How to start a cleaning business
A plain checklist: registering, insurance, supplies, pricing your first homes and finding the first clients — without the income promises.
Who it suits
Cleaning is one of the cheapest trades to start: no state licence in most places, supplies you can carry, and clients who book again every week or two. What it asks for is reliability — the business is built on recurring clients who stay.
1.Decide what you clean
Residential (houses and apartments) and commercial (offices, after hours) are different businesses: different hours, different contracts, different buyers.
Most people start residential, with standard, deep and move-in/move-out cleans.
2.Register the business
Choose a structure — sole proprietor or LLC are the usual starting points — and register a business name if it differs from your own.
Check your city and county for a general business licence; most require one even where cleaning itself needs no trade licence.
3.Insurance and bonding
General liability covers damage in a client’s home. A janitorial bond covers the client if something goes missing — many homeowners ask about it before handing over a key.
If you hire, workers’ compensation is required in most states.
4.Supplies and getting there
A vacuum that suits the floors you will see, microfibre cloths, a caddy and a short list of products you trust. Add specialist kit as clients ask for it.
Reliable transport matters more than branding: a missed clean costs a recurring client.
5.Price your first homes
Cleaners price by the visit, by the hour or by square footage. Quote a first deep clean separately — the first visit always takes longer.
Time your first few jobs. Pricing that does not match the hours you actually spend is the most common way a cleaning business loses money while looking busy.
6.Find your first clients
Claim a free Fixerlane listing so homeowners searching for house cleaning nearby can find and message you.
Ask every new client for a review once you have cleaned twice. Reviews are what the next homeowner reads.
7.Write a cancellation policy early
Decide how much notice you need, what happens on a lockout, and whether a skipped visit keeps the recurring rate. Write it on the quote so it is agreed before the first clean.
The trade in numbers
860,670 people work as maids and housekeeping cleaners in the US.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (SOC 37-2012), May 2025
67,799 janitorial-services businesses with employees (NAICS 561720, which includes maid services); about 61% have fewer than five employees.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023
1,095,927 janitorial-services businesses have no employees at all — sole operators.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics, 2023
Your first customers, free
List your cleaning business on Fixerlane at no cost. Homeowners searching for cleaning in your area can find you and send enquiries, and replying is free. When the work picks up, the tools to quote, schedule and invoice are a 7-day free trial away.
Common questions
- Do I need a licence to start a cleaning business?
- Usually not a trade licence, but most cities and counties require a general business licence. Check with your city clerk or county before your first paid job.
- How much does it cost to start a cleaning business?
- It depends on what you already own. We do not publish a figure: supplies, insurance and registration costs vary by state and by how you start. Price each one locally before you commit.
- How do I get my first cleaning clients?
- A free listing where homeowners already search, people you know, and reviews from every early client. Recurring clients are worth more than one-off cleans, so ask each new client whether they want a regular slot.
- Should I clean homes or offices?
- Homes are easier to start — daytime hours and individual clients. Offices pay on contract and work at night, and usually want insurance certificates before they sign.
- How much do cleaners earn?
- We do not promise earnings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes real wage figures for maids and housekeeping cleaners by state and metro area.