I chanced upon an excerpt from the book Shah of Shahs by Ryszard Kapuscinski, that expresses my own views on Carpets. I am publishing it here on my blog for you to enjoy.

When I want to cheer myself up, I head for Ferdousi Street, where Mr. Ferdousi sells Persian carpets. Mr. Ferdousi, who has passed all his life in the familiar intercourse of art and beauty, looks upon the surrounding reality as if it were a B-film in a cheap, unswept cinema. It is all a question of taste, he tells me: The most important thing, sir, is to have taste. The world would look far different if a few more people had a drop of taste. In all horrors (for he does call them horrors), like lying, treachery, theft, and informing, he distinguishes a common denominator – such things are done by people with no taste. He believes that the nation will survive anything and that beauty is indestructible. You must remember, he tells me as he unfolds another carpet (he knows I am not going to buy it, but he would like me to enjoy the sight of it), that what has made it possible for the Persians to remain themselves over two and a half millennia, what has made it possible for us to remain ourselves in spite of so many wars, invasions, and occupations, is our spiritual, not our material, strength – our poetry, and not our technology; our religion, and not our factories. What have we given the world? We have given poetry, the miniature, and carpets. As you can see, these are useless things from the productive viewpoint. But it is through such things that we have expressed our true selves. We have given the world this miraculous, unique uselessness. What we have given the world has not made life any easier, only adorned it – if such a distinction makes any sense.

To us a carpet, for example, is a vital necessity. You spread a carpet on a wretched, parched desert, lie down on it, and feel you are lying in a green meadow. Yes, our carpets remind us of meadows in flower. You see before you flowers, you see a garden, a pool, a fountain. Peacocks are sauntering among the shrubs. And carpets are things that last – a good carpet will retain its color for centuries.

In this way, living in a bare, monotonous desert, you seem to be living in an eternal garden from which neither color nor freshness ever fades. Then you can continue imagining the fragrance of the garden, you can listen to the murmur of the stream and the song of the birds. And then you feel whole, you feel eminent, you are near paradise, you are a poet.

 A good Oriental rug or carpet resists stains owing to the wools high content of  lanolin. It is your best protection against stains. Never apply ‘stain guard’ products to your rugs.

Unfortunately the wools of many modern mass-produced rugs are heavily washed with chemicals, stripping away natural protective oils. These are less likely to resist stains and respond to remedial treatment, but if following this guide you will have the best chances of success.

The first rule: Soak up any liquid immediately. Soft towelling is ideal for this purpose. Depending on the kind of spill, the simple steps below will help you protect and preserve your treasure.

One or more of the following solutions will be required, along with some white absorbent cloth or tissue:

• Detergent solution — One teaspoon full of a neutral detergent (e.g., Fairy Liquid) in two cups of warm water
• Detergent-vinegar solution – Add one teaspoon full of white vinegar to the basic detergent solution
• Ammonia solution — One tablespoon of household ammonia in one cup of warm water
• Dry cleaning solvent — such as Dab-it-Off

Before using a solution test it on a small, out-of-the-way area of the carpet, then tackle the stain by working from the outer edges toward the middle of the stained area.

BLOOD, CHOCOLATE, FRUIT, GLUE, GRASS, GRAVY, ICE CREAM – Scrape up excess with a blunt knife. Use detergent solution, starting with the outer edge and blotting dry. Follow with an ammonia solution, then blot dry.

ALCOHOL, WINE – Blot up spillage, then clean with detergent solution. Work from outer edge of the stain, using a little solution at a time and blotting frequently with dry cloths NB:  Never use salt on your rug for wine spills (an old wives’ tale?) Salt will rot the foundation eventually. A good rug should repel red wine stains if soaked up immediately.

CHEWING GUM, NAIL & SHOE POLISH, TAR, WAX, VOMIT FATS, GREASE OIL – Scrape up with blunt knife. Use dry cleaning solution, followed by detergent-vinegar solution. Blot dry.

COFFEE, TEA, PERFUME, LIQUID FOOD – Blot up the spillage, use detergent-vinegar solution a little at a time working from the outer edge of the stain blotting frequently with dry cloths.

EGG – Scrape up excess with blunt knife. Use detergent-vinegar solution starting at outer edges of stain and blot dry. Follow with ammonia solution, blot dry.

MILK, SOFT DRINKS – Blot up surface spillage. Use detergent solution starting at outer edge of stain, working toward the centre. Follow with ammonia solution, blot dry.

URINE – Blot up spill. Clean with ammonia solution using a small amount working from outside to centre of stain. Blot frequently with dry cloths.

LIPSTICK – Scrape with blunt knife. Use dry cleaning solvent, followed by ammonia solution. Blot dry.

If you have any other queries please do let me know and I’ll do what I can to help.

GOOD LUCK