Introduction
When it comes to carpets there is only so much that your vacuum cleaner can cope with. Unless you are in possession of a powerful machine that will suck deep into the pile of your carpet, dirt, grime and dust will inevitably build up over time. Add children and pets into the equation and there are invariably going to be spillages and accidents that stain the carpet.
Contents
- What is Included in Carpet Cleaning Prices?
- Fabric Stain Protection Products
- What are Typical Carpet Cleaning Prices
- Important Questions to ask Providers When Comparing Carpet Cleaning Prices
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Carpet Cleaning
- Conclusion
The unfortunate truth is that your standard vacuum cleaner will not be able to cope with the accumulations of dirt and dust that have built up over the years. You may not notice it but over the years your carpets will have absorbed many different odours and matter and a good deep clean will make a huge difference. Even the cleanest looking houses will have dirt and debris below the surface. You will be amazed at the colour of the liquid that is hoovered up from your carpet after the shampoo and agitating cleaning heads have done their work.
No matter how fastidious your cleaning regime is all carpets will eventually look a little tired and old and appear to be in need of replacement. However, before you give up on your carpets and rush out and spend a significant lot of money on some brand-new carpets do consider calling in some professional cleaners for a quotation. A good professional carpet cleaning company can actually save you money and the resulting deep clean can be quite astonishing, giving your carpets an entirely new lease of life and your entire property will smell so much fresher.
A little known, and often unconsidered fact is that your carpet is by far the largest furnishing in a room. It is also the one that receives the most use. It makes sense, but not many people give much thought about exactly how much dirt is being tracked in every day, whether by pets and children, or just day to day life. While you may not notice it at first, over time the room can look dirty and appear outdated just by the carpet’s condition. Professional carpet cleaning can not only keep the carpets looking as good as new but will also improve the overall aesthetics of the room.
Carpet cleaning prices are not prohibitively expensive when compared to other household expenses and though you might want to clean a couple of rooms, when it comes to the entire house, it is a lot of work. If this is the case, then it is probably worthwhile getting some quotes to have the work carried out professionally for you. By the time you have hired a machine, purchased shampoo and spent a vast amount of your precious personal time cleaning, it can often make sense to pay a little more to hire a professional carpet cleaner whilst you relax and put your feet up.
This article will examine the different types of carpet that are usually purchased and fitted in the UK, as well as some of the additional considerations relating to the different types of fibres and constructions. We will look at the factors that may affect cost, and detail the average costs for the various sized properties and also offer some advice that should hopefully help you not only select the best carpet cleaning company, but ensure that you know what are reasonable costs when these companies share their carpet cleaning prices.
What is Included in Carpet Cleaning Prices?
The following checklist identifies what a typical carpet cleaning entails. Obviously, this is not an extensive list and individual companies’ offerings will differ however it should give you a good feel of what to expect. Usual practice is for the rooms to be cleared by the householder before the carpet cleaner commences their work. Additional changes will be incurred if this is not done when the carpet cleaners arrive to commence your carpet cleaning.
- Initially the cleaner will vacuum the room with a powerful vacuum cleaner to remove any dust and larger pieces of debris that have accumulated behind and underneath your furniture over the years
- Once the surface has been cleaned the carpet cleaner will spray a mixture of hot water and shampoo into the carpet
- The head of the industrial carpet cleaning machine will then be moved across the carpet, this agitates and loosens up debris and dirt deep within the fibres of the carpet, ensuring that years of grime and other particles are removed
- The carpet cleaner will then use the same machine to vacuum the delightful solution of liquid and dirt which is then disposed of, usually accompanied by an expression of disgust when you see what has been lying beneath your feet for some time
- Finally, there will be an additional rinse using water only followed by a brushing to align the carpet fibres in the same direction and leave your carpet looking as good as new
What are the Benefits of Having my Carpet Professionally Cleaned?
The obvious key benefit is that you have clean and fresh carpets throughout your house but there are several additional things that you maybe haven’t considered. Carpet cleaning prices are relatively cheap when you consider how labour intensive this can sometimes be.
If you can afford it then you probably don’t need much convincing that somebody else should be cleaning your carpets but just in case here are some more positives:
- Throughout their lifetime your carpets will absorb a multitude of nastiness. This can include dust mites, bacteria, grease, chemicals, allergens, dead skin, hair and food and drink particles plus many more that are too disgusting to mention
- Regular vacuuming can help to keep the upper layers of your carpets clean but at some stage that deep, ground in grime will need addressing
- Professional carpet cleaning can significantly prolong the life of your carpet
- Professional carpet cleaning is proven to improve indoor air quality. Carpets can trap airborne pollutants deep within their fibres. However, eventually those pollutants must be removed in order to protect the carpet and maintain indoor air quality. Indoor air quality is a major issue, especially if you are a sufferer of asthma or allergies
- Having your carpets professionally cleaned makes carpets easier to maintain. The majority of carpet soiling is made up of dry debris. When carpets are kept thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis, most dry debris can be removed with regular vacuuming
- Having your carpets professionally cleaned removes spots and stains. As with other soils, spots and stains can attract more soiling. Removing them promptly protects carpeting from damage. The most obvious reason to have your carpet professionally cleaned is to get rid of tough stains. If you’ve tried to remove stains from your carpet but haven’t found success, a professional carpet cleaning will most likely be able to remove them
- A professional cleaning company are likely to have encountered nearly every stain imaginable and their experience will be invaluable in resolving these issues
- Professional carpet cleaning will enhance the appearance of any room. Clean and well-maintained carpets will speak volumes about the overall cleanliness of your home
- Professional carpet cleaning removes dust mites and bedbugs that may have found a home in carpets. Carpet provides a very attractive warm and cosy interior for your home. Unfortunately, many tiny bugs like carpeting for the same reasons
Fabric Stain Protection Products
It is also possible to have your carpets treated with a stain protector. This product works by using a thin protective layer which allows the material to repel any dirt, liquid, dust or other substances. This results in leaving the soil sitting on top of your carpet, rather than penetrating into the fibres of the carpet. This product means that your carpet can be well protected from accidental spillages of tea, coffee, red wine, almost anything!!
Using these products will not cause any changes to the appearance of your carpet, at a lower level the properties of the individual fibres may change but this is not noticeable to the casual observer.
The manufacturers state that the best time to apply this product is either on a brand new carpet or after it has been cleaned and the carpet is still wet so you are presented with an ideal window of opportunity if you already have the professional carpet cleaners in attendance. You can usually walk on the treated carpet almost immediately after treatment, but it is advised that you wait for the application to dry completely.
Although applying these products may add more costs to your initial carpet cleaning you should be able to significantly extend the period between subsequent professional cleans therefore saving more money in the long term.
What are Typical Carpet Cleaning Prices
So you now know what an average carpet cleaning involves it is time to get down to the most important question, how much will all this cost me, and how do I know I’m getting a fair price?
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this as there are several factors that could affect this. The main variables are the size of your house, the type of carpets to be cleaned and the number of stains that your carpet may or may not have. Geographical location does not have as much impact on carpet cleaning prices as some other cleaning services, but this also needs to be considered, albeit to a lesser extent.
The following are guideline figures only and we will explore the different types of carpets further on in this article but this should give you a rough indicative figure for an average carpet clean, by both room and for your entire property.
Please be aware that there is usually a minimum spending requirement with most carpet cleaning companies. This is quite usual within the industry and this is because it is not economically viable for a carpet cleaning company to travel to your location and set up all of their equipment to just clean one small room. So, although the minimum cost for a room may be as little as £20 the majority of carpet cleaning companies will have a minimum charge ranging from £50 upwards.
Generally, prices are quoted on a room by room basis but there will be some additional charges if you have particularly stubborn stains or are looking for added stain protection as part of the clean. A good carpet cleaning company should explain all of this in advance of providing your quotation.
- Small bedroom – typically around £20 for a basic clean, adding fabric protection would add another £6
- Large bedroom – between £27 and £40, fabric protection would cost an additional £11
- Stairs and landing – usual prices are from £30, plus around £11 for fabric protection treatment
- Large living room – from £35 to £50 dependent on size and approximately £20 for the application of fabric protection.
Compared to other household expenses carpet cleaning prices are is minimal, and for a standard three-bedroom house you can expect to pay around £200 without stain protection. This is based on two reception rooms, three bedrooms and the hallway, landing and stairs cleaned. This will obviously be a little more in a bigger house depending on the size and number of additional rooms. The above figures should provide you with a rough indication of likely costs. Some carpet cleaning companies will also negotiate prices based on cleaning your entire house which may also realise greater savings.
For comparison the hire of a commercially available carpet cleaner is approximately £25 per day but this will need collecting, cleaning and you will incur additional costs for shampoo and cleaning products. Not to mention having to find the time to do this yourself. Carpet cleaning companies also utilise specialist carpet cleaning equipment that is significantly more powerful than the equipment available to hire.
What are the Different Types of Carpets and Carpet Fibre?
When you are approaching companies for carpet cleaning prices you may be asked about the type and / or construction of your carpet.
In the UK the most common types of carpet sold are either woven or tufted. The following descriptions should help you to identify the type of carpet that you have in your home:
Tufted carpets are the most common type of carpet as they are significantly cheaper and quicker to make.
Woven carpets are constructed by weaving backing fabric and pile yarn together. Woven carpets are more durable than tufted carpets but are more expensive. This is a traditional way of making carpets.
Your carpet fibre may also affect carpet cleaning prices, this is because natural fibres require far more care and attention when they are being cleaned. There are two types of fibre, natural or synthetic and some carpets utilise a blend of both. The most widely used fibre is wool and this is recognised as the best available solution as it can retain its colour and appearance for years, and is naturally flame resistant.
Synthetic fibre is the most cost effective and practical solution and synthetic fibres are recommended for high traffic rooms and in areas such as the bathroom and landings. These are much more durable and do not require any specialist care during cleaning.
A reputable and professional cleaning company should not quote carpet cleaning prices without physically examining the carpets to determine the fabric type and fibre.
Important Questions to ask Providers When Comparing Carpet Cleaning Prices
Although not exhaustive the following queries will help you to ensure that the company that you choose are the best placed to undertake your carpet cleaning.
Are Your Specialist Cleaning Products Ecologically Friendly?
Is The Company Experienced in Carpet Cleaning?
Try and avoid reviews that have no association with independent sites as the company may have written the reviews themselves. Unfortunately, it is very easy to add some fictional names and reviews to a ‘Review’ page on a company website and these may not always be totally legitimate.
It is unfortunately the case that there are some less than reputable companies offering professional carpet cleaning at lower prices than other companies. The old adage that if it sounds too good to be true is very appropriate in these scenarios. Some of these operators are just people that have placed an advert and hired a carpet cleaner from their local DIY store, obviously these people should be avoided. By raising some of the questions in this article these operatives should be relatively easy to identify and avoid!
Are the Company and its Cleaners Fully Insured?
What Does the Carpet Clean Include?
A reputable company should undertake a brief site survey, usually about 10 minutes, to enable them to come up with an accurate, bespoke quotation. This should include identification of the fibre and fabric type, a measurement of the areas to be cleaned and more importantly the depth of the clean. If they are not immediately apparent, then you should point out any particularly difficult stains such as red wine or paint.
Do the Carpet Cleaning Prices Include VAT?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Carpet Cleaning
Can I clean the carpets myself?
Will my Carpets be wet after a Professional Clean?
How Often Should I Have my Carpets Cleaned?
How do I prepare for the Arrival of the Carpet Cleaners?
Conclusion
If you have got this far then you should be a little more aware of carpet cleaning prices. Although the variables are numerous, and each carpet cleaning is totally individual you should have an idea of how much the cleaning will cost and be aware of any hidden costs that need to be identified up front. You should now be able to request estimates and quotes from local carpet cleaning companies and be confident that you should know what kind of figures to expect.
Bear in mind however that the above figures are for illustration purposes only and there is no magic number that fits every single carpet clean, but you will feel more confident when asking for quotations for your final clean. For example, labour costs in London and the South East are a little higher than the rest of the country and this can soon mount up and make a difference to the total cost of your cleaning. Additionally, some urban areas will have issues with parking and access that will also have to be considered when pricing is calculated.
Although this isn’t the biggest expense you will ever face as a householder If you take the time to research your choice of carpet cleaning company then you should receive the service that you deserve.
Although we have mentioned quite a few negatives and pitfalls associated with using professional carpet cleaners the vast majority are hardworking and conscientious and excellent at what they do. If you have any on personal recommendation, then that is as good as you can get however please ensure that you research unknown companies thoroughly.
