Not sure if your area rug should be cleaned in your home or sent to a cleaning plant? Alec’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning explains the pros, cons, and best methods for keeping your rugs fresh and damage-free. Serving Boston & Cape Cod.

Should You Clean Your Area Rugs at Home or Send Them Out?

With over 50 years of hands-on experience in carpet and upholstery cleaning—and running Alec’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning LLC for more than 45 years—I’ve been asked this question countless times: Should an area rug be cleaned in your home, or is it better to send it out to a cleaning plant?

The truth is, it depends on several factors, including the type of rug, its condition, and whether there are serious odor or staining issues. Let’s break it down.

---

Types of Rugs That Can Be Cleaned in Your Home

Not all rugs need to be shipped out for cleaning. In fact, many can be cleaned safely and effectively right in your home.

• Broadloom rugs cut and bound as area rugs – These are essentially the same materials used in wall-to-wall carpet and can usually be cleaned at home.

• Oriental and other specialty rugs – Hand-knotted, woven, hooked, or even machine-made Oriental rugs can often be cleaned in place if they are in good condition and don’t have major odor or staining issues.

• Lightly soiled rugs – If they’re vacuumed regularly and don’t have severe pet odors, professional in-home cleaning is safe and effective.

---

When It’s Best to Send Rugs Out to a Plant

Some rugs and situations require a more controlled environment:

• Heavily soiled rugs or rugs with severe pet odors – In-plant cleaning allows for special odor treatments and thorough rinsing that aren’t practical in a home setting.

• Reversible rugs like Dhurrie or braided rugs – These need to be handled carefully and benefit from plant cleaning.

• Needlepoint or Wilton weave rugs with borders – These may require blocking after cleaning to prevent rippling or shrinkage.

---

The Cleaning Process: In-Home vs. In-Plant

The actual cleaning method—professional steam cleaning—is generally the same whether in-home or at the plant. The differences come down to:

• Odor treatments – Plant cleaning allows for deeper flushing of pet odors that can’t reasonably be done in a home.

• Water quality – At our plant, we use filtered and softened water, which improves cleaning results and leaves fibers softer.

• Post-cleaning care – Some rugs with deep stains may “wick” spots back to the surface after drying. At our plant, a technician can address this right away, whereas in-home cleaning may require a return visit.

---

Debunking Rug Cleaning Myths

Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of misinformation about rug cleaning:

• “All rugs must be dusted before cleaning.”
  Not true. Out of the 10,000 rugs we service per year, only about 10 actually need this extra step. Most homeowners vacuum regularly, which is more than sufficient. The exceptions are places like beach homes with constant sand or homes that have been neglected.

• “In-home cleaning will damage wood floors underneath.”
  This is simply false. The cleaning process doesn’t saturate rugs to the point where moisture seeps through to the flooring. In fact, it’s the same method used to clean wall-to-wall carpeting directly over hardwood.

---

The Bottom Line

Both in-home and in-plant cleaning can deliver excellent results—it just depends on your rug and situation.

• In-home cleaning is convenient and cost-effective for rugs in good condition.

• In-plant cleaning is best for rugs that are heavily soiled, have strong pet odors, or require special handling.

At Alec’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning LLC, we provide both options. We’ll always explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method so you can make the best decision for your rug.

📞 Have questions? Call us anytime at 781-871-1415 or visit Alecscarpetcleaning.com. We proudly serve Boston, its surrounding suburbs, and all of Cape Cod.

[caption id="attachment_1498" align="alignnone" width="514"] In-home vs. in-plant cleaning: The right choice for your area rug depends on soil level, odors, and rug type.[/caption]