Find a steam carpet cleaner near Pittsburgh, PA

Several factors determine the cost of professional carpet cleaning, from the number of rooms in the home to additional carpeted areas to the products used to lift stains. The national average cost to steam clean a carpet ranges from $100 to $130. Most professional carpet cleaning companies’ rates are based on the number of rooms they clean, starting at an average base rate of $30 per room or $55 for two standard rooms and a hallway. Larger rooms may be charged as two rooms or incur a square footage fee. Carpet cleaners often charge by the step to clean a stairway as well as additional fees for closets and hallways; for example, some charge an average of $5 per step. Expect extra fees, starting at an average of $15 per stain, for lifting difficult food, pet or oil stains from carpets. Some carpet cleaning companies offer package deals to also clean furniture and throw rugs while in the home; a chair usually costs an average of $70 to be steam cleaned, and a couch costs an average of $100.

Steam cleaning is an increasingly popular method of carpet cleaning that uses hot water and a detergent solution. The carpet cleaning machine sprays the solution onto your carpet, then sprays hot water on top to activate it. The machine then sucks up the majority of the water, extracting grime and pollutants from the carpet fibers. Steam cleaning is generally considered a safe way to clean carpets because it doesn’t use chemicals that are unhealthy for people or risky for the carpet fibers. Professional carpet cleaners use machines that are more powerful than home cleaners, so they can suck up more dirt and leave the floors dryer. Because steam cleaning penetrates the surface of the carpet, it removes far more dirt, pet hair, dust mites and other debris than vacuuming does. Steam cleaning is also commonly used for cleaning furniture and mattresses, so steam cleaning companies may offer these services bundled with carpet cleaning services.

Dirty carpets can be unhealthy for the people living in the home, particularly those who have allergies, so it’s important to have them cleaned regularly; simply vacuuming once or twice a week isn’t enough. Carpet cleaning should be done by a professional carpet cleaning service at least once a year to remove grime and help extend the life of your carpet. Most carpet manufacturers recommend professional steam cleaning, which penetrates deep into the carpet fibers and lifts out both dirt and the pollutants that get tracked inside. Steam cleaning also removes most of the moisture, so carpets dry quickly enough for homeowners to resume using them the same day. Between professional carpet cleanings, your carpet may need an emergency spot cleaning. Pet accidents, food or drink spills, and more can often be effectively cleaned with some water and a drop of white vinegar, although many cleaners will also make house calls for smaller spills and hard-to-clean spots like wine or grease stains.

Both steam cleaning and shampooing are tried-and-true methods for getting dirt and stains out of your carpets. The methods are different, however.

Steam cleaning will remove dirt from your carpets via hot water extraction, while shampooing requires scrubbing. If you’re in a time crunch, or if you just have one or two small spots that need to be removed, shampooing may be a better option, as it allows you to spot-clean small areas. Both steam cleaning and shampooing make your carpets wet, so you will need to allow for time for the carpets to dry. 

Contact carpet cleaning pros near you, and discuss the best options for your carpets.

In some cases, a quote from a carpet cleaning company will depend on the square footage of the room. The lower end of these prices will be between $0.15 and $0.20 per square foot, and they may rise as high as $0.40-$0.50 per square foot. Factors raising the price include the carpet’s condition (are there stains?) and whether they have to clean carpeted stairs, which take longer.

To find out how much it will cost clean your carpets, request cost estimates from pros near you.

Purchasing a steam cleaner yourself may help to remove stubborn stains, but it simply won’t match the deep clean and efficiency that comes from hiring a professional carpet cleaner. Pros have powerful tools that can quickly remove even the most stubborn stains. 

If you’re selling your home, clean carpets can make your home more appealing to prospective buyers. And the expense is offset when you consider that you only need to get your carpets cleaned about once a year. Plus, professional carpet cleaning can extend the life of your carpets, saving you money in the long run.

After a cleaning, you can expect your carpet to remain slightly damp for between six and 12 hours. You can expect the lower end of this figure if the air is dry, there’s plenty of air circulation or the temperature isn’t too low in your house. However, for humid environments or lower temperatures, your carpet could stay damp for longer.

Dry carpet cleaning uses very little moisture to clean carpets. Instead, this method uses compound cleaning agents to loosen dirt that might be trapped in the carpet’s fibers. It’s an effective way to remove stains from soiled carpets. 

To learn more about how to maintain your carpets, read our guide.

Given the way it can transform the carpet, cleaning happens remarkably quickly. You can expect an average size room to require about 20 minutes to thoroughly clean.

The job could take longer for several reasons. If the stains are widespread or particularly deep, the professional cleaner might need to spend more time removing them. They may also need to take time to move furniture out of the way.

You should hire a commercial or professional carpet cleaner if any of the following apply to you:

• You’re not sure which cleaning method you should use on your carpets.
• You don’t have the time or energy to clean your carpets.
• You can’t remember the last time you thoroughly cleaned your carpets.
• Your carpets are extremely dirty, stained or soiled. 
• You haven’t been able to remove stubborn stains on your own.
• You don’t have the proper carpet cleaning equipment and products (and you don’t want to buy or rent them).