Starting a Cleaning Business - Overview of the Industry

Some people think that you would be crazy to show an interest in starting a cleaning business. It is definitely not the most glamorous industry to be in. However, if you are prepared to roll up your sleeves, work hard, and eventually become a contractor, managing cleaning crews then this business can be very lucrative.

The cleaning industry in the US is huge and accounts for multi billion dollar revenues each year split between the many companies involved.

By some estimates, 10% of American homes frequently use a residential cleaning service with staff usually visiting once or twice a week. The cleaning of commercial office space is also huge and accounts for approximately one third of the industry.

Many say that the cleaning business is immune to recession and this is true to some extent and in some market sectors such as office cleaning. While some consumers in the residential market may cut back on cleaning during a downturn, a large part of the clientele are affluent and can afford to continue with their service during a recession. Cleaning would be one of the least affected industries during an economic downturn anyway.

The industry can be divided into two basic areas, commercial (janitorial services) and residential cleaning (maid service). There are also many smaller niches within the industry with residential carpet cleaning being one of the larger market segments.

Cleaning is a service business and if you want to be successful you have to focus heavily on serving your customers well. Good service can result in 'word of mouth' business or referrals and this is invaluable to small businesses lacking in time and funds to put towards marketing.

Depending on the area where you live and local regulations you should be able to start a home based cleaning business and can thus avoid renting commercial premises. For larger operators though, requiring storage for large volumes of chemicals and equipment then commercial premises or storage facilities can quickly become a necessity.

Depending on how seriously you want to start out in the business startup costs can be kept to a minimum. A lot of entrepreneurs are attracted to the cleaning business for this reason.

No qualifications are required to get started, though you may need a business license to start a legal business operation in your state. The cleaning market does have many illegal operators and some serious market participants are pushing for more regulation in the industry.

Cleaning effectively is not always as easy as it seems. The best way to get started would be to look for some opportunities to learn from experienced cleaners such as work experience or a mentoring arrangement.

For those looking for a turnkey solution to learn about and get started with a cleaning business, then there are many franchise options available. Many decide that a franchise is not for them though and end up opening their own independent business.

Other areas that you will need to investigate include market research, pricing, insurance, marketing, basic small business management and bookkeeping. The cleaning industry offers so many opportunities to entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses. The market is so large that anyone who works hard in the cleaning business is basically assured a certain level of success.