How much does carpet cleaning cost?

Got carpets in need of a little TLC? Wondering how much carpet cleaning services are going to set you back? It's always smart to know the costs of professional carpet cleaning in your local area so that you can prepare your budget accordingly.

On average, professional carpet cleaning costs around $210 nationwide, however, your cleaner might charge more or less than that. Carpet cleaning prices vary based on location, the size of your home, the amount of carpet, and how long it will take to clean.

Our carpet cleaning price guide will fill you in on everything you need to know about deep carpet cleaning costs in the US. By the time you're through, you'll have a crystal-clear idea on renting costs for carpet cleaners, just in time to make that first post on this platform.

Carpet cleaning price list

While we don’t have a carpet cleaning cost calculator, this guide can give you an idea of how much it costs to clean a carpet. The average price of carpet cleaning ranges from $50 to $1,000, depending on the amount of work involved. Carpet cleaning prices depend a lot on the type of house and all the tasks needed to complete the job. 

Carpet cleaner hourly rates

Carpet cleaning companies may charge around $50 to $100 per hour. Independent carpet cleaners may charge around $12 to $20 per hour. Unless you’re a commercial cleaning company or a large corporation, you’re probably not planning to employ a carpet cleaner full time, so these rates won’t apply to you. As you’ll need to engage your carpet cleaner as a one-off contractor, they’ll need to charge you higher rates. This is because they’ll be covering their expenses like carpet shampooing costs, among others, including:

• Their wage

• Tax

• Superannuation

• Insurance

• Travel expenses

• A carpet cleaning machine and equipment

• Cleaning supplies

• And more!

A lot of the time, your carpet cleaner will need to charge you double or triple the standard rate to cover the costs associated with running their business. When you set the budget for a task, try to keep in mind the approximate number of hours it might take.

Factors that affect carpet cleaning prices

Aside from the size of your space, there are other factors that affect the carpet cleaning cost per square foot. Here are some that might increase or decrease the total cost of getting your carpets professionally cleaned:

• Your location

• The number of bedrooms in your home

• The type and condition of your carpet

• Any extras (like hallways, lounges, car seats, rugs, furniture)

• How difficult or easy it is to access and complete the job

• How urgently you need the job done

• Whether you need the cleaning done on a weekend or weekday

Should I get my carpet professionally cleaned?

Getting your carpets professionally cleaned helps them last longer and ensures better hygiene in your home. The most common reasons people hire a professional carpet cleaner are:

• They’re renting and required to get a professional clean once a year and/or after they move out

• Their carpets are looking a little worse for wear, and they don’t feel like hiring a machine to shampoo the carpets themselves.

• There are lots of other (very good) reasons to hire a carpet cleaner. Most people see carpet cleaners as a good investment in their home’s cleanliness, their health, and the longevity of their carpet.

How often should you clean your carpets?

You should vacuum your carpets around once or twice a week (more often if they’re dirty). You should book a deep clean — like a professional carpet clean — every 12 to 24 months. You’ll probably need to clean yours more often if you have small children, pets, or live with a smoker, or if you live in an area with a lot of dust or pollution.

To go longer between carpet cleans (and stretch your budget further), use a welcome mat at your front and back door. This will help cut down on the amount of dirt coming into your house. And if you spill something on your carpet, spot clean immediately by dabbing the carpet to reduce the chance of a stain.

The benefits of a professional carpet clean

Getting your carpets steamed and shampooed properly doesn’t just make them look nicer. It also cleans out a whole lot of yucky/harmful things, like:

• Pesticides and herbicides you might’ve transferred from your shoes (See also: Pest Control Cost Guide)

• Organic allergens and compounds

• By-products and smells from cooking, heating, smoking, and candles

• Heavy metals from dust (arsenic, lead, lithium, etc.)

• Fine particles your vacuum cleaner can’t catch

• All things you probably don’t want to let build up in your home for too long.

What’s included in a professional carpet cleaning service?

When you book a carpet cleaner for your house, a standard clean will usually take around two hours (depending on the size of your home and the number of bedrooms). This service often includes the following:

• A professional steam cleaning machine (your carpet cleaner will bring this with them)

• Shampoo for your carpet

• 3-4 standard bedrooms carpet cleaned

Your carpet cleaning professional may also help with moving the furniture and/or vacuuming the floors before they start. Some will also offer lounge suite and upholstery steam cleaning, curtain steaming, and car seat upholstery cleaning. If you need these tasks included, make sure you tell your cleaner when you book.

What services are not part of a carpet cleaner’s work?

While some cleaners are pretty flexible, usually, they won’t do:

• Maintenance tasks — like repairing your carpet

• Renovation tasks — like replacing a patch of carpet that’s worn through

• Significant moving — move your beds or other heavy furniture to clean the carpet underneath

You’ll need to hire a handyperson or flooring contractor for those tasks. But if you want one person to take care of all the work, you can always specify this when you post your task. You might be lucky enough to get a skilled carpet cleaner who’s capable of helping with other tasks, too.

Should I DIY my carpet cleaning?

Some people prefer to save on the cost of carpet cleaning by doing a DIY job. DIY-ing can certainly save you some money, but perhaps not as much as you’d think. Consider having to rent or purchase a steam cleaner for stubborn stains, like food or coffee spills. There’s the cost of detergent, too. Here’s a quick computation for you:

If all goes well, you’re still looking at a minimum of $50 to clean your carpets yourself. While we’re mainly talking about carpet cleaning prices here, you should also think about your time and what that’s worth. Whilst a professional can take two hours to finish the job, it might take you twice as long for the same work.

How to create your first carpet cleaning task

Ready to hire your carpet cleaner and create your first task on Airtasker? It’s easy! 

Just write out your task, post your listing, review your offers, choose a cleaner, and they’ll arrange to come and do your carpet cleaning. If you’re curious, read some more about how it works.

Here’s what you might include in your listing:

• Timing and budget

• Location

• Number of rooms/carpets and approximate sizes

• Deep clean or standard clean? Any stains?

• Any extras? (e.g. vacuuming, furniture moving, upholstery)

• Any access issues? (e.g. upstairs or in an apartment)

• Any special requirements? (e.g. high-pile carpet, delicate/worn)

• Is the job likely to be challenging or time-consuming?

• Equipment provided?

The more information you include, the easier it’ll be for your carpet cleaner to price up the job and make you an offer. Plus, they’ll refer to the info in your listing when they arrive to complete the task.