Average carpet cleaning costs

Summary: How much does it cost to clean a carpet, average labour costs to clean a carpet and average cost of carpet cleaning materials.

It seems like yesterday that the fitters came and laid the carpet. The beautiful new floor covering added that touch of class to your room. After all a spanking new carpet just lifts the rest of the décor. But since then the poor carpet has endured the relentless tramp-tramp of feet, tea spills, crumbs and who knows what else. The poor thing is beginning to look, well, a tad grubby. Worse, it’s developing an odour! Time to take action. But are you going to call in the professionals or attempt a DIY. And which will prove most affordable?

Average Cost

Factors to consider

The easiest option is to hire a specialist carpet-cleaning firm. Naturally the Yellow Pages and the Internet will offer you a healthy choice of local companies. Always shop around and obtain a quote before confirming a deal. The professional carpet cleaning industry is as regulated as any other and you might wish to check your cleaner’s credentials. Although it is not compulsory for a professional carpet cleaner to belong, there is a National Carpet Cleaner’s Association. Qualifications often add to a tradesman’s fees, but you have the peace of mind of knowing you are in good hands. Both members and non-members can take the NCCA training. So you might wish to check whether the cleaner has taken the NCCA training course. Another plus is that a full NCCA member will have both liability insurance and product insurance. This means that if there are any mishaps as a result of the cleaner’s actions you are covered. Don’t be shy in asking to see their membership card and their insurance statement.

When negotiating a price make sure you have agreed the cost of stair carpets, as stairs can work out more expensive than flat floors.

Another issue to mull over is which method of cleaning is best for you. No, it’s not all the same. There are five common ways to professionally wash the rug and these can affect the price. In brief the methods are; hot water extraction (also known as steam cleaning), absorbent pad (also known as bonnet cleaning), absorbent compound, shampoo and dry foam. Five different ways, five different machines and five different chemical solutions. A professional carpet cleaner will be able to recommend the correct method for your carpet. If you have any worries about the use of chemicals, for example if you have an allergic housemate or children, ask your carpet cleaner for information on what they use. If they can’t tell you move on to another.

Costs to consider

The other choice is to hire a carpet-cleaning machine yourself. First inspect your carpet and determine how dirty it is. If it is very soiled you might need the kind of heavy-duty work only a professional can provide. If not you might decide to clean it yourself as a way of cutting costs. However it’s wise to do some research. Which of the five methods mentioned above will be best? The wrong method may make little difference to the look of the carpet and cause it to get dirtier faster. Furthermore bear in mind rental machines are unlikely to deep clean the way an industry standard machine would.

So spend time scouring the Internet or chatting to an expert to evaluate the pros and cons. For example, steam cleaning uses less chemicals and is good for reaching those irritating nooks and crannies. The heat of the steam kills off any carpet mites. But steaming is not recommended for velvet-pile fabrics. Hot water extraction is the most effective way of tackling grime. By the way, don’t forget to add the costs of the cleaning agents to your estimated bill.

Here’s a few golden rules for self-cleaning. Thoroughly vacuum the carpet first. Next make sure you test a little area before launching your full assault on the dirt gremlins. This is to double check you are using the right method for the right fabric. Thirdly, slip a scrap of silver foil under the legs of the furniture, otherwise rust or wood oil might smear during the clean up. No point saving pennies on DIY only to ruin the carpet and have to fork out for a new one.

To sum up, hiring a quality carpet cleaner may cost more, but will ensure the best results. Hiring an unqualified carpet cleaner may risk damaging your carpet. DIY carpet cleaning is invariably cheaper, but if you don’t know what you are doing could also ruin the pile, soak the floor and leave the carpet in a worse state.