Carpet cleaning vs new flooring: repair or replace?
Is your carpet worth saving or is it time for new flooring? Compare deep cleaning costs versus replacement — lifespan, allergens, ROI, and break-even points.
Professional carpet cleaning ($120–$300 for a 3-bedroom home, $0.20–$0.40 per sq ft) uses hot-water extraction or encapsulation to remove 95%+ of embedded dirt, allergens, and bacteria. A well-maintained carpet cleaned annually lasts 10–15 years. After that, no amount of cleaning restores flattened fibers or removes permanent stains from the backing. New flooring ($3–$12 per sq ft installed depending on material) replaces the carpet entirely. Luxury vinyl plank ($4–$8 installed) is the most popular carpet replacement: waterproof, scratch-resistant, 20+ year lifespan, and dramatically reduces allergen accumulation compared to carpet. Hardwood ($8–$15 installed) adds the most resale value. The break-even calculation: if your carpet is under 8 years old with no permanent stains, deep cleaning at $200/year is far cheaper than $3,000–$8,000 for new flooring. If the carpet is 10+ years old, has pet stains that reach the pad, or you're selling the house, replacement pays back in resale value and health benefits.
Tapijtreiniging vs Vloeren leggen
| Feature | Tapijtreiniging | Vloeren leggen |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Choose carpet cleaning when the carpet is under 8 years old, has no permanent stains reaching the pad, and you want to extend its life at 1/20th the cost of replacement. Annual cleaning is smart maintenance, not a stopgap. | Choose new flooring when the carpet is over 10 years old, has pet odor embedded in the pad, shows permanent traffic patterns, triggers allergies, or you're preparing to sell. The investment in LVP or hardwood pays back in health, maintenance savings, and home value. |
Call a tapijtreiniging when…
Choose carpet cleaning when the carpet is under 8 years old, has no permanent stains reaching the pad, and you want to extend its life at 1/20th the cost of replacement. Annual cleaning is smart maintenance, not a stopgap.
Call a vloeren leggen when…
Choose new flooring when the carpet is over 10 years old, has pet odor embedded in the pad, shows permanent traffic patterns, triggers allergies, or you're preparing to sell. The investment in LVP or hardwood pays back in health, maintenance savings, and home value.