Prefer to listen? Listen to this article instead → This post is based on my YouTube video of the same name.
Did you know the cleaning industry is on track to be valued at over $750 billion in the next ten years? Billion, with a B. Humans keep creating the need for more cleaning, and every new home, office, clinic, or retail space that gets built instantly becomes another long-term cleaning customer. Technology and AI might replace plenty of jobs, but they can’t scrub a bathroom or take out the trash — and robots aren’t getting cheap enough or capable enough to keep up with over 8 billion people any time soon.
That’s why this industry isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving. And that makes it an incredible opportunity for you.
I’ve been a cleaning business owner for over 25 years. I’ve built multiple highly profitable cleaning businesses in multiple markets, and I’ve helped thousands of other owners do the same through my YouTube channel and coaching program. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to even begin, don’t worry — here is exactly where to start.
Can You Actually Make Good Money Doing This?
Before we get into the steps, let me answer the questions I hear most.
Can you make good money as a cleaning business owner? Absolutely. I started cleaning to pay my way through college, and after I graduated I realized I could make far more growing my cleaning business than I could with a job in my field. Twenty-five-plus years later, I’m still doing it — and so are the owners I coach. One student made $1,500 in four or five hours on a single commercial job. Another closed $4,000 of work in a single day. One averages about $75 an hour in her market. Another did over half a million dollars in a single year and is still growing.
It doesn’t matter which niche you pick, either. Residential, commercial, vacation rental, and construction cleaning can all be lucrative. I specialized in luxury residential for years; today my business is entirely commercial. A solo cleaner can realistically hit six figures a year — in some markets, even working part time — and that’s take-home pay, not just gross sales. If you hire and scale a team, there’s no real ceiling.
Does it cost a lot to get started? No. You don’t need expensive equipment or complicated marketing — just a few basics and a willingness to find clients.
Can you succeed with a lot of competition nearby? Yes, without hesitation. This industry has huge demand. And here’s something I tell my coaching students constantly: you may have a lot of competition, but you don’t have a lot of good competition. There are so many mediocre cleaning businesses out there that standing out isn’t nearly as hard as people assume.
Step 1: Write Down Your Goals
Some people call this a business plan, but you don’t need anything formal — just clarity. Do you want a full-time income or a side hustle? Do you want to work alone, hire a small team, or build the biggest cleaning company in your area? Do you already know if you want residential, commercial, vacation rental, or construction? How much do you want to earn weekly, monthly, yearly? What hours do you actually want to work?
Writing these down shapes every decision after this one, cuts down on wasted time, and helps you avoid mistakes. If you don’t have all the answers yet, that’s fine — start with what you do know and let the rest reveal itself as you go.
Step 2: Pick a Name and Register Your Business
Your business name matters far less than your professionalism and whether you actually know how to clean — but you still need one to move forward. If you plan to sell the business someday, avoid using your personal name. Just make sure the name clearly states what you do: ABC Cleaning is fine; ABC Cleaning and Home Organization works if you offer both. If you’re not sure which niche you’ll specialize in yet, keep it generic for now. You can always add a trade name later.
Once you have a name, check availability — in the US that usually means searching your state’s Secretary of State website — and register it before you spend a dime on business cards. There is nothing worse than building out your whole setup only to discover the name is already taken.
Registering also means choosing a business structure. Most new cleaning businesses in the US go with a single-member LLC, or a multi-member LLC if a spouse or partner is joining you. LLCs offer some protection for your personal assets, and you’ll need an Employer Identification Number (EIN), which you can apply for online. Rules vary a lot by location, so when in doubt, a good accountant is worth the money — mine has saved me both time and cash more times than I can count.
Step 3: Get Your Basics — Cards, Contact Info, and Coverage
With your name locked in, the only marketing item I recommend buying right now is a high-quality business card. Skip the website, the social media setup, the flyers, the branded clothing — none of it yet. A single card handed to the right person can lead to tens of thousands of dollars from one client, which is an incredible return on a few dollars of printing. While you’re at it, set up a professional email address (something like ABCCleaning@gmail.com) and record a calm, simple, professional voicemail greeting.
Next, sort out whether you need to be licensed, bonded, and insured. Licensing requirements vary wildly by location and profession, so check with your city or county clerk’s office if you’re unsure. Bonds mostly protect clients against theft or fraud — nice to have, but usually not essential unless a client requires it. General liability insurance, on the other hand, is worth building your business around from day one. It’s usually inexpensive, quotes take just a few minutes, and buying from a well-known provider makes you look more credible to clients. Don’t activate coverage until you actually need it — just get your quotes lined up in advance. Cleaning certifications are rarely required for general cleaning; they mostly matter for specialized work like mold remediation.
Step 4: Open Your Bank Account and Set Up Invoicing
Every bank asks for different documentation, but since you’ve already registered your business you should have what you need. This is also a natural time to set up how you’ll invoice clients. There are plenty of simple, professional-looking invoicing tools out there — you don’t need a full CRM on day one, that can be overkill until you’re managing real volume.
This is exactly the kind of system I’d rather set up once and never think about again, which is why tools like CleanRev exist — invoicing, scheduling, and client records living in one place instead of scattered across apps, so you’re not rebuilding your admin every time you grow.
Step 5: Buy Only What You Actually Need
You don’t need a huge kit of equipment or a closet full of branded uniforms. You do need to look professional — dress like someone who owns a real business, and it will help you win higher-paying clients, especially in commercial work. As for supplies, I train most of my clients to keep basic products like glass and toilet bowl cleaner on-site, which saves you from hauling a full kit to every job. Construction and move-in/move-out cleaning are the exceptions, since those properties are usually empty.
One thing my business never takes from job to job is a vacuum — using each client’s own equipment prevents cross-contamination between properties, which matters more every year as more people deal with allergies and sensitivities.
Step 6: Build Your Cleaning Knowledge
You can be the best salesperson alive, but if you or your team don’t actually know how to clean properly, your growth will be slow no matter what. Clients expect you to be the expert — they’ll ask questions and expect confident, correct answers, whether or not you’re the one holding the mop. Not knowing what products belong on what surfaces is one of the fastest ways to damage a client’s trust (and their countertops). Invest the time to learn this well, and everything else gets easier.
You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out
Getting started is genuinely not as hard as people make it sound. Once these basics are in place, the work becomes about finding clients and delivering great service — the part where the real momentum builds. You’ll still have questions about landing your first client, bidding jobs, pricing, and hiring staff, and that’s normal; every owner works through those next.
The businesses that win in this industry aren’t the ones with the fanciest branding. They’re the ones that got the fundamentals right, then kept showing up.
Written by Bethany Jean Montlary — CEO of CleanRev Inc. Bethany has built multiple 6- and 7-figure cleaning businesses over 25+ years and coaches cleaning business owners on her YouTube channel, The Professional Cleaner. If you want help turning these first steps into a real, profitable business without the trial and error: Work with Bethany →