How to Paint Oriental Rugs

Examine your rug and determine which colors you need to paint your carpet. Pick similar colors from your collection of fabric paint. Fabric paint adheres to fabric fibers and wears over a long period of time.

Squeeze some fabric paint onto a paper plate. Mix colors if necessary to get the shades you need. Test them by scooping a little paint onto a Popsicle stick and holding it up to your rug. You can also scoop and stir the paint with your sticks.

Dip a sponge gently into your paint. Blot it on a clean part of the paper plate. Dab the paint onto the rug, patting gently but firmly. The color should stick to the fibers but not bleed into other parts of the rug.

Allow the rug to dry for at least 24 hours. If you need to paint more than 20 percent of the rug, let it dry for a full 3 days or more before walking on it again.