Carpet Cleaning FAQ — Portland, ME

The cost depends on how much carpet you have, how dirty it is, and whether there are stains or pet odors that need extra treatment. A small apartment with one or two rooms costs less than a full house with stairs. There's no flat rate that works for every job. Call (207) 835-3540 for a free estimate.

Most carpet manufacturers suggest once a year for normal use. In Portland, the winter months from December through March track in a lot of road salt and sand, so many homeowners here do a cleaning in April after the worst of it is over. If you have pets or young kids, twice a year is reasonable.

Steam cleaning — the proper name is hot water extraction — uses hot water pushed into the fibers and then pulled back out along with the dirt. Dry cleaning uses a powder or foam that's worked into the surface and vacuumed up. Dry methods are faster but leave residue in the fibers. Hot water extraction gets deeper and doesn't leave a sticky film that attracts new dirt.

In most Portland homes, carpet dried with hot water extraction takes between 4 and 8 hours to dry completely. In the winter when the air is cold and dry, it often dries faster than in humid summer months. Opening windows or running fans speeds the process. Walking on it with clean socks is fine while it dries — just avoid heavy foot traffic.

It depends on how deep the urine has soaked. If it's only in the carpet fiber, hot water extraction and an enzyme treatment will usually clear it. If it soaked through to the pad or the subfloor, surface cleaning alone won't fix the smell. We check the pad when we do the estimate so you know what you're dealing with before we start.

We move standard furniture like sofas, chairs, and coffee tables as part of the job. Heavy items like beds, dressers, and bookcases full of books are better left in place — moving those risks damage to the furniture or the floor. Clear the small stuff beforehand if you can, and we'll handle the rest.