119-year-old carpet restored in Turkey

A carpet that was first created well over a century ago has undergone some much-needed restoration work.

The average life of a carpet is between five and fifteen years, depending on traffic and the carpet quality, but this does not apply to all carpets. The largest carpet in Istanbul, Turkey, is in the Dolmabahçe palace, the residence of the crown princes during the Ottoman Empire. This 124-square-metre carpet was woven at the Hereke Imperial Factory 119 years ago during Sultan Osman Abdülhamid's reign.

The carpet, which weighs around one ton, has sections that have been damaged by the sun. Restoration work on the carpet was started by eight expert carpet restorers, who are meticulously repairing the carpet at the Yıldız Şale Residence Carpet Workshop Restoration. Work started several months ago and is expected to take around a year to complete. After the work has finished, the carpet will be returned to the palace, where it should last many more years.

Carpets in Wrexham homes are unlikely to last for a century or more, but there are things that can be done to extend a carpet's life. Regular vacuuming stops dust and dirt from settling in the carpet and causing wear that reduces the carpet's lifespan. When spills occur, it’s important to clear them promptly with a clean cloth or kitchen roll and avoid excess moisture.

Every twelve to eighteen months, carpet owners are advised to deep clean the carpet using a cleaning machine or professional carpet cleaning service.