Frequently Asked Questions

Hand-knotted Persian rugs hold a surprising amount of grit deep in the pile, and harsh supermarket chemicals or hot-water machines can fade dyes and damage the natural wool. The safest deep clean is a gentle, controlled immersion wash that flushes the embedded soil right out of the foundation. We do this off-site at our purpose-built Yatala facility, with free pickup and delivery across SE QLD and the Northern Rivers.

Yes, but only with the right technique. Wool shrinks and felts when exposed to heat, harsh agitation or prolonged saturation, so cool water, wool-safe products and rapid, controlled drying are essential. Our IICRC-certified team washes wool rugs in temperature-controlled conditions and dries them properly off-site, so you get a deep clean without the shrinkage risk of a DIY attempt.

Silk can be cleaned with water, but it loses strength when wet and the dyes can bleed, so it is one of the trickiest fibres to handle. Professionals use pH-balanced solutions, dye-stabilising steps and fast water extraction so the silk is never left soaking. Given how easily a silk rug can be damaged, we strongly recommend leaving it to a specialist rather than risking it at home — see our silk rug cleaning page.

“Oriental rug” is the broad category for hand-knotted rugs woven across Asia — including Iran, India, China, Turkey and Pakistan — while a Persian rug specifically refers to one knotted in Iran. All Persian rugs are oriental rugs, but not all oriental rugs are Persian. Both are valuable hand-made pieces, so we treat them with the same careful, fibre-appropriate process at our off-site facility.

Jute is highly absorbent and does not handle moisture well — it can shrink, stiffen, brown or develop mould if left damp, so steam cleaning and soaking are best avoided. The right approach is regular low-moisture care, prompt blotting of spills and dry-clean methods rather than wet washing. For a tricky stain or a refresh, it is worth getting advice tailored to jute and natural-fibre rugs.

Shag and high-pile rugs flatten when dirt builds up at the base and the fibres are crushed by foot traffic. Vacuum gently on a high-pile setting with the beater bar off, and groom the pile with a rake or wide-tooth comb to keep it lofty. When it needs a proper deep clean, avoid hot steam at home — our process flushes out the embedded grit and the pile is dried and revived back to its full fluff. See our shaggy rug page.

Genuine sheepskin has a natural lanolin coating that resists dirt, so it needs washing less often than you might think — regular shaking and gentle vacuuming go a long way. Hot water, tumble drying and ordinary detergents are the main culprits behind a hardened, mis-shapen hide, so the leather backing has to be protected throughout. To keep both the wool and the skin in good condition, see our sheepskin rug cleaning page.

As a guide, most oriental and Persian rugs benefit from a professional deep clean every 12 to 18 months, and more often — every 9 to 12 months — in busy households with pets or young children. Hand-knotted rugs hide dirt well, and that trapped grit slowly cuts away at the foundation fibres, so regular cleaning genuinely extends a rug’s life. We make it easy with free pickup and delivery across SE QLD and the Northern Rivers — learn more about our oriental rug cleaning.

A quick guide: wool feels slightly coarse and springs back when squeezed, silk is cool, soft and lustrous with a tighter weave, while synthetics often feel plasticky and look very uniform. If you are unsure, our IICRC-certified team identifies the fibre and dyes before any cleaning so the correct method is used — this matters most for delicate silk rugs, where the wrong approach can cause permanent damage.

On-site “in the home” cleaning can only surface-clean a rug, whereas embedded dust, sand and allergens sit deep in the foundation of wool and oriental rugs. A controlled immersion wash submerges and flushes the whole rug, removing the grit that on-site methods leave behind. We carry this out at our dedicated Yatala facility and collect and return your rug free of charge across our service area.

Yes. Handmade rugs are knotted on natural-fibre foundations with dyes that can bleed, so they need gentle, fibre-specific handling, while many machine-made rugs use synthetic backings and adhesives that react badly to heat and over-wetting. Because the right method depends entirely on construction and materials, we inspect every rug first — our 29 years and IICRC certification mean each piece, from a fine Persian to a modern synthetic, is cleaned the way it should be.