How To Start A Cleaning Business: The Simplest Step-By-Step Guide 

I want to start a Cleaning business but don't know how. Thanks for this information I pray so to start soon

Wow can I just say I respect you SO much. For several different reasons. First thing I wanted to say is how much you interact with your supporters. You literally responded to every single person in the comments! I love that. And the fact that you truly want to help others succeed, you're awesome girl. Keep going and just know you're inspiring, beyond inspiring ❤ I am at a low point in my life right now being a legit slave as a housekeeper for a big Corporation and been feeling discouraged bc I don't know where to begin on how to get clients bc I want to clean homes bc u actually enjoy cleaning, it helps my anxiety so much. But I'm writing a novel lol sorry, just wanted to say thank you and you're more amazing than you know!

@@benijane6042 💕

@@VelvetAnnn BEST. REPLY. EVER. 💕 Keep chasing your dreams and know I’m here to support you! You got this!

Thanks! I actually just made a video about that here... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u8EgeulHYt0.html And you are soooo right about the ability to make lots of money if you're willing to clean up after others. Congreats on your success!

Thanks!@@TheProfessionalCleaner

Thanks for the important work you do for the school board! :-) And a seasonal cleaning business is totally doable! Especially if you focus more on one time cleanings... move out, construction, vacation rentals, etc. :-)

Get it! So much work out there for those that want it! :-)

You can do it! Proud of you!

That's what I am doing

Awesome! You got this!

Thanks for watching! And if you love cleaning, then you should absolutely start a cleaning business! That's the biggest obstacle for many to overcome. And it sounds like you already have your first clients! That's AWESOME!

Just go for it. This is probably the best biz you can get into with barely any investments or overhead costs. And when its your passion, you'll excel in it. Good luck

Samee 😊

When to hire? Can I get an employee to work for 3 hours on Saturday? Or should I wait?

Thank you! Let me know if you have any other questions. 😊

YASS! Awesome goal, and one of the main reasons I have been my own boss for over 2 decades!

Thank you so much!!!

Thanks so much for the very sweet comment! I owe so much to my parents. :-) I'm glad it helped you!

You’re most welcome! I’ll see you in there!

I'm so glad!

Right now it's just a business course but stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

Def profitable! And if you're already good at it you're at a huge advantage!

If you're underage then step 1 is to consult the labor laws where you live, to make sure you're legally able to start. But it's never to early to start developing skills. So for now learn how to clean, and you'll be wayyyy ahead when you do start. Even if you dont plan on cleaning in the business, you still need that knowledge since you're a cleaning biz owner. :-)

You're gonna do great! Esp if you are already thinking about product knowledge. :-) that will REALLY set you apart.

Get it! Lots of work out there for those that want it! :-)

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching! 😊

You got this!

LOL thanks :-)

NICE! You got this! 💪

Awwww... thanks so much! 🙂

Awesome goals! And love that you see the value in keeping it small. Quality over volume will always lead you to a better place and actually enjoying your business. :-)

You got this! :-)

You're welcome!

Your solo cleaner numbers are very reasonable... and I like how you did it based on 32 hours. When I did luxury residential I was working about that many billable hours... albeit I was at $75 an hour. But it's good to not rely on 40 hours a week so you build in some rest time. :-) But as for net profit; in that model I only pay for my fuel... and then I deduct my mileage on my taxes. And some basic cleaning supplies, like a bag, cleaning towels, window cleaning tools, etc. The bulk of the cleaning products/solutions and non reusable supplies I require my clients to purchase. And I've done that for my entire career. It just requires a conversation with them to explain why, and to help them understand they will end up paying for those things anyways, whether I work it into my bid or they just pay for it directly. That said, some clients did want me to order it, but they still paid. Once Amazon Prime was a thing this became more common. So I maintained the properties needed products, ordered them on my Amazon account, and invoiced them for them. In the end this didnt affect my net profit tho since I was being reimbursed. Now that I do mostly commercial, it's the same. My commercial customers are required to maintain all the products, and they usually find a local supply house to order through. It's hard to go much deeper than that in a comment, but you get the idea. So when I quote gross profit, that's pretty much net, since I limit the expenses of the business A LOT. But I'll consider making a video on this topic in the future. Thanks for following along! :-)

You can do it! Get it! :-)

You should always ask your accountant or tax pro... but generally a 1099-MISC. :-)

@@TheProfessionalCleaner thank you for this info!🙏♥️

Congrats! Keep me posted on your progress!

Great thank you! Since I mostly do commercial now I have pretty simple needs when it comes to software, and just use SquareUp for invoicing and subcontractor tracking. But if you want your software to do more like track jobs, text notifications, etc... then there are lots of options. Check out Jobber and Zenmaid to start. I am actually doing a full comparison right now of all of the available options, so stay tuned! 🙂

Not yet but it's in the works! But I can say my biz's current hourly rate is $75 and up depending on the type of cleaning. It can vary anywhere from about $40 t0 $100 depending on your market. :-)

@@TheProfessionalCleaner Awesome, thank you so much!

Awesome! So much potential! :-)

Hey just wondering, how's it going now?

What resources are you referring to?

It can be an INCREDIBLE side hustle! I even like that I have a fully staffed commercial cleaning business, but sometimes I'll get opportunities to go clean something on my own for super good money. And if I have the time and desire, I might go to it. It's like a personal side hustle inside my already thriving biz. So many directions you can go, and cleaning is a universal need that isn't going anywhere. :-)

Welcome aboard! :-)

Thank you! 🤗

Yep... offices are typically evenings. For daytime look at churches, retail stores (especially those that open later in the day), coffee shops... honestly just drive up and down your streets and see what opportunities are there. I would stay away from bars and restaurants tho. :-)

@TheProfessionalCleaner Thany you very much for your insight & advice! May I ask why I should steer clear of bars and restaurants?

Just cuz food and drink are whole new level of cleaning, unless the owners/staff do a pretty good job of keeping the space up and you're just hired for more detail work. So I just prefer general cleaning like bathrooms, dusting, floors, etc... that which is the typical stuff in commercial cleaning. :-) But regardless just bid it right and you'll be good! @@zanamoss693

Sure. When I talk about Air Bnb, I’m referring to cleaning rental apartments and homes. I’ve got an entire section on pricing and rental units in my course. Please feel free to check it out. courses.theprofessionalcleaner.net/products/cba

Glad it was helpful! 😀

I'm so glad!

Thanks for watching Beni! Check out my course. It will teach you everything you need to know. 😊 courses.theprofessionalcleaner.net

Thanks for watching! And for purchasing the course! 😊 ☺️

You can absolutely do it! And I feel you on the degree... but I always just try to focus on future decisions and go after what I want. I'm here to support you. :-)

Thanks for watching! A new 2024 version should be dropping this week!

I appreciate you watching! 😊

I'm so glad!

Subcontractors are their own business owners, and would need their own insurance. If you hire employees, they could fall under yours. :-)

You're welcome 😊

Nice! Just start getting in front of people and offering your services! The timing will never be 'perfect...' so just START! :-)

Thank you and love the name!!! 🥰🤣

I would love to connect with you.

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks for watching! I cannot give legal advice on subs vs employees since each business is so different, and laws vary from place to place, but I do share my experience. And my hiring process is broken down in the program... and it's a common topic in my private community which you'll also get access to if you join. :-)

I have an updated for 2024 version of this video too you can check out, but it's more or less the same guidance. :-) You generally don't need training certificates for general janitorial. You can just learn yourself as you go. Then as you grow, pass on your knowledge to your staff and keep growing. :-)

@@TheProfessionalCleaner thanks for sharing

You're so welcome! :-)

Getting started early!

Thank you Quinton! That means a lot! 😊

As a business owner you will need to take responsibility for things like this, but if you hire good people you won't have issues. :-)

Congrats! The more people you talk to, the faster you'll grow! I would work on business license first, if that's required where you live. Then get your insurance quote, but you don't need to activate it/start paying for it until you actually land clients. Once you get your first client signed on, THEN get your insurance active. 👍

Hey there! It's always good to find a niche, so good job! First off, I would just expect that some would be concerned about harsh chemicals, so you'd need to factor that in. It's a double edged sword... that's an environment with a lot of germs so on one hand you want to kill that bacteria, but obviously you'd need to be strategic about it so the kiddos aren't coming into contact with the products you use. But in general, a product like Lysol would require 3 minutes of dwell time to work. Meaning the surface needs to stay wet for 3 minutes for the product to do it's thing. So basically, as long as you weren't cleaning like "right before" the kids showed up, you should be fine. Here is an interesting article I found about the 'germiest' places. www.lysol.com/clean-and-protect/tips-for-parents/back-to-school/school-germs-top-5-germiest-places-at-school As for talking to clients, it comes down to problems and solutions. Ask them... 1) Would you like some help with cleaning? 2) If so, what are your needs? From there, it comes down to figuring out how long it will take, how much your time is worth, and factoring in supply costs. Keep it simple. :-) And lastly you simply need to build trust that you can do the job. The simplest way to do that is like what I shared with you above... prove to them that you know what you're doing... something like... "I'm a specialist in cleaning spaces like yours to ensure proper cleaning, while maintaining the safety of those you care for." Something like that. You got this! :-)

Thank you!

Lifetime! But today is the last day to get it for $47. It's going up to $97 tonight. As my channel grows, I will be modestly increasing the cost of the course. But I will always have the mission of making cleaning biz education affordable. 💕

Thank you!!!!!!! 🙂

You are welcome! I have a newer version of this video you can also check out on my channel. :-)

Thank you! I love my subscribers! 💕

Check out my other vids! I am working a marketing one too! 😀

Hello! Yes they sure do. I also have many students in my private Facebook Group from the UK, and other lands as well. The main difference might be that certain cleaning products I recommend aren’t sold where you live, but there are always alternatives. And the business principles I teach absolutely apply equally wherever you live. :-)

Thank you so much for your answer 😊. The products aren't important as I want to introduce eco cleaning into my current small cleaning services. I'm more interested how to upscale, dealing with clients, hire people, generally management.

Then yep, my online course covers all of that! Hope to see you in there. 😊

@@TheProfessionalCleaner I'll have a look. Thank you so much 🙂

😊

This depends on each job. But I see you joined the program so we can chat more in there. :-)

You're welcome 😊

Here ya go... courses.theprofessionalcleaner.net/products/cba :-)

Hi. I hope your move went well! 💕We’re doing great!!! Please feel free to contact me through my website. www.theprofessionalcleaner.net/

You are welcome!

Like you want to clean peoples running shoes? Am I understanding? :-)

Very little... bc I make my clients purchase the bulk of the supplies. This was true when I did residential, and it's still true now that I do commercial. It's all about educating your clients. :-)

It's all in how you frame it to them. And it's def easier in commercial, but even in residential it's been my practice for the last 15+ years to have 99% of the supplies provided on site and paid by the client. With vacuums I typically cite cross contamination as my reason for that... and homeowners typically need their own vac anyways, so it's not a big ask. I'll just say... "Due to cross contamination concerns, it's much safer to have a vacuum that's only used in your home." Same w/ commercial... most offices have a vac anyways for cleaning up messes etc. Most offices/commercial spaces also have a cleaning closet, so it's just about ensuring that's stocked with what you need. When it comes to supplies on residential jobs... I just explain that while some cleaning business owners do provide/bring everything, I have found myself to be a far more efficient cleaner if everything is kept in the home. And I also explain that it's the same in the end... either I build the cost of supplies into my bids, or they pay for supplies and I only charge for labor. It's just about figuring out what works for your business and educating your customers. 🙂

Where I live using your personal name in your LLC wouldn't be a factor, since it's still an LLC. The name doesn't dictate the protection it provides. Now Sole Prop is a different story. :-) But asking your accountant is a good idea. Thanks for watching! 👍

Great question, and yes! That’s how I do it. But since I am still in my commercial buildings checking in, and touching up here and there, I have my own policy too. And since I’m the one signing the contract, many of my clients would require it anyway. It’s not a huge expense tho either way. 😊

@@TheProfessionalCleanerWould I need insurance for all this if I just have a residential cleaning business?

@@deidrascott8871 If you want to be protected then yes. It's not worth the risk to not be insured. And in some places it's a legal requirmement. :-)

AWESOME GOALS! And lots of demand for that! :-)

Hey, would love to be part of your employee if you don't mind :))

My program is a great place to start :-) courses.theprofessionalcleaner.net/products/cba

Hello! I am in the US, but I have students in many places, including Canada, UK, Australia and even some countries in Africa. 🙂

Every biz is different but ideally you would factor in the cost of your sub/employees ahead of time and have a clear estimate on your profit margin. My goal has always been 6 figures of take home pay as the biz owner. :-)

And don’t forget to factor in taxes and savings to help build the businesses capital over time. I recommend investing in a tax pro/accountant to help with those decisions.

In residential I don't do contracts, just a simple 'agreement.' It states the terms and agreed upon price. In commercial I do contracts but the length varies based on the clients needs. :-)

Invoicing software. :-)

Absolutely... especially in Commercial cleaning. That's the norm. :-)

Hi! Most of my clients are ones I went after directly, which is what leads to quality. Once you have a good base of quality clients, you will get referrals. And I teach my students how to 'go after the clients they want.' Quality over quantity! :-)

yep! I started at 18!

On RU-vid, no sales pitch. Just helping people with their cleaning businesses. I have a coaching program if you're interested though. Thanks for watching! courses.theprofessionalcleaner.net/products/cba

Don't be ashamed! Just right down your goals and start working towards it! One step at a time!

Hi

Thats awesome! I keep residential contracts very simple, if thats what youre asking. :-)

I'm in the US, but have students all over. Canada, Europe, Australia, and even some in Africa. :-)

It depends on the market but it’s absolutely possible in most markets, if you target the clients who value quality… and not the ones who are just looking for a budget cleaner. Example… $65 an hour x 32 hours a week x 50 weeks a year (2 weeks off) = $104,000 a year. It’s all about finding the high paying clients, which with a little bit of effort is absolutely possible! 😊

Great question, but very possible. I did it with big commercial spaces. They aren’t hyper focused on quality and you can get higher end equipment to get the job done way faster so you end up making way more per hour.

@@novacleaners thank you for sharing this!

Put yourself out there! I currently have someone working for me from the Philippines, and they are wonderful. :-)

About 4 hours as of now :-)

👋 thanks for watching!

Yes, absolutely! 😊

@@TheProfessionalCleaner thank you appreciate it

Appreciate you too!