A - Many chemical stabilizers have been tested and used to ‘set’ dyes in fabrics, including Oriental rugs, over the years.  One of the components of urine is urea, and two forms of urea are found in shampoos and other cleansers.  Of course, today they are chemically produced, thank goodness! 

Like the lye soap of old, we would be pretty disturbed to find out ingredients to some of our modern day cleanser precursors, but yes, urine was used 100 years ago in India during the dye making process (heavy boiling included). However, there was no ‘wetting on the rug!’

Some of the worst damage we see here in the showroom is from pet soiling (liquid and solid) and water damage from where a plant that has set on the rug and been chronically overwatered and the spill undetected until the rug was damaged.

Today, the re-creation rugs made in India use chemical dyes, like the ones in our modern clothing.  So, rest assured, ‘wetting’ on the rug is purely accidental! 

I hope you have enjoyed this question and its answer!       - Ahmad