The headline numbers for 2026
Area rug cleaning in New York costs about $3 to $12 per square foot, the full span from a basic synthetic rug to delicate silk, with a minimum charge of roughly $150 to $250 that applies to small rugs. Wall-to-wall carpet is cheaper per foot at about $1 to $4 per square foot, or $50 to $150 a room. Door-to-door turnaround for an in-plant rug wash is usually 5 to 14 days.
Cost by fibre
Fibre is the single biggest driver, because it sets the method. From least to most expensive, per square foot:
- Synthetic (polypropylene, nylon): $3–$6
- Wool: $4–$8
- Persian or Oriental, hand-knotted: $5–$9
- Silk or viscose: $6–$12 — the dearest, because they are hand-cleaned with low moisture, not immersion-washed
Cost by size (worked examples)
Multiply the per-square-foot rate by the area, then apply the minimum if the total falls below it. For a wool rug at $4 to $8 per square foot:
- 5×8 (40 sq ft): about $160–$320
- 8×10 (80 sq ft): about $320–$640
- 9×12 (108 sq ft): about $432–$864
- Small rugs (2×3, 3×5): usually the $150–$250 minimum rather than the per-foot rate
Minimums, add-ons and what moves the price
On top of the base rate, a few things change the final number: the $150 to $250 minimum catches small rugs, pet urine treatment is usually quoted separately after inspection, and fringe work, moth treatment and heavy stain removal are add-ons. Pickup and delivery may be free or run up to about $75. Always compare the all-in total, not the per-foot rate alone.
Where these numbers come from
These figures are the prices New York rug and carpet cleaning companies publish for this work, kept in one shared reference on RugRate and used across the site so every page quotes the same ranges. They are typical 2026 market ranges, not a single company’s quote — for your rug, the way to a real price is to describe the job once and compare written quotes.