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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What size rug do I need?
First measure the room in which you plan to put your new rug. Think about
whether you are going to put furniture on the rug or not. If the rug is for
your dining room, then you will more than likely be putting your dining table
on the carpet and should measure the full room (make sure to measure the table
you will be using as well). If the rug will be for your living room or a
bedroom, you may not want to put your rug under any furniture and should measure
the actual location where the rug will be placed. Generally speaking, consider
what area you want covered and take the measurement for that area.
- Do I need a pad? Where can I get one?
Yes, you should use a pad. A good pad extends the life of an oriental rug. With each footstep on a rug, the knots are compacted and a tiny amount of wear occurs. A pad absorbs much of that compaction and extends the life of the knots. You can buy a good pad from us.
- What is KPSI (Knot Count per Square Inch) and is it important?
Many rug salespeople will tell you that the knot count per square inch is not
important and that you should just pick the carpet you like. While this is true,
it is only partly so. You should always pick the colors and designs that you find
most appealing without considering the KPSI. Once you have picked a few rugs and
want to narrow down your selection, you should look at the KPSI and then at the cost
per square foot. Understand, the cost of a new rug to the store selling the carpet
is based on the Knot Count and quality of weaving material used. For example:
A 6’ X 9’ rug is 54 square feet. You have selected two 6’ X 9’ rugs with the same wool,
dye, and a similar design, one with 64 KPSI and the other with 100 KPSI. The rug with
the higher knot count should cost more. If the rugs are priced at approximately the
same price, the seller is not pricing fairly.
There are other considerations, of course. The higher the Knot Count, the more intricate
the design can be while still showing sharp detail. Some designs need a higher KPSI to
show the true beauty of the design while other less complicated designs need far fewer
knots to show the weaver’s intent. A weave up to 50 KPSI is considered a coarse weave,
51 to 150 is a medium weave, and more than 150 KPSI is a fine weave. The number of
knots needed is determined by the design and does not necessarily indicate quality.
- Is a new rug better or worse than an old rug?
If a carpet is cared for properly it can last for decades and even centuries. Antique
oriental rugs (those older than 100 years) and semi-antique rugs (50-100 years) can be
very valuable to a collector if the carpet has been cared for properly. Some wear and
tear is expected, but if the colors and pattern are good, an older rug would be considered
by some a treasure. The key is going to be how much you want to spend and if having an
antique or a semi-antique carpet is what you really want. Newer rugs are generally less
expensive than their older predecessors.
- What are weft and warp?
The weft and warp make up the foundation of a rug. The tassels at each end of most rugs
are the ends of the warp. During construction, threads are wound over, under, and around
two warp threads forming a knot. These knots are made one at a time from one edge of the
loom to the other, forming a row of knots. In between each row of knots, one or more weft
threads are woven through the warp threads creating a crossed pattern that hold the knots
in place. The weft and warp in a wool rug are generally cotton, but can be wool. In very
fine silk carpets, the weft and warp are usually silk, too. But in silk rugs with lower
Knot Counts, a cotton foundation is fairly common.
- Is a hand tufted rug the same as a hand knotted rug?
No, it is not. A hand knotted rug is made by tying individual knots (see above). A hand tufted rug, also called a glue-back, is made using a tufting gun, cotton mesh foundation, and glue to hold the wool tufts together. Using the tufting gun, wool tufts are shot through the mesh from the top of the rug towards the bottom. Once the design is complete, the rug is turned over so that it rests on its top. A scrim layer is then laid down on what would be considered the back of the rug, after which glue is applied to hold the tufts in place. Once the glue is dry, a canvas backing is stitched onto the back of the rug concealing the glue. Typically, these rugs have the subtle, but distinct, odor of rubber. This odor can become more intense over time and cannot be cleaned out. Tufted rugs also shed forever. Most experienced professional oriental cleaners will not clean a hand tufted rug because the glue breaks down when it becomes wet, ultimately causing the rug to unravel. The normal life span of a tufted rug is five to ten years.
- My pet went to the bathroom on my rug, what should I do?
- Someone spilled a drink on my rug, what should I do?
It is much easier to clean a spot if it is done right after the spot has been made.
Blot as much as you can with a paper towel or clean cloth that won’t run. Then, with a
water dampened sponge or towel, lightly rinse the stained area. If the area in question
is large and the carpet is fairly small, you can take the rug outside and with a mixture
of 1 cup of white vinegar to 1 gallon of water saturate the stained area. Make sure you
have applied enough water to completely remove the foreign liquid. Make sure you leave
both sides of the rug exposed to open air so that the rug may dry quicker and more thoroughly.
Do not place the rug on a surface that can be stained while it is still damp; though rare,
it is possible for the colors to run and leave a mark.
- How often should my rug be cleaned and how?
You should vacuum your oriental carpet once a week or more frequently if it is in a high
traffic location. In addition, once every six months or so, you should flip your carpet
over and vacuum the underside of it.
For a more thorough cleaning, it depends on how and where you use your oriental carpet.
If it is in a high traffic area, it may need more frequent cleaning than a rug in an out of
the way location. It also depends on whether or not you wear shoes while walking on your rug.
To determine if your oriental rug needs to be professionally cleaned, you can try one of a
few methods. You should vacuum your rug prior to testing for cleanliness.
1. Clean your hands, then firmly rub the pile in a back and forth motion. If your hand is
dirty, the carpet should be cleaned.
2. Fold the carpet back on itself and check to see if there is dirt lodged in the pile.
If there is, it should be cleaned.
3. Raise part of the rug and swat the back of the rug, if more than wool fibers come out,
it should be cleaned.
A professional cleaning every three to seven years or so should be sufficient if your carpet is in
a normal setting. Otherwise, check its cleanliness using one of the above mentioned methods.
Again, do not place the rug on a surface that can be stained while it is still damp; though
rare, it is possible for the colors to run and leave a mark.
- My oriental rug was torn, can it be fixed?
Yes, it can be fixed, but you should find a qualified Oriental rug repair company.
- I found an oriental rug at an estate sale. Part of the rug had been cut off to allow for a
fireplace (or some other immovable object). The seller still has both pieces, is it a good buy?
If you like the rug and are willing to find a rug repairman to reconnect the two pieces, it
may be worth considering. Before you go ahead and buy the rug, lay the two pieces next to
one another as if they were still one piece and examine the coloration wear patterns of each.
Does the cutaway piece have significantly different coloration? Is the pile of the cutaway
piece in much better condition? Can you return the rug if you cannot find someone who can
reattach the cutaway piece to the main body? If the answers to these questions are
satisfactory, you may well have found a rug worth purchasing. Just make sure you can live
with the result.
- Where can I get my rug cleaned or repared?
Rugs of Kaibab does full submersion cleaning. We also do light to medium repairs. For major repair work, we make referals to an outside firm.
- How long will it take my rug to arrive?
Please refer to the “How to Place an Order” section of this website.
- This thing weighs a lot, how can I move it by myself?
If you want to move it a long distance, please find someone to help if you are having
trouble lifting it alone. Rugs with a deep pile can weigh one pound per square foot or
more. That means a 9’ X 12’ carpet can weigh in the neighborhood of around 108 pounds.
It is safer for you to find help.
- After a few weeks or months, I find that my rug walks (moves) across the floor. How can
I prevent this?
An oriental carpet when placed on carpet will move. The texture of the weave causes this.
The easiest way to move it back is to pick up a corner and wave it up and down in a
rhythmic motion (like the parachute you might have used in gym class as a youngster).
This creates an air pocket under the rug that effectively allows you to steer the rug
where you want it. This method will not be precise, but it will get the carpet pretty close
and then it is just a tug here and there until it is back in its place. Use of a proper pad such as those we offer will prevent much of this movement.
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