Carpeting can elevate and beautify any home or commercial space. However, daily wear and tear can cause your cherished carpets to accumulate dirt and stains, making your space look dull and unattractive.
To counter dirt and stains and ensure longevity, it is crucial to clean your carpets regularly. Learn about your cleaning options, the cost of cleaning different types of carpets, and why it’s worth having your carpet regularly cleaned by a professional.
Types of Carpet Cleaning Services
The carpet cleaning industry uses five common methods to remove stains and dirt from commercial and residential carpeting. These methods and their benefits and drawbacks include:
1. Hot Water Extraction Cleaning
Also called steam cleaning, hot water extraction cleaning applies hot water at a high pressure to your carpet to dissolve dirt and grime. A cleaning agent is often left to soak into the carpet, then extracted with special equipment.
Steam cleaning uses a lot of water and requires you to clean your rugs often (about every six months), making the process fairly expensive and labor-intensive.
2. Carpet Shampooing
This common cleaning method uses a shampooing machine with a rotating brush and shampoo tank. Together, the shampoo and rotating brush create a cleansing foam that can make very soiled carpets appear cleaner.
Carpet shampooing has fallen out of favor recently since shampooed carpets take a long time to dry, which can encourage mold growth. Additionally, the shampooing machine often leaves behind a filmy residue that can trap dirt in your carpet’s fibers.
3. Encapsulation
This approach to stain removal uses special synthetic detergents that dry into a crystalized powder you can easily remove using a carpet cleaner. Encapsulation does not require much water, making it an eco-friendly and quick-drying solution. However, this method does not penetrate deeply into the carpet, so it may take multiple treatments before you see the desired result.
4. Bonnet Cleaning
Bonnet cleaning (Spin cleaning) employs a machine with an attached spinning pad to break up surface stains on the top layer of carpet fibers. The device contains a cleaning agent that removes dirt and oil from the carpet.
Bonnet cleaning is beneficial in larger, public spaces that require consistent cleaning. However, this method tends to push dirt further down into the carpet, making it an inefficient option for most residential home carpets. Furthemore… may leave the carpet “fuzzy”.
5. Dry Carpet Cleaning
Dry carpet cleaning has shown several benefits over other traditional methods. Using a special cleaning agent that doesn’t require much water, dry carpet cleaning can remove dirt and grime from deep within the carpet fibers.
This cost-effective and eco-friendly method removes up to 97% of bacteria and dirt from a carpet. Dry cleaning is ideal for those worried about removing mold and toxins from their carpet.
Additionally, dry carpet cleaning won’t cause your carpet to shrink or stain, and the method is safe for all kinds of carpets. Furthermore…it wont leave sticky residues that attract dirt like magnets as the other methods do.
Factors That Determine Carpet Cleaning Costs
Carpet cleaning cost primarily depends on the size of the carpeted area and the type of carpet you plan to clean.
Square Footage
Most carpet cleaning jobs are priced by the square foot, so the more you plan to clean, the more you’ll have to pay. The size of the space you want to be cleaned helps determine which carpet cleaning method to choose. For example, bonnet cleaning may be more appropriate for cleaning the carpets of a large hotel than a small carpeted space in your home.
Square Footage
Most carpet cleaning jobs are priced by the square foot, so the more you plan to clean, the more you’ll have to pay. The size of the space you want to be cleaned helps determine which carpet cleaning method to choose. For example, bonnet cleaning may be more appropriate for cleaning the carpets of a large hotel than a small carpeted space in your home.
Carpet Type
The average cost of carpet cleaning also depends on the type of carpet you want to clean. Some carpets require specialized treatments that can ramp up costs. For example, Sisal carpets react poorly to excess moisture and should be treated with dry carpet cleaning.
Carpet material may also affect cleaning costs. For instance, cotton is very fragile; therefore, cotton carpets are more expensive to clean than Berber carpets which are easier to clean.
Professional vs. DIY Cleaning
Many people incorrectly assume that at-home carpet cleaning will yield the same sparkling-clean result that professional carpet cleaning services ensure. However, most DIY methods only target visible stains and cannot access the deeper dirt and debris nestled along the carpet fibers.
The cost of carpet cleaning services may be a bit higher than what you would pay to clean your carpet yourself in the short term, but the benefits of professional cleaning can save you money in the long run and much better cleaning quality, including:
- Health benefits: Bacteria, allergens, and dust trapped in carpets can become problematic for young children and people with asthma. Professional dry carpet cleaning removes these contaminants so you and your family can breathe easily.
- Longer carpet life: Most carpets can last decades when properly cared for. However, excessive staining and dirt can cause your carpet to look faded and unattractive and appear older than its age. Regular cleaning removes dirt, so your carpets last longer, saving you money in the long term.
For the best results, get your carpet regularly cleaned by a professional cleaner once or twice a year, and use the spot-cleaning method to remove visible stains and dirt at home.
How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost?
Although prices vary based on the cleaning company and scope of the project, it’s still possible to make informed estimates about the costs of particular carpet cleaning jobs.
Cost Per Square Foot
Though the amount you pay for carpet cleaning can vary based on the type of carpet and cleaning method used, carpet cleaning prices are typically calculated based on square footage or per room. In 2022, the average carpet cleaning cost per square foot is about $0.40. However, that price may decrease if your carpet cleaner offers a discount when you have a larger area cleaned.
Average total carpet cleaning costs based on home size:
- 650-1,000 sq. feet: $150-$250
- 1,000-1,800 sq. feet: $250-$540
- 1,800+ sq. feet: $540+
Cost Per Room
Many cleaners charge based on the number of rooms you want cleaned. In 2022, most homeowners will pay between $25 and $70 per room for professional carpet cleaning, with an average range of $35 to $55 per room (for a 150 sq ft room size). Larger rooms may count as two rooms, depending on the cleaner.
Cost for Residential vs. Commercial Spaces
The professional carpet cleaning cost breakdown may look different for commercial spaces, as there is generally more square footage to cover and different cleaning methods used.
Like residential spaces, much larger areas generally garner lower prices per square foot. This approach means that commercial spaces may cost less than residential areas. It costs an average of $0.05 to $0.25 per square foot to clean a commercial area.
For commercial spaces, dry carpet cleaning is usually less expensive than commercial steam carpet cleaning. For example, water extraction typically falls at the high-end cost per square foot because it takes longer and uses more resources. Dry carpet cleaning for commercial spaces may cost more, typically within the $.08 to $.19 per square foot estimate.
Commercial carpet cleaning may also include stain removal, costing between $20 and $1,000, depending on the size and serenity of the stain.
Commercial carpet cleaners may charge extra for:
- Removing difficult stains
- Spot cleaning
- Berber, wool, or cotton carpets
- Carpeted stairs
- Moving furniture
- Add ons such as deodorizer, odor remover and carpet protectant
Cost for DIY vs. Professional
If you plan to use hot water extraction to perform a DIY carpet cleaning at home, you will need to rent a steam cleaner (typically $30 to $50 per day) and buy appropriate low quality detergent ($19 to $30). While this may initially seem to be cheaper than hiring a local professional, it may cost you in the long run. If you are not experienced with steam cleaning, you may damage your carpet or fail to clean the fibers thoroughly.
Because it is so easy to over-shampoo or over-water your carpet, which can lead to costly replacements in the future, dry carpet cleaning is your best option if you plan to attempt a DIY carpet cleaning.
Why Professional Carpet Cleaning is the Most Cost-Effective Method
In the long run, professional carpet cleaning is the most effective way to ensure long-lasting, healthy carpets that enhance and beautify your home.
Professional cleaning offers serious benefits like eliminating mold and other allergens and protecting your carpet from products that may harm or even destroy it. The cost of replacing a carpet destroyed by a DIY project (between $750 and $5,500 or more) is vastly more expensive than hiring a professional cleaner.
Professional cleaners can also help you:
- Access hard-to-reach areas
- Improve carpet lifespan
- Access the top and safe cleaning solutions
- Remove deep stains you can’t reach with DIY methods
- Eliminate odors
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