How To Start A Home Cleaning Business

How To Start A Home Cleaning Business - Background Info:

House cleaning just used to be a service that working adults signed up for because they just didn't have the time or energy to keep up with housework.

Those days are still here but what's even more important are the growing residential cleaning jobs that are in two niches: "green" and "foreclosure."

Thus, the climate is ripe for more people who specialize in residential cleaning and cater to banks (foreclosures) and people in the community who have ecological concerns ("going green").

These areas have opened up specialty areas that are new to the professional house cleaner; and the profits have increased accordingly, also including residential crime scene cleanup.
You could combine both niches that would create one niche: "natural cleaning for home foreclosures" as well as choose one or the other.

"Going green" in the cleaning arena could involve an additional need for knowledge and know-how with making your own cleaning agents, but it could be well worth the effort with an increase to your bottom line.

How To Start A Home Cleaning Business - Tasks And Skills Needed

Bookkeeping - you must keep excellent records, for tax purposes - This task is Performed Daily/Weekly

You must know how to schedule, allowing for time to get to the site plus the cleaning work

You must be good with managing money and cash flow

You must deal with cleaning solution and equipment suppliers

You must make sure everything is done in lawful and ethical manner

You must know how to properly market and promote your office cleaning business

Business Specific Tasks:

If you are planning to do all the business tasks or hiring or subcontracting tasks, here's a list of tasks that need to be attended to when it comes to the business side of running a home cleaning business:

Computer literacy

Answering machine/good customer service skills

You must know how to schedule, allowing for time to get to the site plus the cleaning work.

You must be good with managing money and cash flow

You must deal with cleaning solution and equipment suppliers

You must make sure everything is done in lawful and ethical manner

You must know how to properly market and promote your office cleaning business

Industry Specific Tasks:

Same as above if you plan to do everything yourself or get help, here are some of the tasks necessary to operate a home cleaning business:

Dispose of garbage and other waste lawfully
You must make sure you have all necessary supplies (inventory)
You must be able to sometimes lift heavy items
Ability to handle supplies and equipment
Ability and know-how to bid on jobs

How To Start A Home Cleaning Business Approximate Daily Hours Needed:

General Hours of Operation: - When your business is open - Depending on your location, this job typically has longer hours that span from early in the morning to early evening.

Hours Needed to Prepare - Before Opening and After Hours Activities - Plan to spend about an hour to load equipment and get to your destination. At the end of the day, plan on closer to two hours to clean and store equipment and chemicals properly.

Number of Employees Needed To Run This Business:

Minimum Number of Employees - During the Start Up Phase: You can start this business yourself on a full- or part-time basis.

Number of Employees - Once Your Business is Up and Running Successfully:

Website maintenance

Crew

Customer Service

Bookkeeping

Lawful debris/garbage disposal

Inventory supply

Skill Requirements for This Business:

Commercial/office cleaning

Carpet cleaning

Drapery, window, shade cleaning

Calculate estimates

How to make natural cleaning solutions

Ecological knowledge, reducing waste

How to use the proper products to match the chores

Licenses:

Though each state/province city and town have different laws, you must contact your local office to get the proper permits to operate a residential cleaning business. It is also recommended that you are bonded and have liability insurance coverage.

To make your business legitimate, you will also need an LLC business license and tax i. d. number.

Approximate Minimum Start up Cost:

Bare essential: - To start this type of business you'll need approximately $1,000 to $10,000 to purchase cleaning supplies, equipment, vehicle maintenance, gasoline

Minimal exposure - If you want to expand your business, you are looking at $10,000 - $100,000. With this amount of funding, you'll be off to a good start with better equipment, hire a crew, a better equipped main facility, purchase trucks or vans, and some operating money to run and market your business.

Necessary Equipment to Run this Business:

Necessary Start-Up Equipment & Supplies:

Cleaning solutions (purchased or homemade)

Rubber gloves

Appropriate work clothing and shoes

Paper towels or cleaning towels, newspaper for windows

Mop, bucket, broom, dustpan

Vacuum

Scrubbing sponges and/or brushes

A carrying case to hold supplies and transport them from job to job

A car

Trash bags

Cell phone

Computer/Website

Supplementary Equipment: - Equipment or helpful products that you can acquire to once your business is off and running:

Uniforms: modern aprons with pockets and company logo, hats, shirts, overalls, etc.

Dedicated van(s) or truck(s)

Steam cleaners for carpets and drapes

Filing cabinet

Printer

Fax

Bid software

Warehouse or other storage for equipment and supplies

Dumpster

Dispatch units and service

Monthly Expenses To Consider:

Water
Rent
Phone (some prefer a toll-free number for business-only)
Internet access
Business insurance
Advertising, including website design and hosting
Vehicle insurance
Gasoline/fuel
Cleaning products and disposable gloves and paper towels
Professional Fees - accountant or bookkeeper
Wages

Special Requirements For This Business:

You may decide to obtain additional certification in proper disposal of garbage and use of chemicals
You'll also need to be in good shape because residential cleaning is physical work. Keep in mind working indoors and outdoors, you're exposed to dust, noise, pests, weather, etc.

Pros And Cons:

The Pros of Running a Home Cleaning Business:

You can work in solitude

You set your daily, weekly, and monthly work schedule

You can offer additional services such as before- and after-party clean-up

One of the lowest-cost businesses to start

Supplies and mileage are tax deductible

A highly demanded service

There is plenty of work to keep you in business.

This business is completely expandable.

The Cons of Running a Home Cleaning Business:

Clients can hover over you as you work

You need to have a good customer base or you'll find yourself broke

You can be held liable for stolen or broken items (hence being bonded and insured).

Wear and tear on your vehicle and tires

Physically demanding work

Some types of garbage might be hard to deal with: toilets, refrigerators, food that's been left out for a long time, urine and other excrements that cause stains.

Type of Customers You Need to Attract:

Banks and real estate companies are great customers for cleaning homes that have foreclosed on or have been sitting on the market a long time.

Also consider apartment buildings that need "trash out" service for tenants who have skipped out of their rent agreement and payment(s).

Residential homeowners may be too busy with work loads or may be older and need cleaning assistance.

An abundance of non-residential customers must also be faced in this business such as apartment buildings, restaurants, corporate buildings, etc.

Home Cleaning Business Statistics:

Because the home and residential cleaning businesses vary according to different niches, see Valuation Resources for current statistics, trends and outlooks.

Revenue:

"'How much should I charge' is the million dollar question - literally. The answer is a big part of the difference in what makes a million-dollar cleaning business versus the typical mediocre house cleaning business," says Gary Goranson, founder and president of cleaning company Work Enders and leader of the House Cleaning Biz 101 program. There are so many factors to consider in properly pricing a housecleaning that the answer to the how-much-to-charge question is rarely obvious (CNN Money).

Most house cleaners charge by the hour so find out what the going rate is where you live.

The U.S. Census Bureau has up-to-date revenue for various service industries and specific home cleaning statistics as well.

Resources:

Industry-Specific Websites:

Home Business Center (Cleaning)

MaidDocs

Cleaning-Tips

Maid Services of America

Courses:

The House Cleaning Success System

Housecleaning Pro

House Cleaning Biz 101

Equipment and Supplies:

The Clean Team

Clean Freak

Janitorial Supplies Co., Inc.
Monster Janitorial

Forums:

Global Cleaning Association
Janitorial Cleaning Business

Franchises:

Franchise Gator

Merry Maids

Maid Brigade

Maid Pro

Associations:

Global Cleaning Association

Association of Residential Cleaning Services International

International Janitorial Cleaning Services Association

Books and E-Books:

Start and Run a Profitable Home Cleaning Business

Start and Run a Home Cleaning Business

Cleaning Service

Software:

Software Systems

Other:

Foreclosure House Cleaning Business

Home Biz Tips (Housecleaning)

Related Businesses:

Party planning
Catering
Party setup and take down
Write and sell ebooks on cleaning techniques
Making your own natural cleaning solutions