How to Start a Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business

Just about everybody with carpeting can require deep-cleaning services at one time or another. This includes private homes as well as commercial and public spaces. The same equipment used to clean carpets can also be used on upholstery and in cars, boats and anywhere else carpeted or fabric surfaces can be found. As the business owner, you’ll either make contact with customers directly or through a bevy of contractors who’ll bring you customers: caterers, restaurateurs, hotel culinary contacts, wedding planners and party and event planners.

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Start a carpet and upholstery cleaning business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business
  2. Form your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business
  7. Get Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business Insurance
  8. Define your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business Brand
  9. Create your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your carpet and upholstery cleaning business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a carpet and upholstery cleaning business?

You could either buy a franchise from an existing operation or start an independent service. According to the trade association Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), franchising fees can run from about $20,000 to $50,000. That doesn’t cover equipment, cleaning solutions or transport vehicles, but does include include training and the support of a known brand. For example, if you represent yourself as a Stanley Steemer company, customers will be familiar with your brand and perhaps have used Stanley Steemer services in the past. If they were satisfied then, you’ll get the credit even if you had no association with that previous company.

Whether you buy into an existing franchise or go on your own, your startup costs will include the following:

  • Carpet cleaning equipment, which includes a commercial rug cleaner with attachments and holding tank for wastewater, and long hoses to water supply
  • Cleaning solvents, for which a startup supply can cost several hundred dollars
  • A van for transport of equipment and possibly for operation
  • Business licenses and insurance (consult your attorney and independent insurance broker to see what you’ll need in these areas)
  • Website development and/or other means of promoting your business, including van signage and logo (Consider contacting the graphic design department of your nearby university or community college for talented students who can design logos or create websites at a much lower cost than through an ad agency or even freelance experienced designers.)

The equipment and supplies can run from several thousand dollars to $30,000 for a new truck-mounted system. All of the supplies and equipment can be bought used online much less expensively at sites such as this. A used van can cost as little as $5,000.

What are the ongoing expenses for a carpet and upholstery cleaning business?

Once you’ve initially bought your major equipment and transport vehicle, your ongoing expenses will mostly be cleaning supplies which you’ll find through janitorial service vendors. Shop to find the lowest prices on these commodity products. Your other ongoing expense will be payroll costs for your workforce, which will be determined at least in part on prevailing wages within your region, and gasoline for your vehicles. This cost is difficult to quantify since it involves a number of variable factors: the size and mileage and condition of the vehicle, distances within your market, numbers of jobs per day, etc.

As your business grows, you might add teams to meet growing scheduling demands. If that’s the case, you’ll eventually have to invest in additional equipment and transport vans.

Who is the target market?

Anyone who owns carpeting, rugs or upholstered furniture and wants to keep them clean is a potential customer. That’s virtually every household in America—or, more realistically, in your marketing area.

While residential cleaning is where the customer volume is, commercial customers are likelier to use your services more frequently. That’s because they have more foot traffic, so their carpets and upholstery get dirtier faster. And since their facilities are in the public eye, the decision makers are more motivated to maintain appearances. They’re also likelier to have more square footage of need, so one stop can generate more income than an average-size private home. These public spaces include office buildings, apartment buildings, shopping centers, auto showrooms, churches and other places of worship.

How does a carpet and upholstery cleaning business make money?

The business charges home residents, business owners, property managers and other customer types for cleaning services. The going rate is about 30 cents a square foot and business owners in this category try to average at least $100 an hour per visit. (The actual rate tends to range from about $75-$150 an hour.)

How much can you charge customers?

The going rate for carpet cleaning services is about 30 cents per square foot. But many customer relationships are developed from couponing or by offering contract discounts. The goal, from the business owner’s viewpoint, is to gross $75 to $150 per hour in the field.

How much profit can a carpet and upholstery cleaning business make?

Carpet cleaning businesses bill at least 30 cents per square foot and try to gross at least $100 an hour per job. Top-scale hourly is about $150. With that figure, if a single truck can stay in operation seven hours a workday, it will gross about $700 per day for 240 workdays. However, the work is seasonal in some areas of the country, so it’s not always possible to bill for 240 days. Experts expect to net anywhere from 10 percent to 50 percent pre-tax profit.

How can you make your business more profitable?

There are many additional sources of related business you can undertake. The same equipment and cleaning supplies can be used to deep-clean cars, boats and recreational vehicles. Similar supplies can be used to clean tile and grout, natural stone and even hardwood floors. And since you’re already in homes and businesses, consider expanding your service offering to include duct cleaning. Minor carpet repair and restoration and drapery cleaning services might also be extended.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your carpet and upholstery cleaning business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your carpet and upholstery cleaning business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

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Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

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Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our How to Start a Business guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best Business Formation Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a carpet and upholstery cleaning business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Service Agreement

Carpet cleaning businesses should consider requiring clients to sign a service agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example service agreement.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your carpet cleaning business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a carpet and upholstery cleaning business

Your best means of promotion is to start with your current network of friends, neighbors, social media contacts, church or charity contacts and business associates. If you don’t already belong to your local chamber of commerce, join up. That’s a good way of establishing customer relationships with business owners and decision-makers for public spaces.

Your website should be easy to navigate and encourage responses. Consider couponing as a means of introduction to a new customer base.

How to keep customers coming back

The best way to attract and retain customers in this business is to ask for referrals from every satisfied customer. When people consider getting their carpets cleaned, they often look for referrals since they want to be able to trust strangers they invite into their homes.

Try to get your commercial customers on long-term contracts by offering discounts for repeat business.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Organization, sales ability and customer dedication are key. You must be able to promote your business and sell your services, supervise your people in the field and handle complaints. You should also have patience, since employee turnover can be high. That means you’ll need to regularly train new workers and supervise them in the field to make sure the job gets done right every time.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a carpet and upholstery cleaning business?

Your typical business day might include the following activities:

  • Networking on the phone, online or in person to find customers and encourage additional business from them
  • Training and supervising your work crew, which often means accompanying them on-site to inspect their work and help them overcome obstacles
  • Handling the cleaning operation yourself if you have few or no employees, you overbook or workers fail to show up as scheduled
  • Ordering cleaning supplies
  • Handling the day-to-day business of operating your own company: paying bills, invoicing customers and staying current on taxes, insurance and other issues

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful carpet and upholstery cleaning business?

Your planning skills are critical. Start by writing a business plan as a strategic blueprint. It should answer the following questions: What services will you offer? Who is your market, both geographically and by customer type? Who are your competitors and how is your company different? Where will you get your equipment and supplies, and at what cost? What must you charge to be profitable on every job?

You must also be adept at making sales, maintaining work schedules and managing a workforce if you have one. And finally, you must be able to maintain your poise under pressure and to be committed to keeping your customers happy. A satisfied customer will continue to call for your services until they’re no longer satisfied.

What is the growth potential for a carpet and upholstery cleaning business?

According to business research firm IBIS World, the industry’s annual growth rate was projected at 1.9 percent between 2011 and 2016. The firm also pointed out that rising per-capita income is likely to increase business and that customers use such services every year or two, on average. (Many commercial users are much more frequent customers.)

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

How and when to build a team

When your bookings exceed your ability to service the business by yourself or with one or two employees, that’s when it’s time to consider investing in growth. First make sure that the sales growth is real and long-term so you don’t put several thousand dollars into your business for another van and more cleaning equipment unless you can generate steady income to cover the expense.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading