How much does carpet cleaning cost?

There is no fair average for your home, because the price depends on the job. The main factors are how many rooms or how much floor area, how the company defines a room, stairs and hallways, the cleaning method, how soiled the carpet is, pre-treatment of stains, pet odour treatment, deodoriser or protector, moving furniture, and travel. Some companies price per room, some per square foot or per square metre, and some per job. Ask two or three companies for a written, all-in quote for the same rooms and the same extras, then compare line by line rather than comparing headline prices.

Is steam cleaning the same as hot water extraction?

Usually, yes. Most carpet cleaners use “steam cleaning” as the everyday name for hot water extraction, where hot water and a cleaning solution are sprayed into the carpet and pulled back out with strong suction. Very little actual steam is involved. The term matters less than the details: how hot the water is, how strong the suction is, how many drying passes the technician makes, and whether the method suits your carpet fibre. Ask the company to describe the exact process and whether it is the method your carpet manufacturer recommends.

How long does carpet take to dry after cleaning?

It depends on the method, the carpet, the weather and the ventilation, so be wary of anyone who promises a fixed time without seeing your home. Low-moisture methods dry faster than hot water extraction. Thick wool, cold or humid weather and closed rooms all slow drying down. Ask the technician how long to keep off the carpet, whether to use fans or open windows, and when furniture can go back. Carpet that stays damp for a long time can start to smell or grow mould, so tell the company if it is still wet the next day.

Can old pet urine stains be removed?

Sometimes, but not always. Urine often soaks through the carpet into the backing and the pad or underlay underneath, so a surface clean can make the spot look better while the smell comes back on humid days. Treating the backing and pad takes extra work and may cost more. Old stains can also change the carpet dye permanently, and in that case no cleaning will remove the mark. Ask the cleaner to inspect the area first and tell you honestly what is realistic. In severe cases the pad may need replacing.

Does Hirovo check the carpet cleaners who reply?

No. Hirovo is a small platform in the US and UK and the number of carpet cleaners registered there is still limited. Posting a job is free. Cleaners nearby can apply or message you, and in some areas replies may take time or may not come at all. Hirovo does not verify identity, run background checks, check training or insurance, or confirm reviews. It is not an employer, agent or party to the work. You choose whom to invite and you agree the price directly, so run the checks in this guide on anyone who responds.

How to Choose a Carpet Cleaner: Methods, What Sets the Cost and Upsells to Watch For

If you are working out how to choose a carpet cleaner, you probably have a stained living room, a move-out date, or a sofa that has seen better days. Plenty of companies advertise, and their prices look very different. The difference is rarely just quality. It is usually the method, what is included in the price, and what gets added once the van is outside your door.

This guide works for the United States and the United Kingdom. It explains the main cleaning methods and which carpets they suit, what sets carpet cleaning cost, how to spot the classic low-price upsell, what to ask about training and insurance, drying, renting, upholstery and pet stains.

Carpet cleaning methods and which carpet they suit

The method matters more than the brand of machine. A good cleaner looks at the carpet first, checks the fibre and the stains, and then chooses. Ask what method they plan to use and why.

Check your carpet’s label or the manufacturer’s care guide before choosing a method.
Method	How it works	Suits	Watch for
Hot water extraction	Hot water and cleaning solution are sprayed in and sucked back out. Often called steam cleaning.	Most synthetic carpets; deep soiling; often what manufacturers recommend.	Over-wetting and slow drying if suction or drying passes are poor.
Low-moisture / encapsulation	A cleaning solution traps soil in crystals that are vacuumed away later.	Regular maintenance, offices, carpets that should not get very wet.	Less effective on heavy soiling and deep stains.
Dry compound	A damp powder is brushed in, absorbs dirt and is vacuumed out.	Wool and moisture-sensitive carpets; quick return to use.	Powder residue if not removed thoroughly.
Rug cleaning	Area rugs cleaned on site or taken to a workshop.	Wool, handmade and antique rugs.	Dye bleeding and fringe damage; ask about colour testing.

Wool needs gentler solutions and careful temperature control. Berber and loop-pile carpets can wick stains back up as they dry if they are over-wetted. If you do not know what your carpet is made of, say so and let the cleaner test a hidden area.

Carpet cleaning cost: what sets the price

A per-room or per-square-foot figure online cannot price your home. The same flat can be priced very differently by two companies depending on what each one counts and includes. These are the items that move the number:

How it is measured: per room, per square foot (common in the US), per square metre, or a single price for the whole job (common in the UK).
What counts as a room: some companies cap the size of a “room”, so a large open-plan lounge may count as two.
Stairs, landings and hallways: often priced separately.
Pre-treatment: spot treatment of stains and heavy traffic lanes.
Pet odour treatment: treating the backing and pad, not just the surface.
Deodoriser and protector: usually extras, offered on the day.
Moving furniture: whether it is included, and which pieces they will not move.
Access and travel: parking, floors without a lift, and distance from the company’s base.

The low-price upsell

The classic trap is a very low advertised per-room price. On the day, the technician measures and says your rooms are too big, the carpet is too dirty for the basic clean, the stains need pre-treatment, and protector is “strongly recommended”. The final bill ends up far above the advert. Not every extra is a trick, but you should hear about all of them before anyone starts.

Ask for a written, all-in quote that lists every room, the method, and each extra with its price. Send photos and rough measurements if they will not visit first. If the price changes on arrival, you are free to say no before work begins.

Need carpets or a sofa cleaned?

Posting a job on Hirovo is free. List the rooms, add photos of stains and the carpet label if you have it, choose your area, and cleaners nearby can apply or message you in the app. You compare them and decide.

Post a free job →

How to choose a carpet cleaner: training, insurance and memberships

Carpet cleaning is not a licensed trade in most places, so other checks do the work. Industry training and certification exist, for example through the IICRC, which certifies technicians in carpet and upholstery cleaning. Ask whether the person coming to your home has had that kind of training, not just the company owner.

Ask for proof of liability insurance, in case a rug bleeds or a floor or skirting is damaged. In the UK, some cleaners belong to trade associations such as the NCCA. Membership is not legally required, but it usually means a code of practice and a complaints route. In the US, check whether your state or city requires a general business licence, and look up reviews yourself.

Drying time and over-wetting

Too much water is the most common way a carpet clean goes wrong. If the backing and pad stay wet, the carpet can smell musty, brown marks can rise to the surface, and mould can grow. A good technician controls the amount of water and makes several dry passes.

Ask how long to keep off the carpet, when furniture can go back, and whether to use fans, open windows or heating. Avoid walking on damp carpet in outdoor shoes. If it is still wet the next day, call the company.

Check your warranty first: some carpet manufacturers’ warranties expect periodic professional cleaning, sometimes with a particular method. Read your warranty documents before booking, and keep the invoice showing the method used.

Renters and end-of-tenancy cleaning

In the UK, end-of-tenancy carpet cleaning is often expected, but check what your tenancy agreement actually says before paying for it. The usual standard is the condition at move-in, allowing for fair wear and tear. If your deposit is in a protection scheme and you disagree with a deduction, the scheme offers a dispute service. In the US, check your lease terms and your state’s rules on security deposits. In both countries, photographs at move-in and move-out help.

Upholstery cleaning: sofas and chairs

Upholstery cleaning follows different rules. Most sofas and chairs have a tag with a cleaning code, and it decides what can be used:

W: water-based cleaning is fine.
S: solvent only; water can leave rings or shrink the fabric.
W/S: either water or solvent.
X: vacuum only; no liquid cleaning.

Show the tag to the cleaner, or photograph it for the quote. Ask them to test a hidden spot first, especially on velvet, linen and older fabrics. Leather needs its own products.

Pet urine and stubborn stains

Pet urine is not only a surface stain. It often soaks through to the backing and the pad, and a surface clean can leave a smell that returns on humid days. Ask whether the treatment reaches the backing and pad, and how they will check. Be ready for honest news: old stains can permanently change the dye, and some marks will not come out. A good cleaner tells you that before starting, not after billing.

If the smell or stains come from pests rather than pets, see our guide on how to choose a pest control company. If you want regular cleaning for the rest of the house, read how to hire a house cleaner.

Questions to ask a carpet cleaner

Which method will you use on my carpet, and why?
How do you define a room, and are stairs and hallways extra?
Is pre-treatment, deodoriser or protector included, or extra?
Can I have a written, all-in quote before you start?
What training has the technician had, and can I see your insurance?
Do you move furniture, and which pieces not?
How long until I can walk on it, and what should I do to help it dry?
What happens if a stain comes back or the carpet stays wet?

Using a free Hirovo job post

Posting a job on Hirovo is free. Describe the rooms, the carpet and any furniture, choose your area, and carpet cleaners nearby can apply or message you. Hirovo is a global platform and the number of cleaners registered in the US and UK is still small, so use it alongside other ways of finding local services. Hirovo does not verify the people who reply and is not a party to the work, so run the checks above on anyone who responds.

In short

Choose the method for the carpet, not the cheapest advert. Get a written, all-in quote that says how rooms are counted and lists every extra. Ask about training, insurance and, in the UK, trade association membership. Avoid over-wetting, ask about drying, check your warranty and tenancy terms, read the upholstery code, and expect honesty about old pet stains.