"How Much Does Professional Carpet Cleaning Cost?"
We'll answer this question from many angles — from the cost and effectiveness of various cleaning methods — to room sizes — to add-on services — and much more. Quite a lot can factor into the final professional carpet cleaning price. It's in our mission statement to be transparent when it comes to professional carpet cleaning costs.
In this article, we focus exclusively on residential carpeting cleaning, although One of a Kind Pros™ Carpet Cleaning does clean many commercial and business properties as well.
Also in this article, we'd like to make you aware of a fairly common practice of up-charging and hidden costs that some carpet cleaning companies employ. It's an unethical tactic called "bait and switch" that some cleaning companies use in their advertising to grab your business.
Cost of Carpet Cleaning Per Room
Standard rooms like living rooms, family rooms, and bedrooms can be priced based on their size, and are calculated by the square foot. These standard rooms are typically 130 to 300 square feet.
Often professional cleaning is priced using a flat rate for multiple rooms, and the more rooms you have cleaned, the less you pay per room.
For example, at One of a Kind Pros™ Carpet Cleaning, we charge $159 for 3 rooms ($53 per room), and $249 for 6 rooms (only $42 per room).
Also, with One of a Kind Pros™ Carpet Cleaning, smaller carpeted areas are usually no charge, or estimated separately depending on the size. These areas may include entryways, bathrooms, study areas, hallways, and closets.
Different Methods of Carpet Cleaning —
The Cost, and the Results
If you are getting quotes from different carpet cleaning companies, it's important to ask which specific method and equipment they use, not just the cost.
We have an article that goes into great detail on the most common cleaning methods used by carpet cleaning companies — shampooing, dry cleaning, encapsulation, bonnet cleaning, and other methods.
Some of these methods cost a little less, but they don't produce the deep-cleaning results you really want &mash; they superficially clean only the surface of the carpet, or they leave a lot of residue deep in your carpet fibers. You can learn more in this article:
Common Carpet Cleaning Methods — Which one is best?
At One of a Kind Pros™ Carpet Cleaning, we use the industry gold-standard of cleaning techniques and equipment called Hot Water Extraction — also sometimes referred to as "steam cleaning".
This method requires the highest degree of professional training and experience — and it also takes a little longer to perform — but the results are as good as it gets — beautifully clean carpet from the surface to down deep within the fibers — with virtually no residues left behind.
In fact, all of the largest carpet manufacturers require cleaning with the Hot Water Extraction method, specifically, every 12-18 months in order to maintain their new-carpet warranties.
DIY Rental Machines
In order to save money, some homeowners opt to clean their carpets with a rental machine from the grocery store.
It should be no surprise that, as professionals, we cannot recommend this method.
In a recent article, we go into great detail about the pros and cons of renting a carpet cleaning machine instead of hiring a professional.
Spoiler alert: the only "pro" is lower cost in the short term.
If you are at all considering using a rental machine, please read this article first:
Carpet Cleaning Rental Machine vs. Professional Carpet Cleaning
Carpet Cleaning Add-on Services
Often it's in a homeowner's best interest to consider a few important add-on services that will factor into the price. We recommend these add-ons on a case by case basis, and are willing to discuss them with you anytime.
With most carpet cleaning companies, if you choose one or more of these professional add-on services, they will be factored into your final price.
These services include:
1. professional application of protector
2. pet deodorizer and urine removal
3. tough stain removal.
We don’t have Hidden Charges
or use "Bait & Switch" Tactics
As we mentioned earlier, there are cleaning companies that use a tactic known as "bait & switch". This is an old practice used by some unscrupulous carpet cleaning companies who advertise a very low price, and then they add the hidden fees and up-charges — once they are in your home — to arrive at double or even triple the advertised price for your final bill — far higher than you expected. Their final bill is often higher than professional cleaners that give you honest estimates up-front.
If a cleaning price sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
The customer is "baited" with the promise of low-priced service. Then once the cleaner arrives, they convince you that you need to pay for the extras — like travel charges, pre-treating, and even essential cleaning agents and solutions — which are obviously not "extras". They are critical for effective carpet cleaning.
That’s the "switch".
Other bait and switch tactics include, when they inform you that the low price is only for "high-traffic lanes", or when they advertise multiple rooms cleaned for one ridiculously low price — 3 Rooms for Only $69! — but upon arriving at your home, inform you that a small closet counts as an entire "room".
Companies that choose to scam customers with bait & switch tactics may also be cutting corners by watering down detergent solutions, using older, cheaper, weak, outdated cleaning equipment, and/or doing an unprofessional job.
At One of a Kind Pros™ Carpet Cleaning, our mission is to consistently deliver an outstanding customer experience; placing honesty, transparency, and integrity before all.
If you have any questions about this article, or anything related to cleaning carpet, upholstery, tile and grout, and maintaining a healthy home, please feel free to give us a call, and let's talk!
