Cleaning hooked rugs

Juliet Graham <aardvark<-a t->oncomdis< . >on< . >ca> writes

>I am interested to find information regarding cleaning methods for
>Nova Scotia hooked rugs.

Although we are not textile conservators, we do have experience with
cleaning hooked rugs such as the Nova Scotia type. We have not wet
cleaned any because the burlap can be very weak. Our objects
conservator fashioned a screen of hardware cloth suspended
horizontally about 8" above a table.  After vacuuming thoroughly on
both sides, the rug was laid on the screen and gently "beat" from
underneath the screen with a rug beater.  The amount of dirt, sand,
etc. that came out of the rugs even after they had been vacuumed was
quite surprising.  I should emphasize that we did not beat the rugs
in the traditional sense, just beat the underside of the hardware
cloth to bounced the rug lightly on the screen.  For any more than
that, we'll call on textile conservators.

Rick Kerschner
Chief Conservator
Shelburne Museum

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:14
                 Distributed: Wednesday, August 6, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-14-002
                                  ***