Area Rug Cleaning in Greenwich Village & SoHo, Manhattan

When a home has wide plank floors, the rug does a lot of the work. In SoHo lofts we often see very large rugs that cover most of the living area. In Village walk-ups the rugs are smaller, but there are many of them: a runner in the hall, one by the bed and one under the desk.

Rugs on a busy street pick up a lot. Sidewalk grit, dog hair, spilled coffee and dust from open windows all settle into the pile. A surface cleaning on the floor cannot reach the base of the fibers, so we take the rug to our plant for a full wash.

Pickup and delivery are free. Our crew rolls the rug, carries it down the stairs or the freight elevator, and brings it back and lays it in place when it is done.

Turn a corner of the rug over and look at the back. If you see grit or a gray haze between the threads, dirt has worked all the way down. Another sign is a dark, flat lane from the front door to the kitchen, where the pile no longer springs back.

Rugs near loft windows can also look faded on one side and darker on the other. Part of that is sun, but much of it is street dust from open windows. A full wash shows you which part is dirt and which part is real fading.

Big loft rugs are heavy, and the freight elevator is the only easy way out. We schedule pickup during your building's elevator hours and bring enough people to move a large rug safely.

Narrow walk-up stairs are different. We roll the rug tight and wrap it so it does not scrape the walls or catch on the banister at the turn of each landing.

At the plant, each rug gets a fiber and dye test. Wool, cotton, viscose and jute all react differently to water. After the test, the rug is dusted, washed through, rinsed well and dried flat in a controlled room so the edges do not curl.

Pet stains are common in small apartments where the dog spends the day inside. We treat urine during the wash, from the top of the pile to the backing, which is what actually removes the smell.

Most rugs come back in about a week. Hand-knotted or antique pieces go to our separate hand-wash process; see oriental rug cleaning in this neighborhood.

Schedule a rug pickup in Greenwich Village or SoHo by calling 1-800-589-4364 or asking for a free quote online. Your first cleaning is 10% off. If the bedrooms have wall-to-wall carpet, we can do it on the same visit; see carpet cleaning here, or browse every service in the Village and SoHo.