If you’re looking for the low down on carpet cleaning prices in New Zealand then you’ve come to the right place.
It’s a good question, what’s the average price? What are the different options when it comes to carpet cleaning? Below I’m going to take you through the different types of carpet cleaning services and hopefully explain why the cost of carpet cleaning can vary so much.
The first thing to understand is that not all carpet cleaners are created equal. There is a large range of options when it comes to the machines, chemicals, tools, and processes they use when cleaning your carpet. These differences will impact the price significantly and also make a big difference in the results achieved.
Low Priced Carpet Cleaning
The cheapest carpet cleaning services use small portable carpet cleaning machines These machines only cost around $5,000 meaning it’s fairly inexpensive to buy a van, put a portable machine in the back and then call yourself a carpet cleaner. It’s worth noting that the vast majority of carpet cleaners in New Zealand use these portable carpet cleaning machines.
The problem with these cheap carpet cleaners is that the portable machines just aren’t that powerful. When they arrive, the machine is filled with buckets of hot water from your tap which is only around 50 degrees celsius. This is simply not hot enough for effective carpet cleaning. Heat plays a big role in removing dirt and stains, and without it, the results just aren’t that good. Lots of stains that come out using better equipment will instead be left in your carpet. They also lack the suction power of the big truck-mounted machines. This means they can’t pull the dirt out from deeper in the carpet. It also leaves your carpet wetter than it should be which can cause smells and stretching of the carpet after the job is done.
Now, if you’re a tenant and you don’t care about the carpet long-term, then these cheap guys with little portable machines might be the best option for you. You’re only cleaning the carpet to keep the landlord happy and saving a few bucks is probably what you’re after. However, if you’ve been in the rental a while and the carpet is very dirty or has stains then avoid the super cheap guys and spend a little extra to make sure the carpets get properly cleaned so you get your bond back. The worst thing to do is pay for carpet cleaning and not get it clean enough to please the landlord.
Higher Price Carpet Cleaners
The next step up in quality and price for carpet cleaning is finding a provider that uses truck mounted carpet cleaning machines. Truck mounted machines are the gold standard for carpet cleaning. Almost every carpet manufacturer recommends using truck mounted carpet cleaning to take care of their carpet. As you may have guessed, using the cleaning method recommended by the people who made your carpet is probably the way to go.
Truck mounted carpet cleaning machines cost between $30,000 – $50,000 in the New Zealand market. As you can imagine, this is a big outlay to setup a carpet cleaning business and usually means the owners of truck mounted machines charge more than the smaller guys. This is completely justified and worth every penny. The truck mounted carpet cleaner is a far superior service to the cheap portable operators. The steam that comes out of the bigger machines is nearly at boiling point. This steam has the ability to separate tough grease and stains from the fibres of your carpet. It also sterilizes the carpet by burning microbes and killing mould and other nasty stuff.
The other big advantage of large truck mounted machines is the amount of suction they create. The truck mount uses a petrol powered motor to run its vacuum. This makes it more than 10X stronger than the small machines so it will leave your carpet much much dryer and reduce the drying time to just a few hours.
This all means that your carpet will be far cleaner when you invest a little bit extra in getting a professional on the case. The job will take less time to complete, and your home will be back to normal faster as the drying times are greatly reduced.
The Verdict On Carpet Cleaning Prices
Now you understand the key differences around the cost of carpet cleaning in New Zealand it’s worth noting some of the more intangible things that affect price as well.
It really comes down to trust and professionalism. When you find someone who will clean an entire house for $150 you’re finding the bottom feeders of the industry. They don’t provide a quality service, they don’t take the time needed to do the job properly and they normally don’t have the range of chemicals needed to treat all stains and leave your carpet as fresh and clean as it should be. Because the quality they provide is so low, they get bad reputations and can only offer low prices to win work.
When you work with professionals using truck mounted machines you know they have invested significantly in their business to provide the best service possible. This usually goes hand in hand with good systems and quality chemicals to make the most of that investment as well.
So at the end of the day, when it comes to the price you pay for your carpet cleaning it largely depends on your priorities.
Tenants who don’t own the house or carpet typically shop around for the cheapest price and end up getting a low quality service that doesn’t really get the carpet as clean as it should and at worst can damage the carpet by leaving it wet with water and chemicals.
For people who own their home, and want their carpet to last a lifetime should shop around to find the professionals who charge a bit extra but deliver a superior service.
Here at KLEVER, we’re professionals. All our vans have brand new truck mounted machines that are replaced every 5 years. We’re focused on delivering the very best service and making your carpet as clean as humanly possible.