I take mine to a professional rug launderer. I’ve never had a major stain though and mine are dark, patterns. Not sure how well it would work with an obvious stain.

I send mine out to a local place. They use rainwater to clean them. It is not inexpensive, however.

We send ours out to a huge “rug spa” a couple of towns over. They hang them and clean kind of like a car wash for rugs only it’s all done by hand. There is some kind of minimum charge for a rug and then on top of that it’s $3 per square foot. If you opt for Microseal treatment afterwards that is $2 per foot. They do a marvelous job and clean ours every five years.

I was desperate once and was given the same advice that Gail describes above from the rug dealer from whom I bought my very first expensive rug. I have a Bissel and use hot water and no soap. For pet stains, I treat with Folex.

They go to a professional rug cleaner.

I send mine out.

I have sent mine out, but last time I called a rug cleaning service that came to the house. I think they did a good job cleaning the oriental rugs.

Does your sister rotate her rug? We rotate all of ours at least once a year so that you aren't always walking on the same areas.

Seems like an odd stain though. Is it near a door and he is wiping his shoes on the same spot all the time? Does he have black soled shoes?

Do they have dogs? Dogs will create dirt stains if they regularly lie down in a certain spot on the rug.

For those who use a home steam cleaner, do you clean it on the wood floor and if so how do you keep it from damaging floor?

chispa, no dogs. Not near the door either. It's where he sits with his shoes on, much to her dismay. Does rotate the rug. I need to ask about the black color which is odd to me as well. Guessing black-soled shoes.

Tuesday, yes, I clean them where they are. The water doesn't seep down to the wood floor. There are splashes along the perimeter that I just wipe up. With kids and dogs, there's no way I could take my rugs to be professionally cleaned as often as they would need it. My semi-annual cleaning of the rugs is so therapeutic... and I've never had a problem with either my expensive ones (purchased pre-kids) or the typical Pottery Barn rug.

Ours is not a Persian/Oriental rug, but I have Stanley Steemer clean it.

Young House Love blog recently had a post about cleaning a wool rug with a power washer! Here's the link https://www.younghouselove.com/power-washing-a-rug/

I am not sure I would attempt this...

I have a few antique large Persian rugs that I have had cleaned professionally. And one small antique Persian rug that I cleaned. I found it on top of a trash can on the street. The color was beautiful, but it was covered in some white stuff. I though it might be spilled paint. I took it home and in the light realized it was molding. I took it outside and washed the heck out of it. I used a gentle detergent and scrubbed with a broom. Them I hung it on a line and hosed it. I did this several times and let it hang outside for a few days. It is perfect now except for the edge piece that was damaged before I got it. I will have the edge repaired at some point.

My long winded story is to explain that water should do no harm as long as you dry it completely.

hcbm, what a great story and find. So glad you took it home, brought it back and are now enjoying it.

I've washed a large hooked wool rug with dish soap and a garden hose (outside, obviously). It's very awkward--a sloped driveway helps and it entertains the neighbors. Drying a heavy rug takes sturdy patio furniture.

For that rug I'd first see if the black stuff comes off with a damp rag. She might be able to get it slightly more presentable while waiting for quarantine rules to be lifted enough to get it to a professional.

I know someone who does this to the white carpet in his home where he sits. His wife's solution is to put down a 2x3 doormat where he puts his feet.