Are you a budding entrepreneur who loves to clean and make homes sparkle? A carpet cleaning business can be both rewarding and lucrative. Homeowners are always looking for ways to clean their carpets, but nothing beats a professional deep clean.
The demand for this kind of business is high. But before you can use this demand to your advantage, you need to set up your business, purchase the right tools, and find customers. Here’s how to start your own carpet cleaning business.
Devise a Business Plan
To start, you need to formulate a business plan. This plan will help you determine the who, what, when, where, and why of your business. Here are some questions your business plan should answer.
- What’s your business’s name?
- Who are your target customers? What kind of services will you provide?
- Where will you provide your services? One specific area or a broader range of towns and cities?
- What’s your budget?
- How do you plan to market your services?
- How much will you charge for your services?
- What kind of equipment do you need to get started? How will you obtain it?
- Will you work alone or with a team?
Keep in mind that your business plan is a rough draft. It will help you plan the basics of your business before you start. You can go back and polish or revise your business plan whenever necessary.
Certifications and Licenses
Want to attract customers? It helps to have some training under your belt. The next step in how to start your own carpet cleaning business is to get your certifications and licenses. Consider taking some in-person or online courses to receive your certification as a carpet cleaning technician.
On top of certifications, you also need some licenses—a business license, registration, and other necessary permits. Contact your city, town, or county clerk’s office to learn about the licenses and permits you need to legally run your business. Don’t forget to ask about state requirements as well. Then, decide on a name for your business and go through the necessary steps to register it.
The Right Tools
Most homeowners wouldn’t be too happy if you strolled into their house and started scrubbing their carpets with generic cleaners and old, outdated tools. They expect a professional cleaning from a professional carpet cleaning business. That means you need top-of-the-line equipment and commercial carpet cleaning chemicals.
Regular vacuums and sprays won’t do the job. You need rotary extractors, spotting extractors, pre-sprays, carpet protectors, and more. There are plenty of reputable cleaning equipment and supply businesses to choose from. Browse through several websites and their products before deciding on one, and don’t be afraid to ask questions before you make a purchase!
