Navajo Rug Appraisal Co.
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Navajo Rug Appraisal Co.®

Navajo Rug Appraisal Co.

Care of Chimayo Rugs

This advice is for all Chimayo rugs and blankets both old and new as well for other flat woven weavings such as Mexican Indian Zapotec rugs and blankets or Oriental kilims woven in the Mideast.  Chimayo and other Rio Grande rugs from New Mexico must be properly maintained in order to keep their value and beauty.  While there are many opinions and theories concerning the care of Chimayo rugs and blankets, if you follow some simple, common sense rules, your Chimayo rugs will look great and last a very long time.  The information would also pertain to Oriental rugs and kilims, Navajo rugs and Mexican Zapotec weavings as well.  If you would like to view care instructions specific to Navajo rugs, Oriental rugs or Zapotec weavings, please follow these links:Oriental Rug Care, Care of Zapotec Rugs, Care of Navajo rugs.

Here are some rules for maintaining your Chimayo Rugs and other hand made rugs :
  1. If your Chimayo rugs are on the floor, use carpet pad.  There is no question that a carpet pad prolongs the life of a Navajo rug and provides a measure of safety.  The best pad available today is a felt pad with a rubber, non-skid, back.  Alternatively there are PVC net style pads for low profile and non-skid characteristics.
  2. Flip the rugs over periodically so there will be even distribution of fading and wear.
  3. Have your Navajo rugs and other wool area rugs treated for moths and carpet beetles.  Inspect the rugs periodically for insect damage or signs of infestation. See carpetbeetles.htm and moths.htm.  We sell a very good "do it yourself" mothproofing that you can apply at home.  See our page about the product: mothproofing.htm.
  4. Vacuum moderately using a vacuum that does not have the motor driven rotating brushes.
  5. Clean spills immediately.  The quicker the cleanup, the less likely that your rug will sustain permanent staining.
  6. House train your dog or cat.  Urine stains usually cannot be removed and Fido can do a great amount of damage by chewing your treasured Chimayo blanket.
  7. Do not allow the Chimayo rugs to get wet.  If they do get wet, make sure that they dry in the shortest possible time.  A "wet vacuum" and a fan can help.
  8. Do not allow any prolonged moisture to penetrate the rug.  An example would be a flower pot set on the rug, thereby causing dry rot or mildew damage.
  9. Have your rugs cleaned when noticeably dirty by a specialist with a thorough knowledge of Chimayo rugs.  Do not have your Chimayo rugs "dry-cleaned", "steam cleaned" or cleaned by any automated means.
  10. Have any fraying tears or other damage repaired immediately.  If a torn or damaged area is allowed to continue fraying, it can greatly decrease the beauty and value of your rug.  Remember that quality restoration can save many dollars in future repair costs and also serves to retain the beauty and value of your Chimayo rug.  If you have any questions about the care of Chimayo rugs, please call or e-mail us.


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