Starting a Carpet Cleaning Business

Carpets have been traced back to the Neolithic age around 7000 BC. The nomadic tribes weaved carpets from wool reared from their herds. They used these carpets to cover the floors in tents or the walls to keep away insects and cold. The Persian, Oriental and Turkish carpets are famous all over the world. Carpets have been used in home decors as wall coverings, floor coverings and mats. Over the years, there have been many carpet designs, patterns, fabrics, colors and styles that have evolved gradually. Let us see some types of carpets.

Types of Carpets
Before we talk about how to start a carpet cleaning business, it is important to understand the different types of carpets that you may have to deal with. The following information will help you understand the different types of carpets that will help you run your business.

Textured Plush: This is one of the most decorative cut-pile carpet. The textured surface hides the footprints and vacuum marks. Most homes have this kind of carpets generally used to cover the floors throughout the house.

Saxony: This is a refined cut-pile surface carpet. It is luxuriously smooth and soft. This carpet goes well with traditional interiors. Saxony is preferred for the living rooms and dining rooms. There are subtle highlights and accents to the carpet.

Berber Loop-Pile: This carpet has a wool-like appearance. The rugged loop surface has a natural and handcrafted appearance. The tight loop texture hides the footprints and vacuum marks. This carpet is well suited for contemporary to country and cottage style furnishing.

Berber Cut-Pile: This carpet has wonderful colors and the style of traditional loop berbers. These carpets are great for kids rooms and other casual rooms. These beautifully crafted and colored yarns help cover the soil between cleanings.

Cut and Loop: These carpets have multicolor effects that can hide soil and stains. There is a choice of soft tonal to bolder color combination in these carpets.

Commercial Loop: These durable carpets are made for rooms that have high foot-traffic. There are wide range of patterns and colors that are suitable for professional installations. These versatile carpets are suited for any kind of interior decor.

Now that you have understood the different types of carpets, let us concentrate on starting a carpet cleaning business. You can cater to residential and commercial establishments with your business. A carpet cleaning business opportunity is a very profitable venture that will ensure your success.

How to Start a Carpet Cleaning Business
Before starting the business, you need to make a professional plan to make sure you run a profitable business. The first a foremost thing is to decide on the budget.

Budgeting: In any kind of business, you need to invest some money before you actually start earning revenue. In starting a business, you will need to invest in carpet cleaning machines. There are two types of carpet cleaning machines available in the market.

The first type is the truck mounted system. This machine is powerful and expensive. The good truck mounted machines are available for $19,000-$25,000. You can charge more service cost if you are using these units. The second type is the freestanding portable unit. These are not as expensive as the truck-mounted units. A complete start-up unit is available for less than $3000. The truck mounted ones are better investment, if you wish to expand your business it the future.

You can even rent these units and start your business, if you do not have the required capital. Purchase the cleaning supplies in bulk quantity as it will be a lot cheaper. The nest step is to calculate the number of jobs that you will need to start a carpet cleaning business. Calculate the charges on the basis of the number and area of rooms. Predict a target earning in the first year and plan your budget accordingly.

License: You will need to apply for a license before starting the business. You can visit the Small Business Administration for all the details required for applying and getting a license. Few states also require the carpet cleaning business owner to get bonded.

Professional Qualification: In order to make an impression to the potential clients, you may want to join courses that offer professional training courses that qualify you as a carpet cleaner. Choose institutes that are listed and approved by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification.

Marketing Carpet Cleaning Business: You need to build an image in the eyes of the clients to achieve your business goals. As it is always said, 'First impression is the last impression', you need to polish your looks. By this I mean you need to promote your promotional offers. Print flyers and hand them out everywhere in your town or city. Contact estate agents, moving companies, pet service companies, maid service companies, etc. and inform them about your new business and rates. Work out special deals with these companies that can be offered to their clients. Make your own website and get listed in the business directory and business website. You can even print advertisements in the newspapers and local magazines. Paste your flyers in coffee shops and department stores. Visit commercial business set-ups and introduce your new business. These businesses have more carpet area for cleaning and prove to be more revenue earning than residential areas.

Hiring Staff: Do not hire more people initially. The business plan also involves deciding how many working hands you need when starting a business of carpet cleaning. Hire experienced hands and a few inexperienced ones to assist them. Carpet cleaning needs to be executed efficiently and effectively. Therefore, choose people who are capable and responsible. Do a background check before employing anyone.

Quality is the Motto: Quality is the important factor to market the business through word-of-mouth advertising. Make sure your staff cleans every nook and corner of the carpets. Carpet stain removal should be done without destroying the carpet's beauty. Be on time always for your scheduled appointments. Clients do not like waiting for the cleaners, keeping other important work on hold. Be as professional as you can be. If you are late or a genuine complain against the quality of cleaning is received, politely apologize and offer a discount to the client. This will calm the client down and make him want your service again.

Starting a business will make you in charge of your life. You can decide your working hours, holidays and the clients you wish to serve. It also helps you take charge of your finances and bring stability in your saving account. You can receive appointments through phones and even start online bookings. Always serve your clients honestly and efficiently. Carpet cleaning business is a profitable business as carpets are used everywhere in homes, offices even cars. Plan and market the business with utmost care, and listen to the sweet sound of your cash counter ringing.