Does a rug cleaner need a licence?

No. No licence or register applies.

Is my rug insured at the workshop?

Ask the cleaner, and check your home insurance.

What legal rights do I have if colours run?

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can ask for it to be put right if the cleaning lacked reasonable care and skill.

How much does a rug cleaner cost in the UK?

£20–£90 per rug, about £45 for most. What pushes it up or down is in the rug cleaning price guide; search above by town for cleaners in your area.

Can all rugs be cleaned at home?

Not delicate or hand-knotted ones; they may need a workshop.

How long does it take?

Under an hour on site; several days in a workshop.

HOW TO HIRE · CLEANING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026

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

No licence or register applies to rug cleaners in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, so the checks are yours: insurance if the rug is damaged, the products used, and a written scope. Delicate and hand-knotted rugs may go to a workshop. This guide covers the questions about fibre, dyes and fringes, and the quote.

No register applies to rug cleaners. Check insurance for the rug, 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 rug cleaner in five steps

Know the fibreWool, silk or synthetic; hand-knotted or machine-made.
Note damageDye bleeding, moth, loose fringes.
On site or workshop?Delicate rugs go away.
Clear the floorSo the rug can be lifted.
Insurance in transitFor workshop cleans.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

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

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

Cleaning chemicals and COSHH

Strong products used for rug cleaning — degreasers, descalers, biocides — are hazardous substances, and HSE says its COSHH rules cover a self-employed cleaner who brings them into your home, except for monitoring and health surveillance.

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

Your rights and the rug in their care

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 rug cleaning must be done with reasonable care and skill; dye run or shrinkage from the wrong method is the cleaner's to put right, and insurance should cover a rug taken to the workshop.

Ask how the rug is insured while it is away for cleaning.

Public liability insurance

Nothing obliges a cleaner to be insured, but public liability cover is the difference between a claim paid and a dispute if rug cleaning goes wrong. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, rug cleaning that damages something through carelessness is the trader's to put right.

Before the rug cleaning, ask the rug cleaner for the insurer and the cover level.

VAT

Rug cleaning is standard-rated, so VAT is 20%. A rug cleaning business with turnover over £90,000 must be registered, charge the 20% on the cleaning, collection and any moth treatment, and show it separately.

Ask the rug cleaner for the VAT number and check the 20% is listed under the per-rug price. gov.uk →

ASK THESE

“Will you test the dyes before rug cleaning?”

A good answer: Yes, on a hidden spot.

“On site or in your workshop for this rug?”

A good answer: A choice based on fibre and value.

“How will the rug fringes be cleaned?”

A good answer: Separately and gently.

“Can rug cleaning treat moth damage?”

A good answer: Priced as an extra.

“How long will the rug take to dry?”

A good answer: A stated time.

“Is the rug insured while with the rug cleaner?”

A good answer: Cover named.

Getting the quote right

Price per rug
On-site or workshop
Collection and delivery
Extras: stains, moth, deodorising
Who actually attends or collects the rug, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
The VAT number, and 20% VAT shown separately from the per-rug and collection prices

Walk away if

No dye test
Soaks a silk rug
No insurance for the rug
No written price

LOW

£20

TYPICAL

£45

HIGH

£90

What a rug cleaner costs: £20–£90 per rug

Rug cleaning is priced per rug by size and fibre; workshop cleans add collection. Rug 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

Rug 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.

ON THE DAY

InspectFibre, dyes and damage checked.
Dust outDry soil beaten or vacuumed out.
TreatSpots pre-treated.
CleanExtraction on site or immersion in a workshop.
Dry and groomFringes cleaned, rug dried.

Hand-knotted: A rug knotted by hand.
Dye bleed: Colour running when wet.
Immersion wash: A full wash in a workshop.
Fringe: The tassels at the rug's ends.
Moth damage: Bare patches eaten by moth larvae.
Dry soil: Grit trapped deep in the pile.

AFTER

When the job is done

Check colours and fringesNo bleeding or loose threads.

Keep the receiptMethod and price.

Rotate the rugTo even out wear.

Leave the reviewReviews on Locufy are tied to a booking, so yours about the rug cleaning carries weight. If something is not right, the make-it-right step gives the rug cleaner the first chance to fix it before it is published.

IF IT GOES WRONG

STEP 1Complain to the rug cleaner firstStart with an email to the rug cleaner: the problem, photos and what would put it right. A trader's rug 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 stepBelow four stars, Locufy offers to pass the problem with the rug cleaning to the rug cleaner before your review is published, and follows it up with both of you.

STEP 3Trading Standards, through the helplinesTrading Standards is reached through a helpline, not directly: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland can log a complaint about the rug cleaner and pass it on.

STEP 4Small claims, if money is owedA claim against the rug 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 rug cleaner: questions people ask

: No. No licence or register applies.
: Ask the cleaner, and check your home insurance.
: Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can ask for it to be put right if the cleaning lacked reasonable care and skill.
: £20–£90 per rug, about £45 for most. What pushes it up or down is in the rug cleaning price guide; search above by town for cleaners in your area.
: Not delicate or hand-knotted ones; they may need a workshop.
: Under an hour on site; several days in a workshop.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in cleaning

How to hire: Carpet Cleaning How to hire: Upholstery Cleaning How to hire: Curtain Cleaning How to hire: Mattress Cleaning How to hire: Deep Cleaning How to hire: Spring Cleaning How to hire: House Cleaning How to hire: End of Tenancy Cleaning All 701 hiring guides →

Rug cleaners near you

Rug cleaners in London Rug cleaners in Manchester Rug cleaners in Birmingham Rug cleaners in Glasgow Rug cleaners in Belfast All rug cleaners on Locufy →Do it yourself: cleaning a rug at home →

How to hire a rug cleaner in the UKThe checks, the questions and the paperwork.