When your carpet has seen better days, it's time to hire a pro
Carpets see a lot of wear and tear in our homes, including spilled coffee, muddy footprints, icky pet stains, and just general dirtiness from foot traffic. Luckily, hiring a professional carpet cleaner can help you get things looking as good as new in a flash. When it's time to call in the experts, you’ll want to look for a company with a track record for delivering excellent service at a reasonable carpet cleaning cost.
But if you’ve never hired a carpet cleaning service before, it can seem a little daunting. No worries: we’ll give you some tips for how to choose the best carpet cleaning company for guaranteed results.
There are many ways to clean a carpet; most professional carpet cleaners offer the following options:
Steam cleaning uses steam from hot water to make a dirty carpet look fresh. It helps loosen and remove caked-on dirt, but your carpet will need about a day to dry before you can walk on it.
Carpet shampooing can remove heavy stains like fruit juice or mud. A carpet cleaner applies foam shampoo to the stains, leaving it to work into the fibers before wiping it up.
Dry cleaning a carpet can remove surface-level dirt without saturating the surface, but it won’t penetrate deeper stains. After a couple of hours, you can walk on the carpet.
Carbonated cleaning is a method of cleaning carpets with tiny chemical bubbles. When the bubbles pop, they loosen dirt, which is then suctioned up by the cleaning machine.
Hot water extraction cleaning uses steam from extra-hot water sprayed onto the carpet using jet nozzles. A wet vacuum then sucks up the loose debris, leaving a clean surface in its wake. A carpet will take a full day to dry after hot water extraction cleaning.
Bonnet cleaning involves spraying detergent onto the carpet and running a special cleaning device over the surface to remove dirt. This cleaning method is best for mildly soiled surfaces.
Encapsulation cleaning uses a special carpet cleaning machine to apply a cleaning solution to the surface. The solution crystallizes and encapsulates the grime, and once dry, the cleaner vacuums to remove the debris.
If you want to tackle this as a DIY project, you can rent or buy a carpet cleaner and cleaning solution rather than hiring a pro. This can be a cheaper option for mildly soiled carpet; however, you risk damaging the carpet if you don’t follow the instructions. DIY carpet cleaning can also take longer than hiring a pro.
The best option for heavily soiled carpets is to hire a professional carpet cleaning company. Pros know the best way to remove various stains and have several cleaning methods and industrial equipment at their disposal. They can clean your carpet thoroughly and efficiently—and many are licensed and insured to cover any accidental damage they cause.
Finding the right carpet cleaning pro will keep your rugs looking healthy and give you peace of mind that they know how to care for your specific carpeting.
Below are some tips to consider when finding the right carpet cleaner.
There are a few different ways professionals can clean your carpets, with the two most popular being dry carpet cleaning and steam cleaning. Since each of these methods comes with its own upsides and drawbacks, make sure you understand which one your cleaning company recommends, and plans on using.
Steam cleaning provides a deeper clean but can leave your carpets unusable for about a day, while dry carpet cleaning uses chemicals that you might want to avoid in your home, but your carpets are dry and usable within about an hour.
Consider what kind of carpet cleaning services you need when choosing a professional. Some cleaners will excel at general cleaning, like steam cleaning to remove dirt and odors, while others might specialize in stain removal on specific carpet materials. Speak with your professional about your expectations to make sure they can handle the work before you hire them for the job.
Many companies conduct background checks on employees prior to hiring, taking one thing off of your plate. However, you’ll still want to research the qualifications and reviews of any carpet cleaning companies you’re considering. A simpler way to check up on a company's history online is to read testimonials on social media sites and to check reviews of local carpet cleaning companies.
Remember: Online reviews are just one piece of the puzzle, and you should be sure to talk with potential pros and consider their qualifications before hiring, too. Ask about the company's technicians' training. A Carpet Cleaning Technician certificate from the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification is satisfactory, as it’s the most common and well-known training school for the cleaning and restoration industry.
Always, always ask about a contract beforehand. You should never hire a carpet cleaner who doesn't offer written terms for the work. This step protects both of you and can prevent future misunderstandings. Be sure to clarify things, like payment plans or installments, in writing if the work is extensive or will take multiple days.
Carpet cleaning costs around $180, on average, for a standard room, but your total could easily break $500 or more if you want multiple rooms cleaned or have stubborn stains that you need removed. Speak with your professional about the cost of the total job to make sure the company fits into your budget.
Carpet cleaning isn’t a terribly involved process, but we still recommend choosing a company with at least 5 to 10 years of experience. Not only will a more experienced company typically have a smoother hiring and scheduling process, but they’re also more likely to understand when certain cleaning methods will and won’t be ideal.
For example, an experienced carpet cleaner may know not to use dry carpet cleaning methods on delicate carpet materials, as the chemicals can do damage to it. Inexperienced professionals might not have the same foresight.
No matter what method your carpet cleaner uses, you should ask about the process they’ll use to get the job done. Dry carpet cleaning typically takes around an hour per room, while steam cleaning might take 2 to 4 hours, especially if it includes spot treating stains. Make sure you understand what your cleaner will do, and how long it will take.
Similarly, you might need to prepare your room before your carpet cleaner arrives, so make sure you discuss what they expect from you beforehand. Some things you might need to do include:
Secure pets in a secluded area of the home.
Remove furniture from the room.
Vacuum the carpet.
Remove delicate decor or valuables from the room.
Take down floor-length window treatments.
Some carpet cleaners will offer satisfaction guarantees, which are great to have for peace of mind, especially if you have heavy staining or odors that you need to get rid of. Don’t be afraid to ask about satisfaction or cleanliness guarantees before hiring so that you know whether or not you might be up against additional charges after the initial service.
Finally, if you’re planning on getting dry carpet cleaning services, you might want to ask your professional about the eco-friendliness of the products they use. Some dry carpet cleaning powders are harmful to the environment, and you may want to choose a cleaner that uses less caustic or abrasive chemicals. If you’re planning on getting steam cleaning done, that process only uses hot water, so environmental friendliness isn’t a concern.
Not every carpet cleaning company will be as professional and reputable as another. Some red flags to consider when hiring a carpet cleaner might include:
Vague quotes. Non-transparent pricing could be a sign that your professional plans on increasing costs after the services begin.
Poor or untimely communication. If a pro takes a long time to respond to an inquiry for service, you can bet the rest of the process is going to be frustrating and full of delays.
Low ratings online. Make sure you read through positive and negative reviews of any company to see what kind of service they provide to real customers.
Suspiciously low fees. If a company low-balls your project, you should question why. It’s likely either a sign that they intend on charging you more for carpet cleaning extras or “add-on services” that other companies include, or they lack the experience of a true professional.
Wanting to do the work with no contract. If a professional works on verbal agreements or avoids contracts, you should wonder why. Always get quotes and a description of work to be completed in writing to avoid miscommunication and discrepancies down the road.
Uninsured carpet cleaning companies. All professional contractors should carry insurance, which keeps both you and the pro protected in the case of an injury or emergency.
Check to see whether the company you're contacting is licensed in your state. It is also a good idea to inquire about the company's insurance, as workers’ compensation or liability coverage is standard.
Asking relevant questions will help you determine how well your carpet will turn out through the hiring process. Following are five questions to ask your carpet cleaner before you hire them.
In most cases, the service should include these five cleaning methods:
Dry soil removal: vacuuming thoroughly to remove dry substances from carpet fibers
Soil suspension: removes soils with a high-quality pre-treatment substance
Soil extraction (steam cleaning): removes soils from carpet with a steam cleaning machine, also known as hot water extraction
Grooming: removes matting and spreads cleaning chemicals throughout the carpet
Drying: carpet should dry for a minimum of six to eight hours
Companies remove pet stains, treat high-traffic areas, and carpet protection applications through pre-treating. In many cases, companies only offer these extras at an additional expense, so make sure you understand what they’ll cost above and beyond your standard service cost.
Carpet cleaning does not generally include furniture moving unless you specifically request it. It can’t hurt to ask, though, and it could save you time and potential injury.
Many cleaning companies use high pH cleaners on carpets. They clean effectively, but dirt becomes a magnet for them, allowing them to re-soil rapidly and produce a sticky or gritty sensation. A high pH may harm the carpet's fibers and reduce its useful lifespan. Inquire whether the technician will lower or neutralize the pH after cleaning to prevent any issues.
A guarantee is something that a good carpet cleaning business should provide. Stains may return, or new problems develop, so you want to know if you have options if this happens. Also, inquire about the time limit for the warranty so that you can be sure to call in time if something goes wrong.
Before service begins, get everything in writing. Make sure it's in line with your plans and expectations. Try adding a stipulation not to pay until the job is completed and you are happy with the turn-out.
Make sure you also understand what’s included in the service, what options you have if you’re not satisfied with the results, and what products and cleaning methods your cleaner will use.
Finally, ask about what you’ll need to do to prepare the room before the services take place.
After your carpet cleaner finishes cleaning your carpets, carefully inspect the treated rooms to make sure everything meets your expectations. Pay particular attention to any areas that were stained, matted, or holding onto odors.
Ask your cleaner how long you need to keep furniture and foot traffic off of the carpet to allow for proper drying. You could be looking at anywhere from an hour to 24 hours, depending on the cleaning method used.
Finally, tipping for carpet cleaning is not expected. However, if you appreciate the work, or the pro went above and beyond to get out a stubborn stain or odor, feel free to tip between $10 to $20 to the carpet cleaner on site. You can also leave a review on the company’s social media pages and review sites to show your thanks for a job well done.
A professional carpet cleaner charges between $120 and $240 per project, with an average cost of $180.
However, your cost could be higher or lower depending on several factors:
Surface area
Material
Location
Method
Any add-ons you choose, like carpet repairs or padding replacement
When shopping around, ask for quotes from several companies to find the best one for your budget. Remember to ensure each quote is for a similar scope of work so you’re comparing apples to apples.
A carpet cleaner uses steam to penetrate the fibers of your carpet and remove dirt, while a carpet shampooer uses a detergent to clean the carpet’s surface.
Your carpet’s drying time depends on the cleaning method used. It should take 6 to 10 hours for your carpet to dry, but it could take a full day if you use a steam-cleaning method or if your home has a high humidity level.
It depends on how dirty your carpets are. If the dirt is only on the surface, you can use carpet shampoo to remove it. However, if the carpet is dirty throughout or if it’s been a long time since you last cleaned it, steaming is the best option.
