Do you know what a tea-washed rug is? It’s a term used for rugs that have been over-dyed with a brown or gold “tea-like” spray, which darkens the fibers, making them appear to have the look of an older rug.
It is also often used to hide flaws in a rug, such as discolored areas or dye migration, which may have occurred in the wash it received before being exported.
If you see that the base of the fibers is lighter than its tips, then you want to test the stability of this over-dye application.
If it rubs off with just the use of a dry or damp white cotton towel, then your cleaning process — no matter which method — will remove this application and may change the overall look of the rug, and is unavoidable by the cleaner.
Photo credit: Rug Chick
