How do you start an upholstery cleaning business in 2027?

Honest 5/10 take.

Startup costs: $3k-$12k. Portable extractor with low-moisture upholstery tool $1.5k-$3k, dry-cleaning solvent rig $500-$1.5k, brushes, fabric-safe solutions $400-$900. Most pros bolt this onto carpet cleaning � standalone is harder. Used SUV/van $5k-$12k. IICRC UFT (Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician) cert $300-$500.

Permits: LLC, general liability $600-$1k/yr, commercial auto. Care-label literacy matters � wrong method on a W-coded fabric and you owe a couch.

Acquisition: Standalone upholstery rarely fills a calendar � bundle with carpet/tile. Thumbtack and Angi convert at $30-$80 per booked job. Better: interior designers, estate liquidators, used-furniture resellers. Instagram before/after reels are the highest-ROI channel for this vertical specifically. Nextdoor pet-stain posts.

Revenue model: Sofa $130-$220, sectional $200-$400, dining chairs $20-$35 each, mattress $90-$160. Average ticket $180-$320. Add-on attach when arriving for carpet jobs is 30-50%.

Year-1: $30k-$70k as a standalone, $15k-$35k as a bundled add-on. Bundled is the real play. Demand is steady, not seasonal.