Silk Rugs
Very fine knot counts, luminous colour that shifts as you walk past, and a fibre that is far less forgiving than wool at every stage.
How to tell
True silk is cool to the touch, changes tone sharply with viewing angle, and is knotted far finer than wool. Mercerised cotton and viscose are sold as art silk and imitate the sheen without any of the strength.
How we clean silk rugs
Silk is handled apart from everything else. It is washed by hand at low temperature with pH kept close to neutral, because alkalinity damages the fibre permanently, and it is dried flat and fast to prevent water marking. Pressure that a wool rug would not notice will crush silk pile flat.
What goes wrong
Water rings from spot cleaning at home, which is the most common reason a silk rug needs professional attention, and crushed pile from furniture that brushing alone will not lift.