Mobile sofa and mattress cleaning

Homeowners, families with kids or pets, landlords, property managers, Airbnb hosts and small offices.

A set price per item (sofa, armchair, mattress) or per room, with add-ons for stain treatment, pet odour removal and fabric protection. Many jobs are booked in bundles, such as a sofa and two chairs.

• Knowing fabrics and how to test them
• Using extraction machines safely
• Clear customer communication and quoting
• Reliable scheduling

• Commercial general liability insurance, ideally covering damage to customers' furniture
• Risk of colour bleeding, shrinking or water marks on delicate fabrics, so always test and use a written disclaimer
• Check whether your municipality or province requires a business licence for mobile services
• Register for GST/HST once revenue passes the small supplier threshold
• Winter work needs good drying times and a heated vehicle or storage for solutions that can freeze
• WCB/WSIB coverage rules by province if you hire help

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your extraction equipment, vehicle setup and insurance. Treat this as an estimate and compare machine and coverage prices before buying.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,500, depending on how many jobs you book and your pricing. The estimate assumes at least about 8 hours a week.

Things to check: commercial general liability insurance that ideally covers damage to customers' furniture, whether your municipality or province requires a business licence, GST/HST registration once revenue passes the small supplier threshold, and WCB/WSIB rules if you hire help.