The Short Answer
On our estimates, professional carpet cleaning costs about £30 to £60 a room, £40 to £85 for the stairs and landing, and £210 to £300 for a three-bed house. Most firms have a minimum charge of about £60 to £85, so one small room on its own is poor value.
Hiring a machine is cheaper but harder work, and risky on wool or natural fibres. For a whole house, or a carpet you care about, I'd pay a professional.
Carpet cleaning prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Per room | £30 to £60 |
| Stairs and landing | £40 to £85 |
| Minimum charge for a visit | £60 to £85 |
| Stain protector, per room | £10 to £20 |
| Whole house | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| 2-bed terrace | £140 to £200 |
| 3-bed semi | £210 to £300 |
| 4-bed detached | £330 to £400 |
Cleaning methods
| Method | Per bedroom |
|---|---|
| Hot water extraction | £35 to £50 |
| Dry cleaning | £30 to £40 |
| Foam encapsulation | £28 to £40 |
The price difference between methods is small. What matters more is that the cleaner chooses the right one for your carpet. Professionals know which products suit delicate fibres such as wool or sisal, where DIY mistakes can shrink or damage the carpet, and that their kit removes more water, so carpets can dry quicker with less risk of a musty smell.
What affects the price
Room size drives the price. We estimate a small 12m² bedroom at £25 to £35, a 20m² bedroom at £45 to £55, a 16m² living room at £35 to £50 and an open-plan living and dining room of 36m² at £80 to £100. Stairs are charged separately. Some firms charge by the hour instead: about £60 to £120 an hour for a cleaning company.
Offices and other commercial carpets are priced by area: one trade price guide put it at about £4 per m² when we checked in October 2026. Stain protector is an add-on per room, and specialist stain removal is often charged separately.
Hiring a machine yourself
A Rug Doctor machine cost from £27.99 for 24 hours or £32.99 for 48 hours when we checked in October 2026. DIY is cheaper for small jobs and spot stains, but rental machines can still be expensive, the kit is bulky and the results are often less thorough. I'd hire one for a single room of synthetic carpet; for a whole house or wool, I'd book a professional.
Your carpet's warranty
Check the warranty before you clean. Lifestyle Floors' warranty, for example, asks owners to follow its cleaning instructions and have the carpet professionally cleaned every 2 to 3 years. I'd tell the cleaner what the carpet is and keep the invoice with the warranty.
When it's worth doing
Moving out of a rented home? See end of tenancy cleaning, where carpets are usually an extra. Weighing up a new carpet instead? See carpet fitting.
Get carpet cleaning quotes
Carpet cleaning is priced per room, with stairs and sofas extra.
Free, no obligation. We're paid by MyJobQuote when a tradesperson buys your job, never by you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does carpet cleaning cost?
On our estimates, £30 to £60 a room, or £210 to £300 for a three-bed house.
Is it worth having carpets professionally cleaned?
For a whole house, wool carpets or a deep clean, I'd say yes: professional machines remove more water and cleaners know which products suit each fibre. One small room is often cheaper to do yourself.
Is it cheaper to clean your own carpet?
Usually for a room or two: a hired machine cost from £27.99 for 24 hours when we checked. It's harder work and riskier on wool.
How much is a carpet cleaning minimum charge?
About £60 to £85 on our estimates.
How much does it cost to clean stairs?
About £40 to £85 for the stairs and landing.
How we priced thisView sources (3)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- Trade guideCarpet cleaning cost (updated May 2026), Checkatrade. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryHow much does a deep carpet cleaning service typically cost?, Rug Doctor. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryCarpet warranty guide, Lifestyle Floors. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
