What to Consider When Buying a Carpet Cleaning Business

Chem-Dry owns twice the market share of its closest competitor in the carpet cleaning business. Here?s why.

What should you consider when buying a carpet cleaning business? You should look for a business that is distinct from the competition; has a long record of success; and can be easily financed.

Setting your carpet cleaning business apart

Moisture from Steam Cleaning VS Chem-Dry’s Process

Most carpet cleaning businesses use steam cleaning, which pushes large amounts of water and detergent into carpet, then uses a high-pressure vacuum to suck the dirty water up. When done well, it can be effective. But even then, because the method uses so much water, the carpet can take days to dry, creating a large-scale petri dish for mold and mildew, which can begin growing in a wet carpet and its backing in a day or two. Soapy detergents, meanwhile, cling to carpet fibers, leaving behind residue that can actually attract dirt and irritate the respiratory passages of people and pets. And all that is best-case.

Chem-Dry was founded in 1977 by Robert Harris, who saw how well club soda could clean a tie and set out to create technologies and non-toxic cleaning solutions that would use the power of carbonation to clean carpet fibers on a molecular level, using far less water so that carpet would clean in an hour or two instead of a day or more. Chem-Dry?s patented hot carbonated extraction system leaves no residue behind, so carpets don?t just look clean, they are clean ? and they stay clean. Customers notice the difference. Ninety percent of Chem-Dry?s business comes from customer referrals and word-of-mouth, and our 96 percent rate of repeat business is the highest in the industry.

Look for a track record of success

The carpet cleaning industry is a very fragmented market, but a handful of companies have emerged as name brands within the industry. Chem-Dry is the biggest, controlling 7.5 percent of the carpet cleaning market in the United States ? nearly twice as much as our nearest competitor. More than 3,500 franchise owners have helped build Chem-Dry into an international brand, and while 75 percent of the market is made up of independent carpet cleaners, Chem-Dry is continuing to grow. That?s because Chem-Dry is a brand people stick with: The average franchise owner stays with Chem-Dry for 19 years ? nearly three times the average for the franchise industry.

?Chem-Dry offers the most thorough and environmentally friendly carpet cleaning, and while we?re already the largest carpet cleaner, we will continue to grow,? President and CEO Dan Tarantin says. ?We?re already a dominant brand west of the Rockies and we?re expanding aggressively in the eastern United States, so it?s an exciting time to be part of the brand.?

Chem-Dry has been helping people start carpet cleaning businesses for three decades and offers extensive training and support to help your business thrive.

Chem-Dry can finance your carpet cleaning business

Chem-Dry eliminates one of today?s biggest obstacles to starting a new business by offering direct financing to owners. You won?t have to go to a bank to get started with Chem-Dry because parent company Harris Research offers low-interest rate loans to franchisees, with payments delayed a few months to allow you to get your business up and running. You can read about startup costs and equipment packages here.

To learn more about Chem-Dry and read interviews with our customers and franchisees, visit our blog. To start a conversation, fill out the form at the upper right to download our free franchise report or give us a call at 1-877-307-8233.