How to Make Money by Carpet Cleaning

If you're on a mission to add to your income, you might find that the home cleaning business is a good choice, especially if you are skilled at domestic work. You can start off by focusing on carpet cleaning as a way to make money. You will need to invest in a few cleaning tools, like a rug shampooer, steam cleaner and an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner. Once you build a client base, you may find that a carpet cleaning business can grow into a full-time income stream. But start off on a small scale.

Things You'll Need

• Carpet shampooer
• Carpet cleaning solution
• Cleaning supplies
• Vacuum cleaner
• Replacement bags

Instructions

1. Write a short business plan for your side carpet cleaning business (this is for your own reference). Start with your financials. Write down your initial investment (carpet cleaning supplies and advertising costs). Estimate how many uses you will be able to get out of your initial cleaning supplies purchase, and determine what price you will need to charge customers in order to make a profit. Determine a schedule that will work around your other daily duties. Finally, write down a short advertising and promotion plan to get the word out about your carpet cleaning service.

2. Get business cards and fliers printed that advertise your carpet cleaning services and leave them in doorways at your neighbors' houses. Post your business cards on bulletin boards at local stores. Create a post on Craigslist.org and Angieslist.org to tell the people in your area about your available cleaning services. Be sure to list a price on all of your advertisements---offer a special low introductory price to pull in clients. This way they can see your work and call you for work at your regular price.

3. Offer to clean the carpets of your family at a discounted price. This will help you spread word of mouth---your family will feel more comfortable advertising your service for you if they see your work.

4. Bring in employees as you small carpet cleaning business grows. You will need to update your business plan to include employees and additional equipment as an expense and assure that you will still be able to make a profit. The increase in workers will allow you to perform more jobs at once and make more money.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider using a ValPak mailing when your business starts to grow. ValPak will mail your ad to thousands of households in your area, along with ads from other home service companies.

Resources

• Tax Considerations when You Have a Side Business
• Entrepreneur's Notebook: Practical Advice for Starting a New Business Venture