Carpet Cleaning Cost

How Much is Carpet Cleaning?

Want to know how much professional carpet cleaning costs?

On average, you can expect carpet cleaning prices you're quoted to be around £260 in the UK. However, professional carpet cleaning costs will vary depending on the size of the room that needs cleaning and the cleaning method used.

What is the main reason you're hiring a carpet cleaner?

Deep cleaning before selling/renting

43 votes - 32%32% of votes

Removing stains and odours

60 votes - 45%45% of votes

Regular maintenance

20 votes - 15%15% of votes

Allergies or health reasons

8 votes - 6%6% of votes

Saving time and effort

3 votes - 2%2% of votes

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The average carpet cleaning cost per m² is around £2.50, which means carpet cleaning costs for a small bedroom should be around £30, whilst the carpet cleaning prices for a 4-bedroom detached house will be about £360.

Carpet cleaning costs will vary depending on the company you choose, as well as whether you require carpet cleaners to move furniture (as this typically means the job takes them longer to complete).

How much it costs to clean a carpet will also depend on how dirty your carpets are. If there are spills and stains that you want the carpet cleaner to deal with, it'll take them longer — which means a higher quote.

If your carpets are looking a bit past their best, before you rush out and buy brand new carpets, read on to learn more about carpet cleaning prices by room and house size, what affects costs, and how to find professional carpet cleaners near you.

Calculate the Cost of Carpet Cleaning

Looking for a more accurate estimate for your carpet cleaning job?

Why not use our carpet cleaning cost calculator to get a better estimate of how much your carpet cleaning project is likely to cost?

Carpet Cleaning Prices

Any homeowner knows that everyday family life can take its toll on your carpets. Whether it's just the accumulated dirt from the day-to-day comings and goings, or the occasional spills and stains, sooner or later most carpets will benefit from a really deep clean.

And, if you're living in rented accommodation, having your carpets professionally cleaned may be a condition of your end of tenancy cleaning agreement.

So, how much does deep carpet cleaning cost?

Carpet Cleaning Costs by Room

The table below sets out the costs for different-sized carpet cleaning jobs, ordered by room size:

Carpet cleaning generally takes around half an hour for a small or large bedroom, and up to an hour for a typical living room.

Carpet Cleaning Prices by House Size

Let's now take a look at carpet cleaning prices based on house size:

In terms of how long you can expect typical carpet cleaning jobs to take, the average timescale for carpet cleaning is around 2 to 3 hours to clean all the rooms in a 3-bedroom semi-detached home.

Carpet Cleaning Costs by Location

How much it costs to get carpets cleaned will vary across the UK, and to give you some real-world context, here are some examples for different areas.

Rather than regional averages, these are individual price examples that show how costs can vary in different areas. Your costs will depend on the carpet size, condition, and method of cleaning used, but you can use these examples as a guide to estimate carpet cleaning costs near you.

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What Impacts Carpet Cleaning Costs?

Room size plays a big role in how much you'll pay for carpet cleaning. Most carpet cleaning specialists charge per square metre, so the larger the room, the more you should expect to pay.

But, other things can add to the prices you're quoted by carpet cleaning specialists.

Let's take a closer look:

Carpet Material

Your carpet's material can make a big difference to your cleaning cost. Some carpet materials are more challenging to clean than others, increasing the job's time and labour costs, while others are easier to clean.

Natural carpets, such as wool or sisal, require specific cleaning products and specialist care, making them cost more.

Synthetic carpets, such as nylon and polyester, are easier to clean. They're more resistant to stains, usually only requiring spot treatments, lowering their service costs.

Type of Carpet Cleaning Service

Different carpets need different cleaning services. Here's what you can expect to pay for dry, wet, and encapsulating services:

Carpet Condition

Professional carpet cleaners will normally ask to see your carpet before giving you a price for their service. This is so they can assess the condition it's in and what's going to be required to give them a good clean.

For example, if you have stubborn stains on a natural fibre carpet, you should expect to pay more for spot treatments on these areas.

Location of Property

Where you're located in the UK also plays a part in determining the carpet cleaning costs you're quoted, as labour rates are a significant part of total carpet cleaning costs, and these rates differ across the country.

Many cleaning companies will provide a quote based on the size of the room or house they need to clean, but different rates for labour and other costs mean these quotes could be 25% to 35% higher in London compared to the northern regions of England.

Ease of Access

How easy is it to access the rooms where the carpet needs to be cleaned? Some carpet cleaning professionals may charge more for a space that is difficult to clean, such as a small attic or basement bedroom.

You'll also typically be charged more if you're expecting the cleaners to move any furniture before they start carpet cleaning. Once the cleaning is complete, you'll be charged again if you want them to move it back.

Additional Carpet Cleaning Costs

Besides the base cleaning fee, watch out for these extras that can bump the bill up. These are ones people sometimes forget to ask about:

• Stain or protector treatments – Applying something like Scotchgard or similar once cleaning is done can protect your carpet from future stains. Costs usually run around £15 per room.
• Pre-treatment of problem areas – If there’s grease, ink, or heavy stains, some cleaners will treat these ahead of the main clean. Might be included, might cost extra (depends on how bad it is).
• Furniture moving – Clearing or moving furniture before or during cleaning might add to labour time.
• Weekend / urgent bookings – Need it done outside standard hours or in a rush? Expect higher rates.
• Travelling / call-out fees – If the cleaner has to travel far or through busy zones, there may be an extra charge.
• Quick-dry services – If you don’t want the room out of use for long, some companies offer faster drying for an extra fee.
• Anti-insect treatment – If you want dust mite or insect protection, that can cost extra (often £7-£13 per room).

Should I Clean My Carpets or Replace Them?

If your carpet looks flat, worn or covered in stains, you’ll be weighing up two choices: call in a cleaner or rip it out and start again. The truth is, no amount of deep cleaning will save a threadbare carpet — but if the pile is still intact, a professional clean can buy you years more use.

When is Professional Carpet Cleaning Worth It?

Your carpet may look past it, but carpet cleaning from a professional can work wonders. Here are signs that getting your carpets cleaned could bring them back to life:

• There are no significant threadbare or bald patches and the pile is still intact.
• The carpet just seems dirty, generally discoloured, and dull.
• There are some isolated, small stains, but nothing major or permanent.
• You've noticed some odours from pets, spills, or everyday use.
• The fibres of the carpet are intact but flattened from dirt and traffic.
• A professional carpet cleaner has inspected the overall condition of your carpet and expects cleaning to provide a visible improvement.

When is It Time to Replace a Carpet?

It's unlikely that even the best professional carpet cleaning can revive a carpet that's beyond saving, so here are the most common signs it might be time to invest in a new floor covering:

• Your carpet has either large or numerous threadbare or bald patches.
• There are tears, damaged seams, or the backing has been exposed.
• Stains are large or widespread and have not responded to cleaning.
• Previous cleaning attempts have not been able to get rid of unpleasant odours.
• There has been significant water damage or persistent mould due to an underlying issue that needs addressing.
• The carpet pile and/or underlay have deteriorated so much that the carpet is no longer comfortable.
• A professional carpet cleaner has highlighted the poor condition of the carpet and doesn't believe additional cleaning will provide any improvement.

So if you do need to replace your existing carpet, how much will this set you back? Here’s a quick look at the average costs of cleaning, replacing, or switching to a different type of flooring:

Replacing carpet like-for-like is fine if you want the same soft feel underfoot. But if your home sees heavy footfall, spills, or pets, laminate or LVT can be a smarter long-term bet. They’re tougher, easier to clean, and don’t hold onto dirt the way fibres do.

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Can I Clean Carpet Myself?

Carpet cleaning can certainly be a DIY project - you can easily rent a machine and take on the job yourself. This might look like a good way to save some money, but it can be hard work, especially if you're cleaning a whole house — and the results don’t always match what a specialist can do with commercial kit.

If you decide you want to clean your carpets yourself, you might be tempted to invest in your own carpet cleaner to keep your carpets looking their best. If you're buying your own machine, there are a couple of options.

Domestic machines — these can be bought from most high street shops and they cost around £90 to £300. Great for freshening up a small room, but bear in mind that they don’t have the suction power to remove substantial stains. You’ll probably have to go over the same patch more than once.

Professional-grade cleaners — these are in a different category altogether! Normally, you’ll pay £2,000+ to buy, but you can rent them from roughly £30 to £50 a day. These units blast hot water deep into the fibres and pull dirt back out with much more force — the reason pro jobs can achieve better results and get carpets cleaner.

As you can see, the cost-effective approach to get the best DIY results might be to hire a professional-grade cleaner, but even then, the results you get may not always be worth what you saved by not hiring a professional.

To put this into perspective, hiring a machine to clean your carpets yourself may cost £50 and a few hours of your time, and if you only wanted to clean a standard-sized living room, this is around what a professional would charge to do it for you - and possibly get better results!

So, why hire a professional instead of doing it yourself?

• Commercial machines can clean deeper and faster and are great for big areas or stubborn stains.
• Pros know the right products for delicate fibres like wool or sisal (DIY mistakes can shrink or damage them).
• Drying time can be quicker due to better moisture-removal with pro kit — less risk of that damp, musty smell.
• DIY can be cheaper for a quick refresh, but harder work and often less effective.

How Do I Clean My Carpets?

If you do decide to try and deep-clean your carpets yourself rather than hiring a professional, here's how to do it properly:

• First, vacuum your carpets.
• Once free of dust and debris, if suitable for your type of carpet, you can spray shampoo and hot water into your carpet's pile using the carpet cleaning machine.
• Use the cleaning head to work into the carpet, and loosen the dirt by agitating the fibres before it is sucked up.
• After the first sweep, it may be necessary to repeat the entire process without using any shampoo for the best results.

A straightforward clean and refresh of your carpets is certainly something you could do yourself, but for a professional deep clean or more challenging cleaning situations, you'll probably get better results from hiring an expert.

Want to get quotes from professional carpet cleaners?

Use MyJobQuote to get free, no obligation quotes from carpet cleaners near you. It's fast, easy, and connects you with local specialists.

Types of Carpet Cleaning

There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to carpet cleaning.

Dry and encapsulation are usually cheaper, but hot water extraction handles deep stains and odours better. Pros will check fibre type and pH to pick the safest method.

Dry Carpet Cleaning Cost

Dry carpet cleaning is one of the most popular methods, which was first invented in the 1980s for carpets that do not have a high level of water resistance.

This process usually involves the use of a rotary carpet cleaning machine, which is used to apply and spread a low-moisture cleaning powder into the carpet fibres.

The average cost of dry carpet cleaning is around £30 to £40 for a small bedroom, and between £230 to £270 for a 3-bed semi-detached house.

Pros

• ✔ This service is dry by nature, so there's no drying time, meaning you can walk on your carpet again immediately
• ✔ Ideal for delicate fabrics and natural carpets
• ✔ Made from biodegradable materials which work like a micro-sponge to extract dirt quickly and easily

Cons

• ✖ Can leave behind an unpleasant smell
• ✖ Less effective on deep-set stains than wet carpet cleaning
• ✖ May leave a residue behind

Hot Water Extraction Cost

Hot water extraction cleaning (also known simply as steam carpet cleaning) involves the use of high-pressure hot water, which works to eradicate stubborn dirt. It also involves applying cleaning agents to stubborn stains, which are typically spread by a professional carpet cleaning machine.

The average cost of hot water extraction is around £35 to £50 for a small bedroom, and between £240 to £280 for a 3-bed semi-detached house.

Pros

• ✔ Gets rid of stale odours
• ✔ One of the most hygienic carpet cleaning methods, as it kills off microorganisms trapped in the fibres
• ✔ Can remove stubborn, set-in stains

Cons

• ✖ Long drying time after treatment, with some carpets taking up to 12 hours to fully dry
• ✖ Heat and moisture aren't suitable for all carpet fibres and are too harsh for natural carpets
• ✖ Equipment can be bulky, making it tricky to use in small spaces

Foam Encapsulation Cost

Encapsulation carpet cleaning involves the use of a rotary brush, which is operated to spread a crystal polymer-based cleaner into your carpet’s fibres. The solution will then dry, and the carpet will be vacuumed to remove excess dirt.

The average cost of foam encapsulation is around £28 to £38 for a small bedroom, and between £210 to £250 for a 3-bed semi-detached house.

Pros

• ✔ No need to rinse or dry the carpet once treated, meaning you can use your carpet soon after
• ✔ There's no dirt or debris left behind from the treatment
• ✔ Low-moisture cleaning method, reducing the risk of mould growth from getting the carpet too wet

Cons

• ✖ Encapsulation is a hard task, best left to the professionals, and isn't something you should DIY
• ✖ Limited cleaning ability on oily or grease-based stains
• ✖ Chemicals are used, making it less eco-friendly than other carpet cleaning options

Checklist: Hiring a Professional Carpet Cleaner in the UK

Before hiring a cleaning specialist to revamp your carpet, take a look at the following checklist to ensure you choose the right person for the job:

• Use MyJobQuote to find local tradesmen and gather at least 3 quotes to compare pricing.
• Ask for quotes to be itemised so you can see exactly what's included in your quote.
• Got any stubborn stains or hard-to-reach areas? Make sure you let your cleaning specialist know this before they come to do the job, as these factors may impact your overall costs.
• Take a look at the trader's customer reviews and any photos or videos of their past projects.
• Ask if they're a member of an accredited organisation such as the National Carpet Cleaners Association.
• Make sure that they have public liability insurance, as well as employers' liability insurance, in case any accidents happen during the service.

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