How We Clean
Our Atlanta Rug Washing Facility
Rugs are collected from your home, washed at our facility in Chamblee, and returned when they're ready. We don't clean rugs on-site.
A Dedicated Wash Floor — Not a Carpet Cleaner
Most carpet cleaning companies offer rug cleaning as an add-on, using the same truck-mounted extraction equipment they use on wall-to-wall carpet. That method works fine for synthetic broadloom. It is not appropriate for hand-knotted wool or silk rugs, where the foundation, the pile, and the dyes all respond differently to water and agitation.
We operate our own rug washing plant in Chamblee, Georgia. Every rug we accept is brought to our facility, assessed, and cleaned using a process matched to its fiber and construction.
The Wash Floor
At the center of our facility is a purpose-built wash floor: a sloped, fiberglass-lined surface with a trench drain running its length. The slope and drain allow us to flood the floor and let water — along with loosened soil — flow away continuously during washing. This is full-submersion washing, not surface extraction. The rug lies flat on the wash floor, fully saturated, and is worked from both sides.
The Cleaning Process
Dusting
Before any water is applied, each rug is dusted to remove dry particulate — sand, grit, and dry soil that has settled into the pile and foundation. Washing a rug without dusting first simply turns that dry soil into mud and drives it deeper into the fibers.
Full-submersion washing
The rug is laid flat on the wash floor and fully saturated. We work a pH-appropriate wash solution through the pile and foundation, then rinse thoroughly. Submersion washing pulls soil out of the foundation rather than pushing it deeper — the key difference from surface-extraction methods.
Hand treatment
Stains, fringe, and any areas of concern are treated by hand. Fringe is cleaned separately and straightened before drying. Spot treatments are applied where needed, with attention to dye stability in the surrounding area.
Controlled drying
Rugs are dried in our facility under controlled conditions — not in the sun, not with high heat. Controlled drying limits dye migration and reduces the risk of shrinkage, both of which are real concerns with hand-knotted wool and silk rugs dried too quickly or unevenly.
Why It Matters for Fine Rugs
Hand-knotted rugs — Persian, oriental, tribal, and antique pieces — are built differently from machine-made synthetics. The foundation (warp and weft) holds the structure of the rug. Soil that settles into the foundation acts like sandpaper against those fibers with every step. Surface cleaning removes what's visible in the pile but leaves the foundation loaded with grit.
Full-submersion washing on our wash floor rinses soil out of the foundation. Controlled drying in our facility limits the dye bleed and shrinkage that can occur when a saturated wool or silk rug dries unevenly. These aren't refinements — they're the baseline for cleaning a fine rug without damaging it.
Contact Atlanta Rug Restoration
We're here to help. Reach out by phone, email, or visit us in Chamblee.
Schedule a Pick-Up
We offer free pick-up and delivery throughout metro Atlanta. Leave your rug with us — we'll bring it back clean.
