As we enter the spring and summer seasons, it’s always a great feeling to open the blinds and let a bit of light and warmth into your home. However, it’s important to be careful which blinds you’re opening, because if you have an oriental rug in that particular room or hallway, then you may want to reconsider letting in the light (or at least moving your rug).

How Does Sunlight Damage My Rug?

Just as the sun’s UV rays can affect the color of our skin, so too can it affect the color of your oriental rug. Over time — and with repeated exposure — your oriental rug’s color will fade due to the harmful UV rays. We have had many clients contact us regarding repairing the lustre of their oriental rug’s color due to sunlight damage and we always stress the importance of keeping your oriental rug away from windows that offer direct light for long periods of time.

How to Prevent UV Damage to Your Rug

Aside from keeping your rug away from windows, there are a few other things you can do to prevent the sun’s rays from fading your oriental rug. First, if you cannot find another place for your oriental rug, then we suggest rolling it up during the times which the sun’s rays are directly on the rug. Next, if the sun only hits a portion of your oriental rug, we recommend rotating the rug every few weeks or month in order to prevent just one spot from fading. Lastly, you can cover your oriental rug with a sheet if you do not want to roll back the portions that are exposed to sunlight.

Keep in mind that the sun’s rays affect both naturally dyed rugs and synthetically dyed rugs equally, which means no type of oriental rug is safe. If you’ve noticed your oriental rug’s color starting to fade due to sunlight, contact us for rug repair services today!