Handmade Rug Services

For more information on our handmade Persian & Oriental rug services or for a free no-obligation quote on any work, contact us on 0141 420 6989 or email info@little-persia.com.

Why put your trust in us?

At Little-Persia we provide a number of services for rug owners and enthusiasts, including rug identification & cleaning, sourcing, repair and insurance valuations. We have over 2,000 unique handmade rugs in stock at any one time and are widely regarded as one of the leading specialists in the UK.

• We have developed and manufactured cutting-edge rug-dusting machinery - we are specialists in this market.
• We only use WoolSafe, high-quality products when cleaning your rugs and carpets.
• Each rug is treated as the unique and precious item that it is - the best cleaning method for one rug may not be right for another.
• Our repair staff are all Iranian ex-weavers - we have decades of rug-weaving experience and you can be assured all work will be to a high standard.
• We can collect from and deliver to your door, from all over the UK.
• If we do not think a repair is worth the cost we will let you know - there are often options at different budgets and we’ll outline these in advance.
• We have carried out cleaning and restoration on historical rugs that subsequently sold at auction for over £75,000 - you can trust us to take care of your rugs.
• At Little-Persia we don’t just view rugs as a business - it’s what we love. When carrying out work it’s important to us that your rug goes back to your home in the best health possible.

The work we do ranges from quick repair jobs to extensive areas of re-knotting. This case study illustrates the type of work we undertake - major Persian rug repair.

The services we provide

1. Professional Persian Rug Cleaning

2. Moth Treatment

3. Antique Washing

4. Persian Rug Repair & Restoration

5. Appraisals & Valuations (Insurance)

6. Rug Sourcing Services

7. Part Exchange and Rug Buying

8. Trade Customers - Interior Designers, Decorators & Retailers

9. Insurance Claims, Work and Valuations

Rug Cleaning

Little-Persia will professionally clean your hand-knotted Persian or Oriental rugs using premium WoolSafe cleaning agents and experienced staff. We focus solely on handmade rugs, giving you peace of mind that your pieces are in respectful hands.

We do not subscribe to ‘one solution fits all’ and will give your rug our complete attention and care. While it’s possible to clean your own rug to an extent (see our rug cleaning guide), we recommend leaving hand-knotted rug cleaning to professionals due to their value and delicate nature. Rugs should be professionally washed every 5–10 years to support a longer life.

We clean using specialised machinery and by hand. Before cleaning begins we’ll agree how intensive the process should be - certain rugs (often older pieces) are best given a gentler wash to maintain integrity; minor repairs may also be suggested. For an in-depth description of our approach see our rug cleaning page.

Please note that we do not recommend attempting to clean silk rugs yourself.

Regular thorough cleaning is important: fine dust can settle in the foundations, causing them to become hard and brittle.

Note: We may refuse to clean artificial silk or viscose/rayon rugs. These materials often bleed dyes and the pile can break or fray. We recommend avoiding them and send our sympathies to those who have been misled. See our buying rugs abroad article for advice.

Moth Damage

We provide moth treatment and control. If you believe your rug is infested, please let us know before bringing it in to prevent cross-contamination. See our moth damage in Persian rugs guide or our moth damage repair page.

If you wish to tackle a moth problem yourself we can provide professional moth spray (powerful but wool-safe). Coverage is 12–25m². Moth sprays can be purchased online or in-store; contact us for multi-buy discounts.

Antique Wash

Antique washing is used in Iran, Afghanistan and India to give rugs an antique or ‘tea-washed’ appearance. Colours become softer and more muted. At Little-Persia we primarily antique-wash fringes rather than entire rugs.

There are several aesthetic benefits to antique-washing cotton fringes: it evens discolouration, hides historic stains/colour run, softens the contrast where previous repairs expose unoxidised warp, and can visually suit certain rugs better than bright white fringes.

Restoration & Repair

Little-Persia offers expert rug restoration and repair for handmade Persian carpets. We repair fringes and selvedges (sides) in our Glasgow gallery and handle tears, holes, wear and moth damage. We only advise major restoration when we believe the rug merits the time and cost.

A rug with selvedges coming loose - early localised repair is less damaging and less expensive.

Repairing a rug with a rip and hole - rebuilding the foundation (warp & weft) and re-weaving to match.

Appraisals/Valuation & Insurance Claims

Do you have a rug you think might be hand-knotted but aren’t sure? Or do you own a handmade rug but don’t know where it’s from? Send us pictures or bring the rug in and we can tell you more about it free of charge.

Please note: We do not provide private-sale valuations. If you wish to sell, local or national auctioneers can advise on likely hammer prices and demand.

We also provide formal written valuations for insurance coverage or claims (replacement value). This fee is refunded if you purchase a replacement rug from Little-Persia.

If you can’t bring the rug to us, we can evaluate from detailed images. Please email clear photos of the front, back, fringe, selvedges and any labels, plus any known provenance.

Pictures

1. Full-rug images (both orientations if possible) to understand design and assess appeal.

2. Close-up of the back at the selvedges showing knots running into the side bindings.

3. Close-up of knots at the fringe (warp) from the back (front also helpful).

4. Close-up with a ruler/tape showing 1 inch horizontally and vertically for KPSI.

You should also include photos of any points of interest: signatures, dates, unusual motifs, areas of low pile, moth damage, tears, stains or colour changes. If staining or damage is part of an insurance claim, the valuation considers replacement value irrespective of that damage (but images should still be provided).

Contact us for more information.

Sourcing & Bespoke Rug Production

Little-Persia can source rugs to your requirements. If you don’t find the right piece in our stock, we can typically locate suitable options within 3–4 weeks via our network (including London, Germany and the US). For very specific needs we can commission bespoke rugs based on your artwork - this is a longer, more expensive process.

We begin with a brief and reference images. When short-listing, we send digital images for review, followed by detailed photos. If you ask us to import a rug to view, a 15–25% non-refundable deposit covers duty, VAT and shipping and minimises our risk; the deposit can be used as credit against another rug if the first doesn’t suit.

One recent project involved sourcing a 9.0m × 6.5m rug for a law firm in Edinburgh. Read the rug sourcing case study.

The process for bespoke rugs is more complex. Everything from wool quality to knots per square inch (KPSI) and washing method must be specified, then the lengthy weaving process begins - from ~3 months to 2 years depending on size and quality. Final colour can vary slightly after washing. In the past we created window hangings for Café Andaluz in Glasgow, based on Turkmen designs and shaped to fit the windows.

Buying or Exchanging Rugs

Looking to sell your Persian or Oriental rug? Little-Persia may be willing to buy from you or offer a trade-in. We hold a large stock (around 1,200). While we do sometimes buy, it would be at trade/auction-type prices; part-exchange is more likely.

Alternatively, we can sell on consignment in-store and online after agreeing a price. Timing depends on demand and price expectations; you can withdraw the rug at any time.

If you can’t bring the rug in, please follow the valuation image guidelines above - include any stains, wear or damage.

Business-to-Business & Interior Designers

We work with other rug companies and interior designers, providing rugs, rug hire and sourcing for trade and design projects, whether one-off or ongoing.

Insurance Claims and Work for Cleaning, Repair and Valuations

We regularly support insurance work on rugs that have been damaged, stained or stolen. Whether you’re an individual claimant or an insurer seeking competitive repair, cleaning or restoration quotes, we can help. We provide insurance valuations, repairs and replacement sourcing, and we keep over 1,200 handmade carpets in stock.

In general, we accept payment after cleaning or repair has been completed, although we may occasionally request a deposit to begin work. Please refer to our terms for details.