How to Start a Cleaning Business in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

Are you researching how to start a cleaning business because you have a great idea, but don’t know where to start? Maybe you’ve already started your cleaning business, and you’re looking for more ways to grow.

Either way, you’re in the right place!

This is the ultimate, step-by-step guide to starting a cleaning business in 2026, built from expert advice and real-world experience from cleaning business owners.

We’ll walk through choosing your services, setting prices, budgeting, licensing, hiring, marketing, and the systems successful cleaning businesses use to scale.

Quick Start: How to Start a Cleaning Business

If you want the short version, here’s the list of what starting a cleaning business actually requires:

1. Start the right type of cleaning company for you
2. Decide on a cleaning business name
3. Set a realistic business budget
4. Set up proper licensing and insurance
5. Purchase the right cleaning equipment and supplies
6. Decide on your pricing structure
7. Hire and train professional cleaners
8. Automate with cleaning business software
9. Market your cleaning services
10. Generate referrals and reviews

Below, we break down each step in detail.

Step 1: Start the Right Cleaning Company for You

When you set out to start a cleaning business, the first question is simple but critical — what services are you actually going to offer, and to whom?

At the risk of sounding brash, we have to ask:

Are your services really worth your time?

Say you plan to provide residential cleaning services, and within a month of announcing your business, your calendar is booked solid for monthly clients.

You’re ready because you’ve hired a team of rockstar cleaners, you’ve invested in training them well, and you bought the best cleaning equipment available. After all, you want to offer the best cleaning service in town, right?

However, when it comes time to review your finances at the end of the month, you realize you’ve lost money — like, a lot of it.

It’s also worthwhile to check out the local market. Is there a higher demand for commercial or residential cleaning services in your area? Where do you have the least competition? Before you open your doors, strategically choose:

• Your target market
• Your service types
• Your frequency of cleanings

What is the difference between residential vs. commercial cleaning businesses?

A residential cleaning business typically cleans homes and apartments, focusing on floors, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms.

A commercial cleaning business handles offices, hospitals, schools, retail spaces, and other commercial facilities.

Your choice affects:

• Training requirements
• Licensing and insurance
• Pricing structure
• Profit potential

Our recommendation is to start narrow. You can expand later, but it’s hard to run both from the very beginning.

Step 2: Decide on Your Cleaning Company Name

If you don’t already have a name, start by researching businesses online and checking availability.

Your cleaning business name must be:

• Unique
• Available in your state
• Legally usable

In the US, tools like Trademark.io help you check whether a name is already trademarked. This step matters because using another business’s name, even unintentionally, can create costly legal issues.

You’ll need your business name before filing a DBA (“doing business as”) or registering your company.

Step 3: Set Your Business Budget

Budgeting is overwhelming, no matter where you are in your cleaning business. But everything comes back to your mindset — especially when it comes to money!

Before numbers, start with the right money mindset:

• Understand your WHY
• Define income goals
• Decide what you’re willing to sacrifice
• Understand all levels of your business
• Use systems to improve profitability

Planning income and expenses

Many owners mistakenly believe:

Sales – Expenses = Profit

The reality:

Sales – Profit = Expenses

Healthy cleaning businesses often aim for these margins:

• ~55% cost of goods sold (payroll)
• ~25% operating expenses
• ~20% profit

Operating expenses typically include:

• Marketing (8–10%)
• Admin (10%)
• Supplies (4%)

Step 4: Setup Proper Licensing for Your Cleaning Business

Yes, you do need a cleaning business license.

Requirements vary by state, city, and county, so always verify locally. As a baseline, most cleaning businesses must:

• Register their business with the Secretary of State
• Obtain a business license
• Register for federal, state, and local taxes
• Apply for an EIN from the IRS
• Carry liability insurance and bonding

Most cleaning business owners choose an LLC for flexibility and protection, but always consult a professional if you’re unsure.

There are different types of legal business structures you can consider registering as: sole proprietor/DBA, partnership, corporation, and LLC. Refer to the U.S. Small Business Administration website to determine what business license you need.

You will also need to look into any insurance and bonding required in the state you are operating.

Step 5: Decide What Cleaning Equipment and Cleaning Supplies To Purchase

Your supplies depend on the services you offer — eco-friendly cleaning, carpet cleaning, residential, or commercial work all require different tools.

Here are a few checklists to use as a starting point for purchasing cleaning supplies:

Common cleaning supplies checklist:

• Bathroom cleaner
• Carpet cleaner
• Dishwashing liquid
• Descaling agent or chemical descaler
• Disinfectant
• Furniture polish
• Glass cleaner
• Heavy-duty degreaser
• Laundry detergent
• Multi-purpose cleaner
• Oven cleaner
• Stainless steel cleaner
• Stain remover
• Wood cleaner

Commercial cleaning supplies checklist:

• Carpet cleaning solution
• Disinfecting wipes
• Dish soap
• Degreaser
• Disposable toilet brushes
• Garbage bags
• Glass cleaner
• Hand soap replacement
• Laundry detergent
• Magic erasers
• Multi-purpose cleaner
• Oven cleaner
• Sponges
• Stainless steel cleaner
• Steel wool
• Toilet bowl cleaner
• Toilet paper and paper towels
• Wood and leather furniture cleaner
• Vinegar

Invest in quality equipment. Cheap tools cost more in the long run through inefficiency and replacement, so make sure you’re spending money on good supplies early.

Here’s a basic equipment checklist to get you started. As with all things, be sure to do additional research to meet the needs of your unique business. And, since vacuums are usually the biggest question we get, we made a guide to finding the best vacuum for your cleaning services and budget.

Step 6: Decide on Your Pricing Structure

How to price your cleaning business is by far the most frequently asked question we see from new owners.

We have a separate guide about it here, but we’ll give you the TL;DR.

Your pricing options

1) Hourly pricing (simple and protective)
This is best early on or for first-time/move-in cleans. You charge for the time worked, which protects you when you’re still learning how long jobs take.

Pro tip: Offer limited-hour cleans to win clients who hesitate on a big flat rate.

2) Flat-rate pricing (best for scaling)
Clients pay one set price per job. This model rewards efficiency because as your team gets faster, your profit grows. The trade-off, though, is that you must define scope tightly so extra tasks don’t erode your profit.

3) Hybrid (hourly + flat)
Use hourly for initial cleans and transition to flat rate for recurring jobs once you’ve confirmed average times. This balances protection with scalability.

Here’s a table to put them all side-by-side:

Know your production rates

Above all, though, you need to know your team’s production rates.

No matter the model, track how long your team actually takes on jobs. Use those real times to refine pricing, and do not rely on estimates.

We could talk for hours about this decision, and thankfully, Stephanie Pipkin, Owner of Serene Clean (a $1.3+ million cleaning business), discussed it in detail on our podcast, Filthy Rich Cleaners.

Step 7: Hire Employees and Train Them As Professional Cleaners

If you intend to start or grow your cleaning business you will likely want to hire additional staff, so you have to think about what kind of employees you want to hire.

Commercial vs. contractor cleaners

Many cleaning business owners in the United States operate under a commercial cleaning license. The requirements vary based on your business activities, location, and government rules, so check out the guidelines and apply for licensure here on the U.S. Small Business Administration website.

If you want to grow, you will eventually need a team.

Strong cleaning businesses use:

• Consistent onboarding
• Clear training processes
• Hands-on learning combined with documentation

Rushing training leads to poor quality and turnover. Many owners find that a 7–10 day structured training plan creates better long-term results, and the links in the bullets above will help you get more in-depth resources for each area.

QUICK TIP FROM THE AUTHOR

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• What to avoid asking (and why!)
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Step 8: Automate With Cleaning Business Software

Now that you know how to start a cleaning business, you need to focus on how to run your cleaning company.

Once clients and cleaners increase, manual systems break.

What cleaning business software should automate

• Booking and quote forms
• Scheduling and work orders
• Client and job details
• Appointment reminders
• Contracts and payments

Need a recommendation? Look no further.

Why ZenMaid is the #1 choice for cleaning businesses

ZenMaid is purpose-built cleaning business software, not a generic CRM adapted for cleaning.

Cleaning business owners choose ZenMaid because it:

• Centralizes scheduling, clients, and cleaners
• Automates reminders to reduce no-shows
• Simplifies booking, quotes, and contracts
• Scales as your business grows

Most successful owners implement software earlier than expected, even from day 1 of their business.

And the best part? It’s affordable and comes with a two-week free trial. But don’t take our word for it, over 3,000+ cleaning businesses use ZenMaid to run their daily operations.

If you’re interested, check ZenMaid out here.

Step 9: Market Your Cleaning Services

Marketing can feel like a complicated beast to tackle. You know you need it, but it’s overwhelming!

To cut through the chaos, start with lifecycle marketing as a roadmap.

With lifecycle marketing, you have the opportunity to market throughout the customer’s journey:

1. Attract interest
2. Capture leads
3. Nurture prospects
4. Convert sales
5. Deliver and satisfy
6. Upsell customers
7. Get referrals

This is an in-depth strategy and too much to cover here. This is a detailed guide from Ginger Whitson to show you exactly how to implement lifecycle marketing in your cleaning business.

Social media

Yes, you should also consider at least one social media platform to market your cleaning services. It works because

Social media works especially well for cleaning companies because:

• Cleaning is visual — before/after content converts!
• Trust matters
• Most clients are local homeowners already on social platforms
• Organic reach is still possible with consistent posting

You have to be intentional to do well on social media, and we have a full guide on how to market your cleaning business on social media here.

Step 10: Generate Referrals and Reviews

Your best sales team is often your existing customers.

Strong cleaning businesses:

• Ask for referrals directly
• Use referral rewards programs
• Automate review requests after cleanings

Make referrals and reviews easy! Friction kills momentum, but good reviews can be reused and repurposed for years to come.

Referrals take a little more time to gather, and you can read more about setting up a referral rewards program that works here.

These are our 10 steps for starting a cleaning business, the ultimate guide written by business owners who have done it. And if you need specific advice for the state you’re in, we have a list of resources below:

How to Start a Cleaning Business By State

How to Start a Cleaning Business — FAQs

Can you start a cleaning business by yourself?

Yes. Many successful cleaning business owners start solo and scale later.

What are the startup costs for a cleaning business?

Startup costs vary, but many cleaning businesses launch successfully with a modest investment. The average cost ranges between $2,000–$5,000, unless you’re going into a large or commercial setup, which can be closer to $10,000 or more.

Is it worth starting a cleaning business?

Yes! With the right pricing, systems, specialized software (e.g., ZenMaid), and planning, cleaning businesses can be highly profitable.

Have more questions about starting or growing a residential cleaning business?

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