Cleaning heads and is a Persian rug a Persian rug a Persian rug

[tseg]

Having searched forums and done manufacturer research the general conclusion I've come to is manufacturers suggest suction only heads to clean Persian rugs... or turbo nozzles if one is obsessed with agitation. Meanwhile forum feedback from vacuum shop experts is that power heads rule the world and can/should be used with Persian rugs.

With the above said, I have 2 'Persian' looking rugs... one was relatively inexpensive, shed A LOT when brand new, and definitely is not hand made. It is low pile but moderately dense. It likely was made in a Far East factory vs. by a Middle East old lady. Using a suction head or turbo head on it takes a modest amount of effort. My other 'Persian' rug was quite pricey back in the day but was made in some country ending in 'stan' near the Black Sea. It is more thick and more dense then my other and definitely has some silk threading. I don't think this is hand made either, but may be wrong there. Using a suction only or turbo head becomes much more difficult on this one. I suppose with either I could reduce power until it is much easier to push, but then it feels like there is little vacuuming going on. I recently bought a power head with adjustable height and am debating whether to use that at the highest setting that feels like it is making contact with the carpets?

Anyway, what is a Persian rug? Does it specifically reference handmade rugs? How does one assess how delicate a rug is? Has anyone seen 'delicate' rugs ruined by a powerhead? Neither of my Persian-looking rugs seem particularly delicate, although one clearly seems higher quality than the other.

Experiences? Guidance?

 

[vacerator]

Depends,

some persian rugs are antiques, and very delicate and very valuable. They should be dry cleaned to prevent color fade, and weave break down from steam or hot water.
Some may be wool, newer rugs may be acrylic, which is very durable.
A Persian rug may refer to the design, not country of origin. They originated in Persia, long ago. Popular in Egypt, Turkey, etc.
Egypt makes acrylic rugs today. American rugs by Miliken mills, are usually nyoln. Durable, bot not among the nicest or most costly.
Karastan has always been a premium brand from the states.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Antiques

I saw a programme a few years ago on BBC4, about renovations during the seasonal closedown (basically Winter months) in a stately home which was open to the Public.

They used suction-only cleaners (Electrolux) and I think they were the 'strap over the shoulder' / handheld type, with modest suction. The inference was that standard machines were far too aggressive for the ancient carpets.

The idea was to remove the damaging dust, mould spores, and carpet beetle eggs, etc, as much as possible, but to leave the structural fibres as intact as possible. No mean feat, and they showed the effects of cleaning, dusting, etc, where a bit of something or other, fell off or disintegrated over the decades.

There probably wouldn't have been any/much grit in the carpet, as it was in a roped-off area of the room.

 

[tseg]

Certainly mine are not antique... the oldest being ~ 20 years old. They are both pretty thick and dense. I believe the cheapy is acrylic and the good one, wool with some silk. I'm thinking using a power head with hight adjustment to the first setting that exhibits light contact would probably do limited damage. The power head would float over the carpets relatively easily. My biggest issues with the suction only and turbo heads is it takes a bit of muscle to clean, but if I reduce power to make the strokes easy it just does not feel like the heads are doing much cleaning.

 

[rolls_rapide]

Sebo

Sebo make vacuums with optional 'gentle' brushrolls, which are easily swapped over.

http://https//www.sebo.co.uk/5010ge-delicate-brush-roller-x-felix/

 

[suckolux]

Kirby also

 

[blackheart]

I wonder.

I know some of Simplicity's machines can take difference brush strips they come in the standard aggressive nylon, a softer vinyl, and the softest horsehair. I'm kind of thinking a wonder FSN would be suitable with a softer brushroll fitted since it does have a height adjustment.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I have a decades old

9'x12' Persian rug. It has only been cleaned with: A Hoover 28, 69 Convertible, and 2 different Dial-A-Matics. Stored for years, I had it professionally cleaned last year. It's still wrapped up. I'm hoping to sell it.
I have 3 Karastans. I bought them new. They, too, have only been "Hoover vacuum-cleaned". They're all still perfect. No surprises there.

 

[real1shep]

I have some friends that bought two new, very expensive area rugs. I lent them an older Lux floor brush with the Gleaner bar. The rugs shed quite a bit in general use and then stopped for the most part. The Gleaner was just the ticket for those rugs.

They moved to the coast and I asked for the floor head back....they nearly went into shock. So....I restored a Diamond J and gave them the whole set with a PN.

Kevin

 

[eurekaprince]

It's too bad you can no longer buy that Panasonic/Kenmore beltless Direct-Drive upright....it had a "Gentle" setting on the handle control button that slowed down the brush roll for delicate carpets. I don't think any upright available today offers a setting like that.

 

[tseg]

I've now confirmed my nice rug is a 'Sino-Persian' rug that is 'hand-tufted' with wool and silk. I'm wondering if the best course is to use my Miele SEB236 with roller turned off, high suction, but height set high enough so not too difficult to push? Option B, use suction head and reduce suction to push/pull more easily, Option C. Use my turbo head with softer bristles with vent open so carpet facing suction is reduced but head speed remains high? I guess a last option is to use the suction head with high suction and work up a sweat every time I clean that rug. Life is so complex.

 

[joerwheeler]

Another thing to consider...

A lot of professional rug cleaners (as a step in wet cleaning) turn the rug upside down on a clean smooth surface and vacuum from the back side. You want a vacuum that beats and vibrates the carpet to shake the dirt from the base off onto the floor. After carefully folding the rug back onto itself, vacuum the floor with a suction only head, and then you can easily vacuum the rug from the top-side with a gentle vacuum if you wish. Of course this is a step in rug washing and may be useful for you to consider even though you are only dry cleaning as it were. It is very difficult to really clean all the dirt from the top like you're talking about, and if you have a space to do it, turning it upside down helps break loose impacted dirt and debris. Fitted, wall to wall carpets can't be cleaned this way, which make them the real problem, rugs are far easier to thoroughly clean because you can flip them. Hope this helps.

 

[rolls_rapide]

"Turn the rug upside down on a clean smooth surface and vacuum from the back side."

I've done that with coconut door mats, using a decent upright (eg Hoover Turbopower 3). The agitation does indeed release the grit which falls to the floor. Then, switch to the accessory hose to suck up the released grit from the floor surface.

 

[tseg]

Upside down

Thanks for the great suggestion joerwheeler and verfication Rolls_rapide

 

[camelotshadow]

I had a kazak prayer rug circa 1900 since I was a child for over 40 years. I sadly regrettably donated it to Good will in a long depressedfit of trying to unclutter my life which did not prove to be long lived.