What is upholstery cleaning?
From your carpets to your drapes to your furniture, all fabrics need to be cleaned. Cleaning upholstery, or the fabric on your furniture, removes the dirt and oils that are transferred to couches and chairs through regular use. Because furniture upholstery can be delicate and colors can fade easily, it’s often a good idea to let professional sofa cleaners handle the job. They’ll determine the type of fabric — usually cotton, linen, wool, suede or microfiber — and the appropriate method for cleaning it, either steam-cleaning or applying a dry-cleaning solvent. In general, cleaning an entire piece of furniture includes a pretreatment, cleaning, and neutralizing rinse to the body, plus removing and cleaning all cushions and cleaning all crevices.
An upholstery cleaner may clean the entire piece of furniture, on a regular schedule or by request, or do spot treatments to remove pet, food, drink, or oil and grease stains. Furniture can also be deodorized to remove the smell of pets or tobacco smoke. Furniture that’s used often, like that in your family room, should be cleaned once a year to keep it fresh and extend its life. Sofa cleaners often also offer repair services to mend tears in fabric or patch holes in leather.
How much does upholstery cleaning cost?
The cost to have your upholstered furniture cleaned depends mostly on two factors: the size of the furniture and the type of fabric. The national average cost of upholstery cleaning ranges from $120 to $150. Most people have multiple pieces cleaned at once, but sofa cleaners will come to your home for just one heavily soiled couch or to spot-treat stains. The smaller the furniture, the lower the cost: A lounge chair may cost an average of $50 to clean, while a couch costs an average of $135 and an L-shaped sectional costs an average of $190. Delicate materials such as antique fabrics or suede upholstery are more expensive to clean than sturdier ones. Having the sofa cleaner do repairs will also add to the cost. Repairs such as mending a tear in fabric or patching a hole in leather may be charged by the task or by the hour; in general, repairs cost an average of $15 each. Special or delicate fabrics may cost additional fees, too.
Who cleans couches?
Even if your furniture doesn’t appear dirty or stained, your couches are collecting just as much dust, pollen, germs, pet hair and dander, and even food crumbs as your carpets. In general, the same professionals who clean your carpets and drapes can also clean your couches. Carpet cleaners usually offer upholstery cleaning services as well, and may offer a discount if you have your carpets cleaned at the same time. Alternatively, you can choose from a range of professional upholstery cleaners in your area who specialize in cleaning different types of upholstery fabrics, including delicate antique fabrics and other hard-to-clean materials such as suede. In addition to deep-cleaning the entire piece of furniture, sofa cleaners can spot-treat food, pet, and oil and grease stains. Most professionals also offer services to sanitize and deodorize your furniture and apply protectants to prevent future stains. As with carpets, experts recommend that you have your upholstered furniture cleaned once every year or two, depending on how much use it gets and whether you have children and pets.
Should I hire a move-out cleaning service or do it myself?
You may benefit from hiring a professional move-out cleaning service, depending on your budget, time frame and whether you will be getting a deposit back. Hiring a cleaning service takes the stress out of your move. But if you’ve had your house regularly deep-cleaned, or if your landlord will charge you for cleaning anyway, you can save costs by DIY-ing it.
How long does it take to clean a house professionally?
Generally, getting your house cleaned professionally can take several hours. The time it takes for house cleaners to complete their job depends on the size of your home, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you have, the type of service you require and the condition of your house. It also might depend on how many employees are cleaning and the supplies they are using. If you get recurring cleaning services, the first visit might take a bit longer than the subsequent visits.
When choosing the best house cleaner for you, ask for an estimate about how long their services will take.
How much is a house cleaning?
The national average cost for house cleaning ranges between $25 and $50 per hour, per cleaner. However, the cost of house cleaning services near you might be different.
House cleaning prices vary based on how many square feet your home is, how dirty your house gets and how often the cleaning service comes. And, prices can be lower in areas with a lower cost of living, higher in big cities or affluent regions.
Some companies charge a set amount — such as 5 cents — per square foot, with a minimum amount, such as $100. You may save money by increasing the frequency of your house cleaning visits. Often a company will charge you less per cleaning when you schedule more cleanings per month. The cost advantage rewards your loyalty, and also reflects the fact that more frequent cleanings make it easier to maintain a high level of cleanliness in your home. A housecleaning service may charge more for the first visit or for one-time services than for recurring cleanings.
To learn more about the cost of house cleaning, visit our House Cleaning Cost Guide.
How do I choose the best house cleaning service?
When searching for the best house cleaning service near you, consider the depth of your cleaning needs, your budget and the size and condition of your home. Read reviews from verified customers of any cleaning service that you’re looking to hire. Also, check out the reviewers’ photos and do background checks on reviewers to ensure they’re not employed by established cleaning firms or maid agencies.
When viewing house cleaners on Thumbtack, you might see a Top Pro badge. This indicates that the service is one of the most popular and highly-rated professionals using the platform.
How do I prepare for a house cleaner?
There are several things you can do in preparation for a house cleaning to improve the efficiency and quality of the job. If you’re unfamiliar with a cleaning service, hiding and locking away any obvious valuables lying around can offer great peace of mind.
Depending on the preference of the cleaner, you may need to lock up your pets before the cleaners arrive. Washing dishes and decluttering the house allows a house cleaner to do their job more effectively. And leaving special notes for the cleaners about certain areas in your home that need attention is also helpful.
Ask house cleaners near you about their tips to help you prepare for their services.
How much should you tip maids or cleaning services?
Tipping between 15 and 20 percent is considered an appropriate tip for maids and house cleaners — just as it would with a barber, food delivery driver or taxi operator. During the holidays, you might want to consider tipping a bit more.
It’s important to note that some housekeeping and maid services might include a tip within the service fee, which should be explained to you in the service contract. Talk to house cleaners in your area to find out what's included in their fees.
How often should you have your house cleaned?
The frequency you should have your house cleaned depends on several factors, and the best professional house cleaner can give you a rough estimate of costs so you can budget how often you need someone to clean your home.
Daily house cleaning may be necessary if you have a home with a large number of bedrooms with young children and kids, although other homeowners may benefit from weekly house cleaning. A weekly cleaner can clean the bathroom, kitchen, do laundry, vacuum and mop. An occasional deep house cleaning is most beneficial for people who have recently renovated a home or are looking to do a spring clean.