How to Start a Cleaning Business

Before you start a cleaning business, you need to ask yourself some questions to determine if this is the right business for you.

• Are you a skilled cleaner?
• Are you in good physical condition?
• Do you have high standards, and can you meet them?
• Can you deal with the realities of the job?

Starting a cleaning business requires hands-on skills and experience. It is important that you know what equipment and cleaning agents to use in each instance. In addition, you have to possess excellent organizational skills. Being organized saves you time and money, and prevents unnecessary stress for you, your staff, and your clients.

Opening any business means you have to be financially ready to take on the responsibilities and duties of a business owner. To start a cleaning business, you will have to pay for a wide range of start-up fees, including insurance, licenses and permits, and labor costs.

Whether you choose to enter a niche market, like cleaning porcelain, carpets, or residential homes, your cleaning services should complement your experience and skill set.

If you choose to enter a niche field, it's important to note that specialized equipment and services are only worth providing if you have the experience and access to resources. If you're new to the niche field, your training and equipment costs might outweigh your cleaning revenue.

Once you've evaluated your skills and experience, it's time to find the services that suit your particular set of competencies. There are eight popular cleaning services to consider. These include:

• Residential cleaning.
• Commercial or janitorial services.
• Carpet cleaning.
• Upholstery cleaning.
• Construction cleaning.
• Window cleaning.
• Crime scene cleanup.
• Move-in and move-out cleanup.

The target market you pursue should be based on local demand and the cleaning services you chose. Conducting market research for your cleaning business will further clarify who your customers are, show if there are enough of them, and reveal how best to make them happy.

Will enough people with enough spending power use your services? Who is your prospective client? Will they be interested in your service? Contact local cleaning business owners and ask them what kind of cleaning business this market needs, or doesn't need more of.

To get accurate market information, you could hire a professional market research firm. Or, you can teach yourself to do market research and use data analytics tools.

The equipment you invest in will mostly depend on your type of cleaning business. For instance, you are starting a window cleaning business you will need ladders. In addition, you may need a cellphone and computer to communicate with customers and staff, and to perform administrative duties.

Initially, you can choose a specific outfit that all your staff can wear. This could become your trademark over time, or you could order uniforms.

Now that you've decided on the type of cleaning business you would like to start, it is time to create a detailed, compelling business plan. This will help you to secure financing. If you are looking for investors, they will be more approachable if you have a good business plan.

Essentials for a Cleaning Services Business Plan:

• Executive summary.
• Company description.
• Products and services.
• Marketing plan.
• Operational plan.
• Management.
• Ownership's personal financial statements.
• Financial plan.
• Appendices.

Download our free, customizable business plan template for a cleaning business. Our generic template offers a table of contents, guidelines, and navigation text to help you structure your business plan.

Before you can officially operate under a business name, you will have to verify that the name is available by conducting a trademark search and a business name search on your local Secretary of State's website.

For a cleaning business, we recommend opening a sole proprietorship or a Limited Liability Company (LLC). With a sole proprietorship, you have complete managerial control and it's easy to setup. An LLC takes advantage of the benefits of both a corporation and a partnership.

Every business is required to obtain an EIN if they plan on hiring employees. You can register for an EIN on the IRS website.

This will help keep accurate bookkeeping records, help with clear audits, and present professionalism. Contact your local banks and research the different business accounts they have on offer.

Business cards are one of the simplest and easiest ways for you to attract new customers, advertise your services, and showcase your professionalism. You can hand out business cards to all your clients.

To start a cleaning business you need a regular business license or a cleaning business license, depending on your state or local government. Search the Small Business Administration's licenses and permits page to find out if you need a cleaning license to work in your area. From there you need to file necessary applications to become a licensed cleaning business.

Depending on the scale of your cleaning business, your startup costs can be comparatively low, ensuring debt starts at a minimum. The startup costs linked with starting a cleaning business include the price of cleaning supplies and equipment, marketing, insurance, and business licenses (if applicable). The items you need will depend on your business’s cleaning services.

These loans are managed by the Small Business Administration, and help businesses with limited financial alternatives through federally-backed lending to access funding at low-interest rates.

Network until you find your investors. Approach family and friends who have the capital to invest in your cleaning business. Also, try to get an angel investor—an affluent person who invests in you rather than in the viability of your venture.

Your cleaning business can use a small business loan to purchase equipment, inventory, and more. Small business lending includes microloans, bank loans, credit cards, venture capital, and SBA-backed loans.

Once you have a set hourly rate, you can start budgeting for transportation, labor, marketing, and specialty cleaning services. When establishing your hourly rate, be sure to include your expertise and previous experience. In addition, your rate should largely depend on the size of the job.

For example, if you are expected to clean a commercial building, you need to consider the size of the building, the facilities you are expected to clean, and the time you need to finish the entire building. In these cases, opt for charging per square foot.

Your cleaning service's success hinges on how fast your workers can reach job sites. You can't rely on public transport or personal transport arrangements made by your staff, as you would need to move heavy equipment in many cases.

If you are starting a residential cleaning business without a crew, you can use your private motor vehicle until you expand. Bear in mind that some states require you to get a commercial license plate before you are allowed to use your private vehicle for business purposes.

The best vehicle for your cleaning business is a van, truck, station wagon, or SUV. Your cleaning business needs a heavy-duty vehicle—and eventually more than one—to store and transport your staff and equipment. The vehicle you need depends on the type and the size of your equipment.

Your cleaning business is only as good as its employees. Therefore, your crew needs to be efficient, customer-focused, and able to deal with unique on-the-job challenges. To attract and recruit top talent, make use of an applicant tracking system that allows users to advertise jobs, gather resumes, and track applicants.

Important skills to teach your employees include:

• Client service.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Time management.
• Handling of cleaning equipment, detergents, and other chemicals.
• Attention to detail and quality control skills.
• Health and safety rules.
• Compliance.

This is a great way to get started and to spread the message about your cleaning business. Encourage your family and friends to tell people about your cleaning business and what you've got to offer.

There are free email and SMS marketing services available to help you cut your marketing expenses. You can also open a social media account for free on all popular platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

Your company website should be a great source of information, listing everything about your business's history and leadership, cleaning services, previous experience, rates, and contact information. Be sure to register your domain name so that potential clients can easily find your website.