days, so washing and drying outside is not an option.

Thanks again for all the help!

Alexa

Alexa....if you could get some help....the old "snow trick" is amazing...
When you have fresh snow, you lay the the rug on the snow, pile down and beat on it, then turn it over beat some more broom some of the snow on the rug....shake off and bring inside.
There's some good info on the linked thread....and also some spam....which may also be good information.
Linda C

Here is a link that might be useful: Cleaning hand made rugs.

"...shake off and bring inside."

And there lies part of the problem. It is 6" x 9" and extremely HEAVY!

I have an appointment this afternoon to talk with the rug people in town... and am going to listen to what they have to say. Of course, it is going to snow again this weekend so I could get DH to help then. I might give the snow trick a try :0)

Thanks again!

Alexa

No suggestions from me only comments! I think the rug is drop dead gorgeous and so is your wall color! What color/mfr is it? We just painted our b/r and I almost went with a pale/grey/orchid ash color but changed direction into pale aqua. I think your deep color is beautiful and will show off the rug to its best advantage.

I think you would need about 6 people to "gently shake" that rug....and it only works in areas where it gets cold enough for the snow to be dry and powdery....and I don't think it does that where you are.
But in theory, it's a great idea!!

Woodie - it is Benjamin Moore Kasbah. I absolutely fell in LOVE with the color on a chip and when I put it on the wall I almost swooned. It is the exact purplish-grey-brown that I was looking for......

And thanks Linda! If I can find 6 friend who want to get in "nose distance" of this thing it would be a miracle. And besides, I'm not sure the snow cleaning would get the smell out.....

Alexa

Alexa, I too love that color. When I lived at the lake my walls were a similar browny purpley color. (Benjamin Moore cinnamon slate) I tried to paint my present house that color, but it did not work. We live in the woods, so don't have all the light like we did when we lived on the lake with the back of the house mostly glass. Our oriental rug was purple and aqua and gold. Anyway, our living, dining, hallway, and kitchen was that purpley color, and we got so many compliments on it. I'll bet you do too.
I love your rug. Definitely get it cleaned and use it.

This is a pix of our purple:

DH lived in Turkey for a couple of his military years and began collecting carpets then. He said that in sunny CA and in Turkey they often took them outside and hosed them down, but as you pointed out the weather would prevent that. We've done that only in doggie emergencies, but most often our wonderful carpet cleaner cleaned the orientals too, when necessary. I've taken one to be mended and they cleaned it there, but recently DH became acquainted with a rug dealer who had a couple of our rugs cleaned and I'm quite unhappy with the texture difference. Somehow they became softer and as a result tend to move when you walk on them. I'm not sure what the process was, but I suggest that you make certain that they won't alter the texture when the clean off all of that dirt.
FWIW, I love the new bedroom color and the rug in the space!

I like the rug and room color too. I can't offer any more advice on cleaning the rug....I'd take it to a pro.

Now, when your done can you come down and help me do a couple of rooms? I remember the sunroom from last year. You do excellent work my friend.

David

Thanks for the heads up about the texture thing. I will talk to the rug guy before I let him touch it.

And David - I would love to be there to help you. Oh wait..... Seems we are spending a week or 10 days in OK this coming summer.... if you can hold off on painting projects until then, I paint for vodka! LOL!

Alexa

Alrighty then. The rug guy quoted me $275 for a hand cleaning and complete deodorizing and promised me he would not used the fabric softener on it. Seems some of the rug cleaners do use a regular extractor like Rog Doktor and the final "rinse" does have Downy or some other fabric softener in it because a lot of people like the soft pile.

I should have it back in 10 - 14 days.

Thansk again for all the input and advice!

Alexa

Yippee! Please post new pix after you get it back and the room is all set up. It will be gorgeous, I am sure.