Oriental & Persian Rug Cleaning — Hand-Washed by Experts
Professional hand washing for Oriental, Persian, wool, silk and antique rugs, with dyes and fibers assessed before the wash.
Text (847) 440-1349 — estimate the same business day.
- IICRCIICRC Certified Firm
- RICACertified appraisal
- MuseumGrade methods
- In-House10,000 sq ft workshop
- 5.0 ★Google · 84+ reviews
- InsuredPickup & delivery
Ahmadi Rug is a family-owned, third-generation rug business, and our family’s craftsmanship history dates to 1984. Cleaning here is professional hand washing, done rug by rug in our 10,000 sq ft Skokie workshop, and not every rug receives the same treatment.
Rugs can also come in through our St. Charles location, which handles intake and collection. The washing, drying and inspection all take place in Skokie.
Oriental & Persian Rug Cleaning
We clean Persian and Oriental rugs, as well as antique and handmade rugs, hand-knotted wool, silk and silk-blend, contemporary, hand-tufted and machine-made rugs.
Each Oriental rug is inspected and dusted first, and its dyes and fibers are assessed before any pre-treatment or wash. That is the same eight-step process behind all of our rug cleaning in Chicago. Our guide to Oriental rug cleaning cost sets the pricing out in more detail.
Hand-knotted wool rug cleaning
Hand-knotted wool rugs, among them Persian, Oriental, Turkish and Caucasian weaves, are cleaned at $5/sq ft. Each one is hand washed after its dye and fiber assessment, with full immersion only when its construction and condition permit.
The wash itself is done in cold water, using pH-balanced, neutral solutions matched to the fiber of the rug.
Pet urine and odor go through a separate process, set out on our page for pet odor removal.
Antique & Heirloom Rug Cleaning
Antique rugs receive conservation-oriented care. Between 1984 and 1993, Ghorban Ahmadi, our Principal and Master Conservator, performed conservation work for the State Hermitage Museum, the Musée du Louvre, and the British Museum, and our cleaning is conservation-informed.
An antique gets a closer look before it is washed. We map its weak areas, any earlier repairs and any movement in its dyes.
When we find existing damage or a risk in an antique, we tell you, and the estimate stays preliminary until the rug has been inspected. If it also needs rug repair, the cleaning comes first and is priced as its own line, apart from the repair.
Silk and silk-blend rug cleaning
Silk and silk-blend rugs are cleaned at $7–$12/sq ft. Their fibers are assessed ahead of pre-treatment, so we know what the rug is made of before we choose how to wash it.
Silk rugs get a gentler wash of their own, with cooler water and a shorter immersion.
A delicate silk rug can take longer than the standard 5–7 business days, and you hear how long at the estimate.
Eight steps, decided rug by rug
Our cleaning follows eight steps, and how each step is carried out depends on the rug. We use no steam or hot-water extraction.
Step 1
Inspection
We look the rug over before anything else, and any existing damage or risk we find is passed on to you.
Step 2
Dust removal
Dust is taken out of the rug ahead of pre-treatment and washing.
Step 3
Dye and fiber assessment
We assess the dyes and the fibers of the rug before it is pre-treated or washed.
Step 4
Pre-treatment
Areas that need it are pre-treated ahead of the main wash.
Step 5
Hand washing
The rug is washed by hand. Full immersion is used only when the construction and condition of the rug permit it.
Step 6
Rinse
The rug is rinsed after washing.
Step 7
Controlled drying
The rug is laid flat to dry first, then hung over bars to finish drying, under controlled conditions, in the same Skokie workshop where it was washed.
Step 8
Final inspection
A last check of the finished rug before it comes back to you, and we let you know when it is ready.
Antique and silk rugs go home wrapped in acid-free cloth. Other rugs go home in a protective wrap.
Prices by rug construction
We price cleaning by the square foot, and the rate depends on how the rug is made. Hand-knotted wool Persian and Oriental rugs take the hand-knotted wool rate.
| Construction | Per square foot | 8×10 example (80 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Machine-made | $3/sq ft | $250 |
| Hand-tufted | $4/sq ft | $320 |
| Hand-knotted wool (Persian, Oriental, Turkish, Caucasian) | $5/sq ft | $400 |
| Silk and silk-blend | $7–$12/sq ft | $560–$960 |
| Minimum order | $250 | |
The preliminary estimate is complimentary. We can start it from a phone call, photos or measurements, and if the scope changes once the rug is in the workshop, we ask you before going further. Request your free estimate.
Drop Off in Skokie or St. Charles
Bring your rug, by appointment, to our St. Charles location in the Fox Valley, or to our Skokie workshop by arrangement during business hours; we recommend contacting our team before visiting. A rug left in St. Charles travels to Skokie for cleaning and comes back as you have arranged with us.
Insured pickup and delivery is free within 5 miles of our Skokie workshop or our St. Charles location, and $75 round trip beyond. On larger orders and restoration projects we may waive the transportation fee; we tell you at estimate. We confirm each pickup and delivery with you in advance. Please mention stairs, elevators, restricted parking or building rules when you book.
We collect rugs across Chicago, the North Shore and the northwest and western suburbs, subject to route availability. Local notes are on our pages for Evanston rug cleaning, Skokie, Oak Park, Glenview and Lake Forest.
What our clients say.
- ★★★★★
“I can't speak highly enough of Bobby and Ahmadi Rug! Before we called, we had significant damage to our handmade wool rugs from small clothing moths. I called several rug cleaning services and none came close to the level of expertise, service, and kindness I experienced with Bobby. They look great now and I'm so happy.”
Linda BraaschChicago - ★★★★★
“Wonderful! My handmade rug was restored and cleaned beautifully after having been on my floor for over 20 years with pets. The sides had been damaged from cats and the fringe was uneven. I had almost considered it beyond repair and was so surprised when it was rolled out in front of me.”
Deborah KraakChicago - ★★★★★
“Highly recommend for silk rug cleaning! We had a silk rug that needed a deep clean as well as glue removal and we could not be happier with the results. Bobby was very communicative throughout the whole process and answered questions as needed!”
Heather ArdenChicago
Common questions
How much does oriental rug cleaning cost?
Cleaning is priced per square foot by construction: $3/sq ft for machine-made rugs, $4/sq ft for hand-tufted rugs, $5/sq ft for hand-knotted wool rugs (Persian, Oriental, Turkish, Caucasian), and $7–$12/sq ft for silk and silk-blend rugs. The minimum order is $250. At 80 sq ft, an 8×10 hand-knotted wool rug comes to $400. The preliminary estimate is complimentary, and no price is final until we have inspected the rug.
How long does it take to clean an Oriental rug?
Standard cleaning takes 5–7 business days. Specialty pieces, heavily contaminated rugs and delicate rugs take longer, and we tell you how much longer at the estimate.
How do you clean a Persian rug without damaging it?
Before a Persian rug is washed, we inspect it, remove the dry soil and assess its dyes and fibers. Pre-treatment follows, then a hand wash in cold water with pH-balanced, neutral solutions matched to the fiber; full immersion is used only when the construction and condition of the rug permit it. A rinse, controlled drying (laid flat first, then hung over bars to finish) and a final inspection complete the work, and no steam or hot-water extraction is used. Not every rug receives the same treatment, and the method is decided for the rug in front of us.
Can you clean a silk oriental rug?
Yes. Silk and silk-blend rugs are part of our cleaning work, at $7–$12/sq ft. Their fibers and dyes are assessed before any washing, and silk gets a gentler wash of its own, in cooler water with a shorter immersion. Delicate rugs take longer than the standard 5–7 business days; we tell you at the estimate.
Do you pick up oriental rugs?
Yes. Insured pickup and delivery is free within 5 miles of our Skokie workshop or our St. Charles location, and $75 round trip beyond. On larger orders and restoration projects we may waive the transportation fee; we tell you at estimate. You can also drop a rug off at our St. Charles location, or at our Skokie workshop by arrangement during business hours; we recommend contacting our team before visiting.
Serving Chicago and the North Shore
Ahmadi Rug provides oriental and Persian rug cleaning for homeowners and interior designers across Chicago and the North Shore. We offer insured pickup and delivery from Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Northbrook, Glenview, and Skokie — as well as western suburbs including Hinsdale, Oak Park, and Naperville, and the Fox Valley via our St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia drop-off. Insured pickup and delivery is free within 5 miles of our Skokie workshop or our St. Charles location, and $75 round trip beyond.
Standard Oriental and Persian rug cleaning takes 5–7 business days. Specialty, heavily contaminated and delicate rugs need longer, which we state at the estimate.
To schedule a pickup from anywhere in our service area, call (847) 440-1349 or submit an estimate request online.
Related services
- 01
Rug Repair
Hand-reweaving, fringe repair, side-cord replacement, and structural restoration.
Quoted after inspection - 02
Moth Treatment
Targeted moth eradication plus cleaning before any reweaving, with prevention advice for the room it returns to.
Quoted after inspection - 03
Rug Restoration
Full conservation for antique and museum-quality rugs — reweaving, reknotting, and pile restoration.
Quoted after inspection
From our journal
- 01
Persian Rug Cleaning in Chicago
Hand-washing for Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan, Heriz, Qum and others — fiber, dye sensitivity, and pricing per knot density.
Read article - 02
How a Museum Conservator Cleans a Rug
The full conservation-grade hand-washing process — dust extraction, dye-test, cold immersion, controlled drying.
Read article - 03
Wool Rug Cleaning: What Wool Does That Synthetics Don't
Why wool needs cold water, lanolin-safe detergent, and controlled humidity — and what truck-mount machines do to it.
Read article - 04
Silk Rug Cleaning: The Most Delicate Fiber We Work With
Silk is the most delicate fiber we work with. The pH-managed chemistry and dye-test protocol Qum and Hereke pieces require.
Read article
Tell us about your rug
Guides & Reference
How to Clean a Silk Rug
Daily care, spot cleaning, what absolutely destroys silk, and why professional cleaning is non-negotiable for the most delicate rug fiber.
Read guideHow to Clean a Persian Rug at Home
Weekly maintenance, spot cleaning, stain-specific tips, and the mistakes that cause the most damage — from a museum-grade conservator.
Read guideOriental Rug Cleaning Cost: Full Price Guide (2026)
What professional rug cleaning actually costs by construction and fiber, and why the cheapest quote is usually the most expensive rug you will ever own.
Read guide