If you have ever asked for a carpet cleaning quote and then felt your stomach drop when the final bill arrived, you are not alone.

Spilled red wine on a pale lounge carpet? Mud ground in after a wet school run? A dropped coffee mug right before guests arrive? These things happen fast, and they always seem to happen at the worst possible moment.

Finding the right upholstery cleaner for a flat can feel oddly complicated. You want the sofa fresh again, the dining chairs looking respectable, and the whole place to smell clean, not chemical-heavy.

If you live in a period property in High Barnet EN5, carpet care is a little more delicate than in a newer flat.