Care

How to Store a Rug Long-Term Without Damaging It

By Storied Rugs8 min read

In stock now: 2006 Persian rugs

Two rugs rolled and fully wrapped in white cotton on fir shelves in a shaded paneled storeroom, baskets and a chest below

To store a rug for months or years, clean it, dry it completely and roll it around a tube instead of folding it. Wrap the roll in something breathable, not plastic, and lay it on a shelf in a dry room with a steady temperature. Put nothing on top of it, and unroll it to check it every few months. Most storage damage comes from damp, moths or weight, and each step guards against one of them.

Red and black Persian rug drying flat on a slatted pine rack on a shaded stone porch, beside a weathered bench and potted lavender — A washed rug drying flat on a slatted rack in the shade, with air moving under it. It has to be dry right through, cotton threads included, before it is rolled for storage.

Clean it and dry it first

Dirt that sits in a rug for a year does more harm than dirt you vacuum up next week. Food traces, spills and pet accidents attract moth larvae, and stains that could have come out set over the months. For a rug going away for a long time, a professional wash by a rug specialist is the safest start. At the very least, vacuum both sides well with suction only, as described in how to clean a wool rug at home.

Then make sure it is dry all the way through, including the cotton threads underneath. A rug rolled up damp comes out spotted with mildew, and cotton left damp long enough rots.^[1] Drying takes longer than people expect, and a thick rug can take days. That is why drying is its own step in how our vintage rugs are washed and restored.

Roll it, don’t fold it

A fold is fine for a few days. Our rugs travel folded and the lines come out, as how to flatten a rug explains. Over months, though, a fold sets into a crease. All the strain of the bend sits on the same line of the foundation, and on an old rug with dried-out cotton, that line can crack.^[2]

Roll the rug around a stiff tube a little longer than the rug is wide, so the edges are supported instead of hanging off the ends.^[3] Start at one short end and roll loosely and evenly. Keep the sides lined up so the roll doesn’t drift into a cone. A wider tube gives a gentler curve. Lay the fringe out straight at the start so it doesn’t fold under.

Which way should the pile face? People do it both ways. Rug dealers usually roll a rug pile side in, which protects the face, and that is what our rug care page suggests. Some textile conservators prefer pile side out for old pieces, so the pile isn’t pressed in on itself around the tube.^[3] For a rug in good condition either works. A loose roll on a wide tube matters more than the direction.

Two rolled rugs tied with cotton tape stand on end against white paneling, knotted backs outside, beside a chair and lamp — Rolled rugs standing on end, which is fine for a day or two. For months of storage, lay the roll on its side and support it along its whole length.

Wrap it in something breathable

Plastic is the most common mistake. It feels protective, but it traps moisture against the wool, and every change in temperature can leave condensation inside the wrap. That is how rugs come out of storage with mildew or a weakened foundation.^[2]

Use a clean cotton sheet, muslin or breathable paper. Wrap it around the roll and tie it loosely with cotton tape in a few places.^[3] If you need tape, stick the wrap to itself and keep the tape off the rug.

Store the rug pad separately. Rubber and cheap PVC pads can stick to the back of a rug or mark it when they are rolled up together for a long time. Rug Pads 101 explains the difference between pads. Don’t count on cedar blocks to keep moths away either.^[4] A clean rug in a breathable wrap that you check regularly is the real protection, and moths in wool rugs explains why.

Navy Mahal runner half rolled up on pale oak floorboards in a pale blue bedroom, with a cotton sheet and tape beside it — A Mahal runner, 3 feet 5 inches by 10 feet 4 inches, halfway through being rolled. Rolled from one end, a runner makes a narrow roll that one person can wrap and put on a shelf.

Keep it on a shelf, off the floor, with nothing on top

Lay the roll on its side on a shelf or rack that supports it along its whole length. A rug left standing on end for months slowly slumps under its own weight, and the bottom of the roll gets crushed and creased. Keep it off the floor as well. Concrete draws up moisture, and a rug on the floor is the first thing a leak finds.

Put nothing on top of it. Boxes, furniture or another rug stacked on a roll flatten the pile in a band and press creases into the layers underneath.^[2] A room-size rug makes a long, heavy roll, so work out where it will go before you start, and roll and lift it with two people.^[3]

Navy and gold Kashan rolled from a short end, knotted back outside, lying along a long wooden rack in a white brick storeroom — A Kashan, 10 feet by 13 feet 3 inches, rolled from a short end. The roll is about ten feet long, which needs a shelf that long and two people to lift it.

Choose a dry room with a steady temperature

The wrong places are usually the ones with space to spare. Attics get hot and swing between hot and cold.^[2] Basements are damp. Garages and outdoor sheds are both, and they let in insects and mice. A closet inside the house, or a climate-controlled storage unit, is better. In a unit, keep the roll on a shelf or pallet and away from an outside wall, where condensation forms.

Aim for moderate and steady: no damp, no big swings in temperature and no sun falling on one end of the roll. Darkness is fine for the rug, but moths like it too, and so do carpet beetles, which is why the next step matters.

How to store a Persian or oriental rug

Store a Persian or other oriental rug the same way as any wool rug: clean, dry, rolled on a tube, wrapped in cotton and checked. For everyday storage a shelf is fine. For a large or valuable rug that will be put away for years, conservators go one step further and take the weight off the roll. They slide a sealed wooden dowel or a metal pipe through the tube and rest its ends on brackets, so the rug never presses on the shelf.^[3]

Before a valuable rug goes away, check it for pests, because storage gives them months undisturbed. If you find moths or carpet beetles, deal with them first. A small rug can be frozen, as moths in wool rugs explains, and only then wrapped and rolled.

Check it every few months

Unroll the rug, all the way if you have the space and partly if you don’t, and look at both sides. Look for three things. Webbing, sandy grit the color of the wool or bare patches mean moths. A musty smell or spotting means damp. Also check for anything that has shifted or creased.

Vacuum the rug, let it air for a while and roll it back up. Pay the most attention to the back, where problems show first. If you find damage, Persian rug repair covers what can be done.

Small navy and cream Torkaman lying face down on a pale oak floor, its knotted back showing the same medallions, gray slippers beside it — The back of a Torkaman, 2 feet by 2 feet 11 inches, laid face down. This is the side to check on a stored rug. Even rows of wool knots mean all is well, while bare cotton threads mean something has been eating the wool.

Taking it out of storage

When the rug comes out for good, unroll it in the room where it will live and give it time. Roll marks and lifted ends settle with warmth and footsteps, and how to flatten a rug covers the stubborn ones. If it goes under a bed or sofa, see how to put a rug under heavy furniture by yourself.

Handle the ends gently on the way in and out of storage, because they are the most fragile part of any rug. Our post on rug fringe explains why they matter and how to keep them sound. If you plan to hang a small rug instead of storing it, how to hang a rug on the wall shows the safe way.