How to Start a Carpet Cleaning Business: Everything You Need to Know

Starting a carpet cleaning business is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to tap into a high-demand market. 

Clean carpets make homes and businesses more inviting, and there’s a steady demand for professional cleaning services. If you’re thinking about starting your own carpet cleaning business, it’s important to understand what’s involved.

From buying the right equipment to hiring skilled staff, setting up your business can seem overwhelming. However, our straightforward guide breaks down the steps to make the process easier. Follow our advice on how to start a carpet cleaning business and run it successfully!

How to Start Your Own Cleaning Business – Franchise vs. New Company

The first decision to make when thinking of how to start a carpet cleaning business is whether you’re going to build a business from the ground up or not. 

Alternatively, you might find a franchise of a carpet cleaning business for sale. There are benefits and drawbacks to each way of doing it. But remember that there’s more to it than just registering as a limited company.

Benefits of a franchise

If you buy a franchise, you might have higher upfront costs than you would by starting your own company. 

Franchisees, however, have the benefit of brand recognition. Plus, the company you’re a franchisee of is probably already well-known and perhaps putting out advertising on your behalf.

If you don’t want all the hassle of building a business from scratch, you might enjoy being a franchisee. The fees for this are usually between $20,000 to $50,000. In return for this fee, you’ll usually receive marketing and training. 

You’ll also be able to use the existing logo and branding of the franchise. Additionally, to the upfront fee, you’ll need to factor in office space, inventory, and expense costs.

You’re likely to get clients more quickly because of the brand’s existing reputation. This can mean gaining revenue quicker. Also, being part of a franchise can mean you don’t make the new business errors that many novice business owners make. Your brand and logo are already ready to go.

Benefits of a new company

On the other hand, creating your own company gives you the opportunity to shape every aspect of your business according to your vision.

From choosing the logo, branding, marketing materials, and strategies – you hold the reins on every decision. This level of control allows you to tailor the business to your target market and set it apart from competitors. Still, building a recognizable brand and a solid reputation requires time, effort, and consistency.

This process can be challenging and time-consuming, but the payoff is significant. Successfully establishing your brand can lead to a thriving business with loyal customers and a strong market presence.

Write a Business Plan for a Successful Start of a Cleaning Business

What’s the next part of starting a carpet cleaning business? Whether you choose to go the franchise route or start your own company, the next step is to create a carpet cleaning business plan. A carpet cleaning business plan should address the following questions:

• How will my company turn a profit?
• What is my customer base?
• What is my target demographic?
• How will customers find out about my services?
• What are my long and short-term goals?

Section off your business so you can take a thorough look at each part. You may want to target homeowners or businesses for your services, depending on your goals, but before you think about that, write down exactly what services you’re going to offer. These may include:

• Steam cleaning
• Stain removal
• Carpet repair
• Deep carpet cleaning
• Green products

Then, write down what you think your everyday expenses will be, and design your marketing strategy. This is vital to your company’s success.

We’d like to reiterate that a business plan is always going to grow and change. It should be an iterative document that will change as your business and goals develop. The first business plan you write will give you a chance to structure your plan of attack and define your goals. Then you’ll feel confident that you know what to do next.

Choose the Right Business Structure

Selecting the right business structure is a crucial step in the registration process for your company. Here are your options:

• Sole proprietorship: Ideal for individual entrepreneurs, this structure is straightforward and commonly used by solo business owners.
• Partnership: Suitable for businesses with two or more owners looking to share responsibility and profits.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC): This option provides personal asset protection, separating your personal finances from your business liabilities.

Create a Budget

Having a budget is just as important as a business plan. Right from the start, you should be asking yourself, what your carpet cleaning business income is going to be and how you are going to meet that number. You need to decide how much you’re willing to expend on everyday expenses, and startup costs. Here’s a short list of costs to consider:

• Marketing
• Cleaning products
• Gas
• Equipment

You also need to think about how much money you need to live on. Always try to have 3 months of expenses in your back pocket, as you may not be earning revenue for a while.

As you plan your company out, note how much money you already have, then figure out how much more you may need to get the company up and running. You’ll need to seek this in investment or apply for a loan or you can even check out this list of online payday lenders if you are looking for a quick cash solution. Figure out what your startup costs are, for example:

• Wages
• Equipment
• All necessary licenses (find out everything about cleaning business licenses)
• Training
• Certification
• Daily expenses

You’ll find that plenty of business budgeting templates are available free online. Using a template is a great way to make sure you don’t forget any possible expenses.

Undertake Training and Certification

You can’t just start off straight into carpet cleaning with no experience. Customers want to know that you’re a certified professional who knows what they’re doing. 

You may consider getting in touch with someone else who has a carpet cleaning company. This is a great way to get hands-on experience beforehand. You could ask to shadow them for a day to see what a general day looks like.

Before you can truly start a carpet cleaning business, however, you’ll need some experience in carpet cleaning.  Getting a license and training is a great way to show customers that you know what you’re doing. The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) offers courses. With one of these, you could get certified as one of the following:

• Rug Cleaning Technician
• Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician
• Carpet Cleaning Technician

These certifications can be completed either online or in person. This makes it easy to get properly certified by a recognized entity.

Once you have certification, you don’t need a degree, but it does help to have some business knowledge. It’ll help if you have the following:

• Cleaning experience
• Managerial experience
• Marketing knowledge
• Customer service skills
• Mechanical knowledge

This foundation will support your efforts in starting a carpet cleaning business, and ensure you are prepared when you start your own cleaning business.

Choose Equipment

Once you’ve got your training, the next step in starting your own carpet cleaning business is the equipment selection. 

The equipment you choose will likely be highly dependent on budget restrictions. Keep in mind that you may be able to purchase more expensive equipment in the future when your business is thriving.

You need to choose tools that have longevity. For example, more and more clients are seeking cleaners who use green products. This trend of environmental sustainability isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Therefore, it may be a good idea to spend a little more on attaining these types of products.

Renting equipment is a valid option if you don’t have many customers yet. As soon as you can though, it’s going to be cheaper in the long run to purchase your own tools.

Overall, the startup costs of having a carpet cleaning business are highly variable. A lot of your company’s expenses depend on what equipment you can purchase. For example, you’ll be spending a lot less money if you can find a van that’s already suitable for your purposes without adjustments than if you buy a van that you’ll have to adjust yourself. 

Or, as mentioned before, you could choose to buy regular cleaning supplies, or choose to spend a lot of money on eco-friendly supplies. All in all, you could end up spending anywhere between $500 and $85,000 on your carpet cleaning company.

The main equipment costs will be:

• Carpet cleaning machine: Both portable and truck-mounted options.
• Cleaning solutions: Formulated for different carpet types and stains.
• Commercial vacuum cleaner: For pre-cleaning dirt and debris.
• Carpet brushes and agitators: To loosen soil before cleaning.
• Spot cleaning kit: For targeted stain removal.
• Air movers and fans: To speed up carpet drying.
• Dehumidifiers: To control moisture during cleaning.
• Protective Gear: Including gloves, goggles, and masks.
• Cleaning rags and towels: For cleanup and wiping.
• Furniture moving equipment: Such as sliders and dollies.
• A van or truck: For transporting equipment and supplies.

Get Insurance

While exploring insurance options may not be the most exciting task, it is essential for anyone serious about starting a carpet cleaning business. You’ll want to be insured in case of liability. There is a range of policies you might consider:

• Commercial property insurance: This would pay out to cover any equipment that gets lost or damaged. This includes cases of flood, fire, or other similar situations.
• Vehicle insurance: You’ll need this to ensure your van is covered in the event of a crash or theft.
• Workers comp insurance: If you have employees, this insurance is an absolute necessity. If an employee is injured at work, it will pay medical bills or lost income.
• Commercial liability insurance: This type of insurance will pay the expenses if a client gets injured or you damage the property of a client.

The costs of these policies will vary according to your choice of the insurance company. Other factors include location, value, and the number of employees.

We also recommend that you have a surety bond in place. This is an escrow account that holds money. It makes sure that you complete the services promised that you were paid for. You can then use this money towards any damages owed if you damaged a client’s carpet.

Don’t Forget About Marketing

You won’t have any carpets to clean until you have customers. This is why marketing is such a crucial element of starting a carpet cleaning business.

Focusing on marketing at the beginning is really the only way to get a good number of customers in the door.

It’s important that you understand that people are only going to get their carpets cleaned annually, or semi-annually at most. You’re not going to get the same customers every week. So, you will definitely need a large number of customers. You should also focus on repeat bookings, meaning, you should always be encouraging customers to make future bookings.

It’s vital to find where the gap is in your region. Maybe there’s an abundance of commercial carpet cleaners but a shortage of residential ones. Or carpet cleaners who only clean houses larger than 4 bedrooms. You need to find out where the gap is and be the one to fill it. This is how you’ll get customers.

Online marketing

Image source: BAFE

Online marketing is essential for reaching a broad audience quickly. As you start your carpet cleaning business, consider the following strategies:

• Utilize social media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can help you reach different demographics. Share before-and-after photos, customer testimonials, and special offers.
• Email marketing: Keep in touch with your customers through regular newsletters. Promote seasonal promotions, cleaning tips, and reminders for carpet cleaning schedules.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Optimize your online content to rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential customers to find your business.

Read some tips on how to advertise your cleaning business.

Offline marketing

Online marketing is an important aspect of your business, but don’t forget that offline marketing is still very effective when done right. It will depend on your target demographic as well. Here are some offline marketing strategies:

• Local Advertising: Consider ads in local newspapers, radio stations, or community bulletins to reach a local audience.
• Networking events: Attend local business fairs, chamber of commerce meetings, and other community events to network with potential customers and other business owners.
• Direct mail: Send out flyers, postcards, or brochures to neighborhoods in your service area to advertise your services directly.
• Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses such as real estate agencies or home improvement stores to offer exclusive deals and increase your visibility.

Business cards are great for offline marketing. Explore business card designs to use as inspiration.

Build an Awesome Website

There are plenty of free or cheap website options available these days, and many of them look incredibly professional. When you are marketing online, you’ll need to learn how to optimize your site for search engines. Searches retrieve results based on relevancy so stick to language that you think people might search.

For example, with Trafft, free cleaning business scheduling software, you can create a booking website and schedule your first appointment in less than 10 minutes.

It’s a great idea to create a Google Business listing. This is how many people now search for businesses. It is free and will come up when people google carpet cleaning in your area.

It’s also a good idea to start pages on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp. The more ways people can find your company, the better.

Find Great Software

Starting a carpet cleaning business is no easy feat. There are so many different things to worry about, from your employees to insurance, to making sure your vacuums’ batteries are still working. Plus, appointment scheduling, especially when you’re starting off, can be very difficult.

You need to make sure you don’t overbook or double-book yourself. You’ll also need to market, send invoices, and manage the day-to-day running of your company. There will be a lot to remember. And software that can help with all these things will be a great asset to your business.

This software would let you take carpet cleaning appointments online which customers love. Most people prefer making appointments online rather than on the phone. The software could also simplify tasks and accept online payments.

Fantastic software you can use is Trafft. It’s a SaaS version of WordPress booking plugin – Amelia which is used by more than 4,000 companies all over the world. It makes booking easy and functions 24/7, meaning that your customers can book appointments and pay for them at any time of day.

If you want to discover how Trafft and Amelia stack up against each other, delve into our in-depth Trafft vs. Amelia comparison.

Takeaway