A hand-knotted carpet is meant to outlive you. Here is the small amount of care that makes that promise good.
Vacuum in the direction of the pile, without the beater bar. Run your hand across the surface — one direction feels smooth, the other resists. Follow the smooth one, and the carpet will not fuzz.
Rotate the carpet 180 degrees twice a year. Sunlight and footfall are never even across a room, and rotating spreads both so the piece ages as one.
Blot spills, never rub. Press a clean white cloth straight down until the liquid lifts. Rubbing pushes the stain into the knot, where it sets.
Once every three to five years, have it professionally hand-washed — not steam cleaned. Hot water and harsh detergent strip the lanolin out of wool, and lanolin is what keeps a carpet resilient.
Use a good underlay. It stops slippage, adds a little softness underfoot, and takes a surprising amount of the abrasion that would otherwise go into the foundation.
