Real Good Cleaners » How to Start a Cleaning Business in Australia

Whether you've been made redundant because of the latest advancements in AI, you have a dream of becoming your own boss, or you have a burning desire to ditc the 9 to 5 to work more flexible hours, a cleaning business could be right up your alley.

There are many ways to launch a cleaning career in Australia. For example, you could:

Join a cleaning agency as a contract cleaner
Become an employee for a cleaning company
Start your own business

This guide is all about the steps you will need to take to create your cleaning business, get your first clients, and create a trusted brand name around your fledgling cleaning empire. I focus exclusively on domestic cleaning, but the same strategies could be adapted to most commercial cleaning enterprises.

Why A Cleaning Business?

It's true that cleaning is hard, tiring work, so why would anyone want to pursue it as a career (especially if you're into your fifth decade of life like I am)?

If, like me, you've been doing office work for more than a decade or two, the first few weeks cleaning are going to be a shock to the system. However, cleaning work will become easier over time as your fitness level grows, and you'll soon be busting through 3 or 4 hour cleans without breaking a sweat (okay, that's a figure of speech because you'll be sweating a lot in spring and summer, but you know what I mean).

Give it a few months and you may even feel like you can ditch the gym membership. Who needs that expense when you're busting out squats in shower cubicles for a living.

Another great reason to start a cleaning business is that you can learn the ropes with an employer or as a contract cleaner before jumping in with both feet. We are talking training that takes weeks rather than months before you'll feel confident enough to step out on your own.

Costs are negligible. Beyond a mop bucket, mop, vacuum cleaner, and a bag full of microfibre cloths, your only other expenses will be to purchase a few cleaning products each month and personal liability insurance (this is a must!).

Of course, the type of the type of cleaning business you choose to pursue may mean you'll need more expensive equipment and extra training. However, domestic cleaners can start with very little capital outlay.

You will need a reliable vehicle, which most people considering a cleaning business will already have. Expect to be paying a little more for fuel than you are used to. Plus, you'll be racking up a few extra miles each week, so car tune-ups may need to be more frequent.

What Type of Cleaning Will You Provide?

The first step towards starting your cleaning business is to decide on what type of cleaning you are interested in or have experience with.

I focus almost exclusively on the domestic cleaning side of the business, which means I clean residential homes. It's what I prefer, but there are other options to suit your cleaning inclinations, including:

Commercial cleaning (from offices to shopping centres and everything in between)
Industrial cleaning
Window cleaning
High pressure water cleaning
Environmentally friendly cleaning businesss
Carpet cleaning

As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities for cleaners of all types.

I had no cleaning knowledge or experience from a cleaning business perspective when I first started, other than what I was already doing in my own home. I did have some commercial cleaning experience from back in the day, but it was mostly vacuuming a Kmart and not much else.

Getting Cleaning Experience

Other than the physical labour involved, cleaning is not a difficult job, but experience and training will help ensure you don't damage surfaces that are costly to replace, such as natural stone.

Before I started building my own business I reached out to numerous cleaning companies to gain some experience as an employee. I eventually found a young startup that was willing to train me, and I still do a bit of part-time work for this company.

After a few weeks working with the boss, I was deemed ready to tackle domestic cleaning gigs on my own. Unfortunately, working for such a small company meant that hours were lacking and job cancellations were frequent. Still, I managed to build up my knowledge and confidence with the few clients that I had.

Once I had some experience under my belt, I started looking around for more work and came across heaps of jobs in the contract cleaning industry. These organisations seemed a promising option for getting extra hours and collecting a few more experience points.

What is a Contract Cleaner?

A contract cleaner is a cleaner who works for an agency that connects you with clients. The clients pay the agency, and the agency then pays the cleaner after taking their cut.

All agencies will require you to have an ABN (Australian Business Number) for invoicing and tax purposes. You'll need reliable transport, and most will also require you to have and maintain your own equipment.

Accurate records are a must if you want to keep out of the ATO's crosshairs, so some type of invoicing application will also be required. My tools of choice are Suitedash, an all-in-one business platform that does just about everything you could need for looking after clients, and MS Excel. I use Excel for creating invoices in a format that agencies will accept.

The biggest advantage to working with a contract cleaning agency is that you can sign with as many as you need to ensure you are getting enough hours to pay your bills. Most agencies will cover your personal liability insurance.

Unfortunately, you should be aware of the downsides ,which can be significant, depending on who you sign with.

Not all agencies are created equal and you'll soon see that many cleaning agencies are the equivalent of Uber for cleaners and the exploitation of workers that seems to come with the territory.

A contract cleaner misses out on many entitlements that most employees take for granted.

For example, in most cases you can expect to be working for less than minimum wage. You will also need to take care of your own superannuation payments (tough to do when you are already getting a low rate), and you won't receive travel allowance when travelling between jobs (at least in my experience).

At the time of writing, if your base wage is less than $36.19, you are making less than cleaners who work for an employer ($32.31 + 12% super payments).

I've worked for agencies that pay anywhere from $30 to $38, but none who will pay a travel allowance for travelling from client to client. Missing out on this employee benefit will put a significant dent in your earning capacity. For example, a 9 hour day where you are travelling for 2 of those hours means you are only getting paid for 7, while your employee peers are collecting an extra $60 or $70 in travel allowance.

Contract cleaning is a fantastic way to earn some cash, learn the cleaning industry, practice your customer service, and get some experience. However, it's a losing game as a long-term strategy.

When you've had enough of working for peanuts, it's time to take the next steps to launching your business.

Registering Your Business Name

You can operate your business as a sole trader, which will require an Australian Business Number the ATO hands out for free.

If you're starting your business with a partner, a partnership arrangement will be more suitable, or you could go all in and creat a full-blown company structure.

Your business structure will affect your tax obligations and insurance options, so make sure you discuss your best options with your accountant or legal adviser.

I took a simple route, which was to register a business name after registering an ABN as a sole trader.

Purchase Your Equipment

Starting a residential cleaning service means your startup costs are going to be extremely low. My kit includes a PacVac, a bunch of microfibre cloths, glass cleaning cloths, a flatmop with microfibre mats, and a few standard cleaning chemicals, which includes:

Bleach (used very sparingly)
Multi-Purpose surface cleaner (mostly used for greasy kitchen surfaces)
White Vinegar (50/50 mix with water) for glass shower screens
Ajax Spray 'n Wipe for the bathroom
Morning Fresh dishwashing detergent for general surface cleaning (best for timber surfaces and dusting)
Pine-O-Cleen for floors
Glass cleaner
6 x Spray bottles (I recycle Spray 'n Wipe bottles so these are essentially free)

All up, the entire kit cost less than $400, with around $5 to $10 in ongoing monthly costs for topping up chemicals.

Of course, if you're going for a full commercial service, you may need more equipment such as floor scrubbers, carpet cleaners, and gear for reaching high places. These items may be more costly at first, but purchasing top quality gear will ensure they last a long time while allowing you to provide a high-quality service every time.

Marketing Your Cleaning Business

Mastering marketing is the best way to ensure regular pay cheques from a steady stream of clients. You need to advertise regularly, but that doesn't mean you need to spend a fortune.

Many cleaning business do fine without a website, but a digital presence you own means you aren't fully reliant on social media companies. Plus, a website gives your digital marketing efforts a little more clout because it allows you to more easily capture leads and do followups so they don't forget about you.

And, with the right setup, your website can perform your lead generation and follow-ups automatically, like a salesperson working for you 24/7. All you will need to do is confirm appointments and show up when it's time.

While digital marketing has all but taken over from traditional advertising, you could also try leaflets and print ads to drum up some business.

Marketing Tips

Create a free social media presence on popular social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Do letterbox dropping in the areas where you plan to offer your services
Create a professional image to improve your brand identity
Get your family and friends involved in spreading the word
Check out paid options like HiPages and Tradiemate (also has free options)
Get your Google Business Profile and set it up for local searches on Google Maps

Keeping Track of Finances

Keeping track of your finances will be critical to your success. Your expenses may be minimal, but tax bills can break you if don't keep track of how much you owe.

Car log books are essential and can go a long way to reducing your tax bill at the end of the year, so be sure to keep accurate records. Carrying bulky equipment means you can claim most of your kilometres as a deduction.

I highly recommend learning Microsoft Excel and finding yourself a good accountant. Please note, I am not a financial adviser and am not qualified to provide financial advice for your business.

Growing Your Business

A growing business will eventually mean hiring extra help to expand your services. Skilled, reliable, employees are not easy to find or retain.

Use resources like Indeed.com to find good candidates and thoroughly vet them before giving them a trial.

When you find a good one, make sure you keep them happy. Minimum wage is a starting point, but be sure to pay them on time as well.

Provide quality equipment and comprehensive training in your techniques and safety protocols. If your cleaners are working on their own in your clients' homes, make sure they know how to deal with customers in a friendly manner.

A great employee who is helping to build your brand may be worth a little extra. Even a couple of dollars an hour extra could prevent them from eyeing off other opportunities and leaving you for your competition.