In-home or pickup rug cleaning: which to choose
For a sturdy rug that is simply dirty, cleaning at home does the job without moving it; a very fragile or urine-soaked hand-knotted rug is sometimes better washed at a rug plant. WATERFALL cleans rugs of every material except viscose at your home, on a drop cloth, so nobody carries the rug and you do not wait for it to come back. See rug cleaning; the price is on the prices page. WATERFALL cleans area rugs at your home for $89: call (747) 214-6199.
Is it better to clean a rug in the home or take it to a plant?
It depends on the rug. A rug plant can dust the rug on a machine, wash and rinse it right through, dry it in a controlled room and treat urine in the foundation, which matters most for a hand-knotted rug that is heavily soiled or pet-soaked. Cleaning at home suits a rug that is dirty rather than damaged, and a rug too big to carry: nothing is moved, and you do not wait for it to come back. WATERFALL cleans wool, silk, jute, sisal, Persian, Oriental and antique rugs at home; the one material it does not clean is viscose.
The IICRC, the cleaning industry's standards body, says in its tip sheet on cleaning area rugs on site that its S100 standard prefers rugs to be removed and cleaned in a plant under controlled conditions, because cleaning a rug in place can make it shrink, curl at the edges or brown. That is why we look at the rug and its label from a photo before we clean it in your home.
- at home: a rug of any material except viscose that is dirty, or a rug too large to carry
- at a plant: a viscose rug, a hand-knotted rug with urine through to the back, or one with damage that needs repair
Where can I get an area rug cleaned?
At home, at a workshop that takes rugs, or by renting a machine and doing it yourself. WATERFALL is the first: we come to your home in Los Angeles County with our own machines, and the service area page lists the cities.
Do you offer drop-off rug cleaning, or pick up rugs?
We clean rugs at your home, on a drop cloth: there is nothing to carry, and because the rug is cleaned in your home, you do not wait for it to come back. The equipment is mobile, so the floor and the distance from the road do not matter; tell us about stairs or parking when we confirm the visit.
Where can I get a big area rug cleaned if I can't carry it?
In your home: WATERFALL cleans a big rug in the room where it lies, at your home in Los Angeles County, so you do not carry it anywhere. A rug is one price per rug, see prices; the furniture has to come off the rug. The other route is a rug plant that offers pickup and delivery and takes the rug away to wash it.
How does rug pickup and delivery work?
A rug plant books a pickup window, looks the rug over and photographs it at your door, rolls, wraps and tags it, then dusts, washes, rinses and dries it at the plant and calls to book the return; some charge for the trip and some include it. WATERFALL cleans rugs at your home instead: the technician lays a drop cloth, cleans the rug where it lies with shampoo and steam extraction and leaves it to dry in place.
How long does rug pickup cleaning take before I get the rug back?
It depends on the plant, so ask for the return date before the rug leaves; repairs, odor work or extra care for silk or an antique add time. A rug cleaned in your home does not leave, so you do not wait for it to come back; it only has to dry. A rug or carpet usually takes longer to dry than a couch: the pile, the pad, the weather and the airflow decide it (drying times by item).
Can I bring a rug to the dry cleaners?
Some dry cleaners take small rugs and many do not, because garment cleaning is a different job. Ask what method they use, how long they keep the rug and what happens if it is wool. Our answer is simpler: we clean it at home.
Is area rug cleaning the same as carpet cleaning?
The tools are alike, the job is not. Wall-to-wall carpet is tacked down and cleaned in place, while a rug has edges, fringe, a backing and dyes of its own, and can be of any fiber from wool to jute. Our carpet cleaning is priced per room and a rug is one price per rug; see prices.
Is it worth it to have a rug cleaned professionally?
Yes, when the rug is one you want to keep and dirt, not damage, is the problem. A rug collects grit and body oils that vacuuming does not take out, and cleaning costs less than replacing a good rug. It is not worth it for a rug that is worn through, or for an inexpensive synthetic rug that a vacuum, a spot clean or its own washing label can handle. Before you hire anyone, ask what method they use for your rug's fiber, how they dry it, what the price includes and whether moving the furniture is included.
Why does professional rug cleaning matter?
Because grit works down into the pile and cuts the fibers as people walk on it, and only an extraction pulls it out. Cleaning does not make a worn rug new, but it takes out what is wearing it.
What makes professional rug cleaning different from doing it yourself?
A professional machine pulls most of the water back out, and a rented machine leaves more behind. The difference is dry time and risk: a rug left damp for a day can smell, and a dye that runs does so when the rug is wet. Professional vs doing it yourself compares the two.
Can regular vacuuming replace professional rug cleaning?
No. Vacuuming takes out loose, dry dirt, and it is the best habit you can have, but oils, dried spills and soil that has settled to the base of the pile stay. Vacuum often and clean on a schedule that fits the room; the guide on how often gives one.
Does rug cleaning help with allergies?
Cleaning takes dust, dirt and the shampoo out of the rug; for a health question, ask your doctor. The EPA's page on indoor air quality covers keeping a home clean and ventilated.
Questions and answers
Is in-home rug cleaning as good as taking a rug to a rug cleaning plant?
It depends on the rug. A sturdy rug does well in the home; a very dirty or delicate hand-knotted rug may be better washed in a workshop.
Is professional rug cleaning worth it?
Yes, for a rug you want to keep: grit cuts the fibers as people walk on it, and extraction pulls it out. Cleaning does not make a worn rug new.
Where can I take a big rug to be cleaned?
WATERFALL, (747) 214-6199, cleans a big rug where it lies, at your home in Los Angeles County, so you do not take it anywhere. Text the size and a photo of the label first and we confirm the details before the visit.
Where can I get a rug professionally cleaned?
WATERFALL, (747) 214-6199, cleans rugs at your home, on a drop cloth, in Los Angeles County. A workshop that takes rugs is the other route, and it suits delicate or very dirty hand-knotted rugs best.
Where to take an area rug to be cleaned?
You do not have to take it anywhere with WATERFALL. The rug is cleaned in your room.
Where to wash rugs near me?
WATERFALL, (747) 214-6199, cleans rugs at your home in Los Angeles County, on a drop cloth. Leave a request or text the size and a photo of the label first.
Do you offer drop-off rug cleaning?
We clean rugs at your home, on a drop cloth, so you do not carry the rug anywhere and do not wait for it to come back. Text the size and a photo of the label to (747) 214-6199 first and we confirm the details.
When to choose professional rug cleaning?
When the rug is one you want to keep and dirt, not damage, is the problem. Grit and oils stay after vacuuming.
What happens during a rug cleaning pickup?
A plant that picks rugs up collects the rug, washes and dries it at its plant and brings it back later. WATERFALL cleans rugs at your home instead: the technician lays a drop cloth and cleans the rug where it lies, so you do not wait for it to come back.
Prices and booking
More guides
- Area rug care: all guides
- Can you steam clean a rug? How rugs are cleaned — Inspect, remove dry dirt, test the dyes, wash, rinse and dry; the methods are on-site extraction, immersion washing, steam and low-moisture cleaning.
- How to clean an area rug at home — A sturdy synthetic rug can be washed at home with mild soap, little water and fast drying; wool, silk and large rugs need a professional.
- How often to clean a rug — Vacuum weekly and deep clean about once a year for a busy rug; the right pad, rotation and quick blotting make a rug last longer.
Sources: EPA indoor air quality (General guidance from the US Environmental Protection Agency on keeping the inside of a home clean and ventilated.); IICRC tip sheet on cleaning area rugs on site (The IICRC's consumer tip sheet on cleaning area rugs in the home and when a rug belongs in a plant.)