Service
Antique rug cleaning — for rugs older than most of us.
100-year-old Persian Tabriz, 1920s Heriz, Edwardian Axminster, pre-war Kerman. The wash matters; the inspection beforehand matters more.
What this service includes
Specialty handling for rugs over 80 years old. Pre-clean assessment, conservative protocol, and the option to decline rather than risk a piece we’re unsure about.
- Full provenance and condition documentation with photographs
- Foundation integrity inspection (sun rot, moth tracks, foundation breaks)
- Comprehensive dye-stability testing on every colour, including faded sections
- Decision point: wash, surface-clean only, or decline (we’ll explain)
- Conservative cool-water wash with the gentlest fibre-appropriate shampoo
- Hand-stabilization of vulnerable edges and fringes during cleaning
- Slow drying with frequent monitoring
- Final report on findings and recommendations for ongoing care
Our process
How the work actually happens
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1. Full provenance documentation
For antique rugs we photograph front, back, every corner, and any problem areas. We record knot density, design family, and visible repair history. This becomes a file we keep for as long as you’re a customer — useful for insurance and appraisals.
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2. Foundation health check
The biggest risk with antique rugs isn’t the cleaning — it’s discovering hidden damage during cleaning. We check for sun rot (foundation fibres break with gentle pressure), moth tracks (often hidden under furniture for years), foundation breaks (vertical splits in warp threads), and any prior repairs that might fail. We share what we find and discuss whether to proceed.
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3. Dye-test everything
Antique rugs often use natural dyes that have aged unpredictably. Some hold beautifully; others have become unstable as the mordant breaks down. We test every colour, including ones that look faded. If a colour fails, we have three options to discuss: dye-locking pre-treatment, hand-cleaning that section only, or recommending we wait until you’ve had it appraised and decide whether the risk is worth it.
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4. The decision point
After inspection and testing, we make a recommendation. Sometimes the answer is "yes, proceed with the conservative wash." Sometimes it’s "surface clean only — submersion is too risky." Sometimes it’s "we’d rather not handle this piece — here are two specialists in Vancouver who do antique restoration full-time." We won’t take work we’re not confident about.
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5. Conservative wash
When we do wash an antique, we use the gentlest fibre-appropriate shampoo, cool water, hand-agitation only, and extra rinses. The cleaning takes longer than a modern rug because we move slowly on purpose. Vulnerable edges get hand-stabilization during the wash to prevent unraveling.
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6. Final report
After cleaning we provide a written report covering: what we found, what we did, what we recommend you do for ongoing care, and any concerns we have about long-term integrity. This often goes into the customer’s insurance file alongside an appraisal.
How we price this
We don’t publish per-square-foot rates because they oversimplify. Price depends on fibre, size, condition, and whether any repair is involved. After we hear from you, you get a written estimate within one business day. The estimate stands unless we find something at pickup that changes the scope — and if we do, we tell you before doing any extra work.
FAQ
Antique Rug Cleaning — common questions
Antique Rug Cleaning across the Lower Mainland
We serve 13 cities. Free pickup and delivery throughout the service area.
- Vancouver
- Burnaby
- Surrey
- Richmond
- Coquitlam
- Langley
- North Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- New Westminster
- Port Moody
- Port Coquitlam
- Delta
- Maple Ridge
Related services
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Persian Rug Cleaning
Hand-knotted Persian rug cleaning with full provenance care: dye stability, foundation health, fringe repair, and an environment that respects pieces sometimes valued in the five figures.
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Oriental Rug Cleaning
Specialty cleaning for hand-knotted Oriental rugs. Cool-water wash, dye-tested before submersion, fibre-appropriate shampoo, flat-dried so the foundation never gets stressed.
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Rug Repair & Restoration
In-house rug repair for fringe, edges, and moderate moth or wear damage. Major pile reconstruction referred to a Vancouver specialist we trust.
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Ready for antique rugs that gets done right?
Send us photos and rough dimensions. We’ll come back with a written quote within one business day.