-By Kenneth Hein

Cleaning the carpets may be one of the last things cash-strapped consumers are considering. It’s only fitting then that Stanley Steemer and HGTV are now offering to do it for free as part of the new “Make life simple” sweepstakes.

Through Dec. 19, consumers can go to hgtv.com/stanleysteemer to upload pictures of their ugliest rooms. At the site, consumers can also view carpet cleaning strategies and comment about one another’s photos. Early entries include the wife of a U.S. Marine who is hoping to win the $15,000 grand prize to decorate their bedroom, which currently only has a mattress, for Christmas.

Sabrina Soto, star of Get it sold, is the face of the contest, which is being supported by 10-second spots on HGTV. The prizes will be drawn randomly. The top winner also gets an in-home consultation from Soto as well as Stanley Steemer service valued at $250. Weekly winners receive $250 gift certificates. Empower MediaMarketing, Cincinnati, created the sweepstakes.

The brand is hoping to spur Stanley Steemer service calls during its busiest quarter, plus build a strong database for future marketing efforts.

“This is a fun campaign that integrates digital, on-air and the sweepstakes in ways that will make consumers feel even more engaged with Stanley Steemer,” said Maria Topken, Empower svp of media strategy, in a statement.

Stanley Steemer spent $46 million on U.S. media for the first eight months of this year (not including online ads), per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Last year, it doled out $55 million.