So you want to start a cleaning service business, congratulations! Professional cleaning services are in high demand these days due to the ongoing global pandemic.
But before you begin sourcing what you’ll need to start your cleaning business, you have to decide what kind of cleaning services you offer. Will you provide commercial and residential cleaning services, or just focus on one?
Will you provide common cleaning services or more specialized cleaning services that may be missing in your local market?
In this guide, you’ll learn what types of cleaning services to offer to get the most bang for your buck.
What you’ll learn in this guide
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll learn in this guide:
Types of house cleaning services you can offer
If you plan to operate your business near a lot of residential properties, it makes sense to offer home cleaning services. Here are some common cleaning services you can provide to customers living in single-family homes, condos, and apartment complexes.
General house cleaning services
General house cleaning services are best for customers who are too busy to tend to household chores. This service involves tasks like vacuum cleaning, mopping, dusting, floor polishing, bathroom cleaning, polishing mirrors, and the like.
You can also market a more thorough deep or spring cleaning, as well as a move-in/move-out cleaning packages. However, these types of cleaning services typically cost more than usual home cleaning.
Upholstery and carpet cleaning services
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Unlike general house cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning is costlier as it requires more specialized equipment.
You’ll also get fewer requests for this work, as customers don’t need their carpets and sofas to be cleaned as regularly as their homes.
Window cleaning services
Most homeowners typically dislike cleaning their window because iIt’s a cumbersome task that can be quite dangerous without the proper equipment. The same is true for other specialized services like gutter cleaning and pressure washing.
As such, these types of cleaning services are in high demand and can make a lot of money for your business.
Pressure washing services
Driveways, fences, decks, exterior walls, and garden paths build up dirt, sediment, debris, and even moss. These are all unsightly additions to your home that are hazardous if left untouched.
Since not too many people can afford or maintain a pressure washer, offering these types of cleaning services are a great way to make money and grow your business.
Chimney sweeping services
This is more specialized work that can involve a wide range of services, from chimney and fireplace cleaning to inspections, remodels, and even repairs.
Not everyone has a fireplace, however, so be sure to survey your service area to determine whether it’s worth offering.
Cleaning services you can offer to commercial businesses
If you’re going to focus on commercial cleaning services, keep in mind that you have to shell out more money upfront. This is because commercial cleaning requires bigger and more expensive equipment as well as a larger cleaning crew.
As a result, you’ll need more storage and office space.
However, the great thing about offering commercial cleaning services is the potential for stronger returns.
Commercial clients often require more frequent cleanings — especially in the midst of a pandemic, when regular disinfection is required for office staff safety.
Here are some commercial cleaning services you can offer.
Office cleaning services
This cleaning service is similar to general home cleaning, only it involves cleaning common and private working areas, pantries, reception areas, and shared restrooms.
Window cleaning services
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Unlike residential window cleaning, which usually just needs a ladder and some hand-held scrapers, commercial cleaning requires much more specialized equipment, including safety harnesses for your workers.
Janitorial cleaning
Janitorial and office cleaning may seem synonymous but they’re different in a few ways. The main difference is that office cleaning involves more intensive cleaning – usually done on weekends when office workers aren’t around.
Janitorial services, on the other hand, involve maintaining the cleanliness of a commercial establishment throughout the entire day. This includes the following types of cleaning services: sweeping, dusting, mopping, garbage disposal, and more.
This can be a lucrative service, as your business is paid consistently for this work.
Medical cleaning
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This type of cleaning for clinics and hospitals that uphold much greater standards for sanitation.
As such, you need highly specialized equipment and supplies to offer this service. Not to mention that you need to provide intensive training for your crew to properly perform this work.
However, as hospitals are busier than ever and require much more stringent cleaning measures, you’ll likely earn a lot from this service.
Sanitation and disinfection
These types of cleaning services disinfect and sanitize an area that may have been contaminated with an infectious disease such as COVID-19. As a result, you need specialized equipment such as misting guns and UVC sterilizers, as well as complete PPEs for your crew members.
Sanitation and disinfection might be a little costly upfront, but in the middle of a pandemic, it is an invaluable service that a wide range of establishments require.
Other types of cleaning services you can offer
The above services aren’t the only viable options out there. Here are some other types of specialized cleaning services you can perform:
- Laundry and dry cleaning services.
- Ceiling and wall cleaning services.
- Curtain cleaning services.
- Green cleaning services.
- Disaster cleaning services.
- Construction cleaning services.
- Sports cleaning services.
How to price your cleaning services
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Here’s what to consider when deciding the cost of your cleaning services:
- Labor: How many workers will you need for different types of cleaning services and how much will you pay them?
- Area size: How big will the coverage area be? You can create several price points depending on the square footage of your potential clients. For example, apartment cleaning services naturally cost less than home or office cleaning services.
- Overhead: This includes expenses for your administrative and logistical matters, supplies, equipment, communications, advertising, insurance, taxes, rent, storage, etc.
- Location: You can charge a flat rate for clients within a certain radius, then charge an additional cost for every additional 5 to 10 miles or so.
- Frequency: This refers to how often your client needs your services. You may want to charge more for infrequent deep cleaning jobs, as your workers will likely have to spend more time and energy to finish the job.
Tips for boosting your sales
Starting your cleaning business with no money can be scary. But don’t worry. There are many ways you can grow your sales without breaking the bank. Here are the top tips for kickstarting your new cleaning service.
Keep things local
You may be tempted to offer more expensive, specialized services to a larger service area. While this may seem more practical, it can limit your opportunities.
Instead, offer a wide range of services to a smaller area.
By targeting a small community and offering more services, you can build stronger relationships with your clients and increase repeat business.
Offer bundles
A lot of people put off having their chimneys cleaned, driveways power-washed, and windows scrubbed, so you may not see many sales for these specialized services
But if you bundle them together with your general home cleaning services at a discounted rate, you can earn twice or thrice as much as you normally would from one client.
Create pricing levels
Not everyone can afford or wants an intensive, 6-hour long cleaning service, especially if they’d like to have their homes or offices cleaned on a more regular basis.
To cater to these types of customers, create pricing tiers based on the amount of effort and specialized services your crew will put in.
Cleaning services FAQs
- How can you increase profits on your cleaning services?
- What kind of services do cleaning companies provide?
- How much does a cleaning service business make on average?
How can you increase profits on your cleaning services?
There are plenty of ways you can increase profits on your cleaning services, including offering a wide range of services, discounted bundles, and pricing tiers.
You can also get rid of unprofitable services and invest in high-quality products and equipment to keep a strong bottom line.
What kind of services do cleaning companies provide?
Cleaning companies offer many services, from simple tasks such as vacuuming, dusting, and mopping to more specialized services like window washing, power-washing, chimney sweeping, and disinfection.
How much does a cleaning service business make on average?
According to ZipRecruiter, an average cleaning business owner in the United States makes $55,949 a year. However, this number varies depending on one’s location, popularity, and years of experience. A cleaning company can make anywhere from $16,500 to $137,500 annually.
Types of cleaning services wrap up
Whether you sell residential or commercial cleaning services, there are ways to make money in the industry. A sure-fire path to success is to think about what your customer needs and fill that gap with your service offerings.
And if you need help keeping track of your customers, communicating with your teams, and integrating your invoices seamlessly with QuickBooks, consider Method:Field Services, a solution made to help growing cleaning businesses.
Start using the right tools to market your services with Method:Field Services!
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