Chem-Dry Debuts New Area Rug Cleaning Program

Reimagined equipment uses less room and allows franchise owners to capitalize on this growing and highly profitable line of business

One major reason Chem-Dry remains a well-known and steadily growing brand is its dedication to creating new lines of business. Every Chem-Dry cleaning franchise owner can offer whole-home cleaning thanks to services that include not just carpets, but also granite, leather, upholstery and more.

In recent years, Chem-Dry moved into area-rug cleaning, a service that has great appeal for homeowners and businesses. Some adjustments are now making that service even more appealing to franchise owners, says Doug Smith, Senior Vice President of Franchise Development.

Equipment upgrade offers multiple benefits

“We wanted to put more focus on area rugs, and so we’ve created some additional training around them. We also built new cleaning equipment that is much easier to use,” Smith says. “Many of our franchise owners don’t have large workshops, and they wanted something with a smaller footprint. Now we’ve been able to deliver on that request.”

Area rugs are usually removed by the Chem-Dry team to be cleaned remotely. The former cleaning equipment required area rugs to be laid flat for cleaning, needing as much as 625 square feet of floor space. A new line of equipment utilizes a trough/flush-type setup, which allows a rug to be cleaned and dried while remaining rolled up.

“Even if an owner had an empty garage, they were hard-pressed to make area rug cleaning work,” Smith says. “The new design is much easier for them to use.”

Retooling and rethinking are brand hallmarks

This reimaging is the kind of thing that sets Chem-Dry apart from other floor cleaning franchises, Smith says, because it shows a brand that eagerly solicits owner feedback — and then acts on it.

“We rolled this out to some beta-testers so that they could use it and let us know the strengths and weaknesses,” he explains. “We don’t just produce new equipment in a vacuum. Area rugs are a huge revenue and profit opportunity, because the franchise owner can charge significantly more per square foot for those vs. carpet cleaning. Even so, we want to do it right, and so we’re very pleased with the new equipment and the opportunities it gives Chem-Dry franchise owners.”

Chem-Dry is the world’s largest carpet and upholstery cleaning franchise with nearly 3,500 franchises in 53 countries, serving 10,000 homes and businesses a day. Chem-Dry has been Entrepreneur magazine’s top-rated carpet cleaning franchise for 30 straight years. The Chem-Dry Hot Carbonating Extraction process delivers a faster-drying, deeper and more environmentally friendly clean that appeals to home and business owners. In addition to carpet and area rugs, Chem-Dry provides cleaning and renewal services for tile and stone, granite countertops, leather and upholstery.

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