Oriental Rug Cleaning in Sag Harbor, NY

Sag Harbor has a long history, and so do many of its rugs. Old Persian and oriental rugs sit in front parlors, dining rooms and libraries all over the village, some of them handed down for generations.

These rugs can last a very long time, but only with the right care. Hand-washing, careful testing and slow drying are what keep them safe.

Sag Harbor houses were furnished over two centuries, and their rugs show it. A worn Heriz in a front parlor, a pair of small Persians on either side of a bed, a long runner on stairs that creak - many were bought decades ago and have stayed in the same rooms ever since.

Age changes how a rug should be cleaned. Wool gets drier and more brittle, old repairs can be weak, and dyes that were stable fifty years ago may not be now. So before anything else, we look the rug over with you and note what we see.

Colors are tested one by one with a damp cloth. Natural dyes from madder, indigo and walnut can behave very differently from modern ones, and a short test tells us whether we can wash freely or must go slowly.

Grit comes out before water goes in. Between beach sand and the fine dust that old floorboards shed, an antique rug can hold a surprising amount of soil at its base.

We wash by hand in sections with mild, eco-safe solutions, rinse thoroughly and then dry the rug flat with steady airflow. Harbor air is damp much of the year, so we make sure the foundation is dry, not just the face.

Fringe is cleaned on its own, and loose or missing tassels can be restored.

Rugs from rooms that stay shut all winter - common in second homes here - are checked along the edges for moth larvae and treated if needed.

When the rug comes back, we lay it on its pad and set it where it was.

Everyday machine-made rugs belong with our area rug cleaning service. For large estate rugs nearby, see Sagaponack.

A free quote is one call away at 1-800-589-4364, and new customers take 10% off.