Average

• Sofa cleaning costs vary depending on the fabric and size. Also, the more stains on the couch, the more professionals charge for cleaning the stains. In 2010, however, the average sofa costs between $60 and $196 for a professional to clean, according to the website Cost Helper. Smaller love-seats cost between $40 and $140 to clean.
  
  

Do it Yourself

• Rental stores and many grocery stores have carpet and upholstery cleaners available for rental. In 2010, upholstery cleaners typically cost about $25 to $50 per day. Cleaning a sofa takes no longer than a few hours. If you have the time and the desire to clean your sofa yourself, it costs much less than hiring a professional to do it for you.
  
  

Complimentary Services

• Most carpet cleaning companies also clean furniture and upholstery. Sometimes they charge one blanket price for the entire room, which includes furniture and carpet. Other times, companies run specials adding sofa cleaning for free with a full-house carpet cleaning.
  
  

Prevention

• Keeping sofas free of dirt begins when you purchase the furniture. Make sure you pick a stain-resistant fabric like polyester or even wool. If you choose a difficult-to-clean fabric, have the sofa treated with stain-resistant spray. You can buy spray cans at furniture stores, but expect to reapply every few months because it wears off due to use, according to the New York Times.
  
  

Caution

• Another consideration, besides cost, when hiring a sofa cleaner, is the type of chemicals they use. Not only do some harsh cleaning chemicals harm the environment, they also bother people with allergies and those with sensitive lungs, according to the website Repair-Home. Professionals who do use environmentally friendly products, however, sometimes charge on the higher end of the price-range scale.