Cleaning and Mounting

Organic materials, such as oils, liquids and old soaps from prior treatment, if left in the foundation of rugs and textiles can cause irreversible damage. They can harden and create brittle sections that will break when the textile is handled. Greases and soaps dry out and adhere to the fibers creating a dull appearance.

We use only patient, individual hands-on care.
Every piece is handled separately.
We identify and strengthen weak areas before we start.

Hands On Cleaning

Our gentle and thorough cleaning treats each piece individually.

We are unlike other cleaning operations that use a conveyor belt approach, sprinkling the rugs with water and nailing them to dry, with soaps and grit remaining submerged in the pile.

Almost every piece that comes to us needs personal attention. Fraying edges, pin holes from hanging by nails, holes and low pile sections need to be stabilized by enveloping them in a support fabric or stitched faabric frame.

This is even more vital when handling brittle, fragile or ancient textiles.

Cleaning Tanks

Water is heavy and when a rug or textile is saturated with water and moved, it creates enormous pressure on every fiber. Weakened areas become weaker. No rug or textile should be moved during the washing process.

Our cleaning tanks allow us to clean each piece without movement. We take our example from conservation labs around the world.

We use only anionic detergents and de-ionized water and massage the water through with our hands.

We find that by touch we can best protect and discover weak and thin areas, not detectable by sight.

Every rug or textile rests on a screen in a suspension of water. It never moves from the moment we saturate it to the end of the dirt removal process.

Once the greasy and waxy elements are diluted the vital process of rinsing begins.

We encourage water to do its work.

The dirty water is slowly and continually replaced with fresh water, replaced over and over again until the rinsing water is completely clean.

All soil is removed from deep within the foundation and under the nub of each knot.

The Results

Horizontal high speed drying follows many hours of rinsing to give your textile its first truly thorough clenaing.

Dirt, soaps and stains that clouded the shining colors when the article was brought to us have gone. We are pleased and stand to admire the vivid clarity of a truly clean woven masterpiece.

Private and corporate collectors, museums and dealers trust us with their finest pieces.

Our moderate prices keep us in the competitive market.

We are glad to advise and confer with our clients and prospective clients at any time.