Hand washing
Rug cleaning, by hand.
The same hands that conserve antique rugs also wash the rug in your hallway. Every rug is dusted, color-tested and washed by hand in clean water, then dried flat, which is the only method that lifts the grit a rug collects at the base of its pile.
What the work involves.
The work
Every rug is inspected front and back before it is wet. We look at the fiber, the foundation and any earlier repairs, and test each color for bleed. If a rug turns out to be older or finer than expected, we tell you before washing and suggest conservation instead.
Next comes dusting. Most of what dulls a rug is dry soil packed deep in the pile, and it has to come out before any water goes in; wet grit turns to mud and wears the foundation from within. The rug is then washed by full immersion, worked by hand along the direction of the pile, and rinsed until the water runs clear.
Drying is as important as washing. Rugs are dried flat under controlled airflow so the foundation stays square and the ends stay true. Once dry, the pile is groomed, fringes are checked, and small repairs agreed at the outset, such as secured ends or rebound sides, are carried out before the rug comes home.
Spills, pet accidents and odor are treated as part of the wash rather than on the surface, because urine and sugary liquids travel into the foundation. Moth activity is dealt with before washing so it does not return.
Inspection and dye testing
Every color tested before any water is used.
Dusting
Dry soil removed from the back before washing.
Full-immersion hand wash
Worked by hand, rinsed until clear.
Flat drying and grooming
Square, soft and ready for the floor.
Edge and fringe care
Ends secured and sides rebound as needed.
Rugs that need a different wash.
Specialist cleaning
Some rugs need more than a standard wash. Persian, Turkish and Caucasian pieces collected from city apartments are covered on our oriental rug cleaning page for Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Silk and wool-silk rugs are cleaned more slowly still, with cool water and a neutral solution; see silk rug cleaning.
Fitted carpet is cleaned in place rather than in the studio. Our wall-to-wall carpet service covers on-site cleaning, repair and new installation. Rugs that have been flooded or soaked should go to our water damage restoration team first, because hours matter.
What to send us.
What to send us
For a cleaning quote we need very little. Send a photograph of the whole rug, a close-up of the pile and one of the back, and the approximate size. Tell us the fiber if you know it, whether there are pets in the house, and whether there are stains, odors or areas of wear you are worried about.
Let us know where the rug lives and how to reach it: the floor, whether there is an elevator, and any building rules. We will arrange collection around them.
The whole rug and the back
A close-up of the pile
Approximate size and fiber
Stains, pets or odors to mention
Timelines and pricing.
Timelines and pricing
Cleaning is priced by the square foot, with the rate set by construction and fiber; repairs are quoted separately after we have seen the rug. See our pricing page for how figures are reached. Workshop rug cleaning takes about two weeks on average; every rug is different, and any repairs needed will extend that time.
Where the work is done depends on the piece and what it needs. Cleaning, repair and restoration are carried out at our Williston Park workshop or in your home, and our Greenpoint studio in Brooklyn is there for city clients to bring a piece in and meet us. Pickup and delivery are free.
Frequently asked.
Questions
- How often should a rug be washed?
- It depends on the room. A rug in a hallway or under a dining table needs washing more often than one in a quiet bedroom. We advise on each rug when it comes in.
- Is it safe to wash an antique rug in water?
- With the right preparation, yes. We test every color first and dry the rug flat under control. Steam cleaning and rotary machines are what damage old rugs, not water.
- Can you remove pet stains and odor?
- Usually. We flush and neutralize the affected area and wash the whole rug by immersion. If a dye has already moved, we will tell you honestly what can be recovered.
Related reading
How much does oriental rug cleaning cost in NYC and Long Island?
Rug cleaning prices are almost always quoted by the square foot, but that figure hides a lot. Here is what drives it up, and what a suspiciously cheap quote usually leaves out.
How to clean a wall-to-wall carpet without ruining it
Vacuuming, blotting, extraction, and drying, the routine that keeps fitted carpet looking new, and the three mistakes that wear it out early.
Inquiry
Book a cleaning.
Tell us the size, the fiber if you know it, and where the rug lives. We arrange pickup and quote before the rug leaves your floor.