RENOVATING RUGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19156, 23 October 1925, Page 16

RENOVATING RUGS.

Oriental rugs and mats find their way into the restorer's hands much more numerously and frequently than of yore. Where ten years ago the rug-restorer got one rug to deal with ho now gets fifty. The Oriental takes his rug and lays it face downwards, and leaves it so for perhaps a week, treading and walking on it as usual, the dirt thereby gradually shaking off to the floor. lie then turns it face upwards gives it a good brushing, but one way only, the " way of the pile," the same as you would brush velvet. This treatment occasionally, and the daily brush, always remembering the "one way only," is all he does to his rug, and it is pretty long-lived as a result. Begrimed or grubby looking rugs which are not too large he will wash even, but it is only the well-made, good vege-table-colour dyed wool ones he treats in this manner. And he does not do it unless they really need it. He prepares a large tub of water, not too hot, made lathery with borax and a non-alkaline soap, then works the rug about in it. He repeats it in a second tub of the same lathery water, then a plain water with a little borax, then, last,- a perfectly plain water, bet all four of the same temperature. He then hangs the rug in a current of air to dry, giving it an occasional shake meanwhile to bring out the fiuffiness of the wool. A final good shake when dry and a " one-way only " brush, and there is the rug with as much. life left in it as before and as good as ever.