Carpet Cleaning Cost in London
London · 1.35x regional multiplier
£35 – £65
Independent London benchmark for carpet cleaning. Answer a few questions for your exact figure.
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Carpet Cleaning Cost in London
A standard carpet clean for a three bedroom house with a living room and stairs in London costs £127 to £187, based on our London regional model. The price comes from the InstantCost carpet cleaning calculator and covers all 32 London boroughs and the City of London.
Prices last checked September 2026.
How much does carpet cleaning cost in London?
A single room costs £29 to £43 in London, and a four bedroom house with stairs costs £152 to £224. Heavily soiled carpets and deep steam cleaning push the price higher.
Job | London price | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
Single bedroom in a flat | £29 to £43 | London minimum charges are high, so one room often costs more than this. |
Living room only | £29 to £43 | Check how a large reception room or knocked through lounge is counted. |
Stairs and landing | £34 to £50 | In a conversion flat, ask if communal stairs are included. |
Two bedroom flat with living room | £71 to £105 | The most common London booking. |
Three bedroom house with living room | £107 to £158 | Stairs not included. |
Three bedroom house with living room and stairs | £127 to £187 | Typical for Victorian terraces and 1930s semis. |
Four bedroom house with living room and stairs | £152 to £224 | The price per room falls on bigger jobs. |
Three bedroom house, heavy soiling and pet stains | £202 to £298 | Common after pets or a long tenancy. |
Three bedroom house, deep steam clean | £190 to £280 | Hot water extraction, with living room and stairs. |
These are regional estimates from our calculator, not quotes. In London especially, ask for a total that includes parking and any road charges.
What do extras cost in London?
Extras cost from £4 to £57 when added to a carpet booking. Adding them to the same visit is much cheaper in London, where every separate call out means more parking and travel.
Extra | Price with a carpet booking | Worth it when |
|---|---|---|
Stain protector | £8 to £18 | Carpets are pale or the hallway sees heavy use. |
Anti allergen or anti insect treatment | £4 to £11 | Someone has asthma, allergies, or you've had carpet moths. |
Rug cleaning | £12 to £27 | The rug is synthetic. Wool and silk rugs need a specialist. |
Sofa or upholstery clean | £21 to £57 | The sofa has the same marks as the carpet. |
Mattress cleaning | £11 to £30 | A rental is changing hands or someone has allergies. |
Curtain cleaning | £16 to £36 | Curtains won't fit in a home washing machine. |
How much more does carpet cleaning cost in London?
London carpet cleaning costs about 30% more than Birmingham and nearly 50% more than Leeds for the same job. It's the most expensive region in our calculator.
Region | Three bedroom house with living room and stairs |
|---|---|
London | £127 to £187 |
South East England | £113 to £166 |
Midlands (Birmingham) | £99 to £145 |
Manchester and Liverpool | £94 to £138 |
Leeds and Sheffield | £86 to £127 |
Higher wages, parking costs, road charges and slow travel between jobs explain the gap. You can follow regional prices for every service in the InstantCost UK Price Index, or compare with our guides to carpet cleaning costs in Manchester and carpet cleaning costs in Birmingham.
What makes carpet cleaning more expensive in London?
In London, getting to your front door can cost a cleaner as much as the job itself. Road charges, parking and building access add costs you won't find in other cities.
The Congestion Charge
Any van driven into central London pays the Congestion Charge of £18 a day. It applies from 7am to 6pm on weekdays and from 12pm to 6pm at weekends and on bank holidays. Most cleaners pass this on for jobs inside the zone.
Money saving tip: if you live inside the zone, a weekend morning booking that finishes before midday avoids the charge completely.
ULEZ
The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers every London borough, 24 hours a day. A van that doesn't meet the emissions standard pays £12.50 a day. Most professional cleaners run compliant vans, but ask if the quote includes any ULEZ charge.
Parking and controlled parking zones
Much of inner London is covered by controlled parking zones, where vans can't park without a permit or paid bay. Many cleaners ask you to provide a visitor parking permit, or add the cost of paid parking to the bill. Have a permit ready and you may save money.
Conversion flats and communal stairs
Many Victorian houses in areas like Clapham, Hackney and Walthamstow are split into two or three flats. If you live upstairs, the cleaner has to run hoses through the communal hallway and up the stairs. Communal stairs are usually the responsibility of the freeholder or managing agent, so don't pay for them unless your lease says you should.
High rise and mansion blocks
New build towers in Canary Wharf, Nine Elms and Stratford often require contractors to book the goods lift or loading bay in advance and sign in with the concierge. Mansion blocks in Maida Vale, Kensington and Battersea may have small lifts or none at all. Tell the cleaner about the building before they quote, or expect an access charge on the day.
Carpet condition
Heavy soiling and pet stains add about 60% to the price. A three bedroom house with stairs rises from £127 to £187 for average carpets to £202 to £298 for heavily soiled ones.
VAT and minimum charges
VAT registered cleaners add 20%, while smaller traders under the £90,000 threshold don't charge VAT. London cleaners also tend to have higher minimum charges than the rest of the UK. Check both before you compare quotes.
From the trade: InstantCost was founded by a former carpet cleaner. In London, the cheapest quote per room is often not the cheapest job. Two quotes can look identical until one adds the Congestion Charge, paid parking and an access fee for the lift. Always ask for an "all in" price that covers road charges and parking, and compare those totals instead of the room rates.
Standard clean or deep steam clean: which should you book in London?
A deep steam clean in London costs around 50% more than a standard clean. For a three bedroom house with stairs, that's £190 to £280 instead of £127 to £187.
Deep steam cleaning, also called hot water extraction, drives hot water and detergent into the carpet and extracts it straight back out with the dirt. Choose it for carpets that haven't been cleaned in a while, homes with pets, or the end of a tenancy. For carpets in good condition, a standard clean is usually enough.
Wool carpets, common in period homes and mansion flats, need wool safe products, and natural fibres like sisal need a low moisture method. Mention your carpet type when you book. Our UK carpet cleaning cost guide compares every method in more detail.
What should a London carpet cleaning quote include?
A fair London quote lists every room, the cleaning method, any extras, and one total that includes VAT, parking and road charges. Be cautious with any cleaner who won't give a fixed price before arriving.
Your quote should show:
Vacuuming before any cleaning starts
Pre treatment of stains and walkways
Whether it's a standard or deep steam clean
Which furniture will be moved
Whether stairs and hallways are included, and whether they're communal or private
Any Congestion Charge, ULEZ charge or parking cost
Any minimum charge
The final price including VAT
Already got a quote? For a three bedroom house with stairs, a standard clean should sit around £127 to £187 before road charges and parking. Check yours against the London range.
How much is end of tenancy carpet cleaning in London?
End of tenancy carpet cleaning in London usually costs £190 to £298 for a three bedroom house with stairs. A deep steam clean costs £190 to £280, and heavily soiled carpets with pet stains cost £202 to £298. A two bedroom flat costs less, starting at £71 to £105 for a standard clean.
London has one of the largest rental markets in the UK, and most check outs are done by an independent inventory clerk. Book your clean a few days before the check out, so the carpets are fully dry when the clerk arrives.
Can a landlord make you pay for professional carpet cleaning?
No. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords and letting agents in England cannot make you pay for a professional clean as a condition of your tenancy. They can expect the carpets back in the same condition as the check in inventory, allowing for fair wear and tear.
If the carpets are dirtier than at the start, the landlord can take a reasonable cleaning cost from your deposit. Normal wear in walkways is fair wear and tear. New stains are not. Keep your receipt and take dated photos of each room once the carpets have dried.
Moving out of a London rental? Price the whole end of tenancy clean, including the kitchen and bathroom, with the house cleaning cost calculator.
👉 Price an end of tenancy clean
How long do carpets take to dry in London?
Most carpets dry in 4 to 8 hours after a deep steam clean. Wool carpets, basement flats and rooms with little ventilation can take longer.
Open windows on a dry day, run a fan and keep internal doors open. In a basement or garden flat, where air moves less, a dehumidifier helps the carpet dry faster and stops any musty smell.
How do you stay safe during a carpet clean?
Take extra care on damp stairs, especially steep ones in conversion flats.
Keep children and pets off the carpet until it is completely dry.
Ventilate well while the carpet dries, particularly if anyone has asthma.
Ask which products are used if anyone has allergies or sensitive skin.
Put foil or plastic tabs under furniture legs so they don't stain the damp pile.
Watch for hoses running through communal hallways, where neighbours may trip.
Check the cleaner has public liability insurance, which many managed blocks require anyway.
How do you choose a carpet cleaner in London?
Choose a cleaner who gives a fixed written price that includes road charges and parking, names their cleaning method and holds public liability insurance. Membership of the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) is a good sign of proper training and insurance.
Get at least two quotes for the same rooms. A cleaner based near you will often be cheaper than one crossing the city, because they spend less time and money on travel. Read recent reviews that mention punctuality and parking as well as stain removal.
London carpet cleaning questions
How much does it cost to clean one room in London?
One room costs £29 to £43 on our London regional model. London cleaners usually have a minimum charge, so a single room often costs more. Booking several rooms together gives better value.
Do prices differ between inner and outer London?
The regional price range is the same across London. The real difference comes from road charges and parking: a job in central London may carry the Congestion Charge and paid parking, while an outer London house with a driveway usually carries neither.
How can I avoid paying the Congestion Charge on my carpet clean?
If you live inside the zone, book a weekend morning slot that finishes before midday. The charge only applies from 12pm at weekends, so a morning job avoids it.
Who pays for cleaning communal stairs in a block of flats?
Communal areas are usually the responsibility of the freeholder or managing agent and covered by the service charge. Check your lease before paying for them yourself.
How often should carpets be professionally cleaned?
Every 12 to 18 months for most homes, or every 6 to 12 months with pets or young children.
Will every stain come out?
Most everyday stains lift out fully. Old red wine, coffee or dye marks may only fade, and bleach marks can't be restored because the colour has gone.
Related cost guides
Carpet cleaning cost UK: national prices, methods and the full calculator.
Carpet cleaning cost in Manchester: prices for Manchester and Liverpool.
Carpet cleaning cost in Birmingham: prices for Birmingham and the Midlands.
House cleaning cost: regular, deep and end of tenancy cleaning prices.
House exterior cleaning cost: driveway, patio, roof and wall cleaning prices.
UK Price Index: monthly regional prices for every service.
How we price this page: all figures come from the InstantCost carpet cleaning calculator using the London region, with a standard clean, average carpet condition and a few stains unless stated otherwise. Checked September 2026. These are regional estimates, not London quotes, and don't include road charges or parking. InstantCost is an independent price comparison service and does not carry out cleaning work.
Frequently asked questions
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London benchmark
£35 – £65