When you’re running a carpet cleaning business, the stakes for accurate estimates are high. You need to balance competitive pricing with increasing profits, all while considering the many things that can affect your bottom line. 

From room size and carpet material to the specific cleaning services you provide, many factors go into putting together a comprehensive estimate. 

Whether you’re fine-tuning your pricing strategy or looking to stand out in a competitive market of professional carpet cleaners, we’ve got the insights you need to price smart and maximize your profits.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the key factors that will influence carpet cleaning estimates in 2025, explore common pricing models, and break down the different services and their costs. 

Key factors in a carpet cleaning estimate

Sample carpet cleaning estimate shows the customer and company information, services requires, quantity of each service, and total cost (Source)

When calculating a carpet cleaning estimate, you need to consider several key factors that can significantly impact the scope of the cleaning job, your cleaning process, and its final cost. 

Understanding these variables will help you provide accurate, competitive estimates for clients, improving your profitability while meeting customer expectations. 

Here are the most important elements to include in your pricing strategy:

Room size and number of rooms

The size of each room and the number of rooms you’re cleaning play a major role in determining an estimate. Larger rooms or more rooms naturally require more time and resources to clean. 

Many businesses use a per-room pricing model for standard-sized rooms, with adjustments for larger spaces like living rooms or finished basements. When dealing with extensive carpeted areas, a square footage pricing model might help make sure you’re fairly compensated for bigger jobs.

Type of carpet

The type of carpet greatly influences the cost of cleaning. 

High-pile, thick, or specialty materials like wool often demand more effort and specific equipment, raising the estimate. Additionally, older carpets with significant wear and tear may need more attention than newer ones, especially when deep cleaning or removing pet stains. 

Cleaning delicate or high-end carpets can also involve add-ons like special treatments, increasing the additional cost of the job.

Type of cleaning service 

Different cleaning services come with varying price tags. Standard cleaning services, such as steam cleaning, focus on removing dirt and light stains from the surface. In contrast, deep stain removal for persistent stains or embedded dirt often requires more specialized tools, products, and time, which means a higher rate. 

It’s important to outline the price range for these services upfront to avoid confusion during the estimate process.

Stains and odor treatments

Stains, especially pet stains, require more than a standard cleaning. Specialized treatments for pet stains and odors may include enzyme cleaners or more intensive techniques like deep extraction. 

These treatments require not only more effort but also specific products, which can significantly increase the estimate. Be sure to tell clients how stain and odor issues will affect the cleaning job, and communicate any additional cost for advanced treatment.

Location and cost of living in the area

Where your cleaning company is based also impacts pricing. For example, in areas with a higher cost of living, the price of carpet cleaning tends to be higher due to the increased costs of doing business, such as labor and materials. 

It’s essential to adjust your estimates based on local market conditions to remain competitive while still covering your operational expenses. A good place to start is to look at other local business listings to get a sense of their pricing.

Common pricing models for carpet cleaning

Selecting the right pricing model for your carpet cleaning business is critical to balancing competitive rates with profitability. Below, we’ll explore three common pricing models and weigh the pros and cons of each so you can choose the best approach for your services:

Per-room pricing 

Sample cost-per-room carpet cleaning chart shows the average charge per room (Source)

Per-room pricing, one of the most popular models for carpet cleaning, is where businesses set a fixed rate per room based on standard room sizes (up to 200–250 square feet). This model works well for clients who prefer clear, predictable costs without having to measure exact square footage.

Best for: Residential cleaning clients with standard-size housing

Pros:

• Simple and predictable for both the client and business
• Ideal for homes with standard-size rooms, making estimates straightforward
• Encourages quick decision-making from customers who can easily see the total cost

Cons:

• May not account for large rooms or high-traffic areas
• Doesn’t reflect the complexity of the job, such as rooms with heavily soiled carpets or challenging layouts

Square footage-based pricing 

Sample cost-per-square footage carpet cleaning chart shows the average charge per square foot (Source)

This model bases the cost on the total size of the carpeted area, typically by using a rate per square foot. This is ideal when room sizes vary significantly or when you’re cleaning high-traffic areas that require more time and effort. Businesses often charge $0.20–$0.40 per square foot, but prices can vary.

Best for: More involved, variable jobs like commercial cleanings or large residential homes

Pros:

• Provides greater accuracy for larger or more complex jobs
• Ensures that your prices for high-traffic areas are fair, reflecting the extra labor involved
• Useful for commercial clients or homes with unusually large rooms

Cons:

• More complicated estimates, as you must measure exact square footage
• Harder for customers to calculate the final professional carpet cleaning costs on their own, which may deter bookings

Package deals 

Power Clean carpet cleaning specialists offer a variety of carpet cleaning packages to attract more clients (Source)

With package pricing, businesses offer bundled services, such as cleaning multiple rooms, whole-house packages, or combining add-ons like upholstery cleaning or stain protection treatments. These packages often incentivize clients to buy more services at a discounted rate.

Best for: Recurring customers looking for a cleaning company that provides high-value service at a fair rate

Pros:

• Increases average order value by encouraging clients to purchase more services
• Offers flexibility for clients with varying needs, such as deep cleaning or pet stain removal
• Simplifies pricing for whole-house cleaning, which can be attractive for larger jobs

Cons:

• Potentially undervalues individual services, especially if you heavily discount add-ons
• May not work for customers with smaller jobs who don’t need bundled services

Types of carpet cleaning services and their costs

When designing your cleaning business plan, it’s key to offer a variety of carpet cleaning services to meet diverse customer needs. Below, we’ll explore different types of carpet cleaning services, what these cleaning solutions entail, and their associated costs:

Basic carpet cleaning

Basic carpet cleaning, such as standard steam cleaning, is often the go-to service for regular cleaning and maintenance. It effectively removes dirt, dust, and light stains using hot water extraction or a steam cleaner. 

This service is ideal for maintaining cleanliness in high-traffic areas or refreshing carpets that are not heavily soiled.

Average price: $40–$90 per room, depending on the number of rooms in the house 

Deep cleaning

Deep cleaning goes beyond regular maintenance to target embedded dirt, grime, and stains. This type of cleaning includes methods like encapsulation or bonnet cleaning, which involve applying specialized cleaning agents or scrubbing pads. 

This is suitable for carpets that experience heavy foot traffic or berber carpets, which trap more dirt due to their loops.

Average price: $30–$50 per room, in addition to basic cleaning costs

Pet odor and stain removal 

For homes with pets, this service is essential to eliminate tough pet stains and odors. Cleaners use specialized disinfectants and deodorizers to neutralize pet urine and other lingering smells, as well as get rid of allergens. 

You can pair this type of service with deep cleaning for optimal results.

Average price: $175–$250 per room for moderate odor removal with basic cleaning service

Add-ons

Carpet cleaners can offer additional services like cleaning carpeted stairs, area rugs, or upholstered furniture. They may also apply stain protectants to preserve the carpet’s cleanliness and longevity, making it more resistant to future spills and stains.

Average price: $2–$5 per step for stairway cleaning and $40–$400 per upholstered item, depending on size

Example carpet cleaning estimate

Let’s walk through a sample carpet cleaning estimate based on the assumptions above. 

Say you have a new residential client with an 1,800-square-foot three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a kitchen, dining room, and living room. They’ve asked for deep cleaning in the living room and kitchen as well as cleaning a flight of 12 carpeted stairs.

Per-room estimate:

Seven rooms at $70 per room……………………………………. $490

Deep cleaning in two rooms at $40 per room……………………   $80

Carpeted stair cleaning of 12 stairs at $4 per stair……………..   $48

Total estimate ………………………………………….………….. $618

Per-square-footage estimate:

1,800 square feet at $0.30 per square foot…………………….  $540

Deep cleaning in two rooms at $40 per room…………………..   $80

Carpeted stair cleaning of 12 stairs at $4 per stair……………..  $48

Total estimate ………………………………………….………….  $668

In this example, it’s slightly more advantageous for your business to price per square footage. However, the estimate doesn’t capture the difference between a bathroom and a living room. You can choose the pricing model that works best for your team to calculate estimates that align with your business model.

Build your carpet cleaning business with GorillaDesk

Manage all of your existing and new carpet-cleaning client estimates with GorillaDesk. (Source)

The cleaning industry continues to evolve, and more carpet cleaning companies are clamoring for homeowners’ business. Set your team apart with tools that support a growing cleaning business.

With GorillaDesk’s Dynamic Estimates, you can tailor estimates by customer, including required, recommended, and optional line items to increase conversion rates and delight customers with the services they need, presented transparently.

GorillaDesk is not just software—it’s your go-to partner for optimizing and managing every aspect of your carpet cleaning operation. From scheduling and dispatching to invoicing and customer relationship management (CRM), GorillaDesk’s robust cleaning business software provides everything you need to keep your professional carpet cleaning services running smoothly. 

Our cleaning business software streamlines payments, conducts batch invoicing, and even optimizes your team’s routes, giving you more time to focus on what matters: cleaning and expanding your client base.

Ready to take your carpet cleaning business to the next level? Start your 14-day free trial of GorillaDesk today.