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Start A Carpet Cleaning Business - Methods and Rates

carpet cleaning

Start A Carpet Cleaning Business - Methods and Rates. There has never been a better time to start a carpet cleaning business, with demand for cleaners at one of the highest levels it's ever been. Sooner or later just about everyone with a carpet will need to have it cleaned so you are dealing with a huge market which constantly renews itself.
What's more, with today's technology it isn't even particularly back-breaking work.
Business is booming and the world is waiting for your service, so you owe it to yourself to find out how to start a carpet cleaning business.
 

Decide on Cleaning Methods and Source Machines
 

There are two main carpet cleaning methods: steam cleaning or dry cleaning.
For the most part, steam cleaning is the easiest and quickest way to do the job, so it's best for beginners.
In this method, a hot water-based cleaning solution is injected into the carpet, which dissolves the dirt particles so they can be easily removed along with the solution.
The main risk with this method is damp or mildew due to the carpet not being dried properly.
This can easily happen if your machine is not well-maintained.

A way to avoid this risk entirely is to use dry cleaning, which is becoming increasingly popular for this very reason.
One of the dry cleaning methods is the spinning bonnet, where a rapidly spinning brush pad mixes cleaning chemicals into the carpet while agitating the dirt.
It's certainly quick, and dries within twenty minutes, but the risk of tearing out carpet fibres might be too much of a downside.
You could also use 'dry' cleaning solutions such as foams or powders.
Of course none of these are really dry, but they leave much less water behind.
These methods also tend to be much slower.

Find Your Niche and Set Rates

The first thing you need to decide is what your rates will be.
Now, you shouldn't set rates too cheaply because customers will often think that there is something wrong with your service if it is significantly cheaper than your competitors.
Keep a record of how long your work tends to take and give a fair estimate based on the length of the job.

Next it's up to you to find your customer base and get marketing.
Try and search out a niche which can be filled in your area.
In some cases, this might only be 'The Best Cleaners Around' where there isn't much competition. Also you might want to think about expanding into a few related fields to really give your company the extra appeal it needs to stand out.
Just think about the possibilities - you could work into expanding into wood flooring, car interiors or rug cleaning with profits to match!

I've given you some basic information on how to start a carpet cleaning business.
With a little experience you will work the rest out, but for now you're ready to begin.
Good luck!

John Braun has extensive knowledge of the cleaning industry having been a contracts manager with a major multinational company and successfully managed his own domestic cleaning business. He now runs his own Carpet Cleaning Company which provides assistance and advice on all aspects of cleaning.