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Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

Carpet and upholstery cleaners operate machines that clean carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture.

Also Known As

Cleaner, Rug Cleaner, Upholstery Cleaner

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 6662.1: Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners

2006 NOC-S

  • G932: Specialized Cleaners

2011 NOC

  • 6732: Specialized cleaners

2016 NOC

  • 6732: Specialized cleaners

2021 NOC

  • 65311: Specialized cleaners

2023 OaSIS

  • 65311.01: Carpet and upholstery cleaners
Duties
Updated Apr 05, 2022

Duties vary from one job to another. In general, carpet and upholstery cleaners:

  • Load supplies and equipment into trucks or vans
  • Drive to work sites (usually homes, businesses, institutions, or recreational vehicles)
  • Discuss customers’ needs, such as areas to be cleaned
  • Respond to customers’ concerns, such as stains needing special attention
  • Prepare estimates or quotes
  • Move furniture to clear carpeted areas and move it back after cleaning
  • Mix and use solutions to clean carpets and upholstered furniture
  • Use solutions and hand brushes to remove stains
  • Prepare invoices
  • Accept payments
Working Conditions
Updated Apr 05, 2022
  • Strength Required Lift up to 20 kg

Most carpet and upholstery cleaners start work early. They work until they have done all the jobs for the day. They may work evenings or weekends.

Carpet and upholstery cleaners work in many different places. Worksites include customers’ homes, commercial workspaces, and cleaning plants. There is often a limit to how far they will travel.

They may have to work for long periods on their hands and knees. Being physically fit and agile is important.

Safety is important in this job. Wet surfaces can cause slip-and-fall injuries. Repetitive tasks can lead to repetitive strain injuries. Working with solvents can also give rise safety concerns.

Interests & Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners

2006 NOC: 6662.1

Interest Codes

Interest Codes for This NOC Group
OBJECTIVE

Interest in operating specialized cleaning machines

METHODICAL

Interest in comparing to clean carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture on customers' premises or in carpet- and upholstery-cleaning establishments

directive

Interest in selecting appropriate cleaning agents to remove stains from materials

Your Interest Codes

To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Reading Interest Codes
A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. 

It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

Learn About Interests

Abilities

Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Mental Abilities

General Learning Ability

Verbal Ability

Numerical Ability

Visual Abilities

Spatial Perception

Form Perception

Clerical Perception

Physical Abilities

Motor Coordination

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Understanding Abilities

A Quick Guide

You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Learn About Abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated Apr 05, 2022

Carpet and upholstery cleaners need:

  • Stamina and fitness, to be on their feet for hours at a time
  • Manual dexterity
  • The ability to work with cleaning machines
  • Problem-solving skills, to deal with equipment failures
  • Communication skills, to talk with all kinds of people
  • The ability to work alone or as part of a team

They should enjoy operating cleaning machines and having clear and organized methods for their work. They need to know which cleaning agents will remove which stains.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Top 10 Skills Employers Are Looking For

Specialized cleaners

2016 NOC: 6732

This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 161 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Sep 06, 2024 and Dec 05, 2024.

Review these skills to learn:

  • Whether or not this occupation matches your skill set
  • What training you may need to get these skills
  • What skills to highlight in your resumé, cover letter, and interview.
Tasks: Operate cleaning machines
Tasks: Clean interior and exterior of motor vehicles
Tasks: Wash and clean interior and exterior windows and other glass surfaces
Experience: Will train
Tasks: Provide customer service
Attention to detail
Tasks: Vacuum floors
Flexibility
Team player
Tasks: Shampoo upholstery
Educational Requirements
Updated Apr 05, 2022
  • Minimum Education Varies

Most carpet and upholstery cleaners train on the job. There are no standard education or certification requirements. However, they need a valid driver’s license.

Employers may prefer applicants with a high school diploma or related experience and training. Examples include safety training and fabric cleaning experience. Some employers require applicants to:

  • Pass a numeracy screening test
  • Provide a criminal record check
  • Agree to other security checks (such as a vulnerable sector check)
  • Pass an English literacy screening test

Some post-secondary schools and continuing education departments offer related courses. These may be advertised locally.

To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Certification Requirements
Updated Apr 05, 2022
  • Certification Not Regulated

Certification is not required, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation. However, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification offers certification for carpet and upholstery cleaners who have taken approved training courses and passed the accompanying written exam with a minimum score of 75%.

Employment & Advancement
Updated Apr 05, 2022

Some carpet and upholstery cleaners choose self-employment. Others work for carpet cleaning companies or department stores. Applicants should research a company’s background before applying. Companies can have different business practices, training approaches, and pay structures. For example, some companies supply workers with van-mounted cleaning units. Others require workers to use portable machines and drive their own vehicles.

Carpet and upholstery cleaners can become supervisors or start their own companies.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Specialized cleaners
2016 NOC: 6732

75.8% of people in this occupational group work in:

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

3-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Specialized cleaners
2021 NOC: 65311
Medium
Demand
7,100
Employed

Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.

5-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Specialized cleaners
2016 NOC: 6732
2.5%
Annual Growth
(Above Average)
169
New Positions

Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

This occupation has a high turnover rate, so demand for new workers is steady. There may be many applicants for vacant positions.

Related Alberta Job Postings
Wage & Salary
Updated Apr 05, 2022

Carpet and upholstery cleaners’ earnings vary. Some earn hourly wages plus commissions based on the amount of work. Others earn either additional or straight commission based on product sales. For those working on full commission, earnings can vary a lot from one worker to another and one month to another. Earnings depend on the number of jobs completed and the number of products sold.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Specialized cleaners

2016 NOC: 6732
Average Wage
$18.80
Per Hour
Average Salary
$33,593.00
Per Year
Average Hours
35.1
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
11.7
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 6732 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

B: Good Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.


Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $15.00 $23.40 $16.97 $15.25
Overall $15.00 $29.00 $18.80 $16.73
Top $16.50 $34.02 $21.71 $19.00

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Transportation and Warehousing
Information, Culture, Recreation
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Leasing
Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related)
Public Administration

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
56%
56%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
16%
16%
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
5%
5%
Vacancy Rate
3%
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Trades, Industrial and Related Training
Other Sources of Information
Updated Apr 05, 2022

Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification website: www.iicrc.org

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 31, 2022. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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