Persian and oriental rugs
Hand-knotted rugs, including antique ones. Their natural dyes can run, so we always test the colours first and wash with a gentle shampoo.
Hand-washing for Persian, silk and fine rugs in Singapore
We wash every rug by hand at our own facility, with a gentle shampoo and plenty of water. The only machines we use are a vacuum and, in bad weather, air blowers for drying.
Every rug is washed by hand
We specialise in hand-washing fine rugs in Singapore. We don’t put rugs through washing machines. Whether it is a hand-knotted Persian rug (made by hand, one knot at a time) from a family home or a rug from a shop or hotel, we wash it by hand.
We use a gentle shampoo that is pH-neutral (not harsh like bleach), bleach-free and biodegradable. Washing a rug this way removes the dirt that settles deep inside it and helps it last for many more years.
- Every rug washed by hand
- Gentle and bleach-free
- Biodegradable shampoo
- Free pickup and delivery
Scrubbing by hand
How we wash your rug
Every rug goes through the same six steps, in this order.
01
Inspection and fibre check
We check what your rug is made of and look closely at any stains or damage. We also test a small spot to make sure the colours won’t run when wet. This tells us how to wash it safely before any water touches it.
02
Vacuuming
We vacuum the rug to lift the dust and grit that sit on the surface.
03
Soaking and hand-washing
We soak the whole rug in water and wash it with a gentle shampoo. Then we scrub it by hand, section by section, with extra care on stained areas.
04
Rinsing with a rake
We flush the rug with fresh water and push the dirt and soap out with a traditional metal rake. We keep rinsing until the water runs clear.
05
Drying
We dry the rug in natural sunlight. In bad weather, we dry it indoors with large air blowers. A rug left damp for more than 48 hours gets damaged, so either way we keep drying it until it is fully dry.
06
Final check and delivery
We check the rug one last time, front and back. Then we pack it carefully and bring it back to your door.
How does hand-washing compare with steam cleaning and dry cleaning?
Read our guide: hand-washing vs steam cleaning →Storage and delivery
Not ready to have your rug back? After washing, we can wrap it in breathable material and keep it with us, free of charge, for as long as you need. When you’re ready, we deliver it to any address in Singapore: your home, a storage unit, a new place or an event venue.
Storage questions →
Drying in the sun
What rugs we clean
We wash rugs of every material, from everyday synthetic rugs to rare hand-knotted ones. Not sure what your rug is made of? Send us a photo on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you.
Wool rugs
Thick wool holds a lot of dust and grit deep inside. We soak the whole rug and rinse it until the water runs clear, using a shampoo that is safe for wool.
Silk and art silk rugs
The most delicate rugs we wash. Art silk (also called viscose or bamboo silk) is a man-made fibre that looks like silk but is weaker when wet. We wash both gently by hand and dry them carefully to protect their shine.
Cotton rugs and kilims
Kilims and dhurries are thin woven rugs with no soft surface. They can shrink, and their colours can bleed into each other, so we test them first and wash them gently by hand.
Shaggy and thick rugs
A deep, thick surface traps a lot of dirt and pet hair. We vacuum it first, then rinse it again and again until the water runs clear.
Synthetic rugs
Rugs made of polypropylene, nylon or acrylic, from a living room rug to one from a busy shop. We wash them by hand like every other rug, to lift the dirt that builds up from people walking on them.
Common questions about rug washing
The questions we are asked most often about washing.
Every 12 to 18 months for a rug in a quiet room. If you have pets or young children, or the rug is in a busy living room, every 6 to 12 months. A regular wash removes the grit that settles deep inside the rug, which normal vacuuming can’t reach and which slowly wears the fibres down.
We test the colours first. If a dye looks likely to run, we change how we wash that rug, so the colours stay where they belong. Natural dyes in Persian and oriental rugs can bleed when harsh cleaners are used, so we only use a gentle, pH-neutral shampoo that is safe for wool and silk.
We wash them by hand instead of using hot water or steam machines. Silk, wool and art silk are delicate, and harsh chemicals or rough scrubbing can damage them. So every rug goes through our six steps by hand: a check and colour test, vacuuming, soaking and hand-washing, rinsing with a rake, drying, and a final check.
In most cases we can remove most of it. Home remedies like vinegar or baking soda often only hide the smell for a while. We soak the whole rug and rinse it until the water runs clear, which washes the urine out of the base threads the rug is woven on, rather than covering it up. Very old stains can leave a mark, and we tell you honestly from the photos what to expect.
Usually because they stay damp. If a rug is made too wet and not dried properly, it can start to smell musty. A rug left damp for more than 48 hours gets damaged. That is why we push the water out with a rake, then dry the rug in the sun or with large air blowers until it is fully dry.
We don’t recommend it for fine rugs. Many sprays leave a sticky film that attracts more dirt, and scrubbing hard pushes the dirt deeper. If you spill something, blot it straight away with a clean, dry white cloth, then send us a photo.
Usually 5 to 7 working days. We don’t rush the drying with heat. The exact time depends on how thick the rug is and on the weather, because we only return it when it is fully dry.
Yes. We pick up and deliver for free anywhere in Singapore. We roll your rug carefully, take it to our own facility, and bring it back to your door when it is ready.
Find out what your rug
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