Our Rug Cleaning and Kilim Cleaning Process

Our superior kilim and rug cleaning services are an important way we help our clients preserve and care for their handmade kilims and rugs - including Persian, Turkish, Moroccan, Chinese, Indian, Bolivian, Caucasian, Aubusson, Savonnerie, and all other handknotted rugs and carpets; Persian, Turkish, Moroccan, Chinese, Indian, Navajo kilims, dhurries, tapestries, cecims, and all other handwoven pieces. 

Our team of experienced craftspeople cleans rugs and kilims using effective and safe techniques employed by the most experienced artisans throughout the carpet weaving world.  In order to assess how best to care for each piece entrusted to us, we provide a detailed pre-inspection of every piece - from the smallest kilim to the palace size Persian carpet.  The first step in our cleaning process is to relay all risks and concerns to our clients so that they know what to expect from the carpet cleaning process.  Subsequently, each carpet entrusted to us undergoes:

• A Thorough Dry Dusting:  we clean all carpets to remove the dust particles that reside deep between the fibers at the intersection where warps meet wefts and in between the fibers that comprise the pile.  These are particles that are not generally extracted by ordinary vacuuming;

• Soaking and Brushing:  we soak all carpets for a pre-determined amount of time and follow it with a thorough and extensive brushing of the entire piece,  including the piece's fringes.  We take due care to minimize the risk of damage caused by possible color-run and compromising sensitive fibers in the piece's weaving; and

• Complete and Thorough Drying: we allow the piece to thoroughly dry to minimize the risk of the wool shrinking, curling, or compromising the shape of the rug or kilim.

Our Carpet Cleaning and Kilim Cleaning Pricing Policy

Part of our commitment to ensuring superior customer service includes providing a clear pricing policy for all of our services so that our customers can plan accordingly:  

The professional cleaning of all hand knotted rugs and hand woven kilims costs $4.50 per square foot, with the exception of the following three different categories of rugs and kilims: (1) silk, (2) antique (i.e., those pieces over 100 years old), and (3) Moroccan rugs and kilims.

Prices vary for the professional cleaning of  silk, antique, and Moroccan rugs because the quality and condition of these pieces and the yarns of which they are comprised tend to vary greatly.  We will provide cleaning estimates for silk, antique, and Moroccan pieces upon an in person inspection.   Besides these three select categories, the cost of professionally cleaning all rugs and kilims is $4.50 per square foot.

Below are the costs of professionally cleaning the most common sizes of wool, non-antique, and non-Moroccan Oriental carpets and kilims:

• 2' x 8':  $   72.00
• 3' x 5':  $   67.50
• 5' x 7':  $ 157.50 
• 6' x 9':  $ 243.00
• 8' x 10':  $ 360.00
• 9' x 12':  $ 486.00

We provide free pick up and delivery service to all of our clients in the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester County, parts of Long Island, and parts of New Jersey. 

We ask that clients outside the NYC area, including international clients, contact us to learn about our shipping policies. 

Our Commitment To Our Clients

We are committed to providing superior customer service.  To read what just a few of our many satisfied clients have felt about our services, please visit our testimonials page.   To read more detailed accounts of our services, please visit our blog , which we update regularly so as to share our various projects with our clients and with the general community of rug and kilim followers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kilim and Rug Cleaning

How often should I have my rug or kilim professionally cleaned?

As a general rule, professional kilim and rug cleaning should be done every two to three years.  However, if your rug or kilim is in a high traffic area and you and members of your household walk with shoes on in your home, you may consider cleaning your rug or kilim more frequently.  Likewise, if your rug or kilim is not in a high traffic area of your home, you do not have pets, and you and other household members remove your shoes in the home, you may go for longer periods without cleaning your rugs.  It is good practice in between professional cleanings to vacuum your rugs and kilims (on a low suction setting and excluding the fringes or other delicate areas) regularly to remove the dust particles that settle in the fibers.  In addition, as we often note in our blog , if your rug or kilim is in need of repair or restoration , it is advisable, in most circumstances, to have your rug or kilim cleaned before the repair and/or restoration .  (For more information about how to care for kilims, please visit our articles page.)

Can I clean my own rug or kilim myself?

Yes, you can clean your own rugs and kilims in your home, but we do not recommend it if you do not have experience with the necessary kilim or rug cleaning process.  In fact, in most households in the Middle East, people clean their handmade rugs and kilims at home.  However, handmade rug and kilim cleaning requires knowledge of how to clean the natural fibers, how to control dye run, and how to properly dry the rug or kilim.  This knowledge is most easily gained from trial and error, which often means that the first few times one attempts to clean a piece, one may make a mistake that may permanently damage the rug or kilim.  Therefore, we do not recommend you to clean your rugs and kilims at home unless you have significant experience in rug and kilim cleaning and have the necessary space where the cleaning and, equally important, the drying can properly take place.

Are there any risks involved in kilim and rug cleaning?

There are always risks involved when cleaning / washing rugs and kilims.  Because handmade rugs and kilims are by nature one-of-a-kind, each rug or kilim requires individual attention and poses individual risks.  A common risk during the cleaning process is the possibility that the colors of a piece may run.  It is important that a professional cleaning include a pre-inspection of the piece so as to assess how best to care for the piece and to minimize the risk of any damaging color run or similar problem.  It is important to note, however, that it is impossible to entirely eliminate all risks, including color-run.  Clients should be wary of cleaners who claim that there are no risks involved in the cleaning process. 

How long does it take to clean my rug or kilim?

Generally, the rug and kilim cleaning process usually takes approximately 7-10 business days. 

What types of rugs do you clean?

We clean all types of handmade rugs:  hand knotted rugs, hand woven kilims, hand hooked rugs, dhurries, and hand embroidered wall hanging, tapestries, and cecims.  Each of these rugs requires specific cleaning techniques.

If you have reason to believe that your rug is suffering from a moth infestation, it is very important that you take steps to cease any damage being caused to your rug as soon as possible.  Remove the rug from its current location and thoroughly clean the area.  Have your rug professionally cleaned to remove the moths.  Depending on how soon you treated the rug after moths infested it, you may have to repair damaged areas.  Please visit our blog for images of a live moth infestation.

Do you provide Oriental rug cleaning, Persian rug cleaning, and Turkish rug cleaning services? 

Yes, we provide professional cleaning and restoration services for all hand knotted rugs.  A note about terminology:  We have found that many clients seeking cleaning and restoration services for their hand knotted rugs often are confused by the many terms used to describe hand knotted rugs.  "Oriental rug" and "Oriental carpet" are  generic terms often used to refer to any rug or carpet made through the difficult and time-consuming art of hand knotting pile over an extended warp.  Often the term "Oriental rug" is used interchangeably with the term "Persian rug," although technically the terms are distinct.  Like the term "Oriental rug," the term "Persian rug" has come to mean something somewhat different from its original meaning.  Often, "Persian rug" is used to refer to any hand knotted rug no matter what its country of origin (as is the term "Oriental rug"), although technically and originally a Persian rug is a rug that originates from Iran.  Nevertheless, through consistent usage over the past century, Western audiences understand both Oriental rugs and Persian rugs to be interchangeable terms that encompass any hand knotted rug, including those rugs originating from Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Jordan, Armenian, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, Tibet, Nepal, and even beyond. 

Do you offer free pick up and delivery for your rug cleaning and rug restoration services?

Yes, we offer free pick up and delivery of our client's rugs and kilims in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester County, Suffolk County, Nassau County, and parts of Long Island and New Jersey.  Please contact us for more details.

Do you provide services outside New York City?

Yes, we offer kilim and rug cleaning and restoration services outside New York City.  Please contact us for more details.

What is your payment policy?

We accept payment by MasterCard, Visa, and American Express through Paypal and in the form of checks or cash upon delivery of your rug or kilim.