Traditional rug cleaning process with a carpet beater and cleaning powder.

Oriental Rug Water Damage Restoration in San Diego

Oriental rug water damage restoration is urgent work, and the hours right after a rug gets soaked matter far more than most people expect. Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair has washed handmade rugs in San Diego since 1956, and three generations later a water-damaged rug still gets full-immersion attention by hand at our Kearny Mesa facility.

A wet oriental rug is a race against the clock. Trapped moisture invites mildew, natural dyes start to migrate, and the cotton foundation begins to weaken while the rug still looks salvageable. Getting it into a controlled wash quickly is what separates a rug that comes back sound from one that is permanently marked.

  • ✓ Free pickup and delivery across San Diego County
  • ✓ Full immersion hand washing, never surface scrubbing
  • ✓ Third generation family craftsmen since 1956
  • ✓ Free written estimates before any work starts
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No obligation · free pickup & delivery countywide

Handwoven Persian rug in San Diego showcasing intricate patterns and vibrant colors.

San Diego Water Damaged Rug Specialists

Overseen by Anthony and Alexander Zeytounian, third generation rug craftsmen · July 2026

A flooded or soaked rug does not fail all at once. It fails in stages. Within the first 24 to 48 hours, mold and mildew can take hold in a damp wool or silk pile, and the smell that comes with them is hard to reverse once it settles into the foundation.

Dyes that were perfectly stable when dry begin to bleed as water carries pigment from one knot into the next. The cotton base, now holding water it was never built to hold, loses strength and can dry-rot if it stays wet.

If your rug has taken on water, lift it off the wet floor, do not fold or stack it, and call us so the clock stops. Free pickup runs across San Diego County and every estimate is free.

Why a Soaked Rug Needs Full Immersion, Not On-Site Extraction

A truck-mounted extraction unit is built to pull water out of wall-to-wall carpet glued to a subfloor. A handmade rug is a different problem entirely. Its dyes, foundation, and fringe all react to water, and running suction across a soaked pile in your living room still leaves salts, sediment, and moisture buried in the base of the weave. That buried dampness is exactly where mildew and odor begin. Full immersion flushes the whole rug through clean water so nothing is left behind to rot or smell.

With over seventy years of hands-on rug experience, we treat wet rug restoration as its own discipline. Controlled drying finishes the job. The rug dries evenly under monitored airflow and humidity instead of sitting damp on a floor, which is what prevents the shrinkage, browning, and dye migration a slow at-home dry-out tends to cause.

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Rug cleaning technician applying foam to a traditional Persian rug for deep cleaning.
Squeegee pushing foam across a blue rug patterned with fish

How Water Damage Affects Different Rug Fibers

Flood water moves through each rug type in its own way. Fiber, dye, and construction decide how far the moisture sinks and what the drying plan has to be, so we pin all three down before the restoration wash begins.

We restore every type of water-damaged area rug and specialize in oriental and handmade pieces, including Persian, silk, viscose, Chinese, Kilim, Caucasian, Moroccan, Turkish, Navajo, Indian, Karastan, and machine-made rugs.

  • Free Estimates With Damage Notes
  • Free Countywide Rug Pickup
  • All-Natural Soaps, No Harsh Chemicals

Persian Rugs

Hand-knotted wool and silk over a cotton foundation is the kind of base that holds water badly, and the vegetable and synthetic dyes in a Persian rug are the first thing to run once moisture starts moving. We test every water-damaged Persian rug for colorfastness, wash it in clean water at a matched temperature and pH, and correct any dye run before it can set, so the pile, the foundation, and the original colors all survive the soaking.

Oriental Rugs

A soaked flat-weave behaves nothing like a soaked pile rug. Turkish, Chinese, Indian, Afghan, Pakistani, Moroccan, and Caucasian pieces each pair their own dyes with a different tolerance for standing water, so origin and construction get sorted out before any restoration begins, because a thin tribal Kilim or Navajo flat-weave dries and reacts nothing like a heavy Bokhara or Beni Ourain that can hold gallons of water in its foundation.

Wool Rugs

Wool’s natural lanolin buys a little time, but a rug left soaking saturates all the way to the base, where it turns to mildew, a stubborn musty odor, and a yellow-brown cast that never airs out. Full immersion flushes the trapped water and dissolved soil, and controlled drying brings the wool back without shrinkage or matting. Leaving a wet wool rug to dry on the floor is what sets the smell and warps the shape.

Silk Rugs

Silk is the least forgiving fiber when it gets wet. The strands are very fine, they lose strength while saturated, and the dyes move at the slightest provocation, so a rushed blotting attempt at home often does more harm than the water. We restore water-damaged silk with gentle low-pH solutions and tightly controlled moisture, never heat or pressure, so the odor and staining are removed while the luster and fine detail hold.

Viscose, Bamboo Silk & Custom Designer Rugs

Cellulose fibers like viscose and bamboo silk turn yellow-brown the instant water sits in them, and many custom designer rugs are built from exactly these materials. They are the pieces most often written off after a flood or a leak. We use precisely controlled moisture and specialist technique to restore them, and can often reverse the cellulosic browning the water has already caused.

Synthetic & Machine Made Rugs

Nylon, polyester, and polypropylene will shed surface water, but a flood drives moisture straight through to the backing and pad, where mildew and odor settle in long after the face looks dry. Our full-immersion wash flushes the base and dries the rug through, front to back. Even an inexpensive machine-made rug comes back genuinely clean and dry from a facility wash in a way an in-home dry-out cannot manage.

Watch Our Wash Process

Before & After Rug Restoration

Antique Persian rug with intricate floral patterns and signs of wear.

Hand knotted rug in soft beige and rose with a central star medallion

Medallion rug with a grey soiled cast laid out flat

Clean ivory medallion rug with apricot accents and white fringe laid out flat

Our Full Immersion Water Damage Restoration Process

Restoration follows the spine of our full nine step immersion wash process, and this page keeps to the stages that flood work adds. The hand washing, rinsing, and monitored drying between these stages run exactly as they do for any rug on our wash floor.

1. Inspection and Damage Documentation

Every rug starts with an inspection. We map where the water reached, note the fiber and dyes, and record any dye bleed, weakened foundation, or early mildew, then measure the rug and give you a free estimate. If you are filing an insurance claim, we photograph and document the condition so you have a clear record of the damage for your adjuster.

2. Water Extraction and Dry Soil Removal

We first draw out the standing water the rug is carrying, then dust it with a vibration process that shakes loose the dirt and grit the flood drove into the foundation. Pulling that debris out before the wash keeps it from grinding into wet fibers and makes the restoration that follows far more thorough.

3. Dye Testing and Color-Run Assessment

Water is what starts dyes bleeding in the first place, so before we wash we test the rug for colorfastness and look for bleeding that has already begun. If the colors hold, we wash normally. Where a dye has started to run, we switch to a gentler, more controlled method and work to correct the migration before it becomes permanent.

4. Full-Immersion Restoration Wash

This is the heart of the service. The rug is fully submerged and washed in clean water with all-natural soaps that lift the contaminated flood water, dissolved soil, and any mildew out of the entire structure. Because the whole rug is immersed, the wash reaches the moisture trapped deep in the foundation that on-site extraction never touches. Heavier saturation simply gets a longer, more careful wash.

5. Stain and Dye-Run Correction

Water damage leaves its own marks: brown watermarks, cellulosic browning, and colors that have bled into neighboring areas. We treat these by hand, working to draw browning back and pull migrated dye out of the fibers it settled into. Many stains that look permanent after a flood come out with patient, material-specific work at this stage.

6. Repair and Restoration

Water often does structural harm along with the staining: weakened fringe, unraveling edges, and dry-rotted foundation. Once the rug is clean and dry, our restoration side takes over with hand rug repair and restoration, from fringe repair and edge binding to reweaving damaged sections, so the rug leaves sound as well as clean.

7. Final Inspection and Delivery (or Pickup)

We check that the rug is fully dry, the odor is gone, and no watermarks or bleed remain. After a final pass through our inspection checklist, the rug is groomed, rolled, and returned to your door, or waiting at the front counter when you would rather swing by for it. Pickup and delivery are free across San Diego County, from La Jolla and Del Mar to Coronado, Chula Vista, and Oceanside.

Frequently Asked Questions

The first 24 to 48 hours matter most. That is the window where mold and mildew take hold in a damp pile and dyes begin to migrate through the weave. The sooner the rug reaches a controlled wash, the more of it we can save.

Lift it off the wet floor and keep it flat. Do not fold or stack it, because a saturated foundation is weak and creasing it can do structural harm. Then call us and we schedule the pickup.

Often, yes. We test for colorfastness, wash with a method matched to how far the bleeding has gone, and work brown watermarks and migrated dye by hand. Many stains that look permanent after a flood come out with patient, material-specific work.

Yes. During the first inspection we photograph the rug and record the dye bleed, weakened foundation, or early mildew we find, so you have a clear condition record to hand your adjuster.

Usually it is worth asking, and the estimate is free either way. A flood pushes moisture into the backing where mildew settles, and a full-immersion wash flushes and dries the rug through, front to back. We tell you plainly whether restoration makes sense for that piece.

Authentic handmade rugs with intricate patterns and vibrant colors.

Testimonials from Our Clients

All Testimonials

Excellent
5.0
Greg Goorjian
3 days ago
The family heirloom passed down from my grandfather. Prayer rug size, losing threads, and quite filthy.. After restoration and washing at their own shop. A Full emersion process in their shop. The rug came back with 100% satisfaction. Family owned and operated by Armenians.. They know a thing or two about a thing or two. Highly recommend Zeytounian Rugs!
Photo from customer review
Response from the owner:Greg, thank you. We don't take it lightly when someone hands us a rug that's been in the family that long. Glad we could get your grandfather's back to you the right way. Thanks, Greg. The Zeytounian family
Pam Raney
5 days ago
Great service (even my dogs had fun in the treat and toy-filled office! Will come back for the next clean, for sure!
Response from the owner:Pam, this made our whole day. The treat basket is genuinely one of the best decisions we've made around here, and your two were great company. See you at the next clean, and thanks for the kind words.
Liberty&Justice67
6 days ago
Great service! Rug is very clean. The owner is very courteous. Timely service. Low price for the service standard. Recommend without hesitation.
Response from the owner:Dan, thanks for trusting us with your rug and for the great review!
Katy Motiey
7 days ago
This is an exceptional business run by 2 brothers… professional and high quality work. Thank you for taking care of our family Persian carpets!
Response from the owner:katy, thanks for the review and letting us take care of your rugs!
Bj Alfstad
7 days ago
Response from the owner:Thanks for the five stars, Bj. Really appreciate you taking the time.
Liz Sisco
1 week ago
Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair did a fantastic job cleaning 10 of my Persian rugs. Alexander and Anthony are friendly, professional and passionate about caring for rugs. Pick up and delivery was seamless and the rugs came back looking NEW! I highly recommend Zeytounian Rugs for all your rug cleaning and repair needs.
Response from the owner:Thanks so much for the great review Liz! It was a pleasure washing your beautiful persian and oriental rugs!
Susan Penman
2 weeks ago
My pup unfortunately had a vomiting accident on our 6 month old handmade silk Turkish rug and I jumped online and saw the incredible reviews from all of your customers and was so impressed I called immediately screaming HELP! We met the next day and your calmness and confidence gave us exactly what we needed to know that we found the best team to care for our very special piece of art! Thank you all for saving us! I 1000% recommend you trust this family with your heirlooms as well any other rugs you need assistance with, additionally the team recommended we have a sleeve sewn on the back and hang our beautiful piece of art, best decision ever! Feel free to call us at any time for a live reference!
Photo from customer review
Response from the owner:Susan, thank you so much for this amazing review. We're honored you trusted us with such a special handmade silk rug. We know how overwhelming those moments can be, so it means a lot to hear that we were able to give you peace of mind. Seeing your rug restored and now proudly displayed on the wall made the whole experience even more rewarding for us. Thank you again for your trust, your kind words, and your recommendation. It was a pleasure helping you, and we hope you enjoy your beautiful rug for many years to come!
Babra Rosenberg
2 weeks ago
This is the most amazing company. They do a fabulous job. They made my old beat up. Rug. Look like brand new. They are Reasonably priced andso nice to work with. I would definitely recommend them.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Babra! We’re thrilled to hear you’re happy with your rug cleaning and our service. It means a lot to us that you’d recommend Zeytounian Rugs. We look forward to helping you again in the future!
Anna Ancona
2 weeks ago
They were very professional and great at communicating. They cleaned my Moroccan rug in a week. Loved supporting this family owned business!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, Anna, for your wonderful review! We're thrilled you loved our service and are grateful for your support of our family-owned business. It was a pleasure caring for your Moroccan rug! – The Zeytounian Rugs Team
River Amin
3 weeks ago
We got our Persian rug professionally cleaned for the first time after nearly 20 years. It moved with us across the country several times and survived our college years and our first child’s baby/toddler years. Zeytounian Rugs did an incredible job! The colors are so bright and the rug is so soft. They hand-repaired the worn edges and the tassels are stark white. I’m truly impressed by the quality of their work. 10/10, would definitely recommend!
Response from the owner:Wow River seriously thank you so much! It’s one of the main reasons we love doing what we do. To bring these family pieces back to life and keep their stories going from generation to generation! Good luck on the new chapter in Chicago and best wishes!
Louis Cappella
3 weeks ago
I highly recommend Zeytounian rugs. They cleaned Afghan and Tibetan (2) rugs that I’d stored for over a year and which hadn’t been cleaned in many years. They found moths and treated them beautifully, restoring their lustre. Friendly, convenient by appointment service at a good price!
Response from the owner:Louis, thanks so much for trusting us with your beautiful handmade rugs and for the great review!
kristine Villa
3 weeks ago
Zeytounian did an amazing job on our area rug. It looked just as it did when we first bought it. Customer service 10 out of 10. I highly recommend them.
Response from the owner:Thanks so much Kristine! Glad we could bring your rug back to its original beauty!
Kelly Greene
3 weeks ago
Great communication and service!
Response from the owner:Kelly, thanks so much for the business and for the 5⭐️!
John Flournoy
4 weeks ago
They gave me a reasonable estimate for a wool rug. It was almost not worth it, seeing as I got it originally off Article, but better to not waste, right? They cleaned it then held it for me for a month while the room it was in was renovated (your mileage may vary). There was a damaged corner (dogs!!) that was too expensive to fully repair so the good fellow there sewed it up to at least protect it from unraveling. All the above and they are SO NICE. Also explained some differences to me between different rug weaves. They are ALL IN on rugs. Amazing stuff.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, John! We really appreciate the kind words and are glad we could help save your rug. Even when a full repair isn’t practical, we always want to help preserve it as best we can. It was great meeting you and talking rugs and thanks again for trusting us with it!
Cheri Attix
4 weeks ago
Response from the owner:Appreciate the rating, Cheri. It was a pleasure working with you.
Nancy Wissing
4 weeks ago
Great response, great customer service and our rug looks like new!
Response from the owner:Nancy, thanks for the review!
Peter Sorvas
1 month ago
Fantastic Job! We have a 8’ diameter circular asian rug that ’s 40 years old. It was dirty and the fringe was torn off from vacuuming. We took it to Zeytourian Rugs for cleaning & restoration. They did a fantastic job bringing the vibrant colors back to life. They replaced the white fringe and the rug looks brand new. Wouldn’t take it anywhere else.
Response from the owner:Hi Peter, thank you for trusting Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair with your 40-year-old circular Chinese rug. Restoring those vibrant colors and performing the professional fringe repair is exactly what we love doing. If you are looking for top-tier rug cleaning in San Diego, we are always here to help. We appreciate you choosing our expert team for your restoration needs!
Lily Robinson
1 month ago
Amazing customer service and absolutely a pleasure to do business with these gentlemen ❤️
Response from the owner:Hi Lily, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! We truly enjoyed working with you and are thrilled that you had such a positive experience with our team. Providing professional, high-quality rug care is our top priority at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair, and we just have to say, your puppy looks absolutely adorable on the rug! We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to assisting you again in the future.
Peggy Petersen
1 month ago
The company provided both pick-up and delivery which was a big help to me. The rugs really needed cleaning because it had been some time since they were last cleaned. I was amazed when they brought the living room rug back because it was beautiful. The colors were beautiful. The rug looked brand new so I was absolutely thrilled with the service. They also wrapped the other rug to get it ready for shipment to a different house. I will definitely use this company again whenever I need some of my rugs cleaned.
Response from the owner:Hi Peggy, thank you for the wonderful review! We are so pleased we could assist you with the pick-up and delivery of your rugs, and it was our pleasure to get them looking brand new again. We take great pride in our professional rug cleaning and preparation services here at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair, especially when it comes to getting rugs ready for shipment. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to helping you with your rug care needs in the future!
Gail Eyler
2 months ago
Super knowledgeable and experts in carpet cleaning. My silk rugs look new! They are a pleasure to do business with- very nice and great communicators. They are very professional, really care and are passionate about what they do.I highly recommend!
Response from the owner:Hi Gail, thank you so much for the kind words! We are thrilled to hear that your silk rugs look brand new and that you enjoyed working with our team. Providing professional, high-quality care is what we are most passionate about at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to assisting you again!
Grace Kording
2 months ago
Our wool rug was washed to perfection! It was full of dirt and sand when we dropped it off, and is good as new now. Very easy to communicate with the business as well. Thank you!
Response from the owner:Hi Grace, thank you for the wonderful review! We are so glad we could get your wool rug looking brand new again after removing all that dirt and sand. We take pride in our deep-cleaning process here at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair, and we are happy to hear that our communication made the experience easy for you. We look forward to working with you again!
Alexis Martin
2 months ago
This is, without question, the best service we have ever received from any company. I have trusted this family business with cleaning and repairing my area rugs for over 30 years, dating back to when the father first ran the company. Now that his sons have taken over the business, they have elevated an already outstanding operation to an entirely new level. Not only do they do an exceptional job cleaning, treating, and restoring rugs, but they also take extraordinary care during pickup and delivery. Furniture and décor are carefully moved and replaced, ensuring that everything is protected and returned exactly as it was. Watching these young men grow into kind, professional, and hardworking business owners has been truly special. I remember them as little boys, and now they are proudly carrying on their father’s legacy with integrity, dedication, and remarkable attention to detail. I couldn’t recommend them more highly.
Response from the owner:Hi Alexis, thank you so much for such an incredibly touching review. It has been an absolute honor to serve your family for over 30 years, and we are deeply humbled to hear that you have watched us grow from little boys into the business owners we are today. Carrying on our father’s legacy with integrity and dedication is our greatest pride, and we are so grateful for your long-standing trust and support. Thank you for being such a wonderful part of our story at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair; we look forward to continuing to provide you with the exceptional service you deserve!
Torch
2 months ago
I had an incredible experience here. Anthony and Alex are so kind and knowledgeable, and were great with answering all my questions. They brought my beloved rug back to life and taught me about how they do the cleaning and repair process. I never thought that some of the stains on my rug would come out but they worked their magic and it is back to its original beauty! This is the only place I will be going for any of my future rug needs. Thanks again!
Response from the owner:Hi Torch, thank you so much for the incredible review! It was truly our pleasure to work with you and help restore your beloved rug. We are so glad you enjoyed learning about our cleaning and repair process—educating our clients is one of the things we love most about what we do here at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair. We appreciate your kind words about Anthony and Alex and look forward to assisting you again in the future!
Alejandra Tano
2 months ago
They are so knowledgeable and provide excellent service. The first time the brothers came out I had lots of questions about the many rugs I inherited and they were patient and kind when answering them. We trust them completely with our antique handmade rugs, for cleaning and repairs, both of which we have had done on multiple rugs. I'm extremely satisfied with every single service they have provided, and their pricing is very fair. We are repeat customers and will continue to be as long as we have rugs. I'm so thankful we found them!
Response from the owner:Hi Alejandra, thank you so much for the wonderful review! We are honored to have earned your complete trust with your inherited antique handmade rugs. It has been a pleasure answering your questions and assisting you with all your cleaning and repair needs over the years. We truly value our repeat customers and are so glad you found us at Zeytounian Rug Cleaning & Repair—we look forward to continuing to provide you with excellent service!
Bruce Will
2 months ago
I got my rug back today. It looks fantastic! The brothers are very courteous and they made the whole procedure very easy for me.
Response from the owner:Thank you Bruce for the great review! Also thanks for trusting us with your oriental rug.

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Contact Us About Water Damage Restoration

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Drop your rug off, or we pick it up free. Our shop is at 7343 Ronson Rd Ste U in Kearny Mesa, open Monday to Friday 9 to 4 and Saturday 9 to 2.

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