Frequently Asked Questions

Carpet Cleaning

To clean carpets, we use a truck-mounted hot water extraction, or steam cleaning, method. Our truck-mounted steam cleaning method ensures the most thorough spot and dirt removal from your carpets. Using a specially designed water purifier on our trucks, the hot water works with the eco-friendly pre-spray to lift the toughest stains and deepest dirt. Then, using the truck’s engine to power it, the truck-mount uses its powerful suction to extract the dirt, allergens, and 95% of the moisture.

Truck-mounted steam cleaning is the only cleaning method recommended by carpet manufacturers and approved to keep your carpet warranty intact. To learn more about our cleaning process, click here.

All of our service trucks are equipped with the best and most effective 100% eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning products. We take pride in knowing that the products used in your home or business are safe for people, especially children, the elderly, and people with allergies or other respiratory conditions; pets, including birds; and the environment. All products are certified Green.

If you have a question regarding any of the products used in your home, our service trucks and office have a copy of the MSDS sheets available for your review.

We charge by the square foot to ensure that you are paying for what is actually being cleaned and not being charged for two rooms when you have barely gone over the square footage minimum, like some of our competitors. Our per-square-foot pricing includes: pre-treating spots, moving light furniture, our 10-Step Cleaning, Disinfecting, Deodorizing, and Stain Protection Process, and a bottle of our Home Pro Spotter, for easy spot removal in between professional cleanings. We are upfront about our pricing from your first phone call to the time our certified technician completes their inspection. There are no hidden fees or up-selling.

Most of our estimates are done over the phone to save you time and money. We base your estimate on the average sizes of rooms that you need to have cleaned. If you would like a more accurate estimate, we recommend measuring the length and width of the room (heel-to-toe will work too!) before you call or email. If you would like an on-site residential estimate, there will be a minimum area charge; please call our office to find out the charge for your location.

We will move items that can safely be moved and put them back in place on protective tabs. Items that are generally moved by our technicians include: sofas (excluding sectionals), chairs, coffee tables, and end tables; all breakable items must be removed from these items before our arrival. Several items will not be moved, including but not limited to: beds, dressers, entertainment centers, pianos, pool tables, or other fragile furnishings.

These stains are commonly referred to as filtration or draft stains. These are caused by the dirt and dust settling around the edges of the room where there is little to no traffic. We will do our best to remove them fully during the first cleaning. However, depending on the severity and length of time between professional cleanings, they may not be fully removed. At a minimum, these stains will be lessened in appearance and will continue to lift after each professional cleaning.

We cannot guarantee that all spots or stains will be removed from your carpets. There are some substances that can permanently discolor carpet fibers, such as bleach, red dyes, and oil. Other factors can affect stain removal, such as age and material of the carpet, age of the stain, products used to clean the stain previously, and source of the stain. During the initial walkthrough, our technician will try to determine the likelihood of specific spot removal and let you know the expected outcome. Most spots do come out with our carpet cleaning process, but if some do not, their appearance will at least be lessened.

Although we do our best to remove most spots from the carpet, sometimes you may notice the spots reappearing during the drying process. This is referred to as wicking; this happens when a substance is removed from the carpet pile, but comes up from the carpet backing as it dries. Unfortunately, since we cannot see through to the carpet backing and pad, we cannot guarantee this will not happen.

Each job is unique, and our technicians take their time to explain our process to you and to ensure the most thorough cleaning. On average, you can expect the cleaning crew to be on location for about 2 hours for smaller jobs (500 sq. ft. or less), 3-4 hours for mid-sized jobs (600-800 sq. ft.), or 4-5 hours for larger jobs (900+ sq. ft.). If there are special requirements for your job, such as extended setup or pet damage, please allow for an extra hour or so. If you need to leave during our visit, we are insured and bonded and can lock up your home once we are finished. If you have any special time constraints, please let our office staff know at the time of scheduling.

Once your cleaning has been completed, your carpets will be damp to touch, not soaking wet as with some other companies. They will typically be completely dry in about 2-6 hours, depending on if pet treatments were need and the humidity level. The cleaned areas can be used immediately after cleaning, but we recommend wearing socks and placing towels or area rugs where wet carpets meet hard surfaces. You can also speed up the drying process by using floor or ceiling fans to help air circulation.

Pet Urine & Odor Removal

CLEAN Choice specializes in pet urine and odor removal. For carpeted areas, we use a UV light and HydroSensor (as necessary) to pinpoint the location of urine and bacteria in your carpets. Once we have identified these areas, they are pre-treated with a bio-enzyme disinfectant to start breaking down the bacteria and encapsulating the odor. After the rest of the carpets have been cleaned, we treat every area with that same disinfectant to ensure that every square inch of your carpet is treated for bacteria and areas of pet damage have been treated for a second time.

First, we identify the location and severity of pet damage using a high-intensity UV light and HydroSensor. Once we have completed our inspection, we will discuss your best options for removing the urine and source of odors. These include:

  • Pad Injections (most common): We will apply an organic bio-enzyme disinfectant to each bacteria site for 15-30 minutes before extraction to ensure maximum bacteria kill and odor encapsulation. This process is only used for carpeted areas and area rugs.
  • Odor Block Seal (concrete only): We will steam clean the entire concrete floor surface and then apply our Odor Block Seal to the entire surface to ensure odors can no longer escape the porous floor once the sealant has cured.
  • Carpet & Pad Removal (extreme cases): In the most extreme cases, the carpet and pad may need to be completely removed and disposed of properly. The subfloor is then treated with our organic bio-enzyme disinfectant; if the subfloor is damaged or warped, replacement may be necessary.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee full odor removal from carpets, as we are only able to see and treat the surface pile. We will do our best to fully saturate the area so that hopefully the treatment will seep further down into the carpet backing and pad. However, without pulling the carpet up, we are unable to assess the full extent of the damage beyond the carpet pile.

With our in-plant area rug cleaning facility, we are often able to remove all or most of the urine from your rugs. We submerge the rugs in a water bath to allow water to flow freely through the fibers and remove as much urine as possible. In some instances, such as tufted rugs, we are not able to fully remove the urine and/or odor, as it is likely in the glue that holds the backing to the rug fibers. In this case, we recommend having the backing and glue removed and replaced. Call for more information and pricing.

Unfortunately, due to the amount of moisture needed, we are not able to remove pet urine and odors from hardwood floor surfaces. In most cases, the floors will need to be sanded and refinished for optimal odor removal.

Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning

At our state-of-the-art facility, we expertly clean the finest Oriental and area rugs. Your area rug is first inspected for special conditions or damage. We then remove as much dry soil as possible before putting the rug into a submersion water bath. Your rug is then hand-washed to remove as much dirt and debris as possible from the fibers.

Once the rug has been thoroughly cleaned, it is then put in our rug-wringer to remove 90% of moisture within a matter of minutes. The rug is then taken to our drying room, where it will complete drying. Finally, it is taken to our master rug cleaner for inspection and post detailing, including fringe work, repairs, custom-cut pads, and Tyvek rug wrapping. For more details, click here.

All of our products are eco-friendly and non-toxic. The products used specifically for area rug cleaning are all CRI-, IICRC-, and WoolSafe-certified. We also have several products specific to the different materials used to construct your rug and to treat specific stains. We only use the safest and most quality products when handling your valued rugs.

Depending on use and how much traffic your rugs see, they should be cleaned every 6 to 12 months for higher-traffic rugs or every 2-3 years for rugs that are not as heavily used. Light-colored rugs or rugs made from soil-resistant fibers, such as silk, may require more frequent cleaning. If you’re not sure if it’s time to bring your rug in, here’s a good way to tell: If it still looks soiled after vacuuming, it’s time to have it professionally cleaned.

We clean just about any rug you can think of. Whether it’s a treasured family heirloom or a mass-produced one that you picked up at the store, you can trust our team to provide the best possible cleaning. We specialize in cleaning the following types of rugs: Oriental, Persian, Karastan, Chinese, tribal, Turkish, Indian, Pakistani, kilims, dhurries, flokati, shag; handmade, handwoven, machine-made, tufted, hand-tufted, braided, hand-hooked, flat-weave, tapestries, needlepoints; wool, natural fiber, synthetic, wool/silk blended, olefin, polypropylene, cotton, viscose, silk, cowhide, and more!

In-plant cleaning is the safest and most recommended method to clean fine area and Oriental rugs. With in-plant cleaning, we can completely submerge the area rug to remove as much dirt and debris as possible from the pile. In-plant cleaning is a much more thorough cleaning as we are able to soak and clean the entire rug from top to bottom and everything in-between.

It typically takes two weeks from start to finish when having your area and Oriental rugs cleaned in-plant. Extra time may be needed if you have opted to have repairs made to your rug. Our Master Rug Cleaner will provide you with a more accurate timeline after he has completed his initial inspection. If you need your rugs back by a specific date, please let our office staff know at the time of scheduling so we can attempt to meet your timeframe.

Yes. We offer free pickup and delivery for area rugs within our service area. Just call our office to schedule a time.

Yes! We even offer an extra 10% off for bringing your rugs to us. Our office is conveniently located just off of Route 1 and 100, at 7391 Washington Blvd. Suite #105, Elkridge MD 21075. We’ll even help you unload the rugs from your vehicle. Just give us a call to let us know you’re coming and we’ll be ready to help.

We offer informal verbal appraisals, or opinions of value, at no charge. If you would like a formal written appraisal, there is a fee depending on how many rugs are to be assessed and appraised. Please contact our office for more details and pricing.

Yes. With our in-plant area rug cleaning facility, we are often able to remove all or most of the urine from your rugs. We submerge the rugs in a water bath to allow water to flow freely through the fibers and remove as much urine as possible. In some instances, such as tufted rugs, we are not able to fully remove the urine and/or odor, as it is likely in the glue that holds the backing to the rug fibers. In this case, we recommend having the backing and glue removed and replaced. Call for more information and pricing.

In most cases, yes. Wine stains can be tricky to remove from any surface, but with full submersion, we are able to remove the majority of the stain. If submersion cleaning alone does not work as well as we would like, we will use products specifically designed for these stains. In some cases, stripping or dyeing may be the best option for optimal removal. We will do our best to get the stain out as much as possible without removing the natural dyes of the fibers.

In most cases, yes, but depending on the severity, more aggressive measures may need to be taken. Odors related to soiling and/or urine will be removed when the source is removed, but with tufted rugs, the source can actually be the adhesive backing. Cleaning alone will not remove any odors trapped in or caused by the breakdown of the adhesive backing. The only way to ensure full odor removal is to remove the existing backing and glue and replace it with new. Our Master Rug Cleaner can go over this option and pricing at the time of pickup or drop-off.

We can safely treat your rug for moth infestation and kill any lingering eggs and bacteria. Your rug will be treated with a specially designed moth disinfectant before and after the cleaning process to ensure all moth larvae and waste has been thoroughly killed and removed from your rug. If damage has occurred from the moth infestation, our Master Rug Cleaner will go over your repair options with you.

In some cases, we are able to remove dry rot and mold from your area and Oriental rugs. Depending on the severity and length of time the dry rot or mold has been a problem, we can suggest the best course of action.

Area Rug Repairs & Add-Ons

Yes, most fine area and Oriental rugs are typically able to be repaired. Some repairs may not be feasible or cost-effective depending on their extent, but the damage can at least be stabilized to prevent further damage or unraveling from occurring. Our Master Rug Cleaner will assess the damage and provide the options and costs for each repair as he sees fit.

Over time, fringe on the ends of your rug can be worn down, torn, or discolored. There are several options that can help fix this, from removal or replacement to re-securing the existing fringe back to the rug. If your fringe is discolored, re-coloring may be an option as long as the fringe is not dry rotted or bleached. Our Master Rug Cleaner will take a look at your specific damage and suggest his best course of action for preserving your rug.

Fringe can get worn down much faster than the rest of your rug and become unsightly, or maybe you’re just tired of it getting caught in the vacuum every time you clean. Either way, if you are tired of the look and hassle of the fringe on your rug, we can easily remove it and attach a new side cord to give your rug a “boxed off” look. Ask our rug cleaning technician about the options when he picks up your rug!

Holes can be re-woven, creating new fabric to fill the empty space. It’s highly skilled and labor-intensive work, but the best results are undetectable. As this is a labor-intensive repair, the cost may not be worth it for your specific rug. If you would like a more economical repair, we can secure-stitch the edge of the hole to ensure that further fraying or unraveling will not occur. Our Master Rug Cleaner will inspect the damage and provide the best course of action based on the age, style, and value of your individual rug.

Wear is more difficult to repair than damage. Large threadbare areas can’t be repaired the same way a hole can be re-woven or a tear can be sewn closed. The restoration trade uses techniques to conceal wear and restore fabric when possible. Fiber can be added to worn areas using “flat stitching” and low-pile re-knotting techniques. The restoration needed to correct wear can be very costly, so our Master Rug Cleaner will provide his opinion based on the value of your rug to help you make the most informed decision possible.

Tufted rugs lose their stability when the glue breaks down over time. The solution is to reinforce the backing with new glue to give the rug back its structure and strength. When re-gluing the back, we also recommend replacing the cotton backing to further help your rug’s stability and longevity.

We offer custom-cut rug pads to fit the specific size of your rug. Rug pads help prevent sliding and increase your rug’s lifetime. We offer three types of pads to meet the needs of every rug. You may want something to keep your rug in place or something that gives a little extra cushioning under your feet. Either way, we’ve got you covered. Each rug pad is custom-cut to your rug’s measurements to ensure the perfect fit. It will be cut slightly smaller than your rug to allow the rug to go over it and lay back flat on your flooring underneath. Click here to learn more about our rug pad options.

If you would like to store your rug or are moving an extended distance, we recommend purchasing our Tyvek rug wrap. This material allows the rug to “breathe” while keeping out moisture, dirt, and other debris. Call our office for more details and pricing.

Tile & Grout Cleaning

When cleaning tile and grout, we use a special grout cleaner to loosen up as much dirt as possible. We then scrub each individual grout line with our specially designed grout brush. After we have scrubbed the grout lines, we use our truck-mounted hot water extraction system to clean the entire surface of your floors, leaving them sparkling bright and cleaner than ever.

Unfortunately, we are only able to clean tile & grout flooring. We are not able to clean tile and grout in bathroom stalls or on walls, countertops, or backsplashes.

Due to the power of our cleaning equipment, we are unable to clean tile imitation, such as vinyl, laminate, or linoleum. These floors are not able to withstand the heat or power of our cleaning method. Cleaning these types of floors incorrectly could lead to damage and costly repairs.

We can seal your grout lines; however, we do not offer a sealant for individual tiles. We offer a Color Seal service that will seal your existing grout and help prevent stains, odors, and mold from penetrating your grout lines. When maintained properly, Color Seal can last up to 7 years. With over 30 color options, from whites and browns to reds and blues, we can match just about any color tile and style preference. Click here for more information.

We are unable to repair or replace missing grout or broken tiles. If you choose to have Color Seal applied, we can attempt to fill in any areas of missing grout for aesthetics, but it will not actually be repaired or replaced.

Unfortunately, we are not able to strip, wax, or buff tile floors of any kind. Our process is strictly a truck-mounted hot water extraction method.

Natural Stone & Concrete Cleaning

If you have natural stone or concrete floors in your home, we use our truck-mounted steam cleaning process. This allows us to control the water and prevent overspray to other flooring or furniture in your home.

We are able to clean most types of natural stone and concrete, including flagstone, limestone, sandstone, and slate. We cannot clean marble, granite, or travertine. If you’re not sure if we clean your specific stone, please give us a call or click here.

We can clean any concrete or cement surface, including driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage floors, basement floors, and more.

We are not able to seal or wax natural stone. However, we are able to seal concrete floors with our specially designed Odor Block Seal to treat pet damage and other odor issues.

Upholstery Cleaning

We use our truck-mounted hot water extraction process to clean most upholstery. We will assess each individual piece of upholstery before cleaning to determine the best cleaning method, temperature, and products based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.

We can clean the following upholstery: microfiber, performance fiber, cotton, linen (at technicians’ discretion), and more. Due to fabric restrictions, we are unable to clean satin or velvet upholstery. For more information, click here

In most cases, linen upholstery can be cleaned, but it does not have great bounce-back ability. Cleaning may not make any visual improvements or, in some cases, it can make the fabric look worse. We recommend sending us a photo so our operations manager can assess and we can provide you with an expected outcome before the work is scheduled.

Mattress Cleaning

We use our truck-mounted hot water extraction method to clean the top and sides of the mattress. We will need an area where the mattress can be stood up for cleaning and thorough drying.

Due to the power of our truck-mounted equipment, we cannot clean box springs, as the fabric is likely to rip. If you would like to have your box spring “cleaned,” we can spray it with our organic bio-enzyme disinfectant to kill any bacteria and encapsulate odors.

What Our Customers Are Saying

Great experience start to finish. Responsive office, easy to book, professional crew that showed up on time. Learned that I wasn’t able to keep my…

Becca E.

The service was outstanding. They cleaned the entire home for a move-out and the carpets looked new when they were done. In addition, they were…

Alicia J.

Clean Choice is the best carpet cleaning company around! Period! We have three dogs, and they transformed our very dirty and pet damaged carpets into…

Rick U.

What To Expect

Discover the Difference

Family Owned And Locally Operated Since 1989

With 30+ years of experience, you can count on us to deliver excellent service and a great customer experience.

Licensed, Bonded And Insured

Our experts offer credible and reputable service, so you can have peace of mind when you work with us.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

With hundreds of five-star reviews, our team delivers exceptional services that are sure to satisfy.

Eco-Friendly Process

As a leading carpet and rug cleaning company, we feature only the best eco-friendly cleaning products.

Upfront Pricing

Our team consistently provides the highest level of quality service at a fair and competitive cost.

Award Winning Service

We operate at the highest standard of excellence, backed by our many certifications and awards.

Family Owned And Locally Operated Since 1989

With 30+ years of experience, you can count on us to deliver excellent service and a great customer experience.

Licensed, Bonded And Insured

Our experts offer credible and reputable service, so you can have peace of mind when you work with us.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

We’re confident that you will be satisfied with our service, so we offer a 100% money-back guarantee.

Eco-Friendly Process

As a leading carpet and rug cleaning company, we feature only the best eco-friendly cleaning products.

Upfront Pricing

Our team consistently provides the highest level of quality service at a fair and competitive cost.

Award Winning Service

We operate at the highest standard of excellence, backed by our many certifications and 5-star reviews.