HOW TO HIRE · CLEANING

How to hire a carpet cleaner in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to carpet cleaners. Check insurance for the carpet, the products used and the scope before booking.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a carpet cleaner in five steps

  1. Wool or synthetic?It changes the products used.
  2. Vacuum and clearSo the clean starts on dirt, not clutter.
  3. Point out stainsWine, pets, traffic lanes.
  4. Minimum chargeBook several rooms together.
  5. Plan drying timeA few hours off the carpet.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Nothing licenses carpet cleaners in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, so carpet cleaning can be offered by anyone; trader status, insurance and references carry the weight.

Ask for a business name, an invoice for the carpet cleaning and the name of the insurer.

Cleaning chemicals and COSHH

HSE's COSHH rules on hazardous substances apply to self-employed people who bring hazardous products onto other premises, apart from monitoring and health surveillance. Strong degreasers, descalers and biocides used for carpet cleaning fall within them.

Ask which products the carpet cleaning uses, and whether they are safe on your surfaces. hse.gov.uk →

Trade status and your rights

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires carpet cleaning to be done with reasonable care and skill; shrinkage or colour loss from the wrong method can be put right at the cleaner's cost.

Get an invoice naming the rooms and the method used for the carpet cleaning.

Public liability insurance

Insurance is not a legal condition here, yet public liability cover is what pays when carpet cleaning marks a floor or breaks a fitting. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, carpet cleaning that damages something through carelessness is the trader's to put right.

Ask the carpet cleaner who the insurer is before the carpet cleaning.

VAT

Carpet cleaning is standard-rated, so where VAT is charged it is 20%. A carpet cleaning business over the £90,000 registration threshold must charge it on every room and show it separately on the invoice.

Ask for the VAT number when you book and check the invoice lists the 20% under the room prices, not inside them. gov.uk →

“Which carpet cleaning method will you use?”

A good answer: Hot water extraction for most, low-moisture for delicate carpets.

“Are your products safe on wool carpet?”

A good answer: Products chosen for the fibre.

“How do you treat stains before the carpet cleaning?”

A good answer: Pre-treatment suited to the stain.

“How long will the carpet take to dry?”

A good answer: A few hours, with ventilation advice.

“Do you move furniture?”

A good answer: Light items, or priced.

“Are you insured if a carpet shrinks or bleeds?”

A good answer: Public liability, insurer named.

Getting the quote right

  • Price per room and any minimum
  • Stairs and landing priced
  • Stain pre-treatment
  • Furniture moving
  • Who actually attends with the machine, and whether that cleaner is employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and 20% VAT shown separately from the per-room prices

Walk away if

  • Soaks a wool carpet
  • No pre-inspection
  • No insurance
  • A price that rises on the doorstep
LOW
£25
TYPICAL
£45
HIGH
£75

What a carpet cleaner costs: £25–£75 per room

Carpet cleaning is priced per room with a minimum visit; stairs and stains add to it. Carpet Cleaning price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Carpet cleaners near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. InspectFibre, stains and wear checked.
  2. VacuumLoose dirt removed.
  3. Pre-treatStains and traffic lanes treated.
  4. CleanHot water extraction.
  5. Groom and dryPile groomed, drying advice given.

Hot water extraction
Often called steam cleaning.
Pre-treatment
A product applied to stains before cleaning.
Pile
The carpet's surface fibres.
Wool
A natural fibre needing gentle products.
Traffic lane
A worn, dirty path across a carpet.
COSHH
HSE's rules on hazardous substances.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep off until dryThen vacuum lightly.
Check stainsOnce dry, in daylight.
Keep the invoiceMethod and rooms listed.
Review the visitA few lines on the carpet cleaning help the next household choose. If there is a problem, the make-it-right step sends it to the carpet cleaner before your review appears.

STEP 1Go back to the carpet cleanerStart with an email to the carpet cleaner: the problem, photos and what would put it right. A trader's carpet cleaning is covered by section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and the remedies — doing it again, or a price reduction — follow from sections 55 and 56.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right stepA score under four stars opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the carpet cleaner gets the chance to put the carpet cleaning right first, and we chase it to an end before you publish.
STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplinesA carpet cleaner who will not engage can be reported through the consumer helplines, which pass cases to Trading Standards — Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133) in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland (0808 800 9060), Consumerline (0300 123 6262) in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Small claims, if money is owedA claim against the carpet cleaner that will not settle can go to court without a lawyer — the small claims track for up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure for up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court for up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a carpet cleaner: questions people ask

No. No licence or register applies.

HSE's COSHH rules apply to hazardous products a self-employed cleaner brings in.

Ask for public liability insurance.

£25–£75 per room, around £45 on average. What pushes it up or down is in the carpet cleaning price guide; search above by town for cleaners in your area.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can ask for it to be put right.

About 20 to 40 minutes a room, dry in a few hours.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in cleaning

How to hire: Rug CleaningHow to hire: Upholstery CleaningHow to hire: Mattress CleaningHow to hire: Curtain CleaningHow to hire: Deep CleaningHow to hire: End of Tenancy CleaningHow to hire: House CleaningHow to hire: Spring CleaningAll 701 hiring guides →

Carpet cleaners near you

Carpet cleaners in LondonCarpet cleaners in ManchesterCarpet cleaners in BirminghamCarpet cleaners in GlasgowCarpet cleaners in BelfastAll carpet cleaners on Locufy →Do it yourself: deep-cleaning a fitted carpet →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. HSE — does COSHH apply to the self-employed?
  2. HSE — safe use of cleaning substances (CAIS22)
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 55 — repeat performance
  5. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue (England)
  6. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  7. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register