Area Rug Cleaning since 1881.
Professional cleaning for every type of area rug — wool or synthetic, hand-knotted or machine-made, antique or new. Free pick-up across five metros.
Cleaning area rugs continuously since 1881.
Same family, same standards, four generations of craft.
Listed by the Oriental Rug Buyers Guide as one of the country's top rug cleaners.
Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, Memphis chapter.
"Area rug" is the catch-all term for any rug that sits loose on a floor — as opposed to wall-to-wall carpet that's fastened down. The term covers an enormous range of rugs, from a $30 synthetic accent rug from a department store to a six-figure antique Persian. What makes them all "area rugs" is purely a matter of placement, not construction. Cleaning them, on the other hand, is entirely about construction — and the wrong cleaning method can do permanent damage to even an inexpensive rug.
Fred Remmers Rug Cleaners has been cleaning area rugs since 1881. Four generations of family training. We clean every type — wool, silk, cotton, synthetic, hand-knotted, hand-tufted, machine-made, flat-weave, braided, hooked — and we adapt our methods to what the specific rug needs. Carpet cleaning equipment is designed for fastened wall-to-wall carpet and is genuinely the wrong tool for any loose area rug. We use off-site, hand-finished methods refined for area rugs specifically.
The process is the same regardless of value: identify the construction, test for dye stability, hand-dust to remove embedded grit, hand pre-treat any stains, wash by full immersion when the structure allows (or surface methods for delicate pieces), dry in a controlled-humidity room, and inspect a second time before delivery. Free pick-up and delivery across all five metros we serve. Most rugs are returned within 7 days.
Cleaning methods for every area rug type.
The right method depends on construction. Here's how we approach the most common types we receive.
Hand-knotted oriental
Persian, Turkish, Indian, Tibetan, Chinese — natural fibers, often natural dyes. Conservative chemistry, dye testing first. See our oriental rug cleaning page for details.
Hand-tufted wool
Wool pile glued to a backing — common in modern designer rugs. Cleaning method has to protect the latex backing from over-saturation. We adapt the wash for this construction.
Machine-made wool
Karastan, Couristan, and similar — robust construction, generally tolerates standard rug cleaning well. Often the easiest category to wash.
Synthetic (polypropylene, nylon)
Common in indoor-outdoor and budget area rugs. Color-fast and durable. Wash methods can be more aggressive than for natural fiber.
Flat-weave (kilim, dhurrie)
No pile — wool, cotton, or jute woven flat. Wash method depends on fiber and dye. Cotton dhurries especially can shrink with hot water; we use cool wash.
Natural fiber (jute, sisal, seagrass)
Generally surface-clean only — these fibers cannot tolerate full immersion. We use specialized dry methods that lift soil without saturating the fiber.
The same careful method since 1881.
1. Inspection
Identify construction, fiber, dye type, and condition. Document any pre-existing damage or repair work.
2. Dye-stability test
Test each color before any wet cleaning to identify fugitive dyes that need protection.
3. Hand-dusting
Heavy hand-dusting removes embedded particulate that home vacuuming cannot reach — pounds per rug is typical.
4. Hand pre-treatment
Stains and high-traffic areas pre-treated by hand with chemistry chosen for the specific stain and rug.
5. Wash
Full-immersion wash when the construction allows; surface methods for delicate pieces and natural fibers like jute.
6. Controlled drying
Drying in a controlled-humidity room. Final inspection and any necessary fringe finishing before delivery.
Area rug cleaning across 5 metros.
Hand-finished cleaning for area rugs in every market we serve. Free pick-up, free delivery.
Frequently asked questions.
What is an area rug?
Why send an area rug out for cleaning instead of using carpet cleaning?
How often should I have my area rug cleaned?
Do you clean machine-made rugs and synthetic area rugs?
Where do you offer area rug cleaning?
Available across five metros.
Free pick-up and delivery in every city we serve. Tap a city for local details and your nearest phone number.