How to Run a Successful Cleaning Business (Advice from Experts)

1. Review your pricing strategy regularly

Your pricing strategy plays a major role in your cleaning business’s success because it directly affects your revenue, cash flow, and competitiveness.

In order to stay profitable, your pricing strategy needs to account for the following variables:

• Cost of labor
• Cost of materials and products
• Overhead and equipment maintenance
• Your ideal profit margin

These factors change over time (based on the broader economy and seasonal trends), so re-evaluating your pricing as part of your overall business plan is important to do regularly. If you’d like to price each cleaning job individually, use this simple formula:

Labor costs + Material costs + (overhead + equipment costs) + profit margin

Free tool: house cleaning cost calculator

Jobber’s house cleaning cost calculator helps you quickly price a job based on your tasks and services. Just select the service you’re providing, choose add-on services—like deep cleaning or other specialized cleaning services—and calculate in seconds. Give it a try below.

2. Develop a simple quoting process

A fast and easy quoting process helps you respond to leads sooner, look more professional, and book work faster. It also takes the pressure off you as a business owner, since you’re not scrambling to write detailed estimates after every inquiry. This is especially important for small business owners who wear many hats, because simplifying admin frees up time for more pressing tasks. 

Here’s how to speed up your quoting process:

• Use a standard cleaning estimate template that includes your company name, brand, service list, pricing, and terms.
• When a new inquiry comes in, plug in the client’s details and tailor the service list as needed.
• Email your quote to the potential customer and send a quote follow-up email if you haven’t heard back within a couple of days.
• For more advanced quotes (which include timelines, scope of work, pricing, terms, and so on), you can send a cleaning proposal.

With built-in quoting features in Jobber, you can send accurate, professional quotes in seconds. Use pre-set services and pricing to quickly build estimates, offer premium packages or add-on services right on the quote, and automate your follow-ups to close more jobs with less effort.

3. Create a marketing strategy

Marketing is what introduces your brand to potential clients, shows them why they should trust you, and keeps new leads coming in. 

Try a few of these action items to start drawing more attention to your cleaning business:

• Build a strong brand to generate more trust with potential customers. Invest time and effort into your business logo, signage, branded uniforms, and your online presence.
• If you’re using a company vehicle, use decals or a car wrap to advertise your business as you travel to job sites.
• Create a professional cleaning website that introduces your brand and cleanservices and helps your target audience quickly book a call, estimate, or new job.
• Build an email list and start running targeted email marketing campaigns. You can use these campaigns to reconnect with past clients you haven’t heard from in a while or boost engagement with your broader client network.
• Create business profiles on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Then, share content that appeals to your ideal clients, like before-and-after photos or client testimonials.
• Create your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to make sure that your cleaning service shows up in local search results.

4. Get paid quickly and on-time

Getting paid on time is essential for keeping your business running smoothly. When you set up a few simple systems early on, you avoid late invoices, protect your cash flow, and spend less time chasing payments. 

Timely, predictable cash flow also gives you the confidence to hire and pay employees on time, invest in better equipment or software, and reinvest in marketing and growth opportunities that help your business scale.

Here are some ways to streamline your payment processes:

• Shorten payment terms on invoices to 14 days to avoid late or unpaid invoices
• Use a professional invoice template that clearly lists the amount owed, your company’s payment terms, and accepted payment methods 
• Let customers pay online with convenient credit card processing
• Be transparent if you include any additional fees (like processing charges), taxes, or other amounts that would slow down your payments

Whatever payment option you choose, keep in mind that when it’s easy for customers to pay, you get paid faster. A steady cash flow also helps you stay on top of payroll for your cleaners and other staff.

How can you simplify recurring payments in your cleaning business?

The best way to simplify recurring payments is by setting up automatic payments in Jobber. When you visit clients on a weekly or monthly basis, Jobber automatically charges the card on file so that new invoices get paid automatically without extra effort on your end.

You can also offer customers convenient online payment options that make it easy for them to pay invoices online in just a few clicks. Additionally, automatic follow-ups help minimize late or missing payments. 

5. Stay organized with client and job details

The best way to show up to a new cleaning job site is by being prepared and having all the details ahead of time. Staying organized with client and job details helps you complete work correctly the first time, ensures you’re prepared with any specialized cleaning supplies, keeps your team on schedule, and reduces costly mistakes that could hinder repeat business from your customers.

To stay as organized as possible, have a system for managing important details like:

• Client contact information
• Job-specific notes or details, like specific cleaning supplies
• Previous quotes and estimates
• Past or outstanding invoices

Storing this information in one place allows you to find this information easily. Not only does that reduce stress for you (and your team), but it also presents a more professional experience to your clients.

To stay organized, many successful cleaning business owners turn to customer management software (CRM), to store client data and job information. You can use a CRM to:

• Quickly glance at previous work for the same client
• View past quotes, invoices, and billing history
• Use custom fields to track additional details (including house entry or security codes, family information, or pets that will be on-site)
• Add notes and photos to a client’s work requests for more visual accuracy

Plus, when you use Jobber’s cleaning business management software, you and your cleaners will have access to custom job checklists to deliver consistent, reliable results for every single client.

6. Request reviews and referrals from clients

Positive customer reviews on your Google Business Profile can help you appear higher in Google’s search results, attract new customers, and give potential clients more confidence when choosing your cleaning service.

You can start by:

• Asking current clients to write a review. Depending on their preference, they can submit a review by email, via text message after the job is complete, or directly on Google.
  
• Sharing positive reviews on your cleaning business website. You can also use testimonials to create social media posts or add them to other marketing materials, like flyers.
  
• Automating review collection directly in Jobber. Once you’ve completed a cleaning job, Jobber will automatically generate a text requesting that the customer submit a review.

7. Encourage referrals for your cleaning company

Referrals are one of the easiest ways to bring in new customers, especially in neighborhoods or apartment communities where clients talk to each other about popular house cleaning service providers. 

You can encourage more referrals by:

• Let clients know you welcome referrals. Make it as easy as possible for them to share your information with neighbors and friends, whether through flyers, cards, or a shareable link.
• Offer a small incentive (like a discounted cleaning or free add-on service) when a customer refers someone new.
• Follow up quickly with referral leads so potential clients feel taken care of right away.

Use Jobber to track referral sources, manage new leads in one place, and instantly reward customers who bring in more work for your service business.

Pro Tip: Take a moment to personalize your thank-you messages. A short note, a small upgrade, or a follow-up message of appreciation helps strengthen relationships and encourages clients to refer you again.

8. Learn from other successful cleaning business owners

When you’re just getting started, hearing how other cleaning business owners found success can be incredibly helpful. Their wins, mistakes, and lessons learned can show you what works and what to avoid. 

Check out these real stories to inspire your own growth and success:

• Millie Ventura of Millie’s Cleaning Services was losing time and income managing her cleaning business with pen and paper. Switching to Jobber helped her organize operations, reduce small business administration, grow 9x, and reclaim time for her family.
• Karen Conchie started The Cleaning Ladies as a career change. The company now offers careers to even more professional cleaners. Part of The Cleaning Ladies’ success comes from using the Jobber mobile app to manage job details on the go.
• Cleaning Ninjas cleans more than 500 homes and offices every month in more than 25 communities throughout Nebraska. They’ve found success through their unique business name, by paying close attention to details, and by giving clients amazing service.
• Marianna’s Cleaning Co. has been a successful residential cleaning business in the Los Angeles area for decades. The company nearly doubled leads by offering online booking through Google’s Local Services Ads, solidifying their status as a top-choice local business.
• Grace Reynolds started Handmaid Cleaning as a single mom of two. Using house cleaning ads on Facebook, she and her now-husband Kevin grew the business. They also run the American House Cleaners Association.
• Hope Cleaning, true to its business name, is improving its community by hiring employees from low-income areas or difficult life situations. It builds trust with clients through word-of-mouth referrals and its focus on social responsibility and green cleaning.
• Irene Zibin of eSunshine Cleaning employs a team of cleaners to provide green residential cleaning services. Running a business is demanding, but Irene took back her time when she started using Jobber to solve her scheduling and invoicing problems.

9. Make recurring cleanings easy to schedule

Recurring visits are the backbone of a stable cleaning business, but keeping track of weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly appointments can get overwhelming. A clear system helps you stay organized, avoid double-booking, and prevent any client from falling through the cracks.

Try these tips to simplify recurring cleaning schedules:

• Create standard service schedules (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) so clients can choose what works for them.
• Block recurring time slots on your calendar before filling in one-off jobs.
• Use buffers between appointments to account for travel time or extended cleanings.
• Confirm recurring appointments in writing so everyone knows what to expect.
• Review long-term schedules each quarter to adjust for holidays, staffing changes, or evolving client needs.

10. Hire and train the right cleaning staff as you grow

Hiring reliable cleaning staff is one of the best methods for scaling your business and being successful for years to come. The right team helps you take on more clients, maintain consistent quality, and protect your reputation.

To hire a team of cleaners who support your success, always: 

• Write clear job descriptions so candidates know exactly what you expect.
• Use a simple, consistent interview process to evaluate reliability, communication, and attention to detail.
• Run background checks when appropriate, especially for residential work.
• Start with a short trial period to confirm new cleaning staff meet your standards, or offer a “test clean” opportunity, like Anthony and Jhanilka Hartzog use to evaluate potential hires.