After working in the field for over thirty years, there is no doubt that carpet cleaning is an excellent way to earn a living.  It is an excellent business for operating out of the home and consequently can be started with a minimum of capital.  The key to keeping expenses low is to control your equipment purchases and advertising costs right from  the beginning.

It seems strange that I should have to mention this, but the main purpose of owning your own carpet cleaning business is to create profits.  Many new owners get wrapped up in creating cash flow and keeping busy and miss this simple point for months.  The focus should be on creating profits from day one if it is possible.

The difficult part about controlling startup costs is the fact that most new business owners will ask the advice of equipment sales people for suggestions on equipment purchases and advertising professionals for suggestions on advertising.  When you consider the fact that both types of individuals earn their living from commissions on the products they sell, it obviously isn’t the best way to go.  Under most circumstances, these characters will sell you the biggest and most expensive categories of everything they have to offer.  So within a brief period of time, the new business owner will have his garage full of equipment and supplies that will never be used.  In addition, he’ll be working to pay off monthly advertising costs instead of focusing on profit.

From personal experience in the carpet cleaning business for decades, it would be a better tact to seek a good carpet cleaning business plan from someone trusted and active in the business.  While there is a wealth of info published on the web, it is a good idea to pay particular attention to background of the author of the information.  The bulk of the information pertaining to small business operation that is published online is the product of professional writers and not actual business owners.  Consequently, the bulk of free information will be out dated reprints of ideas that simply do not work.  You can find more carpet cleaning business plans and information here.