Carpet cleaning is sold by the room, but your costs are not. The van, the machine, the solution and the drive are the same whether you clean one bedroom or five, which is why almost every operator sets a minimum charge and gives a lower price for each extra room.
Three average rooms go for $135–$240 in the US, £105–£175 in the UK, C$165–C$270 in Canada and A$150–A$260 in Australia. Stairs, heavy soiling, pet stains and furniture moving all add to that, and the calculator below shows how much.
Calculator
Set the job details to get a price to quote, then check what that price leaves you per hour once driving, supplies and tax are counted.
Charge about
$180
per job, for 3 rooms
per job, in your own currency
$50an hour in your pocket at the typical price
Adjust the numbers above to match your job.
The price is built as a base fee plus a rate for the size of the job, then adjusted for the options you pick. Time is an estimate for one person working alone; change it if you know your own pace.
Price list
| Job | United States (USD) | United Kingdom (GBP) | Canada (CAD) | Australia (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One room | $100–$120minimum job | £60–£85minimum job | $110–$130minimum job | $120–$125minimum job |
| Three rooms | $135–$240a typical small home | £105–£175a typical flat | $165–$270a typical small home | $150–$260a typical unit |
| Five rooms | $185–$360three bedrooms, living room and hall | £150–£270three-bed house | $240–$410three bedrooms, living room and hall | $210–$390three-bedroom house |
| Eight rooms | $260–$540a large fully carpeted home | £220–£400four-bed house | $340–$620a large fully carpeted home | $300–$580large family home |
| Hourly rate | $40–$90what working pros bill | £25–£50what working pros bill | $40–$85what working pros bill | $45–$90what working pros bill |
| Minimum charge | $100smallest job worth the trip | £60smallest job worth the trip | $110smallest job worth the trip | $120smallest job worth the trip |
Prices are per job in local currency, from a fair budget price to an established operator in a higher-cost area.
United States: Most companies advertise a per-room price with a maximum room size, often around 250 sq ft, and charge extra for larger rooms. Recurring commercial contracts usually run about a fifth less per visit than one-off jobs.
United Kingdom: London prices run about 15 percent above the national figures. End-of-tenancy carpet cleans are a big source of work, because many tenancy agreements require professionally cleaned carpets before the deposit is returned.
Canada: Published Canadian prices are thin. Figures here follow reported averages of about $70 to $90 per room, with a whole home near $350. Spring, after a winter of salt and slush, is the busiest season.
Australia: Usually called carpet steam cleaning. End-of-lease cleans are the main market, and most leases require a professional clean with a receipt. Prices in Sydney sit at the top of the national range.
Method
The standard for homes. Set a price for an average room, define what an average room is (for example up to 250 sq ft or 20 m²), and charge more for larger rooms and open-plan areas. This is how the calculator works.
A rate per square foot or square metre. Fair for open-plan homes and offices where rooms are hard to count. In the US most guides put it at about $0.20 to $0.40 per square foot.
A set price for three rooms and a hallway, or a whole three-bedroom home. Packages are easy to advertise and push the customer toward a bigger job, which is where your profit is.
Whatever model you use, set a minimum that covers the trip and setup. A single small room should never cost less than the minimum, or it will cost you money to do.
Price factors
Unloading, running hoses, pre-spraying and packing up take close to an hour on any job. That is why the first room is the expensive one and each extra room costs less. Your price should always carry that fixed part, through a base fee or a minimum.
A carpet cleaned every year needs one pass. Years of traffic lanes, grease and spills need extra pre-treatment, agitation and a slower second pass. Add about 30 percent and say so before you start.
Urine soaks through to the underlay, so surface cleaning alone can make the smell worse as it dries. Treating it properly takes enzyme products and time. Price it as an extra, and promise improvement, not perfection.
A staircase is slow, kneeling work with a hand tool, step by step. Most operators charge per step or a flat price per flight, and the price should reflect that a flight can take as long as a room.
Moving sofas, beds and wardrobes, putting protective tabs under the feet and moving them back adds real time and risk. Either charge for it or ask the customer to clear the rooms before you arrive.
Truck-mounted machines need the van close to the door. Flats on upper floors, long hose runs or no parking can mean using a portable machine, which is slower. Ask before you quote.
Worked examples
Two bedrooms and a living room of normal wear, plus a 13-step carpeted staircase. Rooms already cleared.
Stairs are the most common add-on, and the one beginners forget to price. Always ask whether the stairs are carpeted.
A two-bed flat, four rooms counting the hallway, left by a tenant with a dog. The carpets are grubby and there are odour spots in the lounge.
End-of-tenancy work is steady and often booked by letting agents. Build a relationship with two or three agents and they can fill your diary.
Three bedrooms, a living area and a hallway. The owners want the furniture moved and the carpets protected afterwards.
Bigger homes pay best per hour because the setup is spread over more rooms. Offer protector on every whole-home job, since it is quick to apply.
Your costs
You can start with a good portable machine and upgrade to a truck mount later. These are the usual costs for a basic professional setup bought new.
| Item | USA (USD) | UK (GBP) | Canada (CAD) | Australia (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portable carpet extractorA heated professional unit. Hire shop machines are too weak for paid work. | $1,000–$3,000 | £800–£2,500 | $1,300–$4,000 | $1,500–$4,500 |
| Stair and upholstery hand tool | $100–$300 | £80–£250 | $130–$400 | $150–$450 |
| Pre-spray, rinse and spotting chemicals, per month | $60–$150 | £50–£120 | $80–$200 | $80–$200 |
| Commercial vacuum, sprayer and fans | $200–$600 | £150–£500 | $260–$800 | $300–$850 |
| Liability insurance, per yearCovers shrinkage, colour loss and water damage claims. | $500–$1,500 | £80–£250 | $600–$1,600 | $450–$1,100 |
Avoid these
One small room can take an hour once setup and pack-down are counted. Set a minimum, such as $100 in the US or £60 in the UK, and hold it.
Bleach marks, old wine and pet urine can be permanent. Test, tell the customer what to expect, and write it on the quote. Overpromising turns a paid job into a complaint.
Too much water causes shrinkage, browning and slow drying that smells. Learn your machine, use fans in winter, and leave carpets as dry as you can. One damaged carpet can cost more than a month of work.
Some companies advertise very cheap rooms and then charge for everything on arrival. Customers have learned to distrust it. A clear price that includes pre-treatment wins more repeat work.
Questions
For three average rooms, charge $135–$240 in the US, £105–£175 in the UK, C$165–C$270 in Canada and A$150–A$260 in Australia. Charge extra for stairs, heavy soiling, pet treatment and moving furniture.
In the US most cleaners charge about $40 to $125 per room, less per room on bigger jobs. In the UK it is about £25 to £50 per room, in Canada about $70 to $90, and in Australia about $25 to $65.
In the US, about $0.20 to $0.40 per square foot for homes and about $0.15 to $0.25 for commercial contracts. In the UK and Australia, larger areas are often priced at about £1.50 to £4 or $2.70 to $5 per square metre.
Around 20 to 30 minutes per average room once you are set up, plus 30 to 45 minutes for setup and packing away. Heavy soiling and furniture moving add time.
Yes. In the US many cleaners charge $2 to $5 per step. In the UK a staircase and landing is often priced like a room or more.
Working cleaners earn the equivalent of about $40–$90 an hour in the US, £25–£50 in the UK, C$40–C$85 in Canada and A$45–A$90 in Australia, though almost all jobs are quoted per room.
The rates on this page were set in November 2026 from the published price guides below, then checked so that the calculator, the price list and the examples all agree. How we work out prices.