Empowered Woman | Entrepreneurs

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Starting a business involves careful planning, writing a business plan, making critical financial decisions, and completing key activities.

You need every advantage you can get.

By starting a cleaning business, you are tapping into an enormous market with plenty of clientele. There will always be a demand for cleaning services, which keeps you in business and keeps every client’s home spotless.

Below is a complete guide on how to start a cleaning business from the ground up.

1. Create A Business Plan

If your test run goes well and you decide house cleaning is the business for you, it’s time to create a formal business plan. A comprehensive plan is a best practice for explaining how your business will be structured and run.

Although writing a business plan isn’t mandatory for a cleaning business, it can help you crystallize your ideas and avoid many mistakes.

Studies show that entrepreneurs who take the time to write a business plan when starting a cleaning business (and other businesses) are 2.5 times more likely to follow through and get their business off the ground. The work that goes into creating a business plan also helps new entrepreneurs build skills that will be invaluable later.

2. Set A Reasonable Cleaning Business Budget

Some questions that many potential cleaning business owners ask are –

• Can I start a cleaning company with no money?
• How can I keep my costs down? Is starting this type of business expensive?

The answer is it will take some money, but it can be a lot less expensive than you might think!

Performing most of your cleaning jobs solo will help keep more money in your pocket, but budgeting is about more than how many hours you work. After all, you will need to invest in some supplies for your business to succeed, as well as track and cover vehicle maintenance and fuel costs.

Determine a reasonable budget for your business, including the replacement of products/equipment and other necessary things.

Aim to pay yourself an hourly wage, set aside money for cleaning equipment, and calculate estimated taxes so you can prepare for successful business ownership. If you neglect to set money aside for taxes, your business budget will quickly disappear.

3. Decide What Cleaning Equipment To Purchase

Your supply needs will depend in part on the type of cleaning business you open.

Consider what type of cleaning products to buy: will you use bleach and other traditional cleaners in clients’ homes, or are you planning to use environmentally friendly or other “green” products? Determine how you will prevent cross-contamination between client homes—whether through using disposable materials or adopting stringent sanitation practices—and plan accordingly when it comes to purchasing equipment. 

In addition to cleaning equipment, you may need some basic business tools and technology to run your company.

4. Choose A Brand Name For Your New Cleaning Company

Your business name is a critical component of your brand. A general best practice is creating something original and memorable while clearly reflecting what you do.

You can use a play on words, part or all of your name, a quirky or fun nickname, or something based on your geographical location or the specific type of cleaning services you offer.

– You should aim to choose a title for your business which:
– Accurately describes the company
– Is easy to spell and remember
– Is not already in use
– Sounds good and reads well
– Can grow with the business

While deciding on a business name, you should search online for the names you like. If another company already has the same name as you, you should find out sooner rather than later. Legal issues with using another business’ name—even if you do it unintentionally—can cost you. 

5. Setup Proper Licensing For Your Cleaning Business

When you’ve chosen your business entity, you’ll need to comply with state, county and municipal laws for operating. You may have to obtain a business license and formally register with the state to establish it as a legal body.

You may want or need insurance for your house cleaning business. In some cases, this may be required by law. In other cases, it’s a best practice to provide protection for yourself and your business.

6. Set Up Business Accounting And Bookkeeping

Business accounting is how your business records, organizes, interprets, and presents its financial information. Accountants analyze the financial condition of a business to help the business owner make better decisions.

Bookkeeping is the recording, organization, storage, and retrieval of financial information related to your business.

This is highly recommended to make sure to keep your business income and personal finances separate. In many cases, this will simplify future bookkeeping and tax filing needs. Having a separate business bank account can also facilitate the process if you or your company are ever audited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Many small businesses will use an outside bookkeeper, paid hourly to handle all entries, pay all the bills, and manage invoicing and receivables. Having help with this aspect of managing a small company can be indispensable, and the time it can free for a busy owner, is invaluable.

7. Find Clients

Without clients, your business won’t survive. To find potential clients, marketing is essential. Think of your target audience when planning your marketing.

Depending on your market research, you may choose to target a specific niche audience. Think creatively to find possibilities such as these:

• Cleaning for seniors
• Cleaning for military families
• Cleaning for young professionals
• Deep cleaning before or after special events
• Cleaning for pet owners

One very powerful tip: If your new clients are happy with your services, ask them to write a review or provide a referral. As you build a strong reputation, acquiring new clients will probably become increasingly easier.

8. Find The Right Help

At times, every entrepreneur has felt like they’re in it alone.

But, for your business to scale and grow, you’re going to need help. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day, and you can’t work all of them.

You can ask for a family member to help you, but eventually, if all goes well, you’ll hire employees to take tasks off of your plate so that you can focus on serving your clients or expanding your cleaning business.

But employees must be paid. So, at first, you should only hire for positions that will provide the most immediate benefit to your business.

9. Make Customer Service A Top Priority

Cleaning is a straightforward occupation: you remove dirt and make surfaces shine. But in customer service roles, you need to put client needs first, and that means being available to potential and existing customers, responding promptly to service and quote requests, and following up with clients to ensure repeat business.

10. Get Your Cleaning Business Off The Ground

Starting a cleaning service can be a great way to become your own boss. That said, founding a new business from scratch is a big endeavor. Following the tips above may offer a streamlined and organized approach as you get started.

Creating a totally new business all on your own can be quite daunting. You may find enlisting a little help very valuable in numerous areas, from marketing to accounting. When you’re ready for your next steps, consider connecting with the professional talent you need where you can select ideal experts from a far-reaching global pool.

Find the professionals you need today.