Starting a house cleaning business isn’t as intimidating as it sounds. If you’re a reliable hard worker, the money will find you!
You may have dreams about hiring a maid. Maybe you even put it on your Christmas list every year. (Guilty!) But have you ever considered getting work cleaning other people’s houses?
You don’t have to have a spotless home to start a house cleaning business. If you’ve got a strong work ethic and know how to clean well, you can turn this idea into a money maker.
How to Make Money With a House Cleaning Business
When I was a preteen, my mother cleaned houses in her “spare time”. I got to go along with her sometimes, and she’d pay me to help her out. It was nice to have some one on one time with her in an otherwise quiet house!
Here are some of the things we learned about having a house cleaning business.
Related: I Hate My House!
Pros
Flexibility
This job is flexible in that you can find a time to clean that benefits both you and your customers. If you want more money, look for more customers to clean for. If you don’t want to take up all of your free time, stick with a couple favorite families.
Privacy
You’ll generally clean when the family isn’t home. You’ll need to have a spotless reputation (and background check) for obvious reasons.
That said, if you’re an introvert this could be the perfect job for you! And if you like to dance and sing 80’s hits while you vacuum, no one will ever know.
Related: Cleaning up your own mess? Learn how to sell broken appliances for cash.
Cons
Cleaning Up Other People’s Mess
Obviously this is not a job for germophobes.
Insurance
You may want to look into general liability insurance for this line of work. It isn’t terribly expensive, but if you are only cleaning one or two houses it might wipe out a chunk of your profit.
Customers could ask about it, and you want it in case you accidentally damage anything while you clean.
Pay Range
This is a tough one to nail down. You can’t charge as much as a professional company does, because you can’t offer the same perks. Luckily, you also don’t have the same overhead costs that a bigger company deals with.
Call a couple of local companies and get quotes on your house to learn the going rate. Use that to determine how much you might charge.
You can also check Craigslist to get an idea of how much others in your area are charging.
Always discuss the expectations of the customer up front. What jobs will be done? How often? Will you bring your own cleaners, or do they prefer you use theirs?
Requirements:
- Bending and lifting
- Transportation
- Reliable reputation and/or background check
- Self starter (no one will be watching over you)
How to Find Work
This is one time that you should rely on word of mouth. Yes, you can advertise on flyers and classified ads. But do you really feel comfortable being in the home of a complete stranger?
Put the word out with friends, family, and community members. Offer to clean your church, and do an amazing job. Then ask members of the congregation if they know of anyone looking for a house cleaner.
You can also ask in the office at your child’s school. Mention it to coworkers.
When you finally land your first client, do the best job you can possibly do. Be reliable and discreet. If you provide amazing service to your customers, the word will spread faster than you can advertise it yourself.
Take These Steps:
- Determine if you’d like to have a house cleaning business.
- Look for clients.
- Come to an agreement about the work you’ll do and how often.
- Agree on a fair price.
- Work so hard that you have to turn down business.
- Save the money in your account.
How much work do you want from your house cleaning business?
Remember to work so hard that word spreads. You’ll have as much work as you can handle!
Rather stay at home? Give general transcription a try instead.
Have you ever had a house cleaning business?
I could totally do this kind of work! I love cleaning because it is instantly gratifying, it’s easy, and it makes everything better (who doesn’t love a clean space?) I love organizing, too. Maybe when my youngest kiddos are older I can look into this. Thanks for the inspiration!
I’ve even heard of women who take a pack and play and let their child play in there while they clean. Of course, not every child’s personality is going to suit that very well. 😉 Good luck!
I LOVE this idea! I’ve been trying to think of ways I could make some extra cash for special trips with the kids and homeschooling items. I’ve cleaned a few houses before for a contractor, but it’s been awhile. Thanks for the inspiration!
Even better, because you know what you’re getting into already. I bet you’d be awesome at this! Good luck. 🙂
I used to clean before I had children. My teen girls are looking for a way to make money. Maybe I can clean with them once a week, and see where it goes.
It might just evolve into something they can do by themselves when they can drive. Thanks for the reminder that this is available.