Rug Cleaning & Sanitization | Arsh's Rugs
Rug Cleaning & Sanitization
A clean rug starts before the water touches it.
The most important step in cleaning a handmade rug isn't the wash. It's the vacuum and dust before the wash — because dirt trapped deep in wool turns into mud the moment it gets wet.
At Arsh's, every rug gets a thorough multi-pass vacuum on both sides, followed by mechanical dusting, before a drop of water touches it. That's how we've cleaned rugs for four generations.
Why handmade rugs need a different approach
A wool rug can hold pounds of soil before it ever looks dirty.
Wool fibers under a microscope look like overlapping fish scales — perfect for trapping fine dust, pet dander, grit, and allergens deep below the surface where your home vacuum can't reach. Cleaning the rug correctly means getting that out before any liquid is introduced. Skip that step, and you wash the dirt deeper in.
10×
Hidden Soil
A handmade wool rug can hold up to ten times its visible weight in trapped soil, sand, and dust. Most of it sits in the foundation, not the pile — invisible from the top.
40k
Dusting Vibrations
Our specialized dusting equipment delivers tens of thousands of harmonic vibrations through the rug, dislodging deep-set grit from the warp and weft that no household vacuum can reach.
Cold
Water, Always
Hot water and steam set stains, bleed natural dyes, and strip the lanolin from wool. Every Arsh's wash is cold-water by hand — the way Persian rugs have been washed for centuries.
Our 10-Step Cleaning Process
Every rug, every time — the same protocol.
From the moment your rug arrives at our facility in Carlstadt, NJ, it follows the same ten-step protocol we use for our own inventory. No shortcuts. No batched washes. No detergents that don't belong on wool.
i.
Pre-Wash Inspection
Every rug is examined under bright xenon lighting for fiber type, dye stability, knot count, prior repairs, pet damage, moth activity, and existing stains. The condition report is documented before any work begins, so you know exactly what we found.
ii.
Dye-Bleed & Colorfastness Test
Before any water touches the rug, we test the dyes on a discreet edge. Natural dyes are generally stable, but past in-home cleanings, pet urine, or sun exposure can compromise them. If we detect a risk, we adjust the protocol — or call you before proceeding.
iii.
Thorough Vacuum — Both Sides
The rug is laid face-down and vacuumed slowly on the back first, using a beater bar to vibrate trapped soil out of the foundation. Then flipped and vacuumed face-up with the nap. We repeat this multi-pass vacuum as many times as the rug needs — sometimes four or five passes per side for heavily soiled antiques.
iv.
Mechanical Dusting
What a vacuum can't reach, our dusting equipment can. Tens of thousands of harmonic vibrations are passed through the rug to dislodge grit, sand, and fine particulate from deep in the warp and weft. On a dusty antique, this stage alone can remove several pounds of soil — the difference between a wash and a clean.
v.
Spot & Stain Pre-Treatment
Identified spots are treated individually with fiber-safe, pH-neutral spotting agents — pet urine with enzyme solutions, oil-based stains with appropriate solvents, organic stains with mild oxidizers. Each is selected for the specific fiber and dye, never a one-size-fits-all formula.
vi.
Cold-Water Hand Wash
The rug is fully immersed in cold, soft water and hand washed with a pH-neutral, wool-safe shampoo that preserves the lanolin in the fiber. Worked through with soft brushes in the direction of the nap. No steam, no hot water, no machine agitation — these damage handmade rugs.
vii.
Complete Rinse
Multiple cold-water rinses until the runoff is fully clear. Residual soap left in a rug attracts dirt and dulls the color — a thorough rinse is what makes the wool feel and look like wool again.
viii.
Controlled Air-Dry
The rug is laid flat or hung in our climate-controlled drying room with circulating air. No machine drying, no direct sun. Proper drying takes two to four days and prevents the dye-bleed, shrinkage, and mildew that happen when a rug is dried too quickly or unevenly.
ix.
Grooming & Fringe Finishing
Once dry, the pile is groomed with the nap so the rug lays correctly. Fringes are hand-washed separately, combed straight, and finished. Any minor edge or fringe issues identified at intake are flagged for optional repair before return.
x.
Final Inspection, Wrap & Return
A second xenon-lit inspection confirms the clean meets our standard. The rug is rolled in breathable wrapping and returned by our team or by insured carrier. If you dropped it off, we'll show you the rug side-by-side with your intake photos before you take it home.
What We Clean
Every weave, every fiber, every age.
Our process is calibrated to the specific fiber and construction of each rug. If you don't see your piece below, we still likely clean it — just ask.
01
Hand-Knotted Wool
Persian, Turkish, Pakistani, Indian, Afghan — the core of what we do. Fully reversible cold-water wash.
02
Silk & Wool-Silk
Silk requires extreme care: lower water temperature, lighter agitation, gentler shampoos. Always hand washed individually.
03
Antique & Collectible
Heirloom pieces over a century old, with fragile dyes and worn foundations. Conservation-grade approach throughout.
04
Kilim & Flat-Weave
Flat-weaves are dense and trap grit between every thread. They benefit especially from the multi-pass dust before any wash.
05
Tribal & Vegetable-Dyed
Hand-spun wool with natural plant dyes — madder, indigo, walnut, weld. Tested individually for colorfastness before washing.
06
Bamboo Silk & Viscose
Plant-fiber rugs that look like silk but behave very differently when wet. We use a dry-side method to avoid water damage.
07
Pet & Odor Damage
Enzyme treatments for urine and biological contaminants, followed by full immersion wash and odor neutralization.
08
Post-Flood & Smoke
Water-damaged or smoke-exposed rugs require immediate decontamination and odor remediation before normal cleaning can begin.
Our Standard
Green protocol, conservation-grade result.
Every rug we clean is treated to the standard we use on our own inventory — including hand-knotted Persian and Turkish pieces worth thousands of dollars. The protocol is environmentally sustainable, fiber-safe, and conservation-grade, with no harsh chemicals, no shortcuts, and no concessions.
Our cleaning facility is in Carlstadt, New Jersey. We offer scheduled pickup and delivery throughout the New York and New Jersey metro area, and insured shipping for clients across the 48 continental states.
Eco-Safe Shampoos
pH-neutral, wool-safe, biodegradable. No solvents, no bleach, no optical brighteners that fade natural dyes.
Cold Water Only
Hot water and steam damage handmade rugs. We use cold, soft water at every stage — wash and rinse alike.
One Rug at a Time
No batched washes, no shared tubs. Every rug gets its own dye test, its own protocol, and its own undivided attention.
Free Estimates
Send photos or bring the rug to our Carlstadt facility. Every quote is written, scoped, and confirmed before work begins.
Frequently Asked
What clients ask before scheduling a cleaning.
How often should a handmade rug be professionally cleaned?
For most handmade rugs in active use, every three to five years is the right cadence. High-traffic areas, homes with pets or young children, or rugs in entryways should be cleaned every two to three years. Storage rugs and lightly used pieces can go five to seven years between professional cleanings.
How much does it cost?
Cost depends on the fiber, size, and condition. Standard wool rugs are priced per square foot; silk, antique, and pet-damaged rugs are quoted individually. Every job receives a written estimate after intake inspection — there are no surprise charges at pickup.
How long will the cleaning take?
Plan on seven to fourteen business days from drop-off to pickup. Most of that time is the controlled air-drying stage, which can't be rushed without risking dye bleed or shrinkage. Antique and silk rugs may take longer.
Do you offer pickup and delivery?
Yes — scheduled pickup and delivery is available throughout the New York and New Jersey metro area. For clients outside the region, we accept rugs by insured carrier and return them the same way.
What should I do before bringing my rug in?
Nothing. Don't try to vacuum it aggressively, don't spot-treat with household products, and please don't have it cleaned by a general carpet cleaner first. The rug tells us more in its current state than after well-meaning intervention.
Can you handle pet urine and odor?
Yes. Pet urine is one of the most common reasons rugs come to us. Enzyme pre-treatment, full immersion wash, and odor-neutralization can fully resolve most cases. Severe or chronic urine saturation that has reached the foundation may require additional restoration.
Will my rug's colors fade or bleed?
Properly cleaned by hand in cold water with pH-neutral shampoo, no — handmade rugs hold their colors beautifully. Damage from bleeding typically comes from steam cleaning, hot water, harsh detergents, or DIY attempts. Our pre-wash dye test is specifically designed to catch any bleed risk before the rug enters the wash.
Do you offer cleaning packages with repair?
Yes. Many rugs benefit from cleaning paired with repair — fringe restoration, edge binding, or small reweaves are easiest to address while the rug is already at our facility. We'll flag any issues at intake inspection.
Schedule a Cleaning
Tell us about your rug. We'll send back a quote.
Include a few photos — front, back, and any spots or damage you're worried about — and we'll reply with a written estimate and a pickup or shipping plan within two business days. Do not forget to add in your contact information.
Workshop
820 Washington Ave, Suite 2
Carlstadt, NJ 07072
Contact
(201) 552-2733
Info@Arshs.com
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