If you’re lucky, your silk rug will be in a low-traffic area. If it’s a high-traffic area and you spill water on the rug, you’ll likely need to clean it more than once.
Once you spill water on a silk rug, it’s essential to act quickly. The following will help you clean up your rug before it gets damaged.
Air dry your silk rug.
You probably want to let your rug air dry by laying it flat on its back in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight for several days or until completely dry.
This is an easy way to restore your tribal rugs previous state. Do not try to speed up this process by using heat because this may damage your silk rug beyond repair.
Gather up the rug and place it in a bathtub or on a large towel
If air drying is not an option, another thing you can do is to gather up the rug and place it in a bathtub or on a large towel. This will help protect it from further damage and make it easier for you to clean.
Blot the water with another towel.
Blot the water with another towel. Do not rub or scrub at the stain, or you may cause further damage to the rug’s fibers.
This can be especially true if your silk rug has fringe or tassels since these can be easily damaged if rubbed too hard while trying to remove a stain from the carpet itself.
Use a hair dryer to help the silk dry faster.
If your silk rug has been soaked in water, use a hair dryer or fan to help it dry faster. Use indirect heat so you don’t overheat the silk fibers, which could permanently damage them. Another thing about direct heat is that it could burn the rug and make it warp or shrink.
Wash with mild detergent and warm water.
After removing as much water as possible with paper towels and blotting with a clean cloth, use a mild detergent to wash the affected areas gently but thoroughly in warm water.
Rinse well with warm water and blot dry gently with paper towels or clean cloths until no more moisture remains on the silk fibers.
Rub vinegar over the spillage.
To remove mildew or mold stains from silk rugs, use white vinegar and water (1 part vinegar to 1 part water). Dip a cotton ball in this solution and rub gently over the stain until it disappears.
If this doesn’t work for you and your silk rug still shows signs of being wet after drying for several days, try contacting a professional cleaner who cleans silk rugs.
Sprinkle some baking soda onto the carpet.
Sprinkle baking soda onto the carpet and rub it gently with your fingers or hands until the rug absorbs all the baking soda.
The baking soda absorbs moisture from the carpet fibers and makes them fluffy again, reducing their chances of getting damaged due to fraying or wrinkling.
Bottom Line.
If you have a silk rug, you probably want to keep it safe and sound. Removing water from antique rugs can be tricky because silk is delicate and must be handled carefully. The right cleaning method can make that happen. The wrong method can damage the rug beyond repair.
You don’t want to rub it too hard or use harsh chemicals on it as this could cause damage to the silk fibers.