How Much Is Carpet Cleaning?

One of the first questions we ask when we’re considering making an investment is: How much does it cost? 

When it comes to investing in professional cleaning services, this is even more top of mind as you compare companies. That said, the cost of carpet cleaning isn’t black and white. 

The full cost of your carpet cleaning will be based on a number of factors, including room sizes and types, add-ons, and the cleaning methods used. 

Other smaller rooms in the home are usually estimated separately. This includes bathrooms, laundry rooms, entryways, hallways, and staircases. 

Overall, because every home and company is unique, prices based on room type and size are subject to vary across companies.

Make sure you ask any company what method they will use to clean your carpet, as this will affect the price. Some methods are more thorough and will result in a higher estimate. Service level, including quality care and results, also plays a role in pricing. 

Common carpet cleaning methods include carpet shampooing, dry carpet cleaning, encapsulation carpet cleaning, and hot water extraction. Each one will come with a slightly different price, so when you’re working on getting your quote, be sure to clarify which one will be used.

Keep reading to learn more about each type of carpet cleaning.

Outside of professional cleaning, some people opt to clean carpets on their own with rented machines. Rental carpet cleaners are often used because they’re less expensive than professional cleaning and convenient, as you can get them at local stores. However, there are definite trade-offs to this method.

For starters, the homeowner is responsible for assessing the type of carpet and what treatment method will be best, which comes with a certain amount of risk if you’re not a carpet expert. Also, rented machines typically aren’t routinely cleaned, so you’re bound to track in outside dirt and dander from other homes. 

We don’t recommend this method, as it requires a lot of time, money, and effort, and you’re not guaranteed the same level of clean. If you use the wrong cleaning solution/method, you could even damage your carpet and cost yourself even more money.

Also, when it comes to tough stains, a rented carpet cleaner won’t be nearly as effective in lifting discoloration, nor will it offer a deodorizing treatment. 

The first professional carpet cleaning method is also probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of carpet cleaning: carpet shampooing. 

Carpet shampooing uses a suds-based detergent to deep clean carpet. The soap detergent is mixed with water and then scrubbed into the carpet fibers with a machine. Finally, a wet vacuum removes the shampoo from the carpet. This method is a stronger clean than vacuuming and can be effective for spot treating. 

The shampoo can also act as a fragrance to cover up odors. The biggest downfall to carpet shampooing is that it can easily leave behind soapy residue that makes the carpet sticky. This ultimately attracts more dust and dirt, which makes your carpet get dirty faster.

Dry carpet cleaning uses dry chemical compounds to offer a low-moisture method. The compounds are spread evenly around the carpet and then worked in using a machine. The dry compound uses carbonation to lift dirt and grime.

After the solvent sets into the carpet, it’s all vacuumed up. Since it’s low moisture, the carpet dries within a half hour. This method is a good solution if you’re in a rush, but dry carpet cleaning can’t clean deep down into the carpet fibers. This method can also leave behind powdery residue that will attract dust and dirt over time.

Encapsulation carpet cleaning is similar to dry carpet cleaning because it involves low moisture. This method uses a specific cleaner with polymers that encapsulate and crystallize soil to loosen it up. This cleaner is usually worked into the carpet using rotary brushes. 

After 10-15 minutes, the solvent and dirt are vacuumed away. Encapsulation is a good method if you want faster cleaning and dry times. Like dry carpet cleaning, this method can be good at getting surface-level dirt, but it doesn’t clean deep within the carpet’s fiber.

We clean carpet exclusively using hot water extraction and our patented cleaning equipment. Our cleaning wands pump hot water into your carpet under pressures ranging from 35-500 PSI to release dirt and dander that’s deeply embedded. 

Then, the wand extracts the water and removes dirt. Our specific cleaning is powerful enough to remove on average 94% of common household allergens from carpet. While drying can take several hours, our cleaning equipment extracts virtually all water used in the cleaning process.

We also use EPA Safer Choice cleaning solutions so carpet is immediately safe for pets and kids after cleaning. 

Hot water extraction can be more expensive compared to the above methods, but the results and quality you get are the reason we’ve led the industry for over 75 years and have a platinum rating from the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI).

Common add-ons typically include carpet protectant, deodorizer, and additional services that the cleaning company can perform. Some companies only specialize in carpet cleaning. Stanley Steemer technicians are experts in all things professional cleaning and can tackle different services, like upholstery cleaning, in one day.

Finally, companies may charge hidden fees. These might include fees for moving furniture and fees for transporting and disposing of water, sometimes called environmental fees. We gladly move furniture at no charge, and technicians are specially trained to do so, as well. We even return furniture back to its rightful place with protective padding. We don’t charge environmental fees.