How to Start a Carpet Cleaning Business: Equipment, Startup Costs and Pricing Math

How we made this guide: picks, prices and specs come from our catalog and the makers' published specs, owner quotes come from customer reviews on our product pages and the guide was drafted with AI help, then checked and edited by Trevor Hall.

You can start a carpet cleaning business with one heated portable extractor package, an upholstery spotter, a vehicle that carries them, insurance and a written price list. The Mytee 2008CS Contractor's Special package is a complete portable starter at $3,270. The Mytee 1005LX Speedster is the 500 PSI LX-vacuum portable at $3,667. The Mytee ETM-LX-PLUS Escape Plus is an electric truckmount at $7,168.

The rest of your budget depends on your vehicle, your state and city licensing and your insurer, so this guide prices only the equipment and shows you how to work out the rest.

The short version: what you need on day one

A carpet cleaning business sells one result: clean carpet that dries fast, done on time, with a clean invoice. Everything on the list below exists to make that job repeatable.

• An extractor with enough pump pressure, heat and vacuum to leave carpet nearly dry.
• An air mover or two to speed drying, plus furniture blocks and a carpet groomer.
• A wand, a hose and an upholstery tool. A separate spotter handles furniture and cars.
• A vehicle that carries the machine, cords and a few buckets of solution.
• Low-foam cleaning chemistry: a pre-spray, a rinse, spotters and a defoamer. Mytee's manuals say excess-foam damage voids the warranty.
• Liability insurance and whatever your state or city requires to operate.
• A price list, a way to take payment and a way to be found.

Most new owners overspend on the machine or underspend on the price list. The sections below fix both.

Step 1: Choose the machine by the jobs you want

Three questions decide the rig: do you want to work from your own vehicle or from a van, how large are the jobs and how much heat do you need. Portable extractors carry in from the vehicle and cost less. A truckmount stays in the van and runs a long hose, so it suits larger homes and commercial work. Our post on truck mount versus portable carpet extractors goes deeper on that choice. Plan for drying too: our guide to how long carpet takes to dry after cleaning shows what affects it.

Rig 1: the heated portable package

The Mytee 2008CS Contractor's Special combines a 220 PSI pump with a 2,000 watt in-line heater (210°F maximum on Mytee's spec sheet), a 10 gallon solution tank and a 9 gallon recovery tank, per Mytee's user manual. Our listing's spec rows give a 1.35 GPM solution pump, dual 3-stage vacuum motors rated at 200 CFM and 130 inches of water lift, and a weight of 104 lb. The box adds a 25 ft vacuum and solution hose combo, a 12 inch dual jet wand, an Air Lite upholstery tool and a gallon of descaler.

Power is the part to plan for. The machine has two 50 ft cords that draw 20 A and 18 A at 115 V, and Mytee's user manual says dual-cord units like the 2008CS need two separate circuits. A tone sounds and a light on the switch plate comes on when the cords are on separate circuits. Before you book a job in an older house, find two outlets on different breakers. It is one of our best-selling extractors. Mytee's warranty runs 1 year on parts and labor, with longer terms on the major components and the molded housing and tanks.

Skip it if most of your work is commercial floors of several thousand square feet, where the hose reach and higher pressure of the next rig earn their cost.

For a smaller first budget, the Mytee 2002CS Contractor's Special at $2,366 is the same body with a 1,200 watt heater, a 120 PSI pump, one cord and a 25 ft hose combo and wand. One cord means one circuit, which helps in older buildings.

Rig 2: the 500 PSI LX-vacuum portable

The Mytee 1005LX Speedster pairs an adjustable 500 PSI pump (1.5 GPM) with two LX vacuum motors, 10 gallon tanks and a stated 182 inches of lift. Airflow tops out at 250 CFM and the hose run is 150 ft. It weighs 130 lb and pulls 20 A on one cord and 15 A on the other at 115 V. It has no heater, so you fill it with hot tap water or add a separate in-line heater. It ships as the machine and its cords, so budget for a vacuum and solution hose set and a wand on top. The heated sibling in the same family is the 1003DX Speedster.

Pick this over the 2008CS if your work leans toward commercial carpet and long hose runs from a parked vehicle. For heavy soil, plan on an add-on heater, because the 1005LX has none and the 2008CS heats to a 210°F maximum on Mytee's spec sheet. The extra price buys pressure you can turn down for delicate fiber and a vacuum that pulls through a long hose. Like the 2008CS, it has two cords, so plan on two separate circuits. Skip it if your jobs are mostly houses and apartments, where a lighter heated machine fits.

Rig 3: the electric truckmount

The Mytee ETM-LX-PLUS Escape Plus bolts to the van floor and runs three LX vacuum motors for 350 CFM and about 17.5 in. Hg of vacuum. The solution pump is an adjustable piston pump regulated to 1,000 PSI at 2.2 GPM, with 12 gallon tanks, auto-fill, pump-out and chemical injection. Hose run is 250 ft. Hoses and a wand are not in the box either. It weighs 190 lb and draws 30 A at 230 V through a 5 ft 4-prong cord.

That power comes from a generator that is not included. Mytee's Escape Plus manual says the machine runs off a minimum of 8,625 watts, recommends a 12,000 watt generator and needs a 230 V source that can supply 30 A. The spec rows list the machine as unheated, so hot water needs an added in-line heater. We do not price a generator or a van here because those prices come from other sellers and change.

Choose the truckmount when you want to keep the machine in the vehicle and run a long hose into every job. Skip it while you are still proving demand: a bolted-in rig and a generator are a large commitment before you have a customer list.

Rig 4: the box extractor for a bigger tank

The EDIC Galaxy Pro 2700IX-HR has a 220 PSI solution pressure, 185 inches of water lift, a 17 gallon solution tank and a 15 gallon recovery tank. It weighs 95 lb and runs on one detachable 50 ft cord, and EDIC's manual says it works on a standard 15 A, 120 V circuit, with 12 gauge extension cords no longer than 25 ft. EDIC's warranty summary lists 5 years on parts and labor and lifetime cover on the polyethylene body. Its larger tanks mean fewer refills on a commercial job.

It is heat-ready rather than heated: EDIC's owner's manual covers an accessory heater kit (605HR or 705HR) bought separately, and warns against filling the machine with water over 130°F. Skip it if you want one box with a heater already built in and the accessories bundled. See our EDIC extractors for the rest of that line.

Step 2: Add an upholstery spotter

Furniture, car seats and stair treads are where small machines earn extra margin. The Mytee S-300 Tempo is a 1 gallon, 55 PSI spotter with a 97 CFM two-stage vacuum, 85 inches of water lift, a 25 ft cord at 7 A (Mytee's manual) and a weight of 27 lb. It is unheated, so fill it with warm tap water. At $859 it is a smaller purchase than a second extractor.

“Works great, got solid power for its size. Was super skeptical at first. Only downside is the 1-gallon dirty tank, gotta empty it a lot on big jobs.”

Mytee S-300 Tempo Upholstery Spotter owner · 4 out of 5 stars

“You can tell this is well made. Small but extracts great and leaves upholstery and carpet dry. Love the clear nozzle and accurate spray, no mess. Only wish I got a bigger tank, but this fit my budget.”

Mytee S-300 Tempo Upholstery Spotter owner · 5 out of 5 stars

Both owners point at the same limit, the 1 gallon recovery tank. Skip it if you expect to clean whole rooms of upholstery in one go; for that, use the main extractor's upholstery tool. If you mostly clean seats and interiors, our best upholstery cleaning machines list shows more options.

Startup cost: what we can price and what varies

We sell the equipment, so those are the only prices we print. Everything else changes by state, city, insurer and what you already own. We do not guess at it.

The machine is usually the largest single purchase you control, and the vehicle can be larger if you do not already have one. Ask your insurer, your state's business registration office and your city clerk for current numbers before you set a launch budget.

Step 3: Check licensing, insurance and training

Whether you need a license to clean carpet depends on where you work. Some places require only a general business registration, some add a local license and some require none beyond that. Ask your state's business office and your city before you take a paid job.

Insurance is the cost you should not skip. A cleaner who floods a basement or stains a client's rug without coverage pays out of pocket. Get a quote for general liability from an insurer that writes cleaning contractors, ask whether it covers customers' property in your care, and ask whether clients in your area expect you to be bonded. Ask your state whether cleaning services are taxable there.

Training shortens the learning curve. The IICRC's Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT) course has no prerequisites and runs over 2 days, live-stream or in person; its Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician (UFT) course covers furniture. Fees vary by school. To learn the method, our guide to using a carpet cleaning machine walks through the passes and settings, and the comparison of hot water extraction and low moisture cleaning helps you decide what to offer.

Step 4: Write your price list

Price by room or by square foot, add a minimum charge and list your upholstery and stain-treatment prices separately. A written list stops you from pricing each house by feel and under-charging the hard ones. Our guide to carpet cleaning price per room and per square foot covers how pros structure the list.

A standard 12 by 12 room is 144 square feet (12 x 12). Multiply your per-square-foot rate by 144 and compare it with your per-room price. If the two numbers are far apart, decide which one you mean to quote.

Step 5: Get your first customers

Your first jobs come from people who can find you and trust you. Set up a Google Business Profile with your service area and photos of your own work, and ask every happy customer for a review the same day. Leave a card at each job and ask for referrals.

Property managers, real estate agents and landlords need carpets cleaned between tenants, so introduce yourself to them early. Note where each job came from, then spend more where the work comes from.

Payback example: our calculation

Equipment payback is the machine price divided by the margin you keep each week. The figures below are assumptions we chose to show the arithmetic. They are not typical income, not a forecast and not a promise. Your numbers will differ.

These weeks cover the machine only. They leave out the vehicle, generator, insurance, licensing, training, your own time and the weeks you have no work, so the real time to break even is longer. The 1005LX and ETM-LX-PLUS rows also leave out the hoses and wand they need, so their real payback is longer. Change the four inputs to match your market: if you can only land 3 jobs a week, divide by $270 instead.

Which rig fits which start

For lighter machines, see the carpet extractors under 5 gallons. For built-in heat, see the heated carpet extractors. For every Mytee model, see the Mytee carpet extractors range. If your first customers are car owners, read our best extractor for car detailing list, and if you also want a mobile detailing setup, our mobile detailing setup guide prices three real rigs.

Common mistakes new owners make

• Buying the biggest machine first. A bundled portable is enough to take your first jobs and learn what you need.
• Ignoring power. Check the amp draw on the spec sheet against the circuits in the buildings you will clean.
• Skipping the minimum charge. Small jobs cost the same drive time as large ones.
• Pricing from memory. Write the list down and use it on every quote.
• Leaving out maintenance. Descale and flush the machine as the manual says, because a clogged heater or pump costs you jobs.
• Leaving the machine in a cold vehicle overnight. Mytee's manual warns that freezing can damage the pump and heater and void the warranty, so drain it or bring it inside in winter.

Janitorial and commercial cleaning is a different business with different equipment. Our post on starting a janitorial company covers that side.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need to start a carpet cleaning business?

Equipment is the part we can price: a bundled portable such as the Mytee 2008CS is $3,270. Add a vehicle if you do not own one, insurance, licensing, chemicals and training, which vary by state and provider. Get current quotes for each before you set your budget.

Is owning a carpet cleaning business profitable?

It can be, and the answer comes from your own numbers. What you keep is jobs per week x (price per job minus cost per job), before vehicle, insurance and your time. Plug in your own numbers from the payback example above. We do not quote income figures because we have no verified source for them.

How much do carpet cleaners make?

It varies with your prices, your jobs per week and your costs. Use the formula in the profitability answer above with your own inputs, and see our guide to carpet cleaning price per room for how pros set theirs.

How much does it cost to clean a 12x12 carpet?

That depends on your market and your price list. A 12 by 12 room is 144 square feet, so multiply your per-square-foot rate by 144, then compare it with your per-room price and your minimum charge. As a labeled example, at an assumed rate of $0.35 per square foot, 144 x $0.35 is about $50, which is below most minimum charges, so the minimum often sets the price of a single room.

Do you have to be licensed to be a carpet cleaner?

It depends on your state and city. Some require a business registration or local license and some do not. Check with your state's business office and your city clerk before you take paid work.

Should I start with a portable extractor or a truckmount?

Start with a portable if you are still building customers, because it costs less and carries from almost any vehicle. Move to a truckmount when your jobs are large enough that a long hose and a bolted-in machine save real time. A truckmount also needs a generator and a van.

Related guides

• Carpet Cleaning Price per Room and per Square Foot: What Pros Charge and Why
• How to Use a Carpet Cleaning Machine: The Pro Extraction Steps, Passes and Settings
• Hot Water Extraction vs Encapsulation and Low Moisture Cleaning: Which to Use When