Do not use a vacuum cleaner on a valuable Persian rug.

A vacuum cleaner will loosen the knots as well as damage the fringes.

Get a carpet sweeper.

I got mine a million years ago from Fuller Brush* but they sell them everywhere.

If you have a back yard or you can go on your roof, every once in a while hang it over a sturdy clothes line backwards and beat it well all over with a carpet beater.

When it really needs it go to the best Persian or Turkish owned rug dealer in town and ask them how they wash their carpets and let them do it.

The gentler the better, hand washing only, and they need to be laid flat to dry- think of a wool sweater that needs to be blocked.

Some places use machines, forget it!

Let them pick up and deliver.

It's worth every penny.

* Who else is old enough to remember the Fuller Brush Man coming to the house to sell all kinds of interesting things?

I forgot-

If you need a recommendation for a cleaner, if you know someone who used a high-end designer, ask for the designer's phone number and tell her that you have a valuable (or rug with sentiment attached) you want cleaned the old-fashioned way, where can she recommend that will give your rug the very best care.

She will speak with you because every person is a potential client and/or a source of referrals.

And, these days, most people try to avoid having their names slammed on the internet, and you never know who will drop a nasty comment so even if someone is not by nature polite, they do make a half-hearted attempt, or have their minions do.

Good luck!

We have a non-motorized rug tool that we use on our central vac or Miele canister when cleaning delicate rugs. It just pulls up the surface dirt and hair without the intense brushroll action. You can also reduce the suction on the vacuum's hose handle which helps. I think just about any canister vacuum would work for you so long as it has a non-motorized rug tool and the ability to reduce the suction.

You can use the floor head with the suction adjusted do not use the carpet head ever . I agree if it needs cleaning you will need to find someone that does this type of carpet cleaning . I think a carpet sweeper would work but I have not seen one for a very long time.

Multiple current manufacturers.

See the below reviews for recommendations.

https://www.bobvila.com/articles/best-carpet-sweeper/#:~:text=Unlike%20vacuum%20cleaners%20that%20use,static%2C%20attracting%20dust%20and%20hair.

https://reviews.chicagotribune.com/reviews/best-carpet-sweepers?cid=1475297658&aid=55264238577&eid=&tid=kwd-297393789288&ul=9030983&mt=e&n=g&d=c&dm=&dt&sn&adid=349817453406&k=carpet%20sweeper&p=&pc=&ap=&chtrb=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInqOxl7PF9QIVlKl3Ch263QoEEAAYASAAEgJIqfD_BwE

I had all the Persian rugs professionally cleaned a few months ago and they look great. I want to be able to just now clean them regularly from everyday hair and dirt (we don't have any pets). I would like a little bit of suction to get the dirt out. Plus I want to go over my hardwood floors so would rather just have one vacuum with the option to flip from hardwood to delicate carpet.

I was about to purchase the cannister Miele C3 Limited Edition Power Line yesterday, but the sales person said it would be way too powerful for my rugs. She recommended the Dyson, but I've had my issues with two Dyson vacuums now where the batteries just eventually die on you and cannot be recharged. You mentioned the Miele comes with a non-motorized rug tool - would you happen to have a picture of this or part #? Perhaps I should just buy the Miele and purchase this extra part for the rugs.

Why don't you ask at the place where you got your rugs cleaned.

You can get a perfectly good non-electric non-suction carpet sweeper for $30.

It will pick up any hair you shed.

It doesn't make sense to purchase a crazy expensive vacuum just because it can be fitted with a rug tool.

Of course in the Middle East where these rugs are used extensively, shoes that are worn outside in the street are not worn inside the home.

So if you want to decrease the dirt on the rug, change into house slippers.

Hi,

I actually have two Miele's - the C3 Marin at my primary residence and the C1 Homecare for the beach. The C1 came with this nozzle (and I bought one for my Marin since that one came with a powerhead): Miele SBD285-3 | Combination Floor Tool | Bare Floor Tool – BestVacuum.com

I bought a cheap plastic adaptor on Amazon that allows me to use the Miele tool on the end of my central vac's wand.

That nozzle costs twice as much as a carpet sweeper and the functional area on the underside is one-third as much.

So you are paying twice as much and doing treble the work.

I’ve had Persian rugs for years and use my Miele Marin canister vacuum with beater set high so it has gentle contact with rug fibers. With dogs, I need to clean them often. Rugs are meant to be used. Walking on them wears them down as well. Enjoy their beauty as they age with use and time. Our current living room rug has a semi antique Heriz that has much wear and, thus, much beauty to my eyes :)

Walking on Persians with shoes definitely wears them down.

Barefoot- barely.

Not using the proper pads underneath definitely wears them down.

Loobab, I completely hear where you're coming from but my house isn't kept as a museum so people and dogs do walk through the rooms. You can definitely get a generic rug nozzle for under $30 that would work fine too. I just bought another Miele nozzle because I was familiar with it.