Persian, Turkish and antique rugs from Upper East Side homes, collected for free, tested for fiber and dye, then washed by hand.
Hand-knotted rugs have a long history on the Upper East Side. You find them under dining tables, in libraries and in front of fireplaces, and many have moved from one family home to the next.
A rug like that should never go through a machine. Our crew collects it through the service entrance, and at our facility we look at the knots and the foundation, confirm the fiber, check each color for bleeding and then wash it by hand.
If the rug has an appraisal or a family story, tell us about it. It helps us understand the piece, and we go over its condition together at pickup.
Rugs in older Upper East Side apartments often sit under heavy pieces for decades: a dining table, a piano, a bookcase in the library. Dents and flattened pile from those legs can relax after washing, and moth damage tends to hide in exactly those dark, quiet spots under furniture, so we look there first.
The back of a rug says more than the front. Knot density, the foundation threads and any old repairs show how strong the rug is and how gently it must be handled.
Most Persian and Turkish rugs are wool, which is sturdy in the bath. Silk pieces are another matter: they lose strength while damp, so they get a shorter, cooler and softer wash. A so-called art silk rug is usually viscose and calls for the gentlest handling of all.
Color is the next worry. Before water touches the whole piece, a damp white cloth is pressed onto each shade, and if any red or navy comes off on it, the wash is changed to keep it from spreading.
After washing, the rug is rinsed until clear water comes out and dried slowly, without high heat. The fringe is washed and combed, and pickup and delivery cost nothing.
Plan on having the rug home in about a week, laid back in its place by our crew.
Family-owned, serving the NYC area since 2005.
Certificate of insurance ready for any building requirement.
Safe for kids, pets and allergy-sensitive homes.
Most Upper East Side addresses can be scheduled same day.
Everyday and machine-made rugs go to our area rug cleaning on the Upper East Side, and the neighborhood page covers sofas, carpets and mattresses. We also hand-wash oriental rugs for Upper West Side homes. Call 1-800-589-4364 to talk about your rug.
Nearby: Oriental Rug Cleaning in Harlem · Oriental Rug Cleaning in Midtown