Hi Mark.
I'm a bit puzzled as it depends on how you read your post. To clean carpets or carpet cleaning involves three basic systems although there are many variations and methods. The kirby you mentioned does have a carpet cleaning system, though I have never used it and I am prepared to be proved wrong, but I would not term that as professional carpet cleaning service.
1) Hot Water Extraction or more commonly known as steam cleaning. This includes pre-spraying carpets with a solution to break up soiling and dirt in conjunction with some form or agitation or scrubbing, allowing time for the solution to work then extracting the dirt with a rinse solution or water. A machine like these ones here.
http://www.cleansmartsupplies.co.uk/acatalog/Carpet_Cleaning_Portable_Extractors.html Various makes and specifications there.
2) Low moisture. Quick drying. Various methods but the principle is the use of a rotary machine, a shampoo brush or another form of agitation, and a pad. Again pre-spray, soak the pad in solution and wring out, fit the pad onto the rotary and 'buff' the carpets removing soiling. Restormate do a starter kit like this one.
http://www.restormate.co.uk/epages/15094.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/15094/Products/RotaryPack There are other machines like Texatherm which keep the pad heated to aid cleaning and a range of chemicals all of which you can research further and ask specifically about.
3) Very Low Moisture. A powder damp to the touch impregnated with cleaning chemicals/solvents. The powder is spread over the carpet and a machine with contra rotating brushes agitates it into the carpet releasing soil which is encapsulated in the powder. Once dry this is vacuumed up.
http://www.envirodri.com/products.html Three basic methods and just to confuse a combination of the above can also be used to aid in cleaning.
Your Kirby is a great vac and will be useful as all the processes above will benefit from decent pre-vacuuming to remove dry soil, as you say the customer will have expectations and the Kirby as a stand alone carpet cleaning machine may not meet their perception. There are various places to buy equipment some of which is expensive and then you will need a good marketing budget because you have to make the phone ring.
If I have misunderstood your original post and you are aware of the above, then I'm sorry for that but I got the impression this would be your 'cleaning machine' as opposed to vacuum cleaner. Either way welcome to the forum
