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Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How do you work out your prices?

For carpet cleaning, prices are based on the size of the areas you want cleaned and how many steps you have. We have a minimum charge of £105 for the first area. The minimum price per area is £35, with discounts available for larger properties. Stain removal starts from £120 for the first hour. Upholstery and leather cleaning start from £50 per seat. Rugs are priced per square metre with a minimum charge of £150. (Prices as of 2025.)

We’re happy to provide a free estimate over the phone or via WhatsApp if you can give rough measurements. Otherwise, we can arrange a home visit to pre-inspect and measure the property.

Do you have insurance?

Yes. We are fully insured with £5 million public liability cover, along with “items worked upon” insurance for added protection.

What makes your service different from others?

We are fully advanced NCCA members, IICRC members and Trading Standards accredited. We work to the British Standards Institute PAS86 standard. We’re also one of Shropshire’s only IICRC commercial cleaning technicians. We regularly update our training and even provide training to new and experienced cleaners — so you’re always in safe hands.

We’ve been cleaning carpets in Telford and Shropshire for over 20 years. Jared is also a trained carpet installer and carpet inspector. We use a powerful truck-mounted system with our own onboard water supply and off-site waste disposal — never down your toilet.

Our biggest strength is our customer service. Many clients have stayed with us for nearly 20 years because we offer a personal, old-fashioned level of service rarely seen these days.

How often should I have my soft furnishings cleaned?

Most manufacturers recommend professional wet extraction every 12–18 months. Regular vacuuming with an upright cleaner is recommended weekly. We can offer tailored advice based on your soft furnishings and carpet types.

I’ve had cheaper quotes. Why are your prices higher?

Not all cleaning companies work to the same standards. We follow strict procedures, invest heavily in training, insurance and equipment, and we prioritise customer service and long-term results. Some companies use low-cost equipment or skip essential steps (“splash and dash”), which often leads to damage or rapid re-soiling.

Our quotes are transparent and based on a proper pre-inspection. There are no hidden charges, no add-ons, and no upselling. Check our reviews — they reflect the quality and care we put into every job.

Can you remove tough stains like red wine or pet urine?

Carpets take a beating, so it’s normal for them to get spots and stains. Many spots are easy to remove; true stains (where colour has been added to the fibre) are more complex. While we’ve removed countless stains, no company can guarantee every stain will come out. Using supermarket stain removers can often set stains permanently — we advise against them.

Urine and odour issues usually require sub-surface treatment. We specialise in odour removal; please see our odour removal page for full details.

How long do carpets take to dry after cleaning?

Most carpets are touch-dry within 2–4 hours. Our truck-mounted system extracts more moisture than DIY or portable machines, helping carpets dry faster. We also use speed-drying equipment where needed, so most carpets and upholstery are usable the same day.

My carpet became dirty quickly after a previous clean. Why?

This is usually caused by detergent residue being left behind during cleaning. Residues attract dirt, causing rapid re-soiling. We use free-rinsing, eco-friendly products that break the bond between dirt and fibres, allowing them to rinse cleanly away.

Are your products safe for children and pets?

Absolutely. Our products are safe, non-toxic and WoolSafe approved — safe for children, pets and allergy sufferers. If you have a specific sensitivity, just let us know, and we’ll choose the right products for you.

Do you cover all of Telford and the surrounding areas?

We cover Telford & Wrekin, Shrewsbury and a wide range of surrounding areas throughout Shropshire. Some locations outside our main radius may incur a small travel charge.

Can you quote over the phone?

We can sometimes give an estimate based on your room sizes. However, for accuracy and fairness, we prefer a free home survey. Every property is different, and factors like soiling levels and fibre types affect the final price. A home visit ensures you get an accurate quote with no surprises.

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Carpet 7 point process

1. Pre-Survey

This is carried out on all carpets that will be potentially cleaned. This is for fibre identification, to check for existing damage, potential problems and in some cases, cleaning limitations. The results will be fully discussed with the customer before any work is carried out

2. Pre-Clean Vacuuming

Around 80-85% of soiling in carpets is dry particulate dust/grit type soiling. The first important stage of all cleaning processes is to remove as much dry soiling as possible before wetting the carpet. All carpets are pre-vacuumed with a heavy-duty commercial grade vacuum cleaner.

3. Spotting & Pre-Spray

Some carpets may have spots and stains that need separate attention before the carpet is pre-sprayed. After these have been treated the carpet will be pre-sprayed with a product appropriate to the soiling and fibre type.

4. Agitation

Done by a machine, this is used to open the carpet pile and works the cleaning solution into the carpet fibres allowing it to work on the deeper down soils and preparing the carpet for rinse extraction. Agitation is a very important part of the cleaning process and commonly skipped by cleaning companies.

5. Rinse extraction

Solution is jetted into the carpet at over 110degrees C and over 250psi. The wand pass then extracts the solution and soiling and is lifted out by our truck mounted cleaning system* and wastewater is recovered back into our vehicle. This leaves your carpets smelling fresh and free from cleaning solutions. * dependant on access

6. Drying

Our extraction equipment will typically leave your carpets touch dry within a few hours, but as part of the service and for extra convenience, we use our air movers which will help dry the carpets fast if required.

7. Final groom and run through

Carpets are groomed if required and then we’ll run through the finishing details and ask you to check your happy and then its time to say goodbye

Our truck mounted cleaning system benefits

Q: What are the benefits or a truck-mounted cleaning system over a portable machine?

A: There is a huge difference between a portable machine using electric from a typical plug and a petrol-driven engine. We have our own power supply and bring our own filtered water supply to all jobs. It allows for such a variety of benefits. We have listed them below to explain in better detail:

1. Immense Heat

Our truck mount produces immense temperatures of over 230 degrees F. These temperatures kill bacteria, germs, and viruses in your soft furnishings and are simply not available from the average tap.

2. Vacuum Power

Our truck mount can extract nearly twice as much moisture from soft furnishings compared to most high-spec portables. This allows carpets to dry quicker and leave a superior result.

3. Rinsing Power

We have our own water supply on board, so there’s no need to use your water and fill buckets. Our truck mount can flush pollutants from your carpets & upholstery deeper and faster with the reassurance it is being fully extracted.

4. Waste Removal

In the unique times we are in, we can reassure you all waste from your soft furnishings is secured into our van mounted waste tank and disposed of off site. We do not tip contaminated waste or soiling down your toilets or around your property. All pollutants are exhausted outside at the machine and not back into your property.

Watch our truck mount in action

Upholstery 7 point process

1. Pre-Survey

This is carried out on all carpets that will be potentially cleaned. This is for fibre identification, to check for existing damage, potential problems and in some cases, cleaning limitations. The results will be fully discussed with the customer before any work is carried out

2. Pre-Clean Vacuuming

Around 80-85% of soiling in carpets is dry particulate dust/grit type soiling. The first important stage of all cleaning processes is to remove as much dry soiling as possible before wetting the upholstery. All upholstery is pre-vacuumed with a heavy-duty commercial grade vacuum cleaner.

3. Spotting & Pre-Spray

Some upholstery may have spots and stains that need separate attention before the fabric is pre-sprayed. After these have been treated the fabric will be pre-sprayed with a product appropriate to the soiling and fibre type.

4. Agitation

Done by a machine or by variety of methods. This is used to work the cleaning solution into the fibres allowing it to work on the deeper down soils and preparing the upholstery for rinse extraction. Agitation is a very important part of the cleaning process and commonly skipped by cleaning companies.

5. Rinse extraction

The solution and soiling are then lifted by our water extraction machine using the latest in upholstery cleaning tools, the Sapphire Pro. These are designed to clean the fabric without spraying water deep into the cushion, meaning that over wetting is eliminated, and the drying time is a lot faster

6. Drying

Our extraction equipment will typically leave your fabrics touch dry within a few hours, but as part of the service we will speed dry the fabrics as much as possible prior to leaving.

7. Final groom and run through

The upholstery is groomed if required and then we’ll run through the finishing details and ask you to check your happy and then its time to say goodbye

Why Does My Carpet Look Dirty Again After Cleaning?

When customers tell us their carpet looks dirty again after cleaning, there are usually two possible explanations.

The first is wick-back. This occurs when soil remains deep within the carpet after cleaning and gradually rises back to the surface as the carpet dries.

The second is rapid resoiling. This happens when detergent residue is left behind in the carpet and begins attracting fresh soil after the carpet has been cleaned.

Although both problems can look very similar, they are caused by completely different issues and require different solutions.

As qualified carpet inspectors, we are often asked to investigate carpets that appear to have become dirty again shortly after cleaning. In many cases, the problem can be traced back to poor cleaning techniques, insufficient rinsing, excessive use of detergents, or heavily soiled carpets that were not cleaned thoroughly in the first place.

Understanding which of these problems has occurred is the first step towards correcting it and preventing it from happening again.

Cause 1: Wick-Back – The Carpet Was Never Fully Cleaned

Wick-back occurs when soil remains deep within the carpet pile after cleaning. As the carpet dries, moisture moves upwards through the fibres. Any remaining soil can be carried towards the surface, causing dark areas and traffic lanes to reappear.

This is particularly common when:

  • Heavily soiled carpets are cleaned.
  • Insufficient vacuuming takes place.
  • The carpet is not properly agitated.
  • Too little rinsing is performed.
  • Poor vacuum recovery leaves excessive moisture behind.
  • No drying takes place ( this can lead to other issues, like carpets smelling after cleaning )

To the customer, it can look as though the dirt has magically returned. In reality, the dirt never fully left in the first place.

Traffic lanes returning after poor cleaning left significant soil within the carpet pile

The photo above is a real example of wick-back from a previous customer. They had contacted a franchise cleaning company to come and clean their large lounge/diner. On the day, the cleaner spent approximately 30 minutes cleaning the room. No pre-vacuuming took place, and for me, this is the 1st sign of unprofessionalism. Pre-vacuuming is one of the most important aspects of prepping a carpet for cleaning. Heavy traffic areas were repeatedly saturated by wanding and spraying over the carpet repeatedly.

The carpet, upon completion of the cleaning, looked marginally better, but the carpet remained damp for several days. The customer complained that dark areas had returned, but the company simply ignored them. We were contacted and asked to visit. Upon inspection, it revealed likely wick-back caused by retained soil deep within the carpet.

It was decided 2 visits would be necessary. The Initial professional clean produced excellent improvement, but one area required a second low-moisture treatment to fully resolve the issue. All because of rogue cleaning companies.

Cause 2: Rapid Resoiling

Rapid resoiling is different from wick-back. In these cases, the carpet genuinely has been cleaned, but detergent residue has been left behind. As people walk across the carpet, that residue attracts fresh soil and the carpet becomes dirty again faster than normal.

Common causes include:

  • DIY hire machines.
  • Home carpet cleaning machines.
  • Shampoo-based cleaning systems.
  • Excessive spotting products.
  • Poor professional cleaning methods.

Why Does Residue Cause Problems? – A simple way to understand this is to think about washing your hair. When you shampoo your hair, you do not rinse it with more shampoo. You rinse it with clean water to remove the shampoo completely.

The same principle applies to carpet cleaning. If detergents are left behind within the fibres, they can continue attracting soil long after the carpet appears clean.

DIY Machines and Poor Cleaning Methods – Many DIY carpet cleaning machines rely heavily on detergent and have limited rinsing and vacuum recovery capability.

Similarly, some low-cost carpet cleaning services focus on speed rather than following recognised cleaning procedures. Where cleaning solutions are left within the carpet, rapid resoiling often follows. This is one reason why proper rinsing is such an important part of professional carpet cleaning.

This carpet had been cleaned only a few weeks earlier. The lighter section shows the improvement after thorough rinsing removed remaining soil and detergent residues.

Common Myths About Carpets Becoming Dirty Again

“Carpet cleaning makes carpets get dirty quicker.” – This is one of the oldest myths in the industry. Though there is some historical truth behind it. Older cleaning products often left sticky residues behind, which could encourage rapid resoiling. Modern cleaning products and correct professional cleaning methods are very different.

When a carpet is cleaned and rinsed correctly, rapid resoiling should not occur.

“High pH causes rapid resoiling.” – High pH does not cause rapid resoiling. Detergent residue causes rapid resoiling. If cleaning products are thoroughly rinsed from the carpet, rapid resoiling should not occur.

How Can I Prevent This Happening?

  • Choose a trained professional cleaner.
  • Ensure carpets are thoroughly vacuumed before cleaning.
  • Avoid overusing DIY spotting products.
  • Have heavily soiled carpets cleaned using proper rinsing procedures.
  • Use non-resoiling spotters for day-to-day accidents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my carpet look dirty again after cleaning? – The most common causes are wick-back or rapid resoiling.

What is wick-back? – Wick-back occurs when deeper soil rises back to the surface during drying.

What is rapid resoiling? – Rapid resoiling occurs when detergent residue left behind after cleaning attracts fresh soil.

Can rapid resoiling be fixed? – Yes. In most cases a thorough professional rinse and extraction clean will resolve the issue.

Are DIY carpet cleaning machines bad? – Not necessarily, but many have limited rinsing and extraction capability, which can increase the risk of residue problems.

Need Advice?

If your carpet looks dirty again after cleaning and you’re unsure whether you’re dealing with wick-back, rapid resoiling or another issue, feel free to contact JL Carpet Cleaning or visit our problem hub.

As qualified carpet inspectors and WoolSafe-approved carpet cleaners, we’re always happy to offer honest advice.

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