On-Site or Off-Site Rug Cleaning? How We Decide

Some companies clean an area rug right on your floor. Others take it away. Both get called rug cleaning, but they’re very different jobs.

We do both. Oriental rugs and delicate area rugs usually go to our shop on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. Some sturdier rugs can be cleaned right in your home. Here’s how each one works, and how we decide.

The Limits of Cleaning a Rug on Your Floor

• Water and dirt can pass through the rug onto the floor below. On hardwood, that can leave marks.
• The back of the rug doesn’t get cleaned. Grit and old pet urine often sit in the foundation, not on top.
• The rug dries on your floor, in your room. A thick wool rug can stay damp underneath for a long time.
• There’s little room to test dyes and change course if a color starts to move.

That’s why oriental, wool, and delicate rugs usually go to the shop.

When In-Home Rug Cleaning Works

Some rugs can be cleaned where they lie. In-home rug cleaning is $1.00 per square foot, and the rug never leaves the house.

Not sure which your rug needs? Ask when you book. Tell us the size, what it’s made of if you know, and what’s on the floor under it. We’ll tell you if it should go to the shop instead.

What Happens to Your Rug at Our Shop

1. Pickup. We roll and protect the rug at your home. Pickup is free in the city and the suburbs.
2. Inspection. We check the fiber, the dyes, how it’s made, and any damage. We tell you what may not come out.
3. Dry soil removal. Sand and grit come out of the foundation before any water touches the rug.
4. Washing. Durable rugs may get a full wash. Delicate ones get gentler care. Our products are Green Seal certified.
5. Rinsing. Leftover soap pulls dirt back fast, so we rinse until it’s gone.
6. Drying. The rug dries flat with steady air flow, so it holds its shape.
7. Delivery. Most rugs are back in 1 to 2 weeks.

Fringe is cleaned by hand. It tears easily, and it usually holds the most soil.

Oriental and Hand-Knotted Rugs

Hand-knotted rugs often use natural dyes. Some react to the wrong solution or the wrong water temperature. We test for colorfastness first and adjust, which is much easier at the shop than on your floor. See oriental rug cleaning for more.

What We Clean in Your Home

Wall-to-wall carpet stays put. We clean it in place with hot water extraction. Once in a while, a carpet comes up and goes to our shop instead, and we’ll tell you why if yours does.

Sofas, sectionals, and chairs are cleaned in your home, too. Here’s what a home visit looks like:

• We call before we arrive. It’s standard on every job.
• Our hose reaches 200 feet. For high floors and long walk-ups, we bring portable equipment.
• In buildings with a loading dock, we unload there and park on the street. There’s no fuel or parking fee.
• Spot treatment is included in the cleaning price.
• Most carpet is dry in 4 to 6 hours. Our carpet dry time guide has tips to speed it up.
• If a spot comes back within 48 hours, call us. We’ll come back and treat it.

Rug and Carpet on the Same Visit

You can book both at once. We clean the carpet while we’re there and take the rug back to the shop. When the rug comes home, the floor under it is clean, too. Our steam carpet cleaning page covers the carpet side.

Pricing at a Glance

Rugs cleaned at our shop are $3.50 per square foot, with free pickup and delivery. An 8×10 rug is $280. In-home rug cleaning is $1.00 per square foot. Wall-to-wall carpet is priced by area, and a room up to 150 sq. ft. is $60. The $180 service minimum applies to every order, rugs included. Cards carry a 3.7% fee.

What Customers Notice

Our reviews keep coming back to a few things. Crews show up on time, call ahead, and leave the place clean. Many reviewers are repeat customers who started with one rug or one sofa, then booked again.

On-Site vs. Off-Site Rug Cleaning: FAQ