Cleaning Guides

How Much Does Upholstery Cleaning Cost in 2023

The Fantastic Team
Published: Jan 26/2023
Last update: Mar 17/2023Array
5min read
Views: 2,162

New Africa / Shutterstock.com

Over time even the most expensive and best-kept pieces of furniture will start to show their wear and tear. There’s no way around it, especially here in Australia, where it’s always so hot and we sweat a lot whilst sitting or lying. However, a thorough professional cleaning can certainly help your furniture restore its former beauty and save you money on reupholstering.

So, if you:

Have decided that you want your couch, armchairs or what have you, professionally cleaned;
Want to know how the prices go;

Then, read along…

Table of contents:

Upholstery cleaning costs
Is professional upholstery cleaning worth it?
How do professionals clean upholstery?
How often should you clean your upholstery?
Takeaways

Upholstery cleaning costs

You can expect to pay between $170 and $200 for upholstery cleaning, that’s the average cost per job. However, since it’s calculated on a per-piece or seat basis, the price will change in accordance with how many items you want to be cleaned. The material and size of your soft furniture also influence the cost. And let’s not forget cushions and pillows, which also cost a little extra. Having said all this, how much does…

Couch cleaning cost

Couch steam cleaning prices are usually the highest compared to other pieces of furniture. That’s due to their size and large demand for materials and time. You already know that cleaning a larger sofa will cost more compared to a loveseat, for example, but how does the material change the price?

Leather and suede sofas cost around $200 and $300, and for good reason. They require special tools and solutions so the material remains intact.
Couches from other materials, on the other hand, cost around $105 and $180 even when they’re the same size to their leather and suede counterparts.

The much smaller loveseat can cost around $75 to $120 to be cleaned professionally.

Chaise lounge cleaning cost

The chaise lounge comes in two variants. One for indoor use, in your living room, and one for outdoors, around your pool or patio. Not all chaise lounges are upholstered, but they all need to be cleaned. The price will depend on which type you have, since each will require its own set of products and tools. Expect a price of around $60 to $80.

Arm chairs cleaning cost

Armchairs can cost between $40 and $70 a piece on average. After all, they are larger than regular chairs.

Dining chairs cleaning cost

On the other hand, because dining chairs only have a limited amount of fabric, they tend to be the least costly of all furniture types. Expect to pay around $15 to $25 for a chair.

Office chairs cleaning cost

Office chairs are a particular piece of furniture because the more expensive models have special adaptations like swivels or adjustable seats. These need additional care as well. Overall, expect a sum of around $15 to $30 for each office chair.

Ottomans, stools and benches cleaning cost

Ottomans are small pieces of furniture, so they cost around $20 to $50, sometimes less.

Benches and stools usually have removable upholstery cushions, and some of them can even be washed into the washing machine. Still, check the label beforehand. If your bench or stools have upholstery which is not removable, they might cost less than the ottomans, but that’s up to the cleaning company.

A few words on slipcovers: If you want, you can have your slipcovers dry cleaned for about $15 to $25 a piece, but frankly, that’s not necessary. Many of today’s slipcovers are made from materials like cotton, which can be washed together with your laundry.

Is professional upholstery cleaning worth it?

While it’s completely possible for your to clean your own upholstery, there are instances where that’s not such a good idea. An example is when you have furniture made with delicate fabrics like leather or silk. It’s quite possible for the inexperienced person to damage the fabric by using improper cleaning means.

Another instance when it’s better to hire a professional is as part of your end of lease cleaning. If you happen to be moving out and want to get your deposit back, then the furniture must be in top condition. Apart from that, there are other benefits to hiring professional upholstery cleaning.

Professionals use the proper cleaning methods in accordance with the material of your upholstery. This means they use steam cleaning for regular materials and dry cleaning for delicate ones. Both these methods show great results every time, that’s why they’re industry standard.

Professional upholstery cleaning costs much less than reupholstering. A two-seated couch will cost between $1,000 and $1,200 for reupholstering, while sectional sofas can reach prices up to $2,500. Not only is the re-upholstering process more costly, but it also takes much longer to complete.
Professional cleaning removes allergens from your upholstery. Dirt, dust and pet dander get trapped in the fabric as time passes. Needless to say, this is bad for you and your family’s health as it can trigger allergic reactions. However, a hot water extractor will catch all these impurities and remove them from the fabric.
Professional upholstery treatment removes bad smells. Sometimes your couch just has this funky smell, you can’t get rid of. You can try the same methods with which you remove smells from your carpets, but the technician will definitely do a better job with his professional equipment.
It saves time and money. Different furniture types require different products, and each has its own implementation method recommended by the manufacturer. Unless you have furniture made from the same material, you will spend a lot of time and money on individual products for each. Frankly is not worth it.

How do professionals clean upholstery?

The professional upholstery cleaner always comes with his own tools and detergents. All he needs from you, aside from access to the dirty piece of furniture, is a water outlet to connect his equipment. When he has this, he will

Cover the floor around the furniture with a protective sheet.
Examine the furniture fabric and check for any stains, then choose a cleaning method and solution.
He will carefully vacuum the furniture to remove larger debris and pieces of dirt.
Afterwards, he will pH-test and pre-treat the stains with the appropriate detergent.
The technician will then steam clean the furniture with a hot water extractor. The drying time is about 4 to 6 hours.

If you have delicate furniture made from suede or microfibre, then he will dry clean it with a bonnet rotary machine and dry solvent. There is no waiting time in this case.

Upon your request and for an extra fee, the technician can apply Scotchgard protection to prolong the freshness of your upholstery.

You can also get advice on how to maintain your furniture, so it remains clean for longer. This is free of charge.

How often should you clean your upholstery?

It’s best to have your upholstery professionally cleaned at least once a year. Regular steam cleaning ensures that the furniture retains its clean look, and also prevents bacteria and bad smells from finding a permanent settlement in your couches and armchairs. If you have children or pets, it’s best to have your furniture steam cleaned every 6 months or so.

If you want to be more specific about when each furniture piece should be cleaned:

Couch – professionally cleaned every six months and you should vacuum it every week.
Armchairs – the same as with your couch.
Chaise lounge – again, the same as with your couch.
Dining chairs – they don’t get as much abuse as the couch, so vacuum often, but steam clean every two years.
Office chairs – vacuum at least once a week, steam clean once a year.
Ottomans, stools and benches – depending on how much they’re used, vacuum weekly and steam clean yearly.

The important thing to remember is to spot-treat spills as soon as they happen and to regularly maintain your upholstery. Although it will not replace professional cleaning, it will will still play a significant part in the overall appearance of your furniture.

Takeaways

Couches and sofas cost the most because they’re the largest pieces of furniture compared to the rest.
It matters what kind of fabric your furniture is upholstered with. Suede and leather always cost more.
You should have your upholstery professionally cleaned at least once a year. If you have children or pets, then twice or thrice a year.
Professional upholstery cleaning costs much less than re-upholstering.