FLATTENING AN OLD BRAIDED RUG

Too often, we hear from people who have discovered, inherited or rescued an old braided rug that just won’t lay flat. The problem is usually in the center of the rug which bulges up while the edges lay reasonably well. The owner’s first worry is that the rug needs to be taken apart and re-laced completely, but usually that isn’t the case.

The center bulges in old rugs are most often caused by folding the rug for storage which puts a lot of stress on the thread or lacing that is holding the rug together. The threads are the weakest part of the rug, and they stretch, so when the rug is unfolded, a bulge appears. If the rug was folded in quarters, the center bulges. If the rug was folded in half and then rolled up, the bulge appears all along the folded area—either across the rug or from end to end.

As long as the rug is otherwise sound, it can be reflattened and cleaned at the same time. (If it is coming apart at the rounds, repair them first.) You’ll need a large, flat, waterproof surface to work on because the rug will need to get completely wet all of the way through. A shady spot outdoors is the easiest since you can use a hose (sunshine will fade wet wool). Saturate the rug completely with water and gently scrub the surface with a sponge or a cloth and a wool-safe liquid soap. Then rinse with lots and lots of water. Turn the rug over and repeat the process on the other side.

When handling a wet rug, never pick it up by an edge. A wet rug is so heavy that it can break the threads that hold it together. Instead, handle the rug as a unit—bunched up or rolled up. With large rugs, it can take two or three people to handle them wet.

After washing and rinsing both sides, make sure the rug is evenly spread and as flat as it will go. While it is thoroughly wet, you will be able to pat any high areas down flat. Then leave the rug to dry for a day. Turn the rug over, spread it again and let it dry some more. You want the rug to be completely dry before using it, so you may need to turn it more than once. When it is very nearly dry, it can be hung over a wide railing (not a clothesline) to finish drying.

To transport the rug, roll it up—don’t fold it. And, of course store the rug rolled up so it doesn’t stretch out again!