How much does upholstery cleaning cost?

You've scrubbed relentlessly trying to get that stubborn red wine spill off your couch or remove the smell of a pet accident from your favorite chair. Unwanted spots, stains, and odors on upholstered furniture can be embarrassing and may tempt you to haul that couch or chair to the curb and buy a new one.

But you don't have to get rid of it. Hiring a professional upholstery cleaner is a much more affordable solution. Before you call in the pros to make your furniture look like new again, get an idea of the cost of cleaning services with this guide.

The national average cost to professionally clean upholstery is $150-$180. Upholstery cleaning is generally billed as a flat fee per item, though some cleaning services will charge extra for particularly difficult stains.

Prices also depend on the type, size and number of the upholstered furniture that needs to be cleaned. For example, you will pay more for a couch that has three cushions than two. Some cleaners will also give discounts if you need to clean a carpet or multiple furniture pieces at once.

Type of furniture item

Most cleaning services have a flat fee based on the type of furniture (sofa, dining room chair, etc.) you need to clean. The larger the surface area of the item, the more time and cleaning solution it will require. That means it will cost more to have a large sectional couch cleaned than it will a standard-sized couch. A small piece of furniture, like a dining room chair, could cost as little as $10.

Below are average prices for upholstery cleaning based on the furniture item you want to clean:

• Chair: $50
• Couch: $135
• Sectional: $190

These prices can vary from city to city and between upholstery cleaning companies. Below are example prices from several different Thumbtack cleaners in the following cities:

Sacramento, CA:

• Lounge chair: $55
• Loveseat: $95
• 7-foot long couch: $135
• 10-foot long, sectional sofa: $190

Portland, OR:

• Chair: $40
• Loveseat: $60
• Couch: $80

Philadelphia, PA:

• Standard-sized sofa and love seat: $100

Type of material or fabric

Delicate fabrics such as silk or linen require extra caution and different cleaning methods and therefore cost more to clean.

You will also pay more for antique, suede, and leather furniture since the cleaner needs to apply special solvents and use specialized techniques. For example, cleaning a leather couch costs an average of $195-$475.

Are there any added costs that come with upholstery cleaning?

If the upholstery cleaning job is especially difficult, or you want to add extra services, that will increase the price. Below are a few common, additional services you might add to a professional upholstery cleaning:

• Heavy stains removal: It may cost slightly more to clean staining from substances like spilled drinks, pet urine, or grease.
• Furniture repairs: Some companies can repair furniture while they are cleaning the upholstery. For example, one furniture refinisher and Thumbtack pro charges $1.34 per minute, with a 15 minute minimum for repairing wood, leather, and fabrics. So you'd pay around $20 for a small repair on top of the cleaning.
• Protective solution: Adding a protective solution, like Scotchgard, or seal to your furniture costs an additional $20-$35. To keep your furniture cleaner longer, consider having a protective solution applied after your upholstery is cleaned.

A professional cleaner will first inspect the item. Then, the cleaner will:

• Use a special cleaning solution to break down stains.
• Apply a deodorizer to neutralize odors.
• Clean crevices and steam clean the upholstery to get rid of all dirt and stains.

A heated cleaning solution may be applied to the upholstery to loosen the dirt, and hot water extraction may be used to remove dirt and other debris like pet dander.

Some materials and furniture items will require a slightly different cleaning method or specialized solvents for cleaning and odor removal.

While upholstery cleaning services aren't exactly cheap, they are generally more affordable than a new chair or sofa. You can also save money by:

• Looking for specials: Some companies offer seasonal deals and discounts to clean multiple furniture items or carpets at once. For example, carpet cleaning services sometimes include free furniture cleaning with a paid carpet cleaning. Some companies offer discounts for cleaning more than one piece of furniture. One cleaning company in Seattle, Washington, will clean a sofa plus a chair for $99 or a sectional plus a standard sofa for $149.
• Opt for the protector: If you're already cleaning a piece of furniture, get the fabric protector added afterward. This will increase your total cost by a small amount now, but save you from paying professional cleaning fees in the future.