FAQ

We guarantee there will be no smells or defective problems in the rugs you receive but please remember, all rugs are of pre-owned vintage condition, not brand new in nature. Due to handcrafting, slight variations may occur. Some shedding is normal. It is important to understand these terms.

All rugs in our web store are prewashed and checked twice before shipment.

Yes. Our vintage woven works of art are all handcrafted by skilled artisans in Turkey. They've been lightly restored to preserve their distinct patina after decades of gentle aging. Each rug retains its traditional charm and unique character. Handpicked for their exquisite Anatolian artwork, our wool rugs and kilims are truly one of a kind. According to the Chamber of Commerce in Turkey, between 1940 and1980, tens of millions of rugs and kilims were woven. So to source vintage rugs in Turkey is not difficult. What is more challenging and what sets our rugs apart from everyone else, is the special care taken in the selection of mint condition rugs and the process we employ to recycle them into contemporary pieces of art.

Yes. When you purchase a rug, you will receive what you see in the picture. We photograph each rug individually because they are truly unique. Please understand, however, colours on your computer, mobile device or digital screen may vary.

Due to the nature of our handmade rugs, size may vary by up to 5cm (2 inches) in width or length from the size shown. We specify each rug's dimensions on the product description page with metric and imperial units. 

We have an integrated inventory system so if a rug is listed in our online store, it is available and ready for shipment. Due to all our pieces being one-of-a-kind, we may, on a rare occassion, make an inventory mistake. We are proud to say, however, that over the last 4 years we have been operating our inventory with 99.7% accuracy.

Our prices are not negotiable. We work hard to give you our lowest prices while maintaining a high standard of quality. Since we purchase large quanitites of rugs from suppliers, we receive greater discounts and are able to pass on these price discounts to you as the end customer.

We do not use any harsh or harmful chemicals in the processing of our rugs. Our rugs are soaked in pools of boiling water with natural textile dyes. These dyes are all TÜV approved. We test our rugs for any risk of carcinogenic or azo substances, as well as colour fastness. If you wish to see these results, we are happy to send them with your order.

Yes. All of our carpets are woven by hand in much the same manner as they have been made for thousands of years.

Our carpets are made entirely with wool pile. No synthetic fibers are used. We specialize in rugs made with natural dyes and handspun wool. A small percentage of our rugs are made with cotton or cotton highlights.

Two mistakes that people often make are, to purchase a rug that ends up being too small for their space, or to not take into account chairs being pulled away from the table when measuring for the dining room area. When measuring, make sure you measure the largest size your need the rug to be and also the smallest you want it to be.

In short, no or maybe. There may be a similar rug available from the same region and hence, similar colours and designs. But no two rugs are exactly the same. The beauty of these rugs lies in this fact. As soon as new stock arrive in our warehouse we upload the photos as fast as possible.

Woolen rugs are very durable and the pile/knots are so tightly woven that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for dogs and cats to destroy them. The myth is that Persian rugs are delicate. Woolen rugs are not whilst silk rugs are. One of our customers told us about how their cat tried to use its claws on the carpet, but gave up when it was unsuccessful because of the tightness of the weave. Another customer told us that her grandmother used to encourage her grandchildren to “go play on the Persian rug" because that was the only item in the house that could withstand their exuberance.

Turkish rugs do not include or promote the use of child labour. The rug weaving tradition in Turkey has continued on, some believe, from as early as 500 BC and has been an integral part of Turksih culture for just as long. Young girls will invariably be surrounded by the spinning and weaving process from a young age. This is how motifs, designs, palette and skills are passed on from generation to generation. However, it is when a woman is passing into adulthood and through her middle age life that she produces the fine, beautiful rugs that have come to embody the Anatolian culture.

No, but it is highly recommended especially on hard floors. Some benefits of using a rug underlay include: 1) Stops the rug/kilim from 'walking'/scrunching up, 2) Protects and extends the life of rugs / kilims and 3) Feels better underfoot.

If you change your mind about your purchase, you are responsible for the return shipping costs.  

• Items must be returned in the same new condition as received within 7 days. No refunds or exchanges after 7 days. 

• The damage must be pointed out to the delivery driver, and you should refuse delivery of the item. If damage is noticed after your package is signed for, you must notify us within 30 days of receipt.

Each rug you buy directly from us comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied, you can return the product within the first 7 days after having received it. After we receive the product, we will process the return and refund the full purchase price, less the initial shipping charges. If you choose to return the product during this time, just send us a message to request a Return Merchandise Authorization number (RMA) and the return shipping address for us. You will be responsible for the return shipping costs

A “Kilim" (sometimes called “gelim") is a flat-woven Oriental rug, made much like Navajo rugs but without pile. Kilims are also handwoven using wool fibers. They don’t generally last as long in floor use as the thicker knotted pile carpets (perhaps an average of about 25 years compared to 50-80 years of use for a handknotted pile carpet) and they cost considerably less. Kilims have traditionally been woven in all the major rug weaving countries such as Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan as well as in North Africa. In India, flat woven kilims are called durries. Kilims tend to have a more graphic look and an informal feel. At Unique Rug Store, we personally love kilims because they were often not woven for commercial export. They tend to retain the oldest and most traditional designs/colors and an authentic/archaic sensibility. We do also offer new kilims with wonderful contemporary and minimalist designs! Check out our selection of kilims here.

• Kilims are a flat woven rug, made by passing the wool (wefts) under and over the warps. There are many different techniques of flat weaving including slit weave, sumak, cicim(jijim) and more. Carpets are a knotted wool, or pile rug. Generally speaking, carpets are thicker than kilims, depending on the length of their pile.

• Machine vs. Hand-Made: Look at the back of the carpet. The machines make a uniform warp-and-weft grid that looks wholly different from the variations and slightly wavy warps and wefts seen in hand-knotted carpets.
Another indication is to look closely at the tighness of the weave and, again, to the back of the rug to make sure it is as clear a design on the back as it is on the front.
A master designer and weaver will sometimes sign their rug. Their signature, and sometimes the date, will be incorporated into the design in the middle of the upper edge of the carpet.

Old = less than 50 years old
Semi-antique = 50-80 years old
Antique = Above 80 years old

Hand-made rugs are more valuable than machine-made rugs. The back of the rug will help a person determine if it is hand-made or machine-made. A hand-made rug has the same, vibrant design as the front of the rug.
Knot count: the more knots per square inch, the more valuable the rug.
Design: the more intricate the design, the more valuable the rug.
Materials: silk is the most expensive material used, and the very nature of that natural material requires the rug maker(s) to create a rug with a high number of knots per square inch (1,000/Square Inch or more) than other rugs. Because of the materials used and the time to construct these rugs—often a year or a person's lifetime—silk rugs are often the most expensive rugs on the market.
Wool is the most common material used in Turkish rugs. Turkish wool is arguably the best in the world. It is lustrous and superior.

Yes and no. Dyes made from natural substances such as roots have been used in Oriental rugs for thousands of years. But at the end of the 19th century, cheaper synthetic aniline dyes were discovered to be easier to use but resulted in poorer quality colouring. By 1940, these inferior aniline dyes had essentially taken the place of natural dyes in carpet production. In fact, even certain recipes for making natural dyes had been entirely lost or forgotten. Fortunately, starting in about 1980, natural dyes began to resurface (and in some cases, “reverse-engineered") and used in a few rugs. Around the same time, the newer generation of synthetic “chrome" dyes were being perfected. These dyes do not fade prematurely in the sun nor do they run when washed with water. Sometimes today’s better quality “chrome" or “chromium" synthetic dyes are difficult to distinguish from natural dyes by the naked eye. Today both natural and synthetic chrome dyes are used in Oriental rugs and both are excellent. Nevertheless, good quality vegetal dyes offer a richer and more variegated palate of color (know as “Abrash“). It is worth noting that naturally dyed carpets age with a warm, pleasing patina and are more environmentally friendly. Vegetal dyes are, however, more labor intensive and require a large amount of dye material. Consequently, naturally dyed carpets are more expensive and may add a price premium of 30% to 50% over rugs made with synthetic dyes. Although some people prefer the more uniform color characteristic derived from synthetic dyes, we personally love the rustic beauty of natural dyes. The choice between natural and synthetic dyes is a matter of preference and cost.

Not necessarily. A rug that is more finely woven (with more knots per inch or KPI) is not necessarily a better rug. A finer weave allows for more detail and smaller designs. Curved lines in a rug’s design can be “drawn" more smoothly and gracefully in a rug with many knots per square inch. It is the same thing as pixels in a picture. More pixels in an image allow for more detail and clarity. But it must be said that fine knotting alone does not make a rug good. There are many finely woven yet unattractive rugs. Also, a fine weave simply is not appropriate in certain kinds of informal tribal or village rugs. It is more important to consider each rug individually. When judging a rug, the overall qualitative nature of the materials, the workmanship and the balance of designs/colors are more important than the easily quantifiable KPI.

Before the age of machines, weavers spun wool by hand to create yarn that makes up the pile of Oriental rugs. But industrialization meant that by 1940, nearly all wool used in carpets was spun by machines. In 1980, a renaissance of traditional techniques began. A small but appreciable number of weavers began spinning wool by hand again. Although some people prefer the uniformity and formal appearance that machine spun wool imparts to carpets, most connoisseurs value the effect produced by handspun wool. When spun by hand, yarn absorbs more dye where it is loosely spun and less dye where it is spun tightly, thus producing pleasant variegation (know as “Abrash“) in the colours of a rug. The hand spinning process is less abrasive to the wool so more of the natural oils (lanolin) are retained and less fibers are broken. This produces a wool that is more resilient and carpets made with such wool will last long and wear better. Hand spun wool naturally requires more labor and thus, are more costly. 

It is a good idea to get your rugs professionally cleaned at least every 5 years, depending on your use. Your rugs should be cleaned by someone experienced in cleaning handmade rugs and not just a carpet dry cleaner. This is because most of our rugs use hand spun wool and natural dyes, and the use of chemicals in the dry cleaning process will strip the wool of its natural lanolin and hence damage the rug’s appearance and life span.
You can shake or beat your rug as often as you like; the more often the better. Vacuuming will not hurt it either however, be careful not to vacuum the tassels as this pulls at the whole structure of the rug.
For spills, dab (do not rub) the area to absorb as much liquid as you can.

Vacuum with a regular vacuum cleaner as necessary. We find that the suction wand on a vacuum cleaner is especially helpful for lifting pet and human hair from the carpet. When vacuuming, try to avoid going over the fringes. If over time fringes become damaged, do not fret. They can be replaced. Most fringes are made of cotton and are not as durable as the wool knotting. Ironically, worn fringes only add to the value of the carpet. As long as the fringe’s knots are in tact, the rug will remain strong. Never cut a fringe off as this greatly decreases the value of the rug.

Most rugs will not need major cleaning for at least 10-20 years. Do not use harsh chemicals or cleaners on the rugs as the chemicals may react with the dyes. This is especially important for naturally dyed rugs. We cannot be held responsible for rugs cleaned with materials other than gentle soap and water.
Although you can take your rug to an Oriental rug shop and have the people there arrange to have it cleaned, a quality handknotted Oriental rug can be washed in your driveway with regular soap. Using very little soap (regular clothes detergent, hair shampoo, etc.), scrub down the rug with your fingers or feet and hose it down with water. Rinse very thoroughly as soap that is left in the carpet makes a very stiff pile. Squeegie the pile with your hands or with the side of a dustpan to remove excess water. Before washing, take note of the direction your rug pile is laying. After washing, using your hands, brush the pile down in the direction it was lying before it was washed. The rug needs to be dried on a flat surface. Once the rug is dry, with your hands or with a vacuum cleaner, raise the pile by stroking/sweeping in the opposite direction. Our staff have also found a home-use carpet steam cleaner to work very nicely, using the approved cleaning soap.

Carpet pads are not needed to protect the back of the rugs or to protect the flooring from the rug. Carpet padding does add a softer feeling when stepping on the rug and may prevent a lighter rug from moving. It is the customer’s choice.

People think that because Oriental rugs are valuable, they must be pampered like fine China. But Oriental rugs have earned their reputation of being magical in part because of their sheer endurance. When dirty, they can be washed. If they are damaged, they can be repaired or re-woven. Their dyes resist fading and running and their wool, full of natural oils (lanolin) keeps many potential stains from penetrating and setting in. There are, however, some ways to maintain and protect your rug.

Our rugs are resistant to sunlight. They do tend to mellow softly over time and develop a soft and warm patina. Nevertheless, direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight will fade your rug. If your rug is in a very sunny room, it is best to occasionally rotate it so that its UV exposure will be minimized. Also, think about using blinds or shades. If you have old windows that are not double-paned, there are UV protective coatings that can applied. These filters block many of the harmful UVs while not changing the quality of light. Nevertheless, your rug can withstand a normal amount of sunlight exposure without any noticeable effects.

Vacuum your rug regularly. Contrary to what some people think, vacuuming your rug is not harmful. It is the dirt that is trapped inside a rug’s pile that can lead to premature wear. Some of today's vacuum cleaners are made for industrial carpets and have a very aggressive “powerhead" or “beater bar". If this is the case, set the vacuum powerhead on a setting for thick carpeting or use only the suction attachment without the powerhead. Also, be careful of the fringe when you vacuum or even better, vacuum side-to-side to avoid the fringe. You may also broom your rug. Once a year, flip your rug upside-down and vacuum the underside of the carpet to remove dirt that works it’s way deeply into the pile and vacuum the floor under the rug too if it is dirty. This trapped dirt can be abrasive to the rug fibers. It is not recommended to beat your rug as this may break some of the fibers.

Rotate your rug (ie: turn in 180 degrees) occasionally (once a year will suffice). This keeps wear patterns from forming in a rug that may get uneven use. Also, if you have windows on one wall, rotating a rug exposes different areas to the sunlight. Just like rotating the tires on you car, rotating your rug promotes a more even and uniform pattern of wear.

Water will not harm your rug. But in order to avoid mildew it is best to thoroughly dry damp areas within 24 hours. And watch-out for the potted plant! Do not place a potted plant directly on your rug. Be sure to use a plant stand. The dampness from a potted plant can become trapped between the pot and the carpet. In time, this can rot your carpet and create a perfectly round pot-sized hole in your rug.

Beware of moths. If a rug is used regularly, there is little chance of it becoming infested. Moths prefer undisturbed, dark places. Therefore, be carefull of any parts of a rug that are under furniture such as sections that may be under a couch or bed. Occasionally move the furniture and vacuum these areas. If your rug is small, placing it outside in direct sunlight for an hour from time-to-time can help. And, moths (or actually the moth larvae) prefer munching on dirty wool, so regular washing of your rug will help to prevent moth damage. Also, if you are storing a rug for any period of time take the following steps to prevent insect damage. Wash your rug before storage. Ask your rug washer to insect-repell you rug after washing. Wrap it in semi-pourus wrapping such as “Tyvek" brand. This product breaths but does not allow water infiltration. Do not use plastic because it does not breath and may result in mildew. As an option, add some dry lavender flowers to your rolled-up rug for the lovely smell and as a natural moth deterrent. Moth balls are not recommended.

Don’t panic. Promptly treated spills are easily removed and do not leave permanent stains. The best medicine for spills is to get the substance out of the rug as fast as possible. If you spill an organic substance, use a paper towel or cloth. If the stain is an oil or a dense substance, use a spoon to scoop up as much as possible off first. Contrary to some common belief, pouring salt on a stain doesn’t do much of anything. After cleaning up the spill, dilute it with some water (or club soda is great too if you have it). Blot-Rinse-Blot…repeat.

Remember… blot at the stain. Do NOT scrub as this can un-twist and break the wool fibers. If the stain persists and the dyes are stable, use more water. You could also use a few drops of dish washing soap diluted in water to create a very mild detergent. When you remove the stain, be sure to prop up the wet section of the rug so that it can dry thoroughly. Use a house-fan if needed to circulate air to help dry the wet area. It is not good to let a rug remain wet for more that a day as it may form mildew. Still no luck? If the stain persists, bring it to a professional rug cleaner who deals with Oriental rugs. We suggest that you do not use chemical cleaners, “steam" cleaners or rug “shampoos" that are formulated for synthetic fibers and might damage your Oriental rug.

Pet stains and pet urine can be more troublesome if not treated immediately since they can cause permanent discoloration. Again: First remove as much of the foreign substance as possible with a paper towel or rag. It is then recommended to use a solution of white vinegar mixed with water to rinse the stain. Blot-Rinse-Repeat. The white vinegar will lessen the risk of the dye bleeding and will help to blot away the acidic pet stain. If you use a commercial “enzyme" cleaner formulated for pet accidents, keep in mind that some are better than others. If you do use one of these cleaners, it is suggested that you subsequently use a water-white vinegar solution as a final rinse to remove the “enzyme" cleaner. Again, be sure to dry any damp areas thoroughly. With pet stains, after taking these immediate steps, I would suggest also using a professional Oriental rug washer to thoroughly clean your rug. Additionally, ask you rug washer to wash AND deodorise your rug to remove any possible odours.

For non-organic stains (such as dyes or chemicals), it is best to bring the rug immediately to a professional Oriental rug washer.

As a final word, rest assured that most accidents and spills will not harm your rug. And to be sure that your cleaning efforts do not harm the rug either. Keep these steps in mind: blot rather than scrub, no chemical cleaners, and if you use soap, use only a couple of drops. Also, after you clean your stain as described, be sure to dry the area thoroughly to prevent mildew. And when in doubt, bring your rug to a professional Oriental rug washer.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some people like the muted tones that antique rugs offer.

One should be aware, though, that some countries create what looks like antique rugs, but they really are not. They are created that way by chemically treating the rug, therefore stripping the rug of its original color. While that creates a muted tone that some people like, it also greatly diminishes the longevity of the rug and, within a brief period of time, holes appear throughout the rug because the rug, quite literally, disintigrates.

Rugs made in Turkey are not compromised. Rug makers there retain the traditional way of making rugs, using the finest materials and methods to create Turkish rugs. Authentic Turkish rugs will retain their shape, color, and design for 80+ years, if properly cared for. Care is minimal.

Part of the rug-making process by Turks is the superior dying process and materials used to make Turkish rugs. Before being made into rugs, the yarn is washed several times, and, upon completion of the carpet, that same multiple-washing technique is employed. This is done to secure the color and to keep it from running. While it is unlikely a Turkish rug will fade much, if at all, one will notice that their rugs will age gracefully. The term “abrash" is used to suggest the slightly uneven hues characteristic of natural dyes. The term itself is an Arabic word for dappled, and it is caused by factors including slight differences in how wool batches and dyes interact. Much time and care is taken to make colors meld together nicely. The mellowing of color is a much sought-after quality of antique carpets. One will not see fading in a Persian rug like they will in rugs of inferior quality.