The best thing you can do for an antique rug is walk on it. Rugs were made to be used; a rug rolled in storage dries out and grows brittle. Lay it down, live on it, and it will repay you with decades of slow, beautiful aging.
Three habits protect it. First, a good pad — it cushions each footfall, keeps the rug from sliding, and lets air move underneath. Second, rotate it end-for-end once a year so sun and traffic wear it evenly. Third, keep the harshest direct sunlight off it; a sheer shade in a south-facing room is enough.
When something spills, blot — never rub — with a clean white cloth and cool water. Skip the drugstore chemicals; they strip natural dyes. For anything more than water, call us. A professional hand-wash every four or five years lifts the grit that quietly cuts wool fibers from within, and returns colors you'd forgotten were there.
