Oriental Rug Fringe

posted December 12, 2011 Posted in: Rug Cleaning

Oriental Rug Fringe Damage

Oriental rug fringe is subjected to daily wear and tear, much like rugs themselves. Even when our intentions are good and we clean our rugs, we can still damage them. Vacuuming our area rugs is beneficial for dust and some debris removal, but is can be hazardous to the fringe as the vacuum cleaner brush can literally shred and destroy it.

Oriental Rug Fringe

The ends of the warp are the rug’s fringes. When a hand made rug is weaved, the warp runs through the rug to the opposite end, forming fringe on either end. Weavers weave Oriental rugs on the fringe and build the rug on that foundation. The fringe is not an “add on” to an authentic handmade Oriental rug as it is truly the core of the rug itself. When fringe is damaged, some rug owners actually cut it off, not realizing the magnitude of that action. When Oriental rug fringe is damaged or destroyed, it takes away from the beauty of the rug and it also lowers its value.

Taking Care of Oriental Rug Fringe

The best way to vacuum Oriental rugs and avoid damaging the fringe is side-to-side, not end-to-end. If Oriental rug fringe gets in the way of vacuuming your area rug or if you want the fringe out of the way, use double sided tape to attach the fringe to the back of the rug.

How to Change Fringe on Oriental Rugs?

Expensive Hand Made Oriental Rug Fringe Repair

For valuable hand made Oriental rug fringe repair, take it to professional area rug cleaners. Not every area rug cleaner specializes in rug repairs, but some of the long-standing, reputable local shops have such experts on staff. Rug repair professionals may re-weave the problem area rather than replace it outright.

Inexpensive Machine Made Oriental Rug Fringe Repair

If an inexpensive machine made Oriental rug fringe is damaged, you may experiment with replacing it with store bought fringe, but keep in mind that you risk damaging it. Even if the rug is not expensive, it may still hold sentimental value to you, in which case, it is better to have rug repair professionals do the job. If you insist on repairing the rug yourself, do not cut, trim or glue the fringe. These actions will damage the rug.

Tips for Attaching New Fringe to Machine Made Rugs

• When buying new fringe, match it to your existing rug fringe.
• Buy enough to use on the entire length of the fringe, not just on the damaged part.
• Wrap new fringe overhangs to the back of the rug and secure on both ends.
• Instead of replacing the old fringe, use it to anchor the new fringe with blind hem stitch that will show mostly on the back of the rug.