Average Cost

• The average cost of professionally cleaning your carpets is 28 cents to 30 cents per square foot, according to 2010 data. This varies depending on whether you use a franchise/national chain or a local business.
  
  

Considerations

• According to Michael Hilton of The Carpet Buyers Handbook, most homeowners have their carpets cleaned only once every seven years, which results in more dirt and more work for the cleaner. If you create a contract with a local company to clean your carpets once a year, you may receive a discount in price.
  
  

Other Factors

• The cost of cleaning your carpet doesn't include the cost of cleaning stairs, which may cost an additional fee. A carpet cleaning company may also charge for moving furniture to reach the carpets and for larger or harder to remove stains.