Chicago & North Shore · Est. 1984
Chicago’s workshop for rugs that have to last
Hand-washed cleaning, museum-grade restoration, RICA-certified appraisal, and bespoke commissions — from Ghorban Ahmadi’s 10,000 sq ft Skokie studio. Free insured pickup across Chicago and the North Shore.
- 5.0★Google · 79+ reviews
- RICARUG Index Certified
- FreeInsured pickup
What we do — and how we
do it differently.
Rug Cleaning
Full cold-water submersion, dye-tested before every wash. No steam, no hot-water extraction.
Read moreRug Repair
Hand-reweaving by weavers trained in ancestral Iranian techniques. No machine backing, no patches.
Read moreRug Restoration
Conservation methodology developed during Ghorban’s decade working alongside museum conservators.
Read moreBespoke Custom Rugs
Hand-knotted commissions woven to your room. Designer collaboration, lifetime workshop guarantee.
Read moreRug Appraisal
RICA-certified written appraisals — issued by the person who will actually handle your rug.
Read moreText usSend a photo — estimate in 30 minutes during workshop hours.
(847) 440-1349Estimate your rug cleaning in 30 seconds
Enter dimensions and rug type for a ballpark range. A firm written quote follows after Bobby inspects the rug or sees a photo.
Enter both dimensions.
Simple from start
to finish.
Free estimate
Send photos or book a visit. We respond within two hours with a detailed quote and timeline. No pressure, no hidden fees.
Insured pickup
Bobby coordinates pickup from your door, photographs the rug for chain-of-custody, and transports it to our Skokie workshop.
In-house care
Hand-washing, repair, restoration — done entirely at our 10,000 sq ft facility. Nothing leaves the building. Photo updates at each milestone.
Delivery
Wrapped, insured, and delivered back on your schedule. We can also install padding and reposition furniture.
See the conservation process in action.
- Dust extraction before water touches fibre — the single most common step skipped by carpet cleaners.
- Full cold-water submersion with pH-matched, conservator-grade soaps. No harsh alkaline degreasers, ever.
- Natural airflow drying on racks, climate-controlled to prevent dye migration and shrinkage.
- Every rug gets a final inspection + photographed condition report before it leaves the building.
What our clients say.
- ★★★★★
“I can't speak highly enough of Bobby and Ahmadi Rug! Before we called, we had significant damage to our handmade wool rugs from small clothing moths. I called several rug cleaning services and none came close to the level of expertise, service, and kindness I experienced with Bobby. They look great now and I'm so happy.”
Linda BraaschChicago - ★★★★★
“Wonderful! My handmade rug was restored and cleaned beautifully after having been on my floor for over 20 years with pets. The sides had been damaged from cats and the fringe was uneven. I had almost considered it beyond repair and was so surprised when it was rolled out in front of me.”
Deborah KraakChicago - ★★★★★
“Highly recommend for silk rug cleaning! We had a silk rug that needed a deep clean as well as glue removal and we could not be happier with the results. Bobby was very communicative throughout the whole process and answered questions as needed!”
Heather ArdenChicago
Four decades.
Three institutions.
One family.
Ghorban Ahmadi trained in Tehran and spent nearly a decade training under conservators whose work served the Louvre, the British Museum, and the State Hermitage collections. The same standards guide every piece that passes through our Skokie workshop today.
Bobby Ahmadi joined the workshop full-time in 2020, having spent years on the floor learning every service by hand before running any of them. He is the person clients speak with — every estimate, every pickup, every question about a rug in progress. Bobby holds the RICA designation through The RUG Index, a standardized appraisal platform for hand-knotted rugs. He also operates The RUG Index platform, which issues provenance certificates for hand-knotted rugs sold and commissioned through Ahmadi Rug.
- 1984–1993
Museum-trained conservation
Ghorban Ahmadi spends nearly a decade training under conservators whose work served the Louvre, British Museum, and State Hermitage collections.
- 2000s
Private conservation practice
Relocates to Chicago and builds a private practice serving rug dealers, designers, and homeowners across the Midwest.
- 2020
Formal studio established
Bobby Ahmadi joins the family business full-time. Skokie workshop expands to 10,000 sq ft.
- Today
Full-spectrum studio
Care, conservation, appraisal, and bespoke custom rug design under one roof — the only studio of its kind in the Midwest.
Free pickup across
Chicago & the North Shore.
Our 10,000 sq ft workshop is in Skokie, with free insured pickup and delivery throughout the city and the near-north suburbs.
Ahmadi Rug Workshop7300 N Lawndale AveSkokie, IL 60076
(847) 440-1349
- SkokieRug cleaning
- Lincoln ParkRug cleaning
- Gold CoastRug cleaning
- EvanstonRug cleaning
- Oak ParkRug cleaning
- WilmetteRug cleaning
- GlenviewRug cleaning
- WinnetkaRug cleaning
- GlencoeRug cleaning
- Highland ParkRug cleaning
- Lake ForestRug cleaning
- NorthbrookRug cleaning
- HinsdaleRug cleaning
- NapervilleRug cleaning
- + More areasSee all locations
Guides, costs, and
the why behind the work.
PricingWhat Rug Cleaning Actually Costs in Chicago
Chicago rug cleaning ranges from $0.50 to $6+ per square foot. What drives the price and what is fair for what.
Read article
Custom Hand-Knotted RugsCommissioning a Custom Hand-Knotted Rug — Timeline, Pricing, Process
How a bespoke commission works — brief, mockup, loom set-up, weaving, finishing — with realistic timelines and per-knot pricing.
Read article
Rug AppraisalHow Rug Appraisal Works: The Five-Factor Standard Explained
The five factors a qualified appraiser examines — origin, age, materials, condition, and market — and what a RICA-certified report contains.
Read article
Persian RugsPersian Rug Restoration: What Is Possible and What Is Not
What restoration can recover from antique Persian rugs and what cannot — knot reweaving, foundation rebuilding, dye matching.
Read article
For DesignersThe Interior Designer's Guide to Rug Care on Luxury Installs
A working reference for designers and architects in Chicago — pre-install prep, handling protocol, cleaning cadence by room.
Read article
Rug PaddingRug Pad Guide — What Works, and What Destroys Hardwood
Felt, rubber, felt+rubber, memory foam compared. What to use on hardwood, what destroys finishes, and correct sizing.
Read article
Common questions
How does pickup and delivery work?
Free insured pickup anywhere in Chicago and the North Shore. We schedule at your convenience and return your rug within 5–7 days.
How much does rug cleaning cost?
Cleaning starts at $95 and is priced per square foot by fibre type.
Do you clean antique and Persian rugs?
Yes. Ghorban has worked with antique Persian, Turkish, Caucasian, and Chinese rugs for 40 years. Every piece is dye-tested before washing.
How quickly can I get an estimate?
Bobby responds within 2 hours with a written estimate — firm price, clear timeline.
Interior designers & rug dealers —
work with us.
A streamlined program for Chicago-area designers, stagers, and dealers. Priority scheduling, co-branded documentation, and direct access to Bobby for every account.
Preferred pricing
Up to 25% trade discount on all services. Pass it to your client, retain as margin — your call.
Co-branded documentation
Condition reports, before/after photography, and provenance notes on your letterhead.
Bespoke custom rugs
Any size, any material, any colourway. Woven by master artisans in our network — 16–24 weeks.
The Rug Owner’s Care Guide
10 pages covering fiber care, rotation schedules, spill response, moth prevention, and when to call a professional. Written by Ghorban from 40 years of conservation work.