The Ultimate Cleaning Business Guide: Answering the Most Searched Questions for Cleaning Business Owners & Sole Traders

Running a successful cleaning business involves more than just providing great service—it requires smart marketing, efficient operations, and the ability to scale while maintaining profitability. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your cleaning company, this guide answers the most frequently asked questions by cleaning business owners.

From pricing and client acquisition to hiring, automation, and scaling, we’ll cover everything you need to know to run a profitable cleaning business.

As a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, I’ve built and scaled multiple businesses, including:
✅ Beskar Cleaning – A high-end cleaning service operating in multiple locations, recognized by the Australian Business Awards multiple times.
✅ Bounader Tiling – A successful tiling business expanding across multiple locations.
✅ Venture Mentors – A business consulting firm helping entrepreneurs scale successfully.
✅ Cornerstone AI – A cutting-edge software business revolutionizing automation for service-based companies.
✅ Investment Ventures – A firm specializing in strategic investments and business growth.

Having been nominated multiple times as Australia’s Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year, I understand what it takes to build and scale a thriving cleaning business. Let’s dive into the most important questions cleaning business owners ask.

Starting a Cleaning Business

1. What’s the first step to starting a cleaning business?

Starting a cleaning business requires:
✅ Registering your business name & ABN (Australian Business Number).
✅ Getting insurance (liability, workers’ compensation, and bonding).
✅ Setting up pricing & service packages.
✅ Creating a professional website & Google My Business profile.
✅ Marketing to your first clients through referrals, social media, and local networking.

2. Do I need a business license to start a cleaning company?

In Australia, most cleaning businesses don’t require a specific license, but you must register your business, have liability insurance, and follow local council regulations if dealing with hazardous cleaning chemicals.

3. How much money do I need to start a cleaning business?

The startup cost varies, but a small home cleaning business can start for as little as $2,000 covering:
✅ Cleaning supplies & equipment
✅ Business registration & insurance
✅ Marketing materials & website setup

For commercial cleaning, expect higher upfront costs due to equipment and employee wages.

Pricing & Services

4. How should I price my cleaning services?

Pricing depends on factors like:
✅ Location (Urban vs. rural pricing differs).
✅ Service type (residential, commercial, deep cleaning, etc.).
✅ Competition (Ensure your pricing is competitive but profitable).
✅ Time & labor costs (Calculate costs and desired profit margins).

A good strategy is hourly pricing for residential cleaning and fixed contract pricing for commercial clients.

5. Should I charge per hour or per job?

• Hourly rates are ideal for small, flexible jobs.

• Flat rates work best for repeat clients, commercial contracts, and deep cleans.

Charging per job allows for higher profit margins and efficiency.

6. How do I create cleaning service packages?

✅ Basic Clean – Regular dusting, vacuuming, and mopping.
✅ Deep Clean – Includes baseboards, windows, and detailed scrubbing.
✅ Move-In/Move-Out Clean – Full property sanitization.
✅ Commercial Cleaning – Office & business maintenance contracts.

Offering tiered packages makes it easier to sell upgrades.

Marketing & Getting Clients

7. How do I get my first cleaning clients?

✅ Leverage word of mouth – Ask friends & family for referrals.
✅ Offer a launch promotion – Discounts or first-clean bonuses.
✅ Join local Facebook groups & community pages.
✅ Set up a Google My Business listing to appear in local searches.
✅ Partner with real estate agents & property managers.

8. How do I market my cleaning business online?

✅ Optimize your website with SEO keywords (house cleaning in [your city]).
✅ Run Facebook & Instagram ads targeting homeowners.
✅ Use Google Ads for “cleaning services near me” searches.
✅ Post before-and-after photos on social media.
✅ Ask satisfied clients for Google & Facebook reviews.

9. What are the best ways to keep clients coming back?

✅ Offer a loyalty discount for repeat clients.
✅ Send follow-up texts/emails after each service.
✅ Implement a referral program (e.g., “$20 off for each friend you refer!”).
✅ Provide outstanding customer service & personalized experiences.

Hiring & Managing Employees

10. When should I hire my first employee?

Hire when:
✅ You’re turning down jobs due to being fully booked.
✅ You want to expand into commercial cleaning or more locations.
✅ You can afford to pay wages while still making a profit.

11. How do I find good cleaning staff?

✅ Post on job boards & social media.
✅ Offer competitive wages & bonuses for reliability.
✅ Check references & conduct background checks.
✅ Train employees on company standards.

12. How much should I pay my cleaning staff?

Rates vary, but $25-$35 per hour is common for residential cleaners in Australia, with higher rates for commercial jobs & specialized cleaning.

Scaling & Automating Your Business

13. How do I automate my cleaning business?

✅ Use online booking software like Booking Koala or ZenMaid.
✅ Automate invoices & payments to avoid chasing clients for money.
✅ Use AI chatbots & automated email sequences to follow up with leads.
✅ Track employee schedules & job assignments digitally.

At Beskar Cleaning, automation has helped us scale to multiple locations while reducing admin time by over 60%.

14. How do I scale my cleaning business to six figures?

✅ Increase prices & target premium clients.
✅ Hire staff to handle more jobs while you focus on sales.
✅ Expand to commercial cleaning contracts for bigger revenue.
✅ Automate admin tasks & client communication.

15. Should I offer franchise opportunities?

If your business model is highly successful & repeatable, franchising can be a great way to expand without direct management of each location.

Take Your Cleaning Business to the Next Level

Whether you’re just starting out or ready to scale, success in the cleaning industry requires smart marketing, efficient systems, and strategic growth planning.

At Venture Mentors, we provide:
🚀 1:1 business consulting for cleaning business owners.
🚀 AI-powered automation tools through Cornerstone AI.
🚀 A proven system for scaling to six figures and beyond.

💡 Ready to automate & grow your business?
📌 Get the full step-by-step strategy at:
👉 www.venturementors.com.au
👉 Learn more about Cornerstone AI at www.cornerstoneai.com.au