Area Rug CleaningLong Island, NY

Everyday area rugs

Most area rugs in Long Island homes are machine-made polypropylene, polyester, nylon or wool blends, and they clean well in place. Dining-room rugs collect food and spills; living-room rugs get traffic lanes; kids' rooms get everything. Cleaning them in your home saves the trip, and the rug is usually back in use the same day.

How in-home area rug cleaning works

Inspection and tests. We check the fiber, look at the back of the rug, and test the dyes in a hidden spot. Some rugs bleed when wet, and some cotton flat-weaves shrink. If a rug should not be cleaned in place, we tell you before we start.

Dry soil removal. Rugs hold a lot of dry grit. We vacuum both sides where we can, because removing dry soil first makes the wet clean much more effective.

Spot treatment. Food, coffee, wine and pet spots are pre-treated one by one with a product that suits the fiber.

Cleaning and rinse. We clean with a method matched to the rug: a controlled hot water rinse for synthetics, a lower temperature and wool-safe rinse for wool, and a low-moisture method for natural fibers.

Grooming and drying. The pile is groomed so it dries evenly, and we put protective pads under furniture legs so nothing transfers onto a damp rug. Most area rugs are dry in a few hours.

Natural fibers

Jute, sisal and seagrass stain easily with water, so they get a low-moisture clean. Cotton flat-weaves can shrink and bleed; we test first. Viscose (sometimes sold as art silk or bamboo silk) yellows and loses its shine with water, so it needs special care; see silk rug cleaning.

When a rug is better picked up

Hand-knotted, antique, silk and heavily soiled rugs, and rugs with urine damage, are safer picked up and washed off-site, where they can be dusted, washed, rinsed and dried flat under control. Off-site washing is priced by size and fiber after inspection. See our full rug cleaning page and our pages for oriental rugs and wool rugs.

Protecting your floors

A wet rug on a hardwood floor can leave marks, so we clean with controlled moisture, keep the floor under the rug dry, and place pads under furniture legs while it dries. If you also want the floor cleaned, ask about wood floor cleaning on the same visit.

Pets and area rugs

Area rugs are often where pets have accidents. Fresh spots on synthetic rugs usually respond well to an enzyme treatment and extraction in your home. When urine has soaked into the foundation many times, an off-site wash is the only way to flush it all out. Some old urine permanently changes dye colors, and we point those spots out before we start. More on pet stain and odor removal.

Keeping a rug clean longer

• Vacuum often, and both sides now and then
• Rotate the rug once or twice a year so it wears evenly
• Blot spills right away with a white towel; do not rub
• Use a good rug pad to stop slipping and reduce wear
• Have it professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months, sooner with pets

An area rug can be added to a carpet visit. If you also need wall-to-wall carpet done, see our main carpet cleaning Long Island page.

Area rugs room by room

Dining room. Food, sauce and drink spills land under the table, and chair legs grind crumbs into the pile. These rugs usually need the most spot work.

Living room. Traffic lanes form between the doorway, the sofa and the TV. A rug that gets sun can also fade on one side, which is a good reason to rotate it.

Bedrooms and kids' rooms. Less traffic, but more dust, lotion and the occasional accident. Kids' rooms get everything from juice to slime.

Entryways and runners. These catch sand, mud and winter road salt first. Cleaning them more often protects the carpet and floors deeper in the house.

Synthetic or wool?

Synthetic rugs (polypropylene, polyester and nylon) handle water and spot cleaners well and are the easiest to clean in place. Wool rugs feel softer and resist soil, but they shrink and felt with too much heat or agitation, and some wool dyes bleed. That is why we always check the label and test before cleaning, and why some wool rugs are better washed off-site.

Price and booking

In-home area rug cleaning starts at $119. Larger or specialty rugs are priced by size and fiber, and off-site washing is priced after inspection. You get the price before we start, and booking online takes $20 off. Pickup rugs usually come back in about one to two weeks, depending on size, fiber and drying time.