Beat damage to rugs with simple tips

On July 24, I received a call from a young lady named Frieda. She wanted to know how to take care of several Navajo rugs that she had purchased while on a trip to Arizona with her husband, James.

First, let me express my thanks to Frieda and James for their openly positive support for my column.

Having lived on the Apache reservation during summer months as a child, I fully understood the hours of intense labor involved in making such beautiful and intricately made wool rugs. Normally, these rugs run between $50 and $150 per square food depending on how much detail is involved in them, it's a costly investment.

Frieda said her rugs measured four-foot by five-foot and she wanted to display them on their log cabin walls. She wanted instruction on how to mount and care for them. I told her the biggest enemies to wool rugs were moths. I suggested that she have her rugs mounted on one-inch cedar stripping and then securely mounted to their walls. The cedar will faintly scent the air keeping away the moths.

I told her to keep the rugs out of direct sunlight because the ultraviolet light will weaken the fibers and cause fading of the vegetal and aniline dyes. I suggested she vacuum the rugs every time she vacuum her home. I told her if she didn't like that idea, she could have them mounted using conventional quilt mounting strips; however, she would still have to be concerned about moths.

By carefully cleaning, moth treating, displaying and storing, her investment should remain a thing of beauty for many years to come.

If you are allergic to any of the above products, please don't use them. Always test fabric and paints before using any chemical compounds. Please remember to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and eye protection for your eyes. If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, please call Ed at 255-2266 or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What would Ed Do?

Copy written by Ed Madan, certified executive housekeeper, Northwest Environmental Services