How To Start a Carpet Cleaning Business

Those with carpets and pets, kids, or those who are just overly zealous eaters and drinkers know how hard it can be to keep carpets clean and stain-free. Enter the professional carpet cleaner, a boon for harrowed homeowners and commercial facility managers.

The carpet cleaning industry offers a promising opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to start a service-based business with growing demand. If you’re looking to get into this business, there are a few things you need to know to get up to speed. Read on to learn about supplies, certifications, and how to build clientele for your carpet cleaning business.

How much does it cost to start a carpet cleaning business? 

There’s no one-size-fits-all cost when it comes to starting a carpet cleaning business, but you’ll likely need between $5,000 to $10,000 when you factor in equipment, certification, transportation, and marketing costs. Most of the startup costs will go toward equipment. Carpet cleaning tools and machines come at a wide range of prices, but $3,000 to $5,000 should get you quality equipment.

You’ll also need a reliable vehicle that can carry all of your equipment to clients’ homes. To keep costs manageable, consider refurbished or resale carpet cleaning equipment, or find ways to source items like cleaning solutions at wholesale prices. If you don’t have the personal savings to get your business off the ground, you can consider applying for a small business loan or creating a crowdfunding page to amass funds. 

Tools needed for a carpet cleaning business

• Carpet rake
• Vacuum
• Carpet cleaning machine
• Accessories
• Carpet cleaning solution
• Defoamer
• Air scrubber

Carpets are notorious for trapping dirt, dander, debris, pet hair, and other unseemly bits that can hide from traditional household tools like vacuum cleaners. Here are the tools you need to be able to offer professional cleaning services:

Carpet rake 

An essential tool in the carpet cleaning process, a carpet rake helps you dislodge dirt and debris that has become trapped in carpet fibers. Also known as a carpet grooming brush, you’ll use the carpet rake as the first step before cleaning begins and intermittently throughout the process to remove stubborn grime. 

Vacuum

Working alongside the carpet rake, a traditional dry vacuum cleaner removes dirt and dander before you begin the wet cleaning process.

Carpet cleaning machine

You can rent or buy several types of carpet cleaning machines in home, commercial, and industrial sizes, depending on the scope of your work and budget. The most common options include:

• Carpet extractors: Use water, cleaning solution, and suctioning technology to remove dirt

• Steam cleaners: Leverage hot water and steam to provide a deeper clean

• Bonnet cleaners: Use scrubbing pads (often used in commercial settings)

These machines come in upright or portable models, with manual or automatic operation options.

Accessories

You’ll need hoses, wands, and sprayers to help you propel cleaning solution and water. These accessories can help you access hard-to-reach places and navigate challenging spaces, like stairs. 

Carpet cleaning solution

Your choice of cleaning solutions will depend on specific job requirements. Many carpet cleaners will use a mix of solutions based on the job at hand, which often includes carpet pre-sprays, detergents, shampoos, pet treatment, stain spotters, protectants, and deodorizers. 

Defoamer

While foam indicates cleanliness is underway, excessive foam creates problems. Carpet cleaning solutions tend to emit a significant amount of foam, requiring a defoamer to remove detergent residue and allow carpets to dry effectively.

Air scrubber

An air scrubber, or a portable air filtration device, removes lingering dust or dander particles in the air, during and after cleaning. This device helps prevent airborne dirt and grime from settling back into the carpet and neutralizes any bad odors.

How to start a carpet cleaning business

1. Figure out your services
2. Get certified
3. Write a business plan
4. Register your business
5. Create a website
6. Open a business bank account
7. Set your prices
8. Invest in marketing and find clients

The process for starting a carpet cleaning company looks much like how you’d start any business, with a few special exceptions. Here are the steps to get started: 

1. Figure out your services

Start by defining your specific service offerings and target market. Consider whether you’ll focus on residential home carpet cleaning, commercial carpet cleaning for businesses, or both. You might also include specialties like rug and upholstery cleaning, which can increase your average order value.

2. Get certified

While certification isn’t legally required, professional accreditation builds credibility with potential customers. Consider signing up for a carpet cleaning, commercial carpet maintenance, or rug cleaning technician test registered by an organization like the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). The IICRC also offers specialized courses in skills like fire and smoke restoration, expanding your service capabilities. 

3. Write a business plan

Create a detailed business plan to serve as your blueprint for structuring, operating, and scaling your company. It’s also a necessary document if you need to apply for funding like a small business loan or if you’re seeking investors. Your business plan should include market analysis, service descriptions, daily operations, management structure, financial projections, and marketing strategies.

4. Register your business

Most cleaning services require registration and a valid business license to legally operate. While this process may vary by state, it typically starts by selecting your business structure, like a sole proprietorship or limited liability company (LLC), and then submitting the appropriate paperwork for the corresponding structure with the right federal and state agencies. An LLC is a popular structure for this type of business—it can be owned by one or multiple partners, and unlike sole proprietorships and general partnerships, it helps keep personal and business finances separate. 

5. Create a website 

A professional website is a useful way to let clients know about your services. Shopify can help you launch a website with ease—no coding required. Customize your website to tell prospective customers about what makes your business the right choice for them. Include an About Us page, FAQs sections, detailed service descriptions, and online booking capabilities. Be sure to mention cancellation policies, and list the best ways to contact you.

6. Open a business bank account 

A business bank account keeps your company finances separate from personal ones, simplifying accounting and tax preparation. Consider factors like service offerings, fee structures, and account accessibility when choosing your bank.

7. Set your prices

Develop a pricing strategy that covers your costs while remaining competitive. Popular carpet cleaning pricing strategies include charging per square foot, by number of rooms, or by hours worked. According to home-maintenance platform Angi, rates range between 20¢ and 40¢ per square foot.

You may opt to charge premium rates for specialty work: Wool and cotton carpets typically require more time and specialty solutions compared to synthetic fabrics. Consider offering introductory rates for new clients while ensuring your pricing covers all expenses and desired profit margins.

8. Invest in marketing and find clients

With all the key elements of your business in place, it’s time to get the word out by putting flyers up around town, pinning your business card to community boards, and placing ads in the local paper. Create profiles on platforms like Yelp, Angi, Thumbtack, TaskRabbit, and Google Business to increase visibility and gather reviews.

Social platforms are also helpful in targeting new demographics. Use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to share stain removal tips or showcase dramatic before-and-after results. You can even capitalize on the trend of carpet cleaning ASMR videos, showing your services in action and the satisfying results.