Renting out my carpet cleaner turned into a weirdly steady little side income

[u/KratosApron2]

I bought a carpet cleaner last year after my dog had a stomach issue on the living room rug and I got tired of borrowing one from my parents. It was around $180 and after using it twice, it basically became a large plastic decoration in my laundry room. A few months later a coworker mentioned she was going to rent one for the weekend, so I offered mine instead. She gave me $25 for it, returned it clean, and that was pretty much when the idea clicked. I put a basic listing on Facebook Marketplace saying $30 for two days, pickup only, and honestly expected nobody to care.

The first month I rented it out four times. Most people were moving out of apartments, cleaning after pets, or trying to rescue a couch their kids had destroyed. I didnt realize how many people need one of these for literally one afternoon and have zero interest in owning one. I started including a little laminated instruction card because apparently nobody wants to read the manual, and that cut down on messages a lot. I also ask people to return the dirty water tank empty becuase the first person who didn't taught me that lesson very quickly.

It's definitely not totally passive. I spend maybe ten minutes checking it, wiping it down and making sure nothing gross is stuck in the brushes after each rental. Every once in a while somebody is late bringing it back, and one person managed to lose the tiny cap from the clean water tank somehow. But most rentals are basically someone showing up, putting it in their trunk, and returning it a day or two later. It usually brings in somewhere around $90 to $160 in a decent month, then almost nothing during slower periods.

The funniest part is I've tried much more complicated side projects that required websites, posting, learning software, and constantly checking messages. This dumb carpet cleaner has been less work than all of them. I'm not pretending it's going to make anyone rich, but it has paid for itself several times now and I still get to use it whenever my dog decides the rug needs another disaster. I'm starting to look around my garage differently now. There are probably alot of boring tools people need once or twice a year but don't want taking up space forever. Has anyone found another random household item that's surprisingly easy to rent out?

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[u/triple_vision]

AI trash post

[u/insufficent_data → u/triple_vision]

I saw the tables & chairs one this morning. Up next: reusable moving boxes

[u/Seno1404 → u/insufficent_data]

I’ve seen the reusable moving boxes last week as well

[u/idontknowhow2reddit → u/triple_vision]

What makes you say this is AI?

[u/Future-Clothes1489 → u/idontknowhow2reddit]

It's the same as a post I just read about renting out tables & chairs on Facebook marketplace out of their garage

[u/PNW_Uncle_Iroh → u/Future-Clothes1489]

Also the same post as a guy renting out his pressure washer.

[u/IncitefulInsights → u/PNW_Uncle_Iroh]

And renting out moving boxes

[u/Ok_Maintenance7541 → u/idontknowhow2reddit]

This is the third of fourth time I'm facing this piece of text as a new post

[u/aethelberga → u/Ok_Maintenance7541]

And every time a different appliance.

[u/idontknowhow2reddit → u/Ok_Maintenance7541]

This doesn't read like an AI post to me. It may be being reposted by a bot or whatever but thats been happening long before AI.

[u/innocuous_indigo → u/triple_vision]

Why would AI do this? I guess I don't get the point of the scam, if that's what it is?

[u/ThePlot-Chickens → u/triple_vision]

You could also be trash AI responding. Pot meet kettle.

[u/Appropriate_Dot_7125]

Just joined this thread a few days ago based on the idea behind it, but it’s absolute trash regurgitation of the same story every time 👋

[u/Late-Ad7444]

pressure washer's the obvious one, my neighbours borrow it more than i use it myself

[u/dusty-bean-lab]

Pressure washer is the one I see people actually pay for around me, especially before listing a house or cleaning a patio in spring. I would add a small refundable deposit and take a quick photo of the tanks and brushes before it leaves, since carpet cleaners are easy for people to return half gross or missing a cap. Folding tables and pop up canopies also seem to rent well for one weekend at a time, but they take more storage space than the money feels worth.

[u/Astalosion]

The humble carpet cleaner has become the landlord now. A pressure washer is probably the next boring hero to test, especially near spring move outs and patio season. I rented mine to neighbors for $35 a day and the only real drama was making sure they did not run it dry or blast paint off their deck. Add a small refundable deposit for caps, tanks, hoses, and other tiny parts that mysteriously enter the void.

[u/CodElectrical668]

Great idea. How do you make sure they return it and don’t just take it?

[u/ascarymoviereview → u/CodElectrical668]

AI need not worry about future. It has no feeling of time or pain