Start A House Cleaning Business

Everyday people go about their business in a hurried pace, rushing through their to-do lists for the day, running after scheduled errands or tasks, or hurrying to catch something on time. For many people there is just not enough time to do everything they need or want to do in a day, and cleaning their house is often one of those taks they forgo doing for the day.

You can fill in the gap and help other people if you start your own house cleaning business. It can give you a rewarding income if you go about it the right way.  It allows you to work flexible hours, and best of all, you are your own boss.

Before venturing into this business, you need to ask yourself if this kind of work is something you would be able to do, and actually enjoy doing it. First, you need to be physically fit to do the work. You must also be able to relate well with your customers; after all, you are going to clean their houses. Probably most important is that you must not look at cleaning houses as drudgery.

While it is labor-intensive, you can get a sense of satisfaction doing it when you are paid well. 

A house cleaning business does not require a huge investment. 

If you have some cleaning supplies, a bucket, vacuum (only bring it if your client does not have one; otherwise, use their vacuum), broom, duster and some rags, you can practically start your cleaning business already. If you need to clean carpets, opt to rent the equipment instead of buying.

When you’re just starting out, it may be wiser not to quit your day job at first and do the cleaning on a part-time basis to get a feel of what it’s like.  When you feel it’s picking up and you decide to quit your full-time job, make sure you have at least six months savings to tide you over while building your business to the level you want it to achieve.

It’s going to be a little hard getting your first clients because most of them will want to know how long you have been in the business, thinking that the longer you have been cleaning houses, the better your are at your work. If you can convince them that, despite being new to the business, you know what you are doing, you might just be able to get them to hire you. It would help if you show confidence and assure them that you are capable of cleaning their house and that their home is in good hands.

Advertising your home cleaning business will also help you get the clients you want. Make a business card that you hand out to potential clients, or give to your family and friends so they can help you distribute it.  Call your friends and members of your family and tell them about your business; they might know someone in need of your service.

You can come up with a flyer, something you can do with your personal computer, and you can go around and post or hang it at laundromats, supermarkets, bakeries, grocery stores, coffee shops, or any establishment where the owners will accept it.  Don’t forget to put your name, contact number, your rates, and email address on it. Keep tabs of your email in case you get clients trying to reach you through the internet.

When advertising your house cleaning business, make the quality of your work as your selling point and not how low your price is. People will tend to think you don’t have much experience or, worse, that you do substandard work.

Come up with a price that you think your efforts are worth. Don’t undermine yourself, you might soon find yourself losing faith and passion in what you’re doing. You can charge by the room, by the square footage, by the hour, or a flat rate per house.

Almost every client will ask you for your references before they hire you. But what references can you show them if you’re just starting out? Offer to clean the houses of some members of your family or friends, for a discount if needs be, and ask them to give you references that you can show to other clients.

In cleaning houses, quality matters most.

Finishing fast does not matter if you did a sloppy job.  Each house you clean must be spotless as the client will expect no less.  When your customers are happy with your service, they will come back for more.  Best of all, you can get more clients by word of mouth, that is when they recommend you to their family or friends.

When you go inside someone’s home, they need to know they can trust you. Get insurance and bonding through your local insurance company. It entails a cost but it’s well worth it, as you become more credible to more clients out there.

Let’s face it; we all want a clean home. But most people don’t have the time to do it, and the rest simply do not like doing it.  So cash in on the house cleaning business by setting up your own.  It is reportedly one of the fastest growing industries nowadays, and the sooner you start, the more customers you’ll get.

Are you making money with your own house cleaning business? Be sure to share your comments, thoughts, ideas below…