The 12-step hand-wash
12 steps.
Seven days.
One rug at a time.
Forty-seven years of method, written down. Every rug, every time.
The process
From arrival to return.
Scroll through twelve hand-performed steps. The photo at left swaps as you read — each image is taken on the bench at our Newark atelier.
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Arrival + intake inspection
The rug arrives at the shop. On the bench, under strong light, we photograph the condition end-to-end and log it into your work order.
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Identify fibers, dyes, origin
A microscope check on a single fiber, a burn test on a stray strand, a UV scan for dyes. The method of wash is chosen based on what the rug is, not what we assume.
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Dust + vibration removal
Two passes through our compressed-air badger: the first dislodges the fine dust, the second lifts decades of grit from between the knots. Nothing is wet yet.
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Color-fastness test per dye
Cotton swab, pH paper, cold water. Every significant field color is tested for bleed risk before the rug touches a tub. This is not optional.
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Cold-water pre-wash
The rug is laid flat in a large stainless tub, submerged in cold filtered water, and left to loosen the remaining soil overnight. Warm water would set the dye — never.
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Shampoo with pH-neutral wool soap
A wool-safe, biodegradable shampoo is applied by hand with soft horsehair brushes. The shampoo preserves lanolin — the natural oil in the fibers — where detergents strip it.
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Hand-rinse with soft brushes
Fresh water, low pressure, by hand. Rinse until the water runs clear. Silk rugs get their own softer pass with lambswool brushes.
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Fringe cleaning + whitening
The fringe, often gray after a decade of wear, is cleaned separately with a mild oxidizing agent. Just enough to brighten; not enough to weaken the cotton warps.
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Water extraction
A wide vacuum extraction head removes most of the remaining water. No squeezing, no pressure — pressure damages the pile and can crack the dye layer.
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Controlled drying in climate-controlled loft
The rug is laid flat in our drying loft, held at 70% humidity and 72°F. Takes two to four days. The slow cadence keeps wool from cupping and fringe from curling.
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Final inspection + grooming
A second master inspects the rug. Pile is brushed, fringe is combed, any remaining spots get a last targeted treatment. The work order gets its final sign-off.
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Wrap, pack, deliver
Rolled on a protective tube, wrapped in breathable paper, delivered by our own team to your door. We unroll it back into place and check the lie.
Why hand-wash matters
Six rows, one honest comparison.
Materials we use
Four ingredients. No shortcuts.
pH-neutral wool soap
Biodegradable, fluorochemical-free, WoolSafe-approved. pH 6.5 – 7.5.
Cold filtered water
Municipal water run through a two-stage carbon and sediment filter, 50 – 55°F.
Soft horsehair brushes
Natural bristle, wool-specific. No nylon or synthetic fibers touch the pile.
70% humidity drying loft
Climate-controlled, 72°F, two-day minimum. Slow drying keeps wool honest.
Turnaround timeline
Pickup to doorstep, day by day.
Pickup
We collect the rug from your home in a two-hour window.
Intake & inspection
Bench inspection, fiber ID, written estimate sent by email.
Wash
Pre-wash, color-test, shampoo, rinse, fringe, extraction.
Dry
Flat in the climate-controlled loft. Two to four days.
Delivery
Rolled, wrapped, placed back in the room where it started.
Our guarantee
If it’s not right, we redo it. No charge.
We stand behind every rug that leaves our bench. A spot we missed, a fringe we could have cleaned better — bring it back, we fix it.
— The Karimi family, since 1978
Process FAQ
Five questions we answer every week.
How is this different from steam cleaning?
Steam cleaning applies hot water and detergent to the surface of the rug while it’s on your floor. It cleans the top 30% of the pile, can set or bleed the dye under heat, and leaves the foundation damp. Our process submerges the rug in cold water in a tub and cleans every fiber from warp to tip. It takes seven days; steam takes forty-five minutes. The difference is visible for years.
How long will my rug last if I clean it this way?
A hand-knotted wool rug cleaned gently every three to five years will outlast you. We have customers bringing in rugs their grandmothers brought in first. Regular vacuuming, 180-degree rotation twice a year, and a proper wash at the right interval are the three things that matter.
Can I drop off at the shop instead of pickup?
Yes. The Newark atelier has street-level loading. We’ll help unload from your car and walk the rug to the bench for inspection. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What about pet accidents — urine, vomit?
The only effective treatment is full immersion, because the source (the padding, the foundation, the dried uric salt) is not on the surface. Our hand-wash process handles this as standard. For heavy cases we add an enzymatic pre-treatment to break down the uric acid.
What if my rug is very antique — 100+ years old?
The older the rug, the more carefully we wash. Antique rugs go through an additional dye-stabilization step before the pre-wash, use softer brushes, and dry for up to a week. We have washed rugs from the 1890s; no rug is too old to clean if the foundation is sound.
Ready when you are
Put our 12 steps to work.
Free pickup, written estimate, seven-day turnaround. The only way we have ever done it.