Silk gives a rug its lustre and the fineness of its design. It is also the most sensitive fibre: to water, heat, light and friction.
Recognising silk
A silk rug changes colour depending on the angle of view and the direction of the pile: it looks light from one side and dark from the other. The fringes are often silk too. To the touch, it is cool and smooth. Beware of artificial “silks” (viscose, mercerised cotton) sold as the real thing: they need different care and deteriorate quickly in water.
Day to day
- Keep a silk rug out of heavy-traffic areas and away from the entrance.
- Vacuum without a rotating brush, on low power, in the direction of the pile.
- Avoid direct sunlight: silk fades faster than wool.
- Don't stand a potted plant on it: standing moisture marks silk permanently.
Stains
Blot immediately with a dry white cloth, then one slightly dampened with cold water. Never any product, never rubbing, never a hairdryer. If the stain has soaked in, don't persist: silk marks at the slightest excess, and a workshop can rescue an untreated stain far better than one that has been made worse.
Cleaning
Silk can be washed, but not like wool: specific soap, cooler water, handled flat, slow drying out of the light. The main risk is dye migration, which is tested before any wash. It is the kind of piece to entrust to a workshop that washes silk regularly.
Storage
Rolled in the direction of the pile, never folded, in clean cotton, away from light and damp — and clean before it is put away.