Silk Rug Cleaning | Hereke, Qom, Tabriz Silk

145+

Years in Business

Cleaning fine silk rugs continuously since 1881.

4

Generations

The patience and craft that silk demands, passed down four generations.

Top 8

Nationally Recognized

Listed by the Oriental Rug Buyers Guide as one of the country's top rug cleaners.

BBB

Accredited

Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, Memphis chapter.

Silk is the most demanding fiber in the rug world. Hand-spun, naturally lustrous, capable of holding a knot count two to three times finer than wool — and structurally weaker than almost every other rug fiber when wet. A standard rug-cleaning method on a silk Hereke or Qom is not just inadvisable; it is one of the fastest ways to permanently damage a rug worth tens of thousands of dollars. Hot water dulls the sheen. Alkaline chemistry weakens the fiber. Aggressive agitation tears it. The damage is usually irreversible.

Fred Remmers Rug Cleaners has been cleaning silk rugs since 1881. Four generations of family training. Our silk cleaning method is fundamentally different from how we approach wool: cool water (never hot), low-pH chemistry (never alkaline), shortened wash cycles, gentle hand agitation rather than mechanical, and controlled-humidity drying. The same patient process applies whether the silk is a Turkish Hereke, an Iranian Qom, a fine Tabriz silk, a Kashmir silk, or a contemporary art-silk piece — though for art silks (viscose, bamboo silk, banana silk), we typically recommend dry cleaning only, since these fibers fail dramatically when wet.

Every silk piece we receive begins with fiber identification. True silk has a distinctive feel and luster; art silks (sold as bamboo silk, banana silk, viscose, or rayon) look similar but behave entirely differently when wet. We identify the fiber non-destructively, document the rug's condition with photographs before any work begins, test every color for dye stability, and provide a written estimate. For any high-value silk, we recommend pairing the cleaning with appraisal documentation — see our rug appraisal service for details.

That identification step is where formal training earns its keep, because mistaking viscose for silk is one of the most expensive errors in this trade. Mehdi Abesi completed The WoolSafe Organisation's Fibre Care Specialist course in August 2026 — an examined qualification, with a written exam at an 80% minimum pass mark, in fibre identification and the cleaning chemistry each fibre requires. It is worth being precise about scope: WoolSafe's specialism is wool, and the certification does not make anyone infallible on silk. What it does is put a tested, outside standard behind the identification and chemistry decisions that determine whether a silk rug survives its wash.

Have a Persian rug with silk highlights? See our Persian rug cleaning page. Looking for full oriental rug coverage? See our oriental rug cleaning page. For repair work, see our silk rug repair page. For a written valuation, see our silk rug appraisal page.

Silk-Specific Concerns

Why silk needs different methods.

Silk fibers behave fundamentally differently from wool. These are the specific concerns that drive our silk cleaning approach.

Heat sensitivity

Silk loses tensile strength dramatically above 100°F. Our silk wash uses cool water exclusively — never hot. This single rule prevents the most common silk-damage scenario.

pH sensitivity

Alkaline chemistry (high pH) damages the protein structure of silk fibers and dulls the characteristic luster. We use only neutral or low-pH chemistry on silk pieces.

Dye fugitiveness

Silk dyes — particularly older natural dyes — are frequently fugitive. Every color is tested before any wet cleaning, and protective stabilization is applied where needed.

Watermark staining

Silk shows watermarks easily because moisture moves unevenly through the fiber. Controlled wetting and immediate uniform drying prevent the visible water-tide-line damage that ruins many silk pieces.

Art silk identification

Many "silk" rugs sold today are actually viscose or bamboo silk. These fibers cannot be wet-cleaned without major damage. We identify the fiber correctly before recommending any method.

Sheen preservation

The visual hallmark of silk is its luster. Aggressive cleaning permanently dulls it; conservative cleaning often restores brilliance that has dulled from accumulated soil. Our method is designed for sheen preservation and restoration.

Silk Rug Traditions

Specialist methods for every silk tradition.

Hereke (Turkish)

The most prestigious Turkish silk tradition. Often 600–1,200 knots per square inch on silk foundation. The most conservative cleaning approach we offer.

Qom (Iranian)

Full-silk Iranian masterworks, often museum-quality. Fine knot density and sensitive dyes. We treat Qom pieces as among the most demanding rugs we receive.

Tabriz silk

Some of the finest pieces from Tabriz are full-silk or silk-on-silk construction. Standard Tabriz methods are too aggressive; we use the silk-specific protocol.

Kashmir silk

Fine silk on cotton foundation, often modern (post-1950) Indian production. Generally robust by silk standards but still requires the silk-specific cleaning approach.

Silk-highlighted oriental

Many fine Persians, Turks, and Indians use silk highlights in an otherwise wool rug. We treat the silk areas with silk-specific care while cleaning the wool with standard methods.

Art silk (viscose/bamboo)

Sold as silk but actually cellulose fiber. Cannot be wet-cleaned without damage. We identify these correctly and recommend dry methods only.

Our Silk Process

Cool-water, low-pH cleaning, step by step.

1. Fiber identification

Confirm true silk vs. art silk (viscose, bamboo, banana silk). The wrong identification leads to wrong method, which leads to permanent damage.

2. Documentation

Photograph the rug front and back, document condition, note any pre-existing damage, dye fading, or repair history.

3. Dye testing

Every color tested for fugitiveness on a small inconspicuous area. Stabilization applied where needed.

4. Hand-dusting

Removes embedded particulate. Often this step alone restores significant sheen and brightness without any wet cleaning.

5. Cool-water, low-pH wash

Cool water (never hot), low-pH chemistry (never alkaline), shortened wash cycles, gentle hand agitation. Pure silks get the most conservative variant.

6. Controlled drying & final inspection

Drying flat in a controlled-humidity room, never in direct sun. Final after-photographs document the completed work.

Where We Serve

Silk rug cleaning across 5 metros.

Hand-finished cleaning for silk rugs in every market we serve. Free pick-up, free delivery.

Tennessee · HQ Memphis Mid-South's oldest rug specialist Middle Tennessee Nashville Belle Meade, Brentwood, Franklin OKC Metro Oklahoma City Edmond to Norman, rare expertise Northeast Oklahoma Tulsa Maple Ridge, Brookside antique specialty DFW Metroplex Dallas Highland Park to Frisco, high-value collections

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions.

Why does silk rug cleaning need specialized methods?

Silk fibers are protein-based and structurally different from wool. They are weakened by hot water, alkaline (high-pH) chemistry, and aggressive agitation — all of which are routine in standard rug cleaning. Improper cleaning of a silk rug commonly causes fiber dulling, color bleeding, watermark staining, and irreversible loss of the characteristic silk sheen. Specialist methods use cool water, low-pH chemistry, gentle handling, and shortened cycles to preserve the silk.

How do I know if my rug is silk or art silk?

True silk has a soft, cool feel and a distinctive luster that shifts with light angle. Art silk (also sold as bamboo silk, banana silk, viscose, or rayon) is a cellulose fiber that mimics silk's appearance but behaves very differently when wet — viscose loses strength dramatically and can be permanently damaged by even gentle wet cleaning. The burn test is definitive but destructive; we identify fiber non-destructively during inspection. If your rug is labeled 'art silk,' 'bamboo silk,' or 'viscose,' it is not true silk and requires specialized dry methods.

Can you clean a Hereke or Qom silk rug?

Yes — fine Turkish Hereke and Iranian Qom silks are exactly the kind of rugs our methods are designed for. Both are full-silk, high-knot-count construction (often 600–1,200 KPSI) with sensitive natural or chrome dyes. We use cool water, conservative chemistry, and shortened wash cycles, with documentation before and after for any high-value piece.

Will cleaning damage the silk sheen?

Properly performed silk cleaning will not damage the sheen — in fact, it usually restores brilliance that has dulled from accumulated soil and oils. The sheen-damage scenarios happen when silk is cleaned with hot water, high-pH chemistry, or aggressive agitation. Our specialist silk method preserves and restores the original luster.

How much does silk rug cleaning cost?

Silk cleaning is priced individually because each piece requires fiber identification, dye testing, and conservative methods. Pricing typically runs higher than standard rug cleaning because of the additional time required and the specialist chemistry. We always provide a written estimate before any work begins, and we recommend appraisal documentation for any high-value silk piece — see our rug appraisal service for details.

Service Area

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.

Tennessee Memphis (901) 278-3704 Tennessee Nashville (615) 730-8515 Oklahoma Oklahoma City (405) 972-3150 Oklahoma Tulsa (918) 973-5460 Texas Dallas (972) 532-8940

Silk Rug Cleaning since 1881.