Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average carpet and upholstery cleaning services business in the United States generates $364K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 6,858 carpet and upholstery cleaning services businesses in the U.S., employing 34,567 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $44K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business Actually Do?
Businesses that clean carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture at the customer's location using truck-mounted or portable steam-cleaning equipment.
Who buys: Homeowners doing seasonal or move-in/move-out cleaning, commercial property managers, restoration/insurance work.
Average Revenue
$364K
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$72K
per year
Total Businesses
6,858
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$29K
small business avg
Labor Cost
55.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$44K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
2.1
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services Charge?
Carpet cleaners price by room, by square foot, or per whole-house package.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Per room (avg) | $40–90/room |
Per sqft | $0.30–0.75/sqft |
Whole house package (2000 sqft) | $250–500 |
Upholstery cleaning (sofa) | $100–250 |
Pet stain / odor removal add-on | $50–200 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete carpet and upholstery cleaning business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a carpet and upholstery cleaning services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the carpet and upholstery cleaning services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Direct service costs | $7 | $27K | Cleaning supplies, uniforms, equipment consumables — depends on service type. |
Wages & benefits | $55 | $200K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $20K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $13K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $20 | $74K | Insurance, background checks, training, transportation, admin. |
Net profit | $8 | $29K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
14.45%
openings/year
Closure Rate
12.75%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+2.52%
annual
Businesses Closed
19,840
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
62 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a carpet and upholstery cleaning services business do?
- Businesses that clean carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture at the customer's location using truck-mounted or portable steam-cleaning equipment. Homeowners doing seasonal or move-in/move-out cleaning, commercial property managers, restoration/insurance work.
- How much do carpet and upholstery cleaning services charge?
- Carpet cleaners price by room, by square foot, or per whole-house package. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average carpet and upholstery cleaning services make per year?
- The average carpet and upholstery cleaning services business generates $364K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $29K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many carpet and upholstery cleaning services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 6,858 carpet and upholstery cleaning services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 34,567 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a carpet and upholstery cleaning services business?
- Startup costs for a carpet and upholstery cleaning services business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the carpet and upholstery cleaning services industry?
- The average employee in the carpet and upholstery cleaning services industry earns $44K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The carpet and upholstery cleaning services industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 2.5% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.4% entry vs 12.7% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 51% of carpet and upholstery cleaning services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 19,840 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the carpet and upholstery cleaning services industry earns $44,272/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 7,176 establishments employing 37,039 people, the typical business has about 5 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The carpet and upholstery cleaning services industry has grown 53% since 2000 (from 115,655 to 177,110 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services revenue with other industries: