Staring a cleaning business- Step by step Guide from someone who started a successful one

If you're looking for a quick, low cost business to start - a cleaning or janitorial business maybe your best bet. In general you can start a cleaning business in less than 30 days with very little out of pocket cost. Follow us on our journey as we explorer week by week all that you need to start a successful cleaning company from someone who has run a multi-million dollar cleaning company.

Step 1: Determined your market.

In the cleaning business there are two discrete markets residential and commercial. Both provides unique opportunities and challenges which will explore in this article.

Residential Cleaning

Residential services include maid service, carpet cleaning, and pressure washing services. This market is the fastest growing market and requires very little equipment or supplies to start.

• Maid services: Is the most requested residential service and therefore has great opportunity for a start-up company to gain new customers quickly. One advantage of providing Maid services is the ability to get repeat business as customers usually require their homes cleaned weekly, monthly or bi monthly. In order to boost your position in the marketplace try to offer eco-friendly services by using eco-friendly products, certified equipment's such as HEPA vacuums, and green cleaning methods.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Mops ( Preferably flat micro-fiber mops)

2. Micro- fiber Rags Color Coded

3. Vacuum Cleaner ( Preferably back pack vacuums)

4. All-purpose cleaner ( Eco-friendly/ natural or peroxide based)

5. Rest Room Cleaner ( Eco-friendly)

6. Toilet bowel cleaner (Eco-friendly)

7. Glass cleaner (Eco-friendly)

8. Dusters

9. Brooms or Sweepers

• Carpet cleaning: Depending on the location starting a carpet cleaning business can be very lucrative, however if requires a lot more startup capital than other residential cleaning services. Carpet and tile cleaning machines can cost anywhere from $1200 for a basic portable extractor to $30,000 for a truck mounted equipment. In colder regions carpet cleaning services maybe more demanded while in warmer climate tile cleaning will be more profitable due to the floor types in homes in those regions. One advantage of providing carpet cleaning is the ability to service both residential and commercial market with very little if any change in equipment, tools or products.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Degreaser

2. Traffic Lane Cleaner

3. Carpet Rinse

4. Deodorizer

5. Vacuum Cleaner ( HEPA)

6. Truck mount Extractor or Potable hot water extractor

7. Hydro force for Tile and grout cleaning

• Pressure washing: This service tends to be seasonal and requires very little training to start up. Typical services include drive way cleaning, roof cleaning, exterior washing and paint removal. A 3000 psi pressure washing machine can cost you anywhere from $400 or more. In order to gain a competitive advantage its best to purchase a heated pressure washer as well as effective cleaning chemicals (ex. Bleaches, degreasers, rust removers, etc.) that well improve the cleaning ability of your cleaning jobs.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Degreaser

2. Bleach

3. Hot water pressure washer ( at least 3000 psi)

Commercial Cleaning

The Commercial market is the largest segment of the cleaning services market. Services include janitorial, porter services, floor care, carpet cleaning, window cleaning, hood cleaning, light maintenance, new construction clean up and restroom cleaning.

• Janitorial services: This is the most demanded commercial cleaning service and can be the most profitable overall. This involves cleaning surfaces, bathrooms, dusting, mopping, sweeping and change supplies (paper towels, hand soap toilet paper, trash bags) in commercial buildings on a daily or weekly basis. Janitorial services often involves provide cleaning supplies (cleaners, mops, vacuums) as well as consumable supplies such as paper towels, hand soap, toilet paper, trash bags. Utilizing green cleaning procedures and eco-friendly products has become standard in the industry and should be part of your marketing message. Customers may require bundled cleaning services that include daily janitorial, floor striping and waxing, carpet cleaning, window cleaning etc. If you cannot provide all these services stick to your core capabilities while partnering with other companies that can provide these additional services such as floor care.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Mops ( Preferably flat micro-fiber mops)

2. Mops ( Heavy duty string mops)

3. Micro- fiber Rags Color Coded

4. Vacuum Cleaner ( Preferably back pack vacuums)

5. All-purpose cleaner ( Eco-friendly/ natural or peroxide based)

6. Rest Room Cleaner ( Eco-friendly)

7. Toilet bowel cleaner (Eco-friendly)

8. Glass cleaner (Eco-friendly)

9. Furniture polish

10. Degreaser

11. Dusters

12. Brooms

13. Wet floor signs

14. Maids Cart

• Floor care: Floor care services require training with an understanding of different types of floors while applying the appreciate method required to maintain them. Services include striping, waxing, scrubbing and recoating, burnishing or buffing marble polishing, and grinding. The start-up cost for floor care is a bit higher as it requires equipment such as burnishers and buffers that can run in the $1000's of dollars; however profit margins tend to be higher due to the need to for skilled technicians.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Hi Speed buffer

2. Low speed buffer

3. burnisher

4. Mop

5. Wax applicator

6. Floor Finisher

7. Floor Stripper

8. Neutral Cleaner

9. Floor Squeegee

10. Wet Floor Signs

• Window cleaning: Window cleaning services is one of easiest cleaning start-up business that requires very little capital, provided that services are only performed on the first floor. Providing multi-story window cleaning services require more elaborate and costly equipment. There are also increased business costs due to expensive liability and workers compensation insurance to cover the risk of accidental falls. For start-ups I recommend providing services on 1st floor only and possibly bundling your service with floor care or pressure washing services.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Window Squeegee

2. Microfiber Rags

3. Squeegee Pole

4. Glass Cleaner ( Water is sometimes best)

• New Construction cleaning: New construction clean-up involves a detail clean-up of newly constructed buildings or apartments for future residents or tents. Another segment of the market involves cleaning apartments or homes after tenants have moved out or banks have foreclosed on the property. The start-up cost for new construction clean-up is minimal, making it ideal for individuals looking to start their own cleaning business. Due to a slowdown in construction, individuals looking to start a construction cleaning business should focus on move-outs or foreclosed properties. This may involve remove old furniture, trash and other objects left in homes; we commend you rent U-Haul trucks to haul away trash in order to reduce the start- up cost of this business.

Start-up Supplies and equipment

1. Mops ( Preferably flat micro-fiber mops)

2. Mops ( Heavy duty string mops)

3. Micro- fiber Rags Color Coded

4. Vacuum Cleaner ( Preferably back pack vacuums)

5. All-purpose cleaner ( Eco-friendly/ natural or peroxide based)

6. Rest Room Cleaner ( Eco-friendly)

7. Toilet bowel cleaner (Eco-friendly)

8. Glass cleaner (Eco-friendly)

9. Furniture polish

10. Degreaser

11. Dusters

12. Brooms

13. Wet floor signs

14. Maids Cart

15. Floor scrapers