Moroccan rugs
Beni Ourain, Azilal, Boucherouite, kilim: how to recognise them, check they are real, choose the size and keep them for thirty years.
A hand-knotted wool rug from the Atlas takes weeks to make and outlives most furniture. Names are used loosely in shops, so it helps to know what you are looking at.
In short
- Turn the rug over: on a hand-knotted rug you see every knot, slightly irregular, and the pattern is as clear as on the front.
- The fringe of a real rug is the end of its own threads. A fringe sewn on afterwards is a warning.
- New wool rugs shed for a few months. That is normal and it stops.
- Vacuum without the rotating brush, turn the rug twice a year, and never put it in a washing machine.
The main families
- Beni Ourain
- Middle Atlas. Thick cream wool with dark brown or black diamonds and lines. A deep, soft pile made for cold winters.
- Azilal
- High Atlas. Cream ground with coloured, free-hand motifs. Thinner than a Beni Ourain; every one is different.
- Boujad
- From the plains around Boujad. Reds, pinks and oranges that fade softly with age.
- Beni Mguild
- Middle Atlas. Dense pile in deep reds, purples and blues; heavy and warm.
- Mrirt
- From the Khénifra area. Very dense, silky wool; among the most expensive new rugs.
- Taznakht
- South of the High Atlas. Saffron yellow, red and black; flat weave, embroidery and pile are often mixed in one piece.
- Zanafi
- Black and white flat weave with fine stripes and diamonds. Light, good for halls and kitchens.
- Kilim (hanbel)
- Flat woven, with no pile. Light, reversible, easy to shake out; a good first rug and a good wall hanging.
- Boucherouite
- Made at home from strips of recycled cloth. Bright and inexpensive; it is not wool.
- Rabat carpet
- A city carpet, finely knotted, with a red field, a central medallion and borders: the formal carpet of old houses.
Checking a rug before you pay
- Look at the back. Hand knots are uneven. A machine-made back is perfectly regular, often with a stiff mesh or a glued cloth.
- Look at where the fringe starts: it should come out of the rug itself.
- Smell and touch. Wool smells faintly of sheep and feels slightly oily. Acrylic is shiny, light and squeaks under the fingers.
- Ask to burn one loose fibre. Wool smells of burnt hair and goes out by itself; synthetic fibre melts into a hard bead.
- Measure it yourself. Handmade rugs are never exactly rectangular; a difference of 3 to 5 cm from one end to the other is usual.
- Rub a damp white cloth on a dark area. Colour on the cloth means the dye will run.
- Ask where it was woven and whether it is new or old. An honest seller answers without hesitation.
Which size
- With a sofa and armchairs
- Large enough for the front legs of every seat to rest on it: usually 200 x 300 cm in an ordinary living room.
- In a Moroccan salon
- Leave 20 to 30 cm of floor visible between the rug and the benches.
- Under a dining table
- The size of the table plus 60 cm on each side, so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out.
- Bedroom
- One large rug under the lower two thirds of the bed, or a runner of 80 x 200 cm on each side.
- Hall
- A runner that leaves 10 to 15 cm of floor on each side.
Daily care
- Vacuum once a week with suction only. A rotating brush pulls the wool out.
- Turn the rug half a turn every six months, so wear and sunlight even out.
- Put an anti-slip underlay beneath: it protects the knots and prevents falls.
- Spills: blot at once with a white cloth, from the edge towards the centre. Do not rub.
- Then use cold water with a little mild soap or white vinegar, blot again and dry flat.
- Air the rug outside on a dry day, in the shade. Strong sun fades natural dyes.
- A full wash every two or three years: by a rug cleaner, or outside in summer with cold water, mild soap and a soft brush in the direction of the pile, then a long rinse and several days drying flat.
Moths and storage
- Moths lay their eggs in dark, undisturbed wool: under beds and furniture. Vacuum there too, and the back of the rug twice a year.
- Before storing a rug, have it cleaned. Moths go for dirt and food stains first.
- Roll it, never fold it, with the pile inside, and wrap it in a cotton sheet. Plastic traps damp.
- Add cedar wood or lavender and check every few months.
- A small rug with moths can be sealed in a bag and left in a freezer for at least three days. Then vacuum it well.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying by the name only. A rug in the Beni Ourain style is not a Beni Ourain.
- A rug too small for the room: it makes the room look smaller.
- Steam cleaners, washing machines and bleach.
- Storing a rug in plastic in a cellar.
- Trusting a certificate of authenticity printed by the shop. Look at the back of the rug instead.