Oriental Rug Cleaning in Red Hook, Brooklyn

Red Hook lofts and row houses are full of character, and a hand-knotted rug often adds to it: a worn Persian on wide plank floors, a tribal rug in a studio, or a family piece carried from home to home.

These rugs are tough but not careless-proof. Near the harbor, damp air and salt grit add extra wear, and moisture under a rug on a ground floor can damage the foundation threads.

Our crew collects it, our rug team hand washes it off-site, and it comes home only after it has dried right through.

The quote comes after a look at the rug, its size and its condition.

Every piece is looked over first: fringe, side cords, the back, the foundation threads, plus any sign of old water damage, dry rot or moths. You hear what we found before any washing starts.

Then we test the dyes. Old natural dyes can bleed, so the wash is chosen to keep them stable.

Dry soil is removed from the back of the rug. In a waterfront home this is often fine grit and sand blown in from the street.

Washing is done by hand with mild, wool-safe soap, then the rug is rinsed until the water runs clear. The fringe gets its own hand cleaning.

Drying is slow and complete. For rugs from damp homes, this step is the most important one, because a rug that stays wet can weaken from the inside.

Rugs that lived in a studio can carry paint drips, glue or sawdust. Tell us what kind of work happens in the room, so we can choose a safe way to treat those spots.

To protect a fine rug in a humid apartment, use a breathable pad, keep it off damp floors and air the room often.

If a rug needs fringe or edge repair, we will say so at the inspection. You decide whether to go ahead with repairs before we wash it.

Machine-made rugs belong with our area rug service. Up the hill, Carroll Gardens oriental rug cleaning works the same way.

Want a Red Hook heirloom rug washed the right way? Phone 1-800-589-4364. The estimate is free, and new customers save 10% the first time.