An incompetent carpet or rug cleaning job can result at best in a waste of money, at worst in the destruction of your carpet-with mildew, loosened backing, bleeding dyes, distorted pile, or other problems. Our ratings of 46 area carpet and rug cleaners will help you find a firm to do the work, and our article will tell you how to work with a firm, explain what you can do on your own, and describe problems neither you nor even a competent professional are likely to be able to cure.

Read our article and findings (available exclusively to CHECKBOOK subscribers)

Back to Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK Table of Contents.

Sample Subscriber Comments/Reviews About Carpet & Rug Cleaners

CHECKBOOK provides subscriber comments on their experiences with the firms they use. Please remember that individual subscriber comments are informal. Subscriber comments may give you insight into the types of features and problems that exist in a service field, but are not the best basis for selecting or rejecting a specific firm. To assess the quality of a firm's performance, we recommend that you give more weight to the percentages of favorable ratings. Those percentages are generally based on much larger numbers of consumers' ratings (the number of consumer ratings is noted above).

As You Can See Below, Some Carpet & Rug Cleaners Get High Praise from Their Customers. Some Others Don't. So Choose Carefully.
Here Are a Few Samples of the Thousands of Comments CHECKBOOK Has Collected on Hundreds of Different Carpet & Rug Cleaners.

• Subscriber from OLNEY, MD wrote Another Cleaner: They came promptly and did a great job........
• Subscriber from SILVER SPRING, MD wrote Another Cleaner: The carpets were still fairly wet when they left and said that they would be..........
• Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote Another Cleaner: I've used them more than once and been pleased each time.......
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Cleaner: This firm has an excellent checkbook rating so I was very surprised when I found:..........
• Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote Another Cleaner: The best!.......
• Subscriber from GREENBELT, MD wrote Another Cleaner: The quality has gone down........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: They arrived on time, the staff was extremely pleasant. We had them clean our carpet,..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Great job!.......
• Subscriber from N. POTOMAC, MD wrote Another Cleaner: pleased with results.......
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Ruined my carpet--burned it. They were cheap, but next time I will use someone else........
• Subscriber from MC LEAN, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Have used twice and recommend them highly........
• Subscriber from SPRINGFIELD, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Very Professional.......
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Have used the company for years. recently needed the service for an animal problem. Made..........
• Subscriber from OLNEY, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Everyone at Diamond Carpet Care was very friendly and the service was as promised. They..........
• Subscriber from RESTON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: I had carpets cleaned in the Living Room, Dining Room, Hallway, Bedroom and a small..........
• Subscriber from VIENNA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Did a fantastic job on a large Kilim carpet that needed cleaning and deodorizing. Also..........
• Subscriber from CHEVY CHASE, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Christopher's does first class work. They are polite and helpful and come when they say..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: I would never take my rugs anywhere else........
• Subscriber from ANNANDALE, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Used Diamond on rental house we vacated and new house we moved into. Service prompt..........
• Subscriber from GARRETT PARK, MD wrote Another Cleaner: I take my persian throw rugs to them each spring for cleaning and storage through..........
• Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Both guys behaved kind of creepy. I did not feel comfortable with them........
• Subscriber from SPRINGFIELD, VA wrote Another Cleaner: I have used ACS for over 10 years and always have been extremely pleased with..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Outstanding service, from the receptionist to the co/owner/carpet cleaning personnel. They were professional, provided extremely..........
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Cleaner: They did a great job cleaning up many stains on our cream-colored carpet. We'll definitely..........
• Subscriber from FALLS CHURCH, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Use them all the time, great job, professional friendly staff..........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Not as good as they used to be........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: George's son, Jimmy, who runs the service, took on my very soiled, pet stained wall-to-wall,..........
• Subscriber from OAK HILL, VA wrote Another Cleaner: This company deserves top-notch ratings. The gentleman who performed the service was very qualified and..........
• Subscriber from FAIRFAX STATION, VA wrote Another Cleaner: I had serious stains in my carpet. Christophers has done two follow ups to get..........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: They destroyed the fringe on a karastan-type rug (burned, stiff, discolored. they didnt point out..........
• Subscriber from KENSINGTON, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Very thorough and they worked on MLK holiday too!.......
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Cleaner: Do a good job on normal rugs. I would not trust them on fine Oriental..........
• Subscriber from NOKESVILLE, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Will never consider another cleaner.......
• Subscriber from ANNANDALE, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Our oriental rug should have been run through the "cleaner" twice. Came back sort of..........
• Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote Another Cleaner: first class and got the dirt out.......
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Proactively offered additional cleaning when original request took less time than the minimum service charge........
• Subscriber from HERNDON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Used this company because of Checkbook recommendations. Technicians were on time and professional. Treated stains..........
• Subscriber from BURKE, VA wrote Another Cleaner: I had this company come out to clean the carpets in a foreclosed home I..........
• Subscriber from GERMANTOWN, MD wrote Another Cleaner: overpriced and the owner is self absorbed but he does quality work.......
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Cleaner: Excellent results, but expensive!.......
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Excellent work for a good price........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: Quick service at a more than reasonable rate!.......
• Subscriber from HIGHLAND, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Very expensive; stains still there; odor better, but not gone. Had carpet pulled up, replaced..........
• Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Pricey.......
• Subscriber from GAITHERSBURG, MD wrote Another Cleaner: They did a fantastic job. My carpets look brand new. Very pleasant and professional. Would..........
• Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote Another Cleaner: Very good, but not inexpensive........
• Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote Another Cleaner: These guys work hard to get and maintain ratings that reflect their superior service. Highly..........
• Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote Another Cleaner: love the pick up and delivery service. Prompt and helpful........
• Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote Another Cleaner: I feel they are very expensive for the service. Cleaning the area rugs was adequate........
• Subscriber from BURKE, VA wrote Another Cleaner: More expensive than expected. Of the 3 employees we dealt with, the first lady was..........