One of the advantages of starting a carpet cleaning business is that you don’t need a lot of money to get started. You can rent the carpet cleaning equipment and use the vehicle you own to travel from job to job. You can also buy your cleaning supplies wholesale in bulk supplies. It is safe to say that you will only need around $1,000 to get started.

However, you do have to do a bit of math before you get started so that you don’t go overboard renting or buying the equipment and supplies that you will need. Try to estimate the number of jobs you will take on to start your business and estimate the number of carpets you anticipate cleaning. Figure out what you will charge each customer per hour or per room. If you charge by the room, figure on a minimum number of rooms that you will require before you take on the job. Also figure what you anticipate making the first year you are in business. If you anticipate an income of $40, 000, you must budget your expenses accordingly.

You must also consider ways to advertise your business. Obviously, if you are trying to start out on a shoestring budget, you can’t spend thousands of dollars of newspaper ads or media promotions. However, you can make flyers and place them around your community in high traffic places like supermarkets, malls and Laundromats. You can also make business cards and hand them out to family and friends who can help you spread the word. It’s a known fact that word-of-mouth advertising is very effective and will produce business. You can also look for local papers that place free ads in their classified sections. There are also Internet sites that will allow you to advertise for free (or for a small fee). Before you get started, you must also check on the laws in your community that apply to starting a small business. You may be required to have a license in your area or some kind of permit. You may also need to be bonded in case of any mishaps that might occur. It might be wise to seek legal advice about any requirements you might need to fulfill before starting your business.

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Pet odor and stain removal from carpet does not require the help of a professional…

As a carpet cleaning company, we receive calls every day in regards to how to get a stain out. One of the more “popular” problems we see is how to remove dog or cat urine from carpet.

When your special family member does have his little (or not so little) accidents, the most important thing is getting it up immediately. Of course, this is not always possible, often we do not find our gifts until after work or even the next day.

When this happens, the urine has soaked not only into the carpet face and backing but also into the pad that lies underneath and sometimes even into the slab. At this point, we have two options.

The first method is to pour a gallon of 50% water and 50% vinegar (white) onto the carpet and let it set for a couple of minutes. The vinegar helps to break up the urine salts and basically liquefy the dried urine. After, you let it set, you need to get it out. This is where a wet-vac comes in handy.

Using a good wet-vac, you need to extract all the liquid in the carpet and the pad, this can be accomplished by applying lots of pressure with the wand or hose and do a small spot at a time. After you feel you have the majority of it up, you need to repeat the above steps using another gallon of 100% water to act as a rinse.

A second method is one of the more successful ways of dealing with the problem but also the most difficult. Using this method, you will need to pull the carpet back (carpet is bound on the edges using a tact strip of nails) then cut out the soiled pad.

After the pad is removed, clean the soiled spot of the carpet with a good carpet shampooer, front and back. Also, you will need to treat the slab or wood sub floor with bleach then put in new carpet pad (can be purchased at most big boxes). Replace the soiled pad and use regular masking tape to tape the top of the new pad with the existing undamaged pad.

Last you need to put the carpet back on the tact by stretching it to the edges and pressing it back down onto the strips. This last method is best if only used when the stain is near the edges of a room. If the stain is in the middle or near a doorway, you are going to have a tough time getting the carpet back in tight which will result in it possibly wrinkling later on.

We hope our tips help you keep your carpet in the best shape possible for many years to come.

Gary Andrews has over 45 years experience in cleaning carpet and is the founder of Andrews Carpet Cleaning.

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There’s no question that your daily or weekly vacuuming makes your carpet look fresh and newer but it’s not enough to protect your carpet from dirt, debris, and oily film deposits that go with this debris. You can’t avoid the oily debris. It comes from cooking vapor, the air, the bottoms of your feet, your pets, and a host of other places. So you’ll need to clean your carpets regularly. Follow these carpet cleaning tips to get the best job done.

Clean Frequently

Carpets should be cleaned every 12 months. This ensures that the oil film doesn’t get so thick it discolors your carpets. If you live by yourself or there’s just two of you then every 18 months will probably be suffice. If there is more than 5 of you then you’ll probably need to do your carpets every 6 months.

Hiring A Professional

You should consider hiring a professional to clean your carpets. A professional cleaner is trained, that’s why he or she is a professional and they will know which type of cleaning is best for your carpet. The professional will come with a heavy duty hot water extraction system which will be used to spray your carpets with water and detergent and then to suck back the water and oil into a tank in their vehicle.

Do It Yourself

If you decide to rent a steam cleaning machine and do your own carpets you need to realize that the rental equipment is not nearly as powerful as the pro’s equipment so you won’t get as deep a clean. You also need to realize that some of these machines can damage your carpet so be sure you know what you are renting.

Powerless Retail Rentals

Choose your retail rental carpet cleaner carefully because many of these lack power meaning you might land up with a carpet that’s too wet and not enough power to suck the water up. This could end up damaging your carpet. Make sure you do your research and that you know what you are renting

Easy On The Water

Pretend like there’s a water shortage and use water sparingly. If you use too much water and your carpets are wet for more than 24 hours you can develop mold and mildew growth which is bad for your health. Never mind those interesting odors that seep out of the carpet.

Leave No Trace

Choose a solution that leaves no or little residue behind. The PH of the cleaning solution should be around 9 and it should always be less than 10. If you are left with that sticky residue your carpets will pick up more residue and pick it up quicker.

Wool Carpets

Wool carpets are different than the synthetic blends. They require a special solution that is designed for wool and the natural fibers. Make sure the solutions PH is no higher than 8 and no lower than 5.

Stop The Stains

If your carpets are already treated with a stain resistant treatment you need you use a cleaner that’s designed to work with this treatment. Any other cleaner will destroy the stainguard treatment already on the carpets which could cause discoloration and void the warranty.

Less Dry Time

After you’ve cleaned your carpet places fans around the room to push air across the carpet. This will reduce the time it takes to dry the carpets and the risk of mold and mildew. If you have a dehumidifier use it to pull the moisture out. An air conditioner will also pull moisture out. Your carpet should be dry in 12 hours or less.

Following these carpet cleaning tips will have your carpets looking fresh and clean and it will extend their life. Carpets are expensive so the longer you can make them last the better!

John Murray makes it easy to go through the carpet buying process and provides tips to keep your carpet lasting long. To learn more and receive your free mini-course visit the carpet rugs website.

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