Tips on Good Maintenance of Moroccan Vintage Rugs

Tribal weaving is one of Morocco’s oldest and perhaps greatest artistic traditions, stemming from the Berbers who first inhabited the mountains and plains of the Atlas around 1500 BC.   In rural areas weaving still follows the pattern of village life.  Men tend to the sheep while the women weave rugs, mostly for own use as bedding and floor coverings.  Vintage Moroccan rugs of a long thick pile are woven in the cold mountain areas while rugs of a finer weave and a shorter pile are made in the warmer areas.

The beauty of Morrocan Rugs 

The most prized Moroccan rugs for sale are those said to have ‘baraka’, or ‘pieces made with divine inspiration’. The skill of the craftsperson becomes the vehicle for an enlightened outcome, demonstrating the timeless appeal and adaptability of materials, methods, and a sophisticated visual language.  This visual language comprises abstract and geometric motifs originally derived from Islam’s restriction on the reproduction of representational imagery.

The undeniable beauty and virtues of handmade Moroccan rugs have been recognized by influential modernist architects and designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto and Ray and Charles Eames since the mid-20th century.  In recent years vintage Moroccan rugs have gained a new international appreciation as they can add warmth, colour, texture and an earthy simplicity to offset the often hard lines of modern interiors.

In terms of styles and influence, rug weaving in Morocco is very regionalized.  However, whether of rural or urban origin, Moroccan rugs and textiles are the product of a unique country and people, whose sense of beauty is reflected in all that they create.

Tips on Good Maintenance of Moroccan Vintage Rugs

Moroccan rugs have a tendency for shedding which suppliers often try to minimize before they are exported. One of the techniques that they use in doing this is removing excess wool using a rake.

When your vintage Moroccan rug arrives, it is recommended that you first clean it. Please notice that all rugs we deliver are already cleaned, so cleaning is not needed. Cleaning it is easy, simply shake it and then wash it using running water before hanging it out to dry. Dirt, even on micro levels, is capable of shredding the fibers of the rug and causing quick degeneration over a period. It’s therefore important that you shed off and clean your rug on a regular basis to avoid any dirt accumulation.

It is also recommended that you buy a rug pad. This can be got from suppliers of Moroccan rugs for sale and will make your rug soft. You should brush your rug on a weekly basis until all the shedding stops, and even after that, you should occasionally use the rug rake to comb your rug so that matting is prevented, and the rug remains plush.

Rug shedding is the main reason why a lot of Moroccan rugs don’t live to their full lifespan. The type of rug that you pick and the region of manufacture of the rug combined with proper cleaning and maintenance will ensure minimal shedding and help the rug to live to its true value.