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Area and Oriental rug cleaning.
Wool, silk blends and hand-knotted Persians. Bring it to the shop on Clifton Road, or have it picked up while Ron is at your house on another job.
A rug is not a carpet
Wall-to-wall carpet is synthetic, machine-made and stretched over a pad. A hand-knotted rug is wool or silk tied onto a cotton foundation, colored with dyes that are anywhere from perfectly stable to a hundred years old and temperamental. Treating the second like the first is how good rugs get ruined — dye bleeding into the ivory, wool browning as it dries, a foundation that shrinks unevenly and leaves the rug lying crooked forever.
Risky dyes get tested before anything gets wet. Older vegetable dyes and certain reds are the usual troublemakers, and when Ron sees one he checks it in an inconspicuous corner first. If a dye is unstable you get told what can and can’t safely be done — not a surprise when the rug comes back.
How it’s handled
- Dry soil out first. A wool rug can hold pounds of grit down in the pile. It comes out before any moisture is introduced, because grit plus water is mud.
- Dyes checked where there’s reason to. Vegetable-dyed and older rugs get spot-tested before cleaning.
- Cleaned to the fiber. Wool has lanolin in it and does not want to be scoured. Low-moisture cleaning suits it.
- Fringe by hand. On a hand-knotted rug the fringe is the foundation warp coming out the ends — not trim sewn on. It gets cleaned gently and never machined.
- Dried flat. Never hung wet over a rail, which stretches the foundation and sets a permanent sag.
Rugs we take
- Hand-knotted Persian and Oriental
- Wool area rugs, machine-made or hand-tufted
- Braided and flat-weave
- Synthetic area rugs and runners
Antique silk and anything with visible structural damage should be looked at in person first — bring it by or send a photo before you plan around a date.
Drop-off or pick-up
The shop is at 585 Clifton Road in Bethel Park. Roll the rug, don’t fold it, and call ahead at (412) 831-7397 so Ron knows you’re coming. If he’s already cleaning carpet at your house, the rug can go back with him in the same trip.
What it costs
Rugs are priced by size and fiber. Have the rough dimensions ready — a 9×12 wool Persian and a 5×7 synthetic runner are not the same job. Seniors and military get 10% off. Cash or check.
Get a price
Have the size and fiber ready if you know them. A photo helps for anything unusual.
Call (412) 831-7397Before you book.
Can I drop the rug off?
Yes — 585 Clifton Road, Bethel Park. Call first so Ron knows to expect you. Roll it rather than folding it; a fold left in wool for a week sets a crease that takes a long time to relax.
Will the colors run?
Rarely, and Ron knows which rugs to worry about. Older vegetable-dyed rugs and some reds are the ones to watch, and those get spot-tested before anything gets wet. If a dye won’t hold, you’ll hear about it first.
How long does a rug take?
Depends on size, fiber and how the drying goes — wool takes its time and doesn’t get rushed with heat. Ron will give you a realistic date when he sees the rug.
Do you repair fringe or binding?
No, cleaning only. If a rug needs re-binding or fringe work, Ron will tell you it’s worth doing and where to take it.
Ready when you are.
Call for the fastest answer, or send the details and Ron will get back to you — usually the same day.