Services
Rugs
Wool, silk, plant fibres, synthetics and sheepskin — assessed by construction and treated accordingly.
A rug is not one material but many. A hand-knotted wool rug, a machine-woven synthetic and a sheepskin tolerate completely different treatment, and what suits one can ruin another. So every job starts by identifying what the rug is made of and how it is built.
In Icelandic homes, grit, gravel and winter road salt are the most common load. They collect at the base of the pile and act like sandpaper on the fibres every time somebody walks across. Dry-removing that grit is a real part of the work, not just preparation for it.
Sheepskins are a case of their own: the hide backing does not tolerate water and can stiffen or shrink if it gets wet. If we think a piece is better served by a different treatment than ours, we say so before you book.
What the visit covers
- Identification of fibre, construction and colourfastness
- Dry removal of loose grit, sand and hair
- Pre-treatment of stains where appropriate
- Deep cleaning suited to the rug type
- Additional extraction and guidance on drying
What changes with the material
- Wool
- Hard-wearing but pH-sensitive. Can shrink if saturated.
- Silk
- Very sensitive to moisture and abrasion. Needs minimal wetting.
- Plant fibres (jute, sisal)
- Poor tolerance of water — can yellow and distort. Worked almost dry.
- Synthetics
- Take the most robust treatment and generally clean up best.
- Sheepskin
- The hide backing does not tolerate water. Assessed case by case.
What to expect
- Wear shows after cleaning. Where the pile has been walked flat it does not come back up — cleaning removes soil, not years of wear.
- Colours can look different once the dust is gone. That is usually the rug appearing as it actually is.
- Rugs must dry completely before going back down, particularly on a wooden floor.
Common questions
Can you clean a hand-knotted wool rug?
Usually yes, though it depends on condition and colourfastness. Hand-knotted rugs are often coloured with dyes that can bleed if handled wrongly, so we always test in a hidden area first. If a rug is particularly valuable or fragile, we will say so plainly.
What about sheepskins?
Sheepskins are assessed separately. The hide backing does not tolerate water and can stiffen or shrink, so the method is entirely different from a woven rug. Send us a photograph of both the face and the back before booking.
Do you clean rugs on site or take them away?
We work on site. That means the rug goes nowhere and you are not without it for days. If a piece needs treatment that cannot be given in a home, we tell you at the assessment.
Does the grit and sand come out?
Largely, yes. Loose soil at the base of the pile is removed dry before any liquid comes near it, because otherwise it simply turns to mud. What has already cut the fibres over time, however, is permanent wear.
Other services
Something that needs cleaning?
Send us a few photographs and we will tell you the best next step.
- Message us on WhatsApp
- Placeholder — real value pending
- Placeholder — real value pending
- Call
We normally reply within one working day.