How to Hire a Carpet Cleaning Service

Carpet stains happen. Mud gets tracked in. Pets have accidents. Juice spills. Shoes bring in who-knows-what. And eventually, no amount of vacuuming hides the gray path from the front door to the couch.

That's when it's time to call in the pros. But tread carefully. The carpet cleaning business has some wonderful, honest companies, and it also has some that will quote you $50 and send you a bill for $400.

Here's how to hire a carpet cleaning service without getting taken to the cleaners: what the methods mean, what to ask, what to watch out for, and how to get ready for the big day.

Do You Need a Pro, or Can You Do It Yourself?

Going the DIY route? Here's how to clean carpet at home without making things worse.

Check Your Carpet Warranty First

Many carpet warranties require professional cleaning every 12 to 24 months, often by hot water extraction, to stay valid. Some also void the warranty if you use the wrong cleaning method or products. Dig out your warranty before you book, and keep every carpet cleaning receipt in a folder. If you ever need to file a claim, you'll need proof.

How Often Should You Hire a Carpet Cleaner?

• Most homes: Every 12 to 18 months.
• Homes with pets, young kids or allergies: Every 6 to 12 months.
• High-traffic areas: Some families clean just the hallway and family room more often, and the rest of the house once a year.

Regular vacuuming stretches the time between professional cleanings. Here are the carpet care basics.

Carpet Cleaning Methods, Explained

Carpet cleaners love jargon. Here's what they actually mean:

• Hot water extraction (often called steam cleaning): Hot water and cleaning solution are sprayed into the carpet, then sucked back out with a powerful vacuum. It's the deepest clean, and it's the method many carpet makers recommend. The carpet takes longer to dry, usually several hours to overnight.
• Low-moisture or encapsulation cleaning: A cleaning solution surrounds the dirt and dries into crystals that get vacuumed up. It's fast, and the carpet dries in an hour or two. It's great for regular maintenance and light dirt, but it's not as deep as hot water extraction.
• Dry compound cleaning: A damp powder is brushed into the carpet, then vacuumed out. Little drying time, but it's best for light cleaning.
• Bonnet cleaning: A spinning pad cleans the top of the carpet fibers. It makes carpet look clean fast, so it's common in offices and hotels, but it doesn't get the dirt deep down.
• Shampooing: An older method that can leave a sticky residue behind, which attracts dirt. Most companies have moved on to other methods.

For most homes, hot water extraction is the best deep clean. Ask any company which method they use, and why.

How to Find a Good Carpet Cleaner

• Ask for recommendations. Ask friends, family and neighbors who they use. A strong endorsement from someone you trust is worth more than any ad.
• Read online reviews, and look for patterns. One bad review happens. Twelve reviews about surprise charges is a pattern.
• Check the Better Business Bureau for complaints, and how the company responded to them.
• Look for IICRC certification. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification trains and certifies carpet cleaning technicians. It's a good sign a company knows what it's doing.
• Get at least three estimates, in writing, before you sign anything.

Beware of Too-Good-to-Be-True Prices

Be very cautious of a carpet cleaning service that shows up on your doorstep uninvited or calls you out of the blue. And be wary of ads that promise a cleaning price by the room, like "Any room, $50!"

Rooms vary in size, and a fair price is based on how much carpet is actually cleaned, usually by the square foot. The rock-bottom room price is often bait. Once the cleaner is in your living room, the extras start: pre-treatment, deodorizing, "heavy soil" charges, stain protector, moving the couch. Suddenly your $50 room is a $400 bill. Don't get swept under the rug.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire

• Which cleaning method do you use, and why is it right for my carpet?
• Are your technicians IICRC certified?
• Will you give me a written estimate, based on the measured square footage?
• What's included in the price, and what costs extra? (Pre-treatment, spot treatment, deodorizing, stain protector, moving furniture?)
• Do you move the furniture, and is there a charge?
• How long will the carpet take to dry?
• What products do you use, and are they safe for kids, pets and people with allergies?
• Do you guarantee your work? What happens if a stain comes back?
• Can you show me proof of liability insurance?
• Can I call a few of your recent customers for references?

Red Flags

• Door-to-door or unsolicited phone offers
• A per-room price with no measurements
• No written estimate, or one that's vague
• No proof of insurance
• A hard sell for stain protector or extra treatments once they're inside
• Cash only
• A price that's dramatically lower than every other estimate

Before the Carpet Cleaners Arrive

• Move the breakables and small, delicate pieces off the floor and off any furniture that will be moved.
• Pick up everything on the floor: toys, shoes, cords, plants and floor lamps.
• Vacuum, if the company asks you to. Some do it as part of the job.
• Point out the problem spots, and tell the technician what caused each stain, if you know. Coffee and pet urine need different treatments.
• Plan for the kids and pets. Keep them out of the work area, and out of the way of the hoses.
• Make room in the driveway or in front of the house for the truck.

Expect the company to move the furniture, at no extra charge, unless your written estimate says otherwise.

After the Carpet Is Cleaned

• Leave the furniture pads in place until the carpet is completely dry. The little foam blocks or foil squares under the furniture legs keep wood stain and metal rust from transferring onto the damp carpet.
• Speed up the drying. Open the windows, turn on the ceiling fans, or run the air conditioning or heat.
• Stay off the carpet while it's damp, or walk on it in clean socks only. Damp carpet attracts dirt from shoes.
• Inspect the work within 24 hours, once it's dry. Spots can wick back up from the pad as the carpet dries. If anything looks wrong, call the company right away.
• Check the bill against your written estimate before you pay.
• Pay by credit card. If there's a problem with the work or the bill, you can dispute the charge.

Area Rugs and Upholstery

Wool, silk, antique and handmade rugs need a specialist, not a truck in the driveway. Many rug cleaners take the rug back to their shop and clean it there. Ask any company whether they're trained in rug cleaning before you hand over Grandma's Persian rug.

Most carpet cleaners also clean upholstery, often for a bundled price. Check the cleaning code on your furniture first, so you know what the cleaner can safely use: deciphering upholstery cleaning codes.

Hiring a Carpet Cleaner: Quick Answers

How do I choose a good carpet cleaning company?

Ask friends for recommendations, read online reviews, and look for IICRC-certified technicians. Get at least three written estimates based on measured square footage, and ask for proof of insurance.

How often should carpet be professionally cleaned?

Every 12 to 18 months for most homes, or every 6 to 12 months with pets, young kids or allergies. Check your carpet warranty, which may require professional cleaning on a schedule.

Is steam cleaning or dry cleaning better for carpet?

Hot water extraction, often called steam cleaning, gives the deepest clean and is what many carpet makers recommend. Low-moisture methods dry faster and are good for regular maintenance and light dirt.

Why are some carpet cleaning prices so low?

A very low per-room price is often bait. Once the cleaner is inside, extra charges get added for pre-treatment, deodorizing, stain protector or moving furniture. Ask for a written estimate that lists everything included.

Keep Going

Keep your carpets looking their best between professional cleanings with these related guides:

• Carpet Care and Cleaning Tips: Keep carpets looking new.
• How to Clean Carpet at Home: Deep clean it yourself, without making things worse.
• How to Remove Carpet Stains: An A-to-Z guide to every spill.
• How to Remove Pet Stains From Carpet: Urine, poop, vomit and odors.
• How to Remove Candle Wax From Carpet: Without melting it.
• Deciphering Upholstery Cleaning Codes: What the tag on your couch means.
• Vacuuming Secrets to Success: Get more dirt up in less time.
• Home Maintenance: Monthly and seasonal tasks to keep small problems small.