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Starting a Carpet Cleaning Business

14K views 15 replies 14 participants last post by  Abigail 
#1 · (Edited)
Need Help with Starting a Carpet Cleaning Business

I am seriously considering starting a small carpet cleaning business and I am in the middle of doing research about it. Basically, I wouldn't be doing the actual carpet cleaning myself. Instead, I would be funding and setting up the business and I would own it, but I would be using a friend of mine to do the actual work of taking the calls and doing the carpet cleaning. Once it is set up, I would only be expecting that he would be doing the carpet cleaning jobs part time, maybe 1 job every couple of weeks in the beginning, and then building up to possibly 1 or 2 jobs a week. He is a self-employed small jobs contractor, so that is how he would be spending his non-carpet-cleaning days. Also, this would ONLY be a carpet cleaning business -- not a cleaning business in general, and not a fire restoration business etc. -- just a guy with carpet cleaning equipment who cleans carpets.

One place I have gotten some ideas about how to get started is at http://carpetcleaningentrepreneur.com/ and
http://familyunlimitedopp.com/90-day-action-plan . I don't know this person, but he does seem to provide a lot of information. I also get the feeling that he sells something (How To DVD's or website services or soemthing), but I don't see anything on any of his web pages that says what he sells or how to buy it. So, maybe he is just providing free information about how to start a carpet cleaning business.

I have a ton of questions, but one is from the videos that I saw. Is it true that a good quality portable professional steam extraction carpet cleaning machine is sufficient for a small carpet cleaning business and it will do as good (or almost as good) of a job as a truck mounted machine?

Also, any thoughts, suggestions, questions, or ideas would be appreciated. I will read all replies and I will follow up.

Thank you.
 
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#2 ·
Basic Machinery

I used to run a carpet cleaning business. The machine I used was a basic portable machine. I never had and problems and from my experience its how long you are willing to spend at the job that decides how well the job is done. The general machine spits out clean water and sucks up dirty. The strength of the suction is not determined by the size of the machine but how much carpets can take. Also portable machines can go any where, whereas truck mounts get stuck at 4th floor etc or if they cannot park near enough.
 
#3 ·
Thanks "diehardtwo". It sounds like a portable machine is the way to go. When you say a "basic machine", I assume that you mean a steam extraction machine and not just the kind of carpet cleaning machine that people sometimes rent from stores where you just pour in hot water -- right? I am in the USA (Southern New Jersey, near Camden, NJ) and it appears that you are in the UK. I am trying to find out any specific features etc. that I should be looking for as far as what type of portable machine to get. I have also started looking on Craigslist for people who are selling their carpet cleaning machines and/or carpet cleaning business in my area.
 
#5 ·
Thanks "eunicesy". I also recently posted about this on the alt.home.repair Usenet newsgroup (in case you know what Usenet newsgroups are) and I got a lot of very good and very helpful replies there. Almost everyone said that a good portable extraction machine is almost just as good as a truck mounted machine.
 
#6 ·
I am seriously considering starting a small carpet cleaning business and I am in the middle of doing research about it. Basically, I wouldn't be doing the actual carpet cleaning myself. Instead, I would be funding and setting up the business and I would own it, but I would be using a friend of mine to do the actual work of taking the calls and doing the carpet cleaning. Once it is set up, I would only be expecting that he would be doing the carpet cleaning jobs part time, maybe 1 job every couple of weeks in the beginning, and then building up to possibly 1 or 2 jobs a week. He is a self-employed small jobs contractor, so that is how he would be spending his non-carpet-cleaning days. Also, this would ONLY be a carpet cleaning business -- not a cleaning business in general, and not a fire restoration business etc. -- just a guy with carpet cleaning equipment who cleans carpets.

One place I have gotten some ideas about how to get started is at http://carpetcleaningentrepreneur.com/ and
http://familyunlimitedopp.com/90-day-action-plan . I don't know this person, but he does seem to provide a lot of information. I also get the feeling that he sells something (How To DVD's or website services or soemthing), but I don't see anything on any of his web pages that says what he sells or how to buy it. So, maybe he is just providing free information about how to start a carpet cleaning business.

I have a ton of questions, but one is from the videos that I saw. Is it true that a good quality portable professional steam extraction carpet cleaning machine is sufficient for a small carpet cleaning business and it will do as good (or almost as good) of a job as a truck mounted machine?

Also, any thoughts, suggestions, questions, or ideas would be appreciated. I will read all replies and I will follow up.

Thank you.



carpet cleaning business is an in demand business as of these days and starting a kind of business has a lot to considers. So everyone planning for it congratulations in advance!!!take it slow and sure.
 
#7 ·
If you want to make money working for yourself and be your own boss carpet cleaning is an easy business to get into. When you start up a business there are two key components that you need, a product to sell and someone who's willing to buy it. Carpet cleaning is not rocket science but does require knowledge on general carpet cleaning, stain removal and knowing the limitations of what your equipment can handle.
 
#8 · (Edited)
You can either take this advice now or remember me later... DO NOT start a business with a friend!

I have a friend that he and I start businesses together but we know.... business is business and friendship is friendship. We currently have 5 comic book stores that neither of us do any work in so it works great and I actually have no idea how to run any of the operation. Our biggest flop was a cereal store in a mall. When we fail, neither of us ever blame the other we just move to the next.
 
#9 ·
Its great that your are stepping in to the firld of cleaning business. I must tell you that its one of the biggest commercial buisness with immense oppurtunity of growth. Starting a business requires so many things. Entrepreneurship, Why businesses fail, Naming your business, Choosing your legal entity, Registering your business, Paying estimated taxes, Hiring employees, Other employment requirements.

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#16 ·
NJ, hello! I'm brand new here and I'm doing the same as you. I wish you all the best.

I have started with a Rotovac DHX and CFX extractor. I really like it.

I was also thinking of hiring an independent contractor to do the work for me. So, I went to the small business administration and got some great advice. If you've not done that, I would suggest you do. They can give you so much info and help.

Again, best of luck to you
 
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