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Starting a cleaning company

Cleaning is a labor-intensive business, which means that you may need to invest in hiring employees or contractors to help you. This can be challenging if you are not familiar with managing employees or if you struggle with finding reliable workers.

Starting a cleaning company can be a rewarding and lucrative business. Here are some steps you can take to start your own cleaning company.

Write a business plan

Create a business plan that outlines your business goals, target market, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operating procedures. Decide if you want to do nightly janitorial maintenance, residential housekeeping, or commercial construction cleanup. All 3 businesses are very different.

Pick a good name

If your business only does cleaning, make sure you include Cleaning, Maintenance, or Service in the name. It helps people know what service your business offers.

Register your business

Choose a legal structure for your business, such as sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation. Register your business with the appropriate state. Most states do not require cleaning companies to have a special license. California requires you to have a D63 license. Get an EIN - apply online through the IRS website.

Create a website

A website provides your business with an online presence, allowing potential customers to find you and learn about your products or services. In today's digital age, many customers expect businesses to have a website, and not having one can make your business appear less credible.

Market your company (prequalify)

In construction, it's a bidding game. The more bids your submit, the higher chance you have of winning a contract. To get bid opportunities you should prequalify with construction companies in your area. Then your business will start to receive invitation to bid requests. Or you can use an application that has bidding projects that you can submit your own bid.

Identify an insurance agent

Get quotes on general liability, commercial auto insurance, and workers compensation. You do not need to make the policy active until you have won your first contract. But you should be ready to put the policy in place. Workers compensation usually requires a full year to be paid upfront. Big companies are large contracts will require you to have a commercial umbrella policy also.

Hire laborers to work the jobs

Advertise the job openings through various channels such as job posting websites, social media, local newspapers, job fairs, and employee referrals. Expect to pay your people $15-$25 per hour (depending on your location). The people an be W2 employees or 1099 contractors.

Acquire basic cleaning equipment

Vacuum cleaner, Mop and bucket, Broom and dustpan, Cleaning cloths and sponges, Cleaning solutions such as all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, and glass cleaners are used to clean and sanitize surfaces, Scrub brushes, Trash bags, and Gloves.

Market your company

In construction, it's a bidding game. The more bids your submit, the higher chance you have of winning a contract. To get bid opportunities you should prequalify with construction companies in your area. Then your business will start to receive invitation to bid requests. Or you can use an application that has bidding projects that you can submit your own bid.

Get Personal Protective Equipment

In construction, when you operate you need PPE just like the contractors that you are working for. Try to look like them, put your brand name on your hard hats and safety vests.

ppe gear

In construction Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) considered essential. 

  1. Head Protection / Hard Helmets: Essential for protecting against head injuries from falling objects or bumps.

  2. Face & Eye Protection / Safety Eyewear: Guards against debris, dust, and chemical splashes.

  3. Hearing Protection: Crucial in construction zones to protect against long-term hearing loss due to loud machinery.

  4. Respiratory Protection / Respirators: Protects lungs from inhaling harmful dust, fumes, vapors, or gases.

  5. Hand & Arm Protection / Safety Gloves: Essential for preventing cuts, abrasions, burns, and exposure to chemicals.

  6. Leg & Foot Protection / Foot Protection: Includes safety boots or shoes to protect from heavy objects, sharp objects, and slips.

  7. High-Visibility Vests / Visibility Clothing: Ensures workers are visible on busy sites, reducing the risk of accidents.

  8. Fall Protection / Safety Harness: Critical for work at heights, preventing falls and reducing fall-related injuries.

  9. Electric Shock Protection / Specialized Protective Clothing: Offers protection against electrical hazards.

  10. Skin Protection / Wearable Protection Tech: Could include specialized clothing or technology for additional protection against specific hazards, like extreme temperatures or UV exposure.

Execute projects

It's so much easier to get new work from old customers. It is very important to do a good job so that customer can call you back on their next project.

Systems

Get a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System or an Email Marketing System. These will help you manage interactions with customers, track customer data, and automate various tasks such as customer communication, lead tracking, and sales forecasting. CRM examples: Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, and Pipedrive. Email Marketing System examples: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor, AWeber, and GetResponse.

Get a vehicle to haul equipment and people

The best vehicles for a cleaning company are : Cargo Van, SUV, Pickup Truck, or a Compact Car. It's a good idea to put your brand name on the door, when you pull up on a job site, the superintendent knows who you are ! That is powerful.

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