business plan cleaning business

Business Plan for a Cleaning Business: Complete Guide

• October 21, 2024

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Whether you’re looking to raise funding from private investors or to get a loan from a bank (like a SBA loan) for your cleaning business, you will need to prepare a solid business plan.

In this article we go through, step-by-step, all the different sections you need in the business plan of your cleaning business. Use this template to create a complete, clear and solid business plan that get you funded.

1. Executive Summary

The executive summary of a business plan gives a sneak peek of the information about your business plan to lenders and/or investors.

If the information you provide here is not concise, informative, and scannable, potential lenders and investors may lose interest.

Why do you need a business plan for a cleaning business?

The purpose of a business plan is to secure funding through one of the following channels:

• Obtain bank financing or secure a loan from other lenders (such as a SBA loan )
• Obtain private investments from investment funds, angel investors, etc.
• Obtain a public or private grant

How to write an executive summary for a cleaning business?

Provide a precise and high-level summary of every section that you have included in the business plan for your cleaning business. The information and the data you include in this segment should grab the attention of potential investors and lenders immediately. Ensure that the executive summary doesn’t exceed 2 pages in total.

The executive summary usually consists of the five major sub-sections that include:

• Business overview : introduce what services your cleaning business offers (commercial vs. residential cleaning), what type of customers you focus on (individuals, businesses, factories, etc.), any specific cleaning service you focus on (e.g. carpet cleaning), your company structure and, more importantly, how and why you want to start such a business today
• Market overview : the market overview section will contain an overview of the expected market size and growth of the cleaning industry in your area as well as your target customers. Another important part of any market overview is a clear and thorough analysis of your competitors
• People : introduce your company’s management and employee structure. Provide a brief (no more than a couple of sentences each) of the experience of the team. Also, speak about your hiring plans: who will you hire and who will report to whom?
• Financial plan : how much profit and revenue do you expect in the next 5 years? When will you reach break-even point and start making profits? Include here your key financials such as revenue, gross profits, and net profit
• Funding ask : what loan/investment/grant are you seeking? How much do you need? How long will this last?

Cleaning Business Financial Model Excel Template

Download an expert-built 5-year Excel financial model for your business plan

2. Business Overview

The business overview section is sometimes called the company description and is one of the most important parts of the cleaning business plan.

Here, you will want to provide crucial information about your cleaning business, including your services, pricing structure , customers, and company structure.

a) History of the Project

This is a brief description of your business, outlining its origin and your reasons for venturing into this field. As one would put it, it answers a major question about business; why a cleaning company? 

When starting a cleaning business, you want to use all your best tools to show the lenders and investors that your passion is deeply built around the need to fill an existing market gap. For example, you would argue that many customers in your area need eco-friendly cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, or commercial kitchen cleaning services.

b) Business Model

You should be clear if you are opening an independent cleaning company or partnering. Also, make it clear if you are buying an existing franchise.

Franchising has an added advantage of simplicity, given an already established market base. However, every model has its risks and benefits. So, choose what’s best for your target market and long-term goals. 

c) Services

Don’t get it twisted. Cleaning companies offer a range of services to their consumers depending on the business location and demand. So, an important aspect of laying a solid foundation is to explain to your customers what they should expect from your business. In other words, what type of cleaning services do you intend to offer? 

The 2 main categories of cleaning services are: residential and commercial cleaning.

Residential cleaning targets private residences and homes. If you choose this option, you can specialize in home maintenance, move-in and move-out cleaning, deep cleaning, green cleaning, and residential event cleanups. 

On the other hand, commercial cleaning suits businesses and requires significant manpower, more space, and sophisticated equipment. You can’t run this business in some regions without enough vehicles to transport your equipment. 

If you plan to specialize in commercial cleaning, you can focus on general office cleaning tasks, large-scale specialized cleaning, construction cleanups, commercial kitchen cleaning, and hazardous waste cleaning.

d) Pricing Strategy

Another important part of the business overview section is your pricing structure. It should be as clear as possible because investors will rely on it when assessing your financial need.

Most cleaning companies in the US set their rates per square foot, per room, per hour, or as a flat fee. And the standard national hourly cost of house cleaning services in the US ranges from $50 to $90 per hour per cleaner.  

e) Target Customers

Who is your ideal customer? And which cleaning services do they need? You might have already identified your target market if you can answer these questions correctly. 

For instance, if private residences and apartments dominate the region, many individuals will probably need residential cleaning services. Make sure you offer that.

Similarly, a busy city center with many offices and commercial properties will probably benefit from commercial cleaning services as mentioned above. Identifying your target market is one of the fastest ways to increase revenue potential after assessing the competition. 

f) Legal Structure

Finally, your business overview section should specify what type of business structure you want. Is this a corporation or a partnership (LLC)? Who are the investors? How much equity percentage do they own? Is there a Board of Directors? If so, whom? Do they have experience in the industry?

3. Market Overview

To run a successful business, you need all the facts that back your decision to start a cleaning company in the region at that time. Market analysis will help you identify the level of competition in the region and whether the investment is worth it. 

For example, offering commercial cleaning services in a residential setup would make little sense. Similarly, overpricing your services when the dominant population is low to middle-income earners won’t fast-track business growth. 

a) Cleaning Business Industry Status Quo

This section should answer two obvious questions about your cleaning business;

• What is the market size of the cleaning industry in your area? 
• How fast is the cleaning industry growing? 

Both questions will help you set realistic expectations when getting into this field, having analyzed the market trends and size. 

How big is the cleaning industry in the US?

It’s always good to start any market overview by assessing the market size at a national level.

Of course, the figures may not represent the actual status of the cleaning business in your region, but they offer a solid foundation for building a thriving business. According to the latest statistics, the cleaning service industry in the US had a value of $97.6 billion in 2022 . 

The staggering need for cleaning services means that the commercial cleaning sector will likely grow at a steady rate of 5.4% up to 2025 . Although this may be a good sign for setting up your cleaning business, you should also assess market growth in your area (see below).

How big is the cleaning industry in your area?

Getting the market data at the city level gives you a clearer picture of what to expect from the market. It may complicated, but you only need the total number of cleaning companies in your region and their services to assess your area’s market size.

For example, let’s assume you want to get into the carpet cleaning business. With close to 32,000 carpet cleaning businesses in the US, and a total market value of $4 billion (carpet cleaning US market), we can safely assume each carpet cleaning business generates $125,000 in sales per year on average.

Now, assuming there are 25 competitors in your area, the estimated market size of the carpet cleaning industry in your area is $3.1 million.

How fast is the cleaning industry growing in your area?

You may need to analyze multiple factors to determine the growth rate of the cleaning industry in your region. Sometimes, this involves a few calculations to get an actual figure when drawing your conclusion. 

For example, if the region had 120 cleaning companies in 2020, which increased to 150 in 2022, you can assume that the industry is growing at a steady rate of 12% per year. 

Pay attention to all factors that may directly impact the growth rate, including a population influx, increased demand, and increased income potential. 

However, don’t be shocked if you notice a successive drop in the demand for cleaning services in the region. This is possible even when the national statistics show otherwise. Its part and parcel of the business and could indicate that this isn’t the right time to launch a cleaning company. 

b) Cleaning Business Competitor Analysis

Another crucial step in the business plan of your cleaning company is to assess the existing competition. There are a couple of questions to guide you here, including;

• How many cleaning companies are there in your region?
• What services do they offer (residential, commercial cleaning, or both)?
• What’s the average price of hiring a cleaning company in the region?
• What’s the total number of individuals employed by a typical cleaning company in the region? 
• How many customers do they serve per week/month? 

Why do you need a competitive analysis in the business plan of your cleaning business?

Assessing the competition in the area where you plan to start your cleaning business will allow to better understand whether there is sufficient demand, and whether you are well positioned to take market share from competitors.

For example, starting a new business would make perfect sense under the following circumstances;

• There’s a clear market gap that you can fill in the region (For example, offering a service that other companies might have missed, like eco-friendly/green cleaning) 
• There are no or inadequate cleaning companies in the region. This would present the perfect opportunity to tap into the market potential and grow a thriving business. 

c) Cleaning Business Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section is almost similar to your target audience . However, this is your chance to prove to the lenders that your target market is real and available. You can use the following questions to analyze your client base; 

• Which individuals need cleaning services in the region? 
• What’s the average income of the individuals in the region? (This is also important when determining your pricing structure)
• Which cleaning services are they interested in?
• How often do they need cleaning services? (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Are they more likely to benefit from commercial or residential cleaning services?

Usually, the level of competition in the region also influences your customer analysis. So, that should be clear to help you determine the market demand or predict the success of your cleaning business.

4. Sales & Marketing

The sales and marketing strategy sums up your plans for acquiring new clients. Here are a few helpful questions to guide you:

• Which marketing channels are best suited to your business (online vs. offline marketing)?
• Do you have a unique selling point? If so, what is it?
• What is your marketing budget for the first months / year?
• How can you track the success of your marketing strategy?
• Do you plan to offer any promotions to attract new customers? 

Cleaning Business Marketing Channels

You can use the following channels for marketing your cleaning business locally;

• Pay-per-click campaigns (e.g. Google ads)
• Email, SMS marketing
• Social media content & ads 
• Word-of-mouth advertising
• TV and radio advertisement

What are your Unique Selling Points (USPs)?

A unique selling point is what puts you ahead of the rest. It’s no secret that you will face stiff competition from established cleaning companies in the field. So, how you set yourself apart matters. Some factors to consider include;

• Price : Cheaper services than your competitors
• Location : Your proximity to the target market gives you a slight edge over the rest
• Quality : Stellar cleaning services with modern equipment will attract more clients

5. Management & People

You must address 2 things here:

• The management team and their experience/track record
• The organizational structure: different team members and who reports to whom?

a) Management

Small businesses often fail because of managerial weaknesses . Thus, having a strong management team is vital. Highlight the experience and education of senior managers that you intend to hire to oversee your commercial cleaning business.

Describe their duties, responsibilities, and roles. Also, highlight their previous experience and explain how they succeeded in their previous roles.

It is also important that you explain how their experiences and qualifications help you in offering the services you are proposing. If they have specialized training and education (such as carpet cleaning, industrial cleaning, etc.), add that information too.

b) Organizational Structure

Even if you haven’t already hired a senior manager and any other relevant staff members, you must provide a flowchart of the organizational structure defining the hierarchy of reporting as shown below.

6. Financial Plan

The financial plan is perhaps, with the executive summary, the most important section of any business plan for a cleaning company.

Indeed, a solid financial plan tells lenders that your business is viable and can repay the loan you need from them. If you’re looking to raise equity from private investors, a solid financial plan will prove them your cleaning business is an attractive investment.

There should be 3 sections to your financial plan section:

• Your historical financials (only if you already operate the business and have financial accounts to show)
• The startup costs of your project (if you plan to start a new cleaning business, purchase new equipment, etc.)
• The 5-year financial projections

a) Historical Financials (if any)

In the scenario where you already have some historical financials (a few quarters or a few years), include them. A summary of your financial statements in the form of charts e.g. revenue, gross profit and net profit is enough, save the rest for the appendix.

If you don’t have any, don’t worry, most new businesses don’t have any historical financials and that’s ok. If so, jump to Startup Costs instead.

b) Startup Costs

Before we expand on 5-year financial projections in the following section, it’s always best practice to start with listing the startup costs of your project.

For a cleaning business, startup costs are all the expenses you incur before you start making sales. Luckily, these expenses are rather low for cleaning companies and mostly include the cost to purchase equipment and the vehicle you will use to transport them.

As an example, it costs on average $73,500 – $167,500 to start a small commercial cleaning business with 2 vans and 4 employees. We have laid out below estimates for the key startup costs you can expect for a cleaning business.

Note that these costs are for illustrative purposes and may not be fully relevant for your business. For more information on how much it costs to start and run a cleaning business, read our article here .

c) Financial Projections

In addition to startup costs, you will now need to build a solid 5-year financial model for your cleaning business.

Your financial projections should be built using a spreadsheet (e.g. Excel or Google Sheets) and presented in the form of tables and charts in the business plan of your cleaning business.

As usual, keep it concise here and save details (for example detailed financial statements, financial metrics, key assumptions used for the projections) for the appendix instead.

Your financial projections should answer at least the following questions:

• How much revenue do you expect to generate over the next 5 years?
• When do you expect to break even?
• How much cash will you burn until you get there?
• What’s the impact of a change in pricing (say 20%) on your margins?
• What is your average customer acquisition cost?

You should include here your 3 financial statements (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement). This means you must forecast:

• The number of customers over time ;
• Your expected revenue ;
• Operating costs to run the business ;
• Any other cash flow items (e.g. capex, debt repayment, etc.).

When projecting your revenue, make sure to sensitize pricing and the number of customers as a small change in these assumptions will have a big impact on your revenues.

7. Funding Ask

This is the last section of the business plan of your cleaning business. Now that we have explained what your company is about, the services you offer and to whom, what’s your strategy, where you go and how you get there, this section must answer the following questions:

• How much funding do you need?
• What financial instrument(s) do you need: is this equity or debt, or even a free-money public grant?
• How long will this funding last?
• Where else does the money come from? If you apply for a SBA loan for example, where does the other part of the investment come from (your own capital, private investors?)

If you raise debt:

• What percentage of the total funding the loan represents?
• What is the corresponding Debt Service Coverage Ratio ?

If you raise equity

• What percentage ownership are you selling as part of this funding round?
• What is the corresponding valuation of your business?

Use of Funds

Any business plan should include a clear use of funds section. This is where you explain how the money will be spent.

Will you spend most of the loan / investment in paying your employees’ salaries? Or will it cover mostly the cost for the lease deposit and the renovation?

Those are very important questions you should be able to answer in the blink of an eye. Don’t worry, this should come straight from your financial projections. If you’ve built solid projections like in our Cleaning financial model template , you won’t have any issues answering these questions.

For the use of funds, we also recommend using a pie chart like the one we have in our financial model template where we outline the main expenses categories as shown below.

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Free Cleaning Service Business Plan (Download PDF Sample)

Download Our Free Template to Get Started

A cleaning company business plan is a comprehensive document outlining your cleaning company’s objectives and explaining your marketing plan , cleaning services, and funding information. It serves as the blueprint for your cleaning business. 

• Savvy entrepreneurs create a business plan when starting a new business, and they continue to update it as their business grows. 
• A well-written business plan will guide you through your journey as a small business owner. It will help you make critical decisions as you work hard to reach your goals over the years.
• You’ll be able to glimpse the bigger picture and keep track of your progress when you’ve got it all written down.
• A business plan will significantly increase your company’s chances of success , setting a clear path to long-term growth and helping you plan efficient organizational processes. 

If you’re aiming to gain the trust of potential investors, a business plan is a must-have tool that will show them if your business is worth taking the risk.

We’ve created a downloadable cleaning services business plan PDF that you can easily edit to fit your needs. Get my sample template below:

Components of a Cleaning Services Business Plan 

Now that you understand the importance of a cleaning company business plan, the next step is to start creating your own. But there’s no need to worry! We’ve done much of the legwork to ease the process of creating a business plan for you. 

Our free downloadable cleaning services business plan PDF contains essential components to help you define your goals and make better business decisions. 

However, keep in mind that every business plan is unique. You can remove or add any section as you deem necessary to create the best business plan for your cleaning company. 

Include the following elements to get started in the right direction: 

1. Executive Summary 

The first part of a comprehensive business plan is an executive summary, which provides an overview of your company and summarizes your entire business plan.

Highlight what makes your cleaning business stand out from competitors in the cleaning industry. You can also describe the weaknesses and shortcomings of other cleaning firms and how your company aims to solve these problems. 

You can include the following information in your executive summary: 

• Owner’s experience
• Mission statement
• The leadership team and employees
• Financial and growth goals

2. Company Description 

• Why did you decide to start a cleaning services company?
• What particular problems are you trying to solve, and how do you intend to beat competitors in the cleaning industry?

Your company description is where you emphasize the strengths and competitive advantages of your cleaning business. 

3. Objectives

Set the best objectives that will help keep your cleaning business on the right track.

• Think about the key goals you want to achieve, whether to reach a certain amount of sales revenue or expand your operations to a broader service area.
• When you carefully define your main goals and objectives, you’ll be able to take the proper steps to get where you want to go. 

4. Market Analysis

Market analysis gives you an insight into your target market share, the needs and demands of your customers, and your competitors.

• Do some research about the cleaning company industry and what your competitors lack to know how your company can gain an edge over others.
• With proper market analysis, you can also analyze the need for funding from financial institutions and investors. 

5. Organizational Structure 

• Define the specific roles that need to be filled, such as cleaners, an office manager, and a project manager.
• You can also talk about hiring competent personnel as your company grows and outsourcing services for processes like digital marketing and accounting. 

6. Cleaning Services

An essential part of a cleaning company business plan is identifying the type of cleaning services you intend to provide: 

• Scope of Cleaning Services – Do you plan to focus on bidding on commercial janitorial jobs , residential cleaning, housekeeping, post-construction cleaning or all types?
• List of Specific Cleaning Services – Talk about your company’s services and prices, from interior home cleaning and damage restoration to industrial cleaning. 
• Benefits of Your Cleaning Services – How will your target market benefit from your company’s services? Think about the problems you’re trying to solve for your customers, like giving them a wide selection of cleaning services to reduce the need for hiring multiple contractors. 

7. Marketing and Sales 

To survive in a competitive industry, your cleaning business needs to employ tailored marketing strategies to help you stand out and beat competitors.

Outline your marketing and sales strategies to promote your cleaning services, gain leads, and ultimately boost sales. You should determine the number of clients you must win to achieve your cleaning company’s profit goals. 

The most effective marketing strategies for cleaning businesses include: 

• Online Marketing – Your objectives can include building an authoritative business cleaning service website design , using paid advertising like Facebook ads , leveraging social media, implementing email marketing, and maintaining an excellent reputation online. 
• Offline Advertising – Timeless strategies include direct mail, distributing pamphlets and flyers, connecting with the local community, and creating branded merchandise. 

8. Funding Requests 

• Add this section if you need additional funding for day-to-day functions and operational expenses.
• You can create a table outlining your cleaning company’s expenses, letting potential investors and lenders know precisely where their money will go. 

9. Financial Projections 

Your cleaning company business plan should have a realistic financial forecast based on your extensive market analysis and company goals.

• It should include well-researched financial projections for the future to demonstrate your targeted profits. 
• Try to include a cash flow estimate, capital expenditures, and approximate payrolls for the next few years.
• You can create an annual or quarterly target profit that your team can work to accomplish. 

Pro-Top : include a cash flow estimate, capital expenditures, and approximate payrolls for the next few years. You can create an annual or quarterly target profit that your team can work to accomplish. 

10. Appendix

Your business plan ends with an appendix where you add all relevant documents, definitions, legal notes, and other critical information.

• You can include resumes, certifications, bank statements, credit reports, charts, and other supporting documents. 
• Refer readers to this section anywhere in your business plan when necessary. For example: “See Appendix, page 5, for management team certifications.”

Example of a Cleaning Services Business Plan PDF

You can open or download our free cleaning business plan PDF below:

To get an editable version on Google Docs, enter your email below:

Why Does My Cleaning Company Need a Business Plan? 

You might think, “But making a business plan sounds like a lot of work! Do I really need it for my cleaning company?” The quick answer is: Yes, you definitely need that business plan!

As tedious as it sounds, preparing a strategic business plan is crucial to set yourself up for success and not get lost along the way. 

Take a look at the following key reasons why your business will benefit from a cleaning company business plan: 

Find Out If Your Cleaning Services Business Idea Is Viable

Creating a business plan will help you test if your business idea is feasible, saving you time, money, and energy. Many aspiring entrepreneurs believe they have outstanding ideas that could never fail.

However, around 20% of business startups fail during the first year due to a lack of planning, among other things. 

To survive the cleaning business startup phase, you must perform careful and methodical planning and create a well-developed business plan. It’s the key step between visualizing the concept for your cleaning company and turning your vision into a successful business. 

Increase Your Chances of Growth and Success 

The cleaning industry is enormous, and competitive residential and commercial cleaning businesses are everywhere. There’s always demand for cleaning services. Around 80% of households in the US are expected to use home cleaning services by 2024. 

Considering the competition you’ll be facing, it helps to create a business plan that will help you identify how your cleaning company will stand out. 

• Extensive planning will help you pinpoint your target market, determine your unique selling proposition, and develop a startup and operating expenses budget.
• This process will ultimately set your cleaning business up for long-term growth and success.

Secure Financing

Established financial institutions, lenders, and investors typically perform an extensive investigation before committing to an investment. With a solid business plan, you’ll be more likely to secure the funds you need to get your business up and running. 

Common Questions about Cleaning Company Business Plans

A business plan will help you determine if your cleaning business idea is viable, increase your chances of success, and secure financing.

An executive summary includes a mission statement, information about the leadership team, and financial goals.

Final Thoughts: Driving Your Cleaning Company’s Success With a Solid Business Plan 

Equipped with a well-researched business plan, you’ll have much higher chances of succeeding in the cleaning services industry. It’s also a valuable tool that can help you secure funding for your operational expenses as a cleaning startup. 

After downloading our free cleaning services business plan PDF, make sure to edit each section and include all essential information to create a comprehensive document.

Our free sample cleaning company business plan serves as an excellent starting point – a helpful template that you can personalize as necessary.

Written by Nelmie Jane Pardo

Nelmie Jane Pardo is a senior contributing writer who lends insight into digital marketing methods and business solutions. She regularly writes at BusinessHue to help business owners take their online marketing to the next level.

Free Resources for the

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Letter offering cleaning services: free template you can use, the best sales pitch for cleaning businesses (examples), starting a cleaning business checklist pdf: printable form.

Cleaning Service Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 5,000 entrepreneurs create business plans to start and grow their cleaning services businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a cleaning services business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Cleaning Business Plan Template here >

What is a Cleaning Service Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your cleaning services business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Cleaning Service

If you’re looking to start a cleaning services business or grow your existing cleaning services business you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your cleaning services business in order to improve your chances of success. Your cleaning services business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Source of Funding for Cleaning Services Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a cleaning services business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable. But they will want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Cleaning Services Business Plan Template

Your business plan should include 10 sections as follows:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of cleaning services business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a cleaning services business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of cleaning services businesses.

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the cleaning services business industry. Discuss the type of cleaning services business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of cleaning services business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types:

• Residential : this type of cleaning services business offers general cleaning services to households. In addition to cleaning services for inside the home, this type of business may also offer exterior cleaning services.
• Janitorial : this type of cleaning services business serves both residential and commercial clients. These businesses may specialize in a particular niche, such as medical facilities.
• Carpet Cleaning : this type of cleaning services business clean rugs, carpets and upholstery for residential and commercial clients. Companies in the industry also provide a range of other services including dyeing used rugs, damage restoration services, ventilation duct cleaning and other cleaning services.

In addition to explaining the type of cleaning services business you operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include sales goals you’ve reached, new store openings, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the cleaning services business.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the cleaning services business industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy particularly if your research identifies market trends. For example, if there was a trend towards “green” cleaning services, it would be helpful to ensure your plan calls for eco-friendly product and service options.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your cleaning services business plan:

• How big is the cleaning services business (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your cleaning services business. You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your cleaning services business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: families, schools, apartment complexes, etc.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of cleaning services business you operate. Clearly residential customers would want different pricing and product options, and would respond to different marketing promotions than hospitals.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most cleaning services businesses primarily serve customers living in their same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other cleaning services businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes businesses hiring internal janitorial staff, and people doing their own cleaning at home. You need to mention such competition to show you understand that not everyone who needs cleaning services will engage a cleaning business.

With regards to direct competition, you want to detail the other cleaning services businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be cleaning services businesses located very close to your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What products and services do they offer?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to stand outside your competitors’ locations and ask customers as they leave what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide superior cleaning services?
• Will you provide cleaning services that your competitors don’t offer?
• Will you make it easier or faster for customers to book your services?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a cleaning services business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : in the product section you should reiterate the type of cleaning services business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific services you will be offering. For example, in addition to standard residential cleaning services, will you offer damage restoration services?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your cleaning services business. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. Discuss how your location might provide a steady stream of customers.

Promotions : the final part of your cleaning services business marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local bloggers and websites
• Social media advertising
• Local radio advertising
• Pay per click advertising
• Banner ads at local venues

Client Retention

Your cleaning service business plan should discuss not just how you will find customers in the first place, but how you’ll hold on to them and discourage them from switching to another firm. After all, it should be much less expensive to keep a customer than to market and sell to a new one. Some methods of retaining customers involve creating the perception of switching costs; that is, that they will lose money and time when switching to a new cleaning service. Others involve fine-tuning your customer service skills into a customer service system around retention.

Loyalty Program

Creating a loyalty program is a positive way of creating switching costs for your customers. For example, by offering a free cleaning after every 10 cleanings, or some specialty service when certain milestones are missed, your customers will worry about losing the value they have saved up that is only of use if they stay with your company.

Premium Customer Levels

Another related retention strategy is to reward the frequency of customer cleanings. For example, customers who order cleanings once a week and keep that up, can be offered entry into your “premium customer group”, marketed with a branded name to build interest. You can offer members of this group more leeway to schedule last minute cleanings, reschedule or cancel, additional perks, or priority customer service of some other kind. Clients who are almost at the point of qualifying may push themselves to reach that point in order to get these valuable perks.

Tracking Retention

Simply by tracking the numbers and percentages involved in your customer retention can yield valuable information about what you’re doing right or wrong and how successful new initiatives are over time. Statistics to track may include customer complaints, the average speed of complaint resolution, the percentage of customers in a given month who were using your services last month, 3 months ago, 6 months ago, a year ago, etc., and so on. When your staff is aware of these statistics and is given targets to work towards, the message that customer service and retention is a priority is heard loud and clear.

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your cleaning services business such as serving customers, procuring supplies, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to serve your 100th customer, or when you hope to reach $X in sales. It could also be when you expect to hire your Xth employee or launch in a new city.

Management Team

To demonstrate your cleaning services business’s ability to succeed as a business, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in the cleaning services business. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in cleaning services businesses and/or successfully running small businesses.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you serve 20 customers per week or 50? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Example 5 Year Annual Income Statement

Balance Sheets : While balance sheets include much information, to simplify them to the key items you need to know about, balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your cleaning services business, that will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50.000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Example 5 Year Annual Balance Sheet

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. For example, let’s say a company approached you with a massive $100,000 damage restoration contract, that would cost you $50,000 to fulfill. Well, in most cases, you would have to pay that $50,000 now for supplies, equipment rentals, employee salaries, etc. But let’s say the company didn’t pay you for 180 days. During that 180-day period, you could run out of money.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a cleaning services business:

• Cost of equipment like vacuum cleaners, power washers, carts, vans, etc.
• Cost of maintaining an adequate amount of supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Example 5 Year Annual Cash Flow Statement

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include any insurance company affiliations or remediation licenses.

Cleaning Services Business Plan Summary

Putting together a business plan for your cleaning services business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the cleaning services business, your competition and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful cleaning services business.

Download Our Free Cleaning Services Business Plan PDF

You can download our cleaning services business plan PDF here. This is a cleaning company business plan template you can use in PDF format to help you get started on your own business plan.

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Cleaning business plan?

OR, Let Us Develop Your Plan For You

Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success. See how our business plan consulting for small businesses can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

How To Write a Cleaning Services Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for cleaning services businesses that want to improve their strategy and/or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every cleaning services business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Cleaning Business Plan Template

What is a Cleaning Services Business Plan?

A cleaning services business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Cleaning Services Business Plan?

A cleaning services business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Cleaning Services Business Plan

The following are the key components of a successful cleaning services business plan:

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a cleaning services business plan is a one to two page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your cleaning services company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your cleaning services business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your cleaning services firm, mention this.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a cleaning services business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the cleaning services industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, the customers of a cleaning services business may include:

• Small businesses
• Commercial businesses
• Industrial businesses

List the needs and wants of each customer segment, as they relate to your cleaning services. For example, a small business owner may need their office cleaned on a regular basis, but may not have the time or resources to do it themselves. Conversely, a homeowner may want their home cleaned but may not be willing to pay for professional services.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or cleaning services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or, you may promote your cleaning services business via word-of-mouth.

Operations Plan

This part of your cleaning services business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

The operations plan is where you also need to include your company’s business policies. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a cleaning services business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include expanding to a new city or adding additional services.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific cleaning services industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you are missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Cleaning Services Business

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Cleaning Services Business

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup cleaning services business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Cleaning Services Business

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your cleaning services company. It not only outlines your business vision, but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

Now that you know what should be included in a cleaning services business plan, it’s time to get started on writing your own. The template we’ve provided can help you get started, but don’t forget to personalize it to reflect your unique company and its goals.   

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• Sample Business Plans

How to Write a Cleaning Company Business Plan + Free Template

Ever dreamed of starting your own cleaning services business?

If yes, you’ve come to the right place. It’s time for you to venture into an exciting world of clean and nicely organized spaces.

However, you need to think about resources and funding for navigating the ins and outs of the cleaning business.

Also, you need to identify if there’s a market opportunity to be successful, how many competitors you’ll face, and what potential clients expect from companies like yours.

Surprisingly, a professional business plan will help you answer all these questions. Here’s our sample Cleaning Company Business Plan to give you enough motivation.

We have created this sample business plan for you to get a good idea about how a comprehensive business plan should look alike and what elements you need to include in your business plan.

But before you start writing a business plan for your new cleaning company, consider a few tips and business planning hacks compiled for you.

Industry Overview

The commercial cleaning services industry stood at an impressive value of $89.7 billion , and its growth shows that it’s not going to slow down.

Especially after the pandemic, the significance of cleaning has grown. The household cleaners or residential cleaning market is projected to be $40.38 billion by 2025.

And if you have a knack for cleaning and organizing spaces, there’s a golden opportunity to build a thriving business.

Before you go, we have some important things that you have to keep in mind.

Things to Consider Before Writing Your Cleaning Business Plan

Choose what you’ll clean.

Decide what kind of spaces you want to clean. You can go for anything from cleaning outdoor areas, hotels, schools, or office space.

This will help you hire employees who are the best at specific jobs. After all, cleaning different spaces requires a different set of skills and precision.

So, having a niche would help you become a specialist at your work and make your customers avail of your service more often.

Decide what additional services you can provide

Sometimes business is all about going that extra mile. Decide what additional services you can provide apart from the primary ones.

This would also largely depend upon your potential clients and the industry sector you are in.

For example, if you clean office spaces, you can specialize in the organizational services that can set you apart from competitors. Also, this will open opportunities for additional revenue.

Know your competitors

Knowing your competitors is crucial. Identify their strengths, weaknesses, and position in the market. It helps you stay ahead of them and have a foresight of what might happen next in the industry.

Hence, maintaining a competitive advantage in this dynamic and rapidly evolving sector is a must.

Adapt to technology

The cleaning industry is a lot about putting technology to maximum use. So, embrace technological advancements, such as online booking systems and machines for better cleaning.

This will ensure that your business remains competitive and aligns with the evolving needs of your customers. And to keep up you’ll have to change too.

How to Write a Cleaning Company Business Plan?

1. write an executive summary.

An executive summary is the first and most significant section of any business plan, usually written in the last when the entire plan is ready.

It provides a high-level overview of your cleaning company business plan, offering a quick understanding of your business. So, keep your executive summary clear, concise, and engaging to grab readers’ attention.

This section includes the business name, concept, core values, objectives, marketing plan, management team, and financial projections.

You may start your executive summary with a compelling introduction to the cleaning business, including what is your idea behind this business and what type of business you are running.

Briefly outline your cleaning services and clarify how your services will be different. Describe your target customers, and don’t forget to explain how your cleaning business satisfies their needs.

Name all the key members of your team and provide a summary of your cleaning company’s financial projections for 3-5 years.

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2. Provide a Company Overview

As the name suggests, the company overview section provides a detailed description of your small business.

It includes the business name, owners, legal structure, location, history, and other such information, providing an in-depth understanding of your company.

You may start this section by providing all the basic information about your cleaning business, such as the name of your company, type of business, legal structure, location, and the reason for choosing that place.

Highlight the owners of your cleaning company, along with their percentage shares and responsibilities. Include vision-mission statements that summarize your business objectives and core principles.

After that, mention your cleaning service business’s history and explain how it came into its recent position. Also, describe your future business goals.

Here is an example of PristineClean’s business goals written using Upmetrics AI-writing assistant :

Next, you may outline some personality and intriguing details like business achievements or recognition, if any.

3. Conduct an Industry and Market Analysis

Starting a cleaning services business requires a strategic roadmap, and the key to developing it lies in a complete industry and market analysis.

This chapter provides valuable insights into your external business environment, including the cleaning industry in which your business operates and its dynamics.

It helps your readers or potential investors to better understand the broader cleaning industry, local market, target customers, emerging market trends, potential challenges, and opportunities.

Here are a few key components your industry and market analysis section must include:

Market Size and Growth Potential

Give a detailed overview of the cleaning industry and determine its market size, growth potential, and target market. Use industry publications, market reports, and statistical data for thorough research.

Also, Identify and describe a few market influencing factors, such as increased hygiene awareness, growing urbanization, eco-friendliness, and changing lifestyles.

Target Market

Specify your target market and define the attributes of your ideal clients. Try to break down the market into segments based on residential or commercial focus, demographics, and specific cleaning service needs.

Learn more about your customers and define the geographic regions you wish to serve. Recognize the local cleaning services demand and identify whether your cleaning business will focus on certain services.

You may also display your cleaning business’s market distribution as follow s:

Competitive Analysis

Explore all the commercial cleaning businesses in the local market and identify key competitors, including direct and indirect competitors.

To know more about the competitive landscape, analyze their strengths & weaknesses and evaluate their market positioning. From that, pinpoint untapped areas in the market and understand the scope of competitive advantage.

Try to explain how you can offer qualitative cleaning services and develop unique selling propositions(USPs) that set your cleaning business apart.

Conduct a SWOT analysis to evaluate internal & external factors and get better insights.

Market trends

Stay updated on emerging market trends and recent industry practices to write this section. Observe current innovations in cleaning technology and eco-friendly practices. Also, explore ways to implement online booking systems, automated scheduling, or smart cleaning equipment.

Regulatory Environment

Highlight regulatory considerations for your cleaning services business. It includes local regulations, business licenses or permits, health & safety compliance, and insurance requirements.

Have a look at the PristineClean’s regulatory environment:

Regulatory environment

In [Westminster] and its adjacent areas, the commercial cleaning industry is bound by several regulations to ensure quality, safety, and environmental responsibility:

• Safety Codes: Adherence to [specific state/city safety codes] is mandatory for all cleaning operations.
• Licensing: Obtaining a [specific janitorial license] is crucial for operating within the city limits.
• Eco-regulations: Guidelines to limit the use of harmful chemicals, ensuring the safety of both clients and the environment.

“[PristineClean Commercial Solutions]” is committed to full compliance with all regulatory requirements, ensuring our clients receive services that are not only superior but also responsible.

4. List Your Service Offerings

This section provides details of your service offerings and elaborates on your service range, description, pricing strategies, and more.

You may start by describing specific cleaning services that you will be going to offer your customers. Also, highlight the overarching benefits and solutions your cleaning service business will serve.

Your cleaning services might be any of the following:

• Commercial cleaning services
• Residential cleaning services
• Window and Glass Cleaning
• Carpet cleaning services
• Furniture and general disinfecting
• Janitorial Services
• Green cleaning services

Effectively communicate your cleaning services to the customers by sharing clear pricing plans and service descriptions with project timelines.

Here, you may refer to the below example to draft your own cleaning business’s service offerings:

Next, mention any additional services or customized cleaning service packages based on specific client needs.

5. Outline a Sales and Marketing Plan

The sales and marketing strategy section involves a list of strategies you will use to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

It will help you streamline your marketing tactics and develop effective marketing campaigns to reach your target audience while keeping track of the projected budget and maximizing return on investment.

Here are some of the sales and marketing strategies for your cleaning services business:

Unique Selling Points (USPs)

Specify the USPs for your business that set you apart from the other cleaning services. Emphasize a few aspects, such as specialty services, environmentally friendly cleaning services, or customizable options.

Pricing strategy

Create a pricing strategy that is affordable and competitive, yet profitable. Consider proposing discounts, promotions, or cleaning service packages to entice new customers.

Refer to the below example written for a commercial cleaning business:

Pricing Strategy for PristineClean Commercial Solutions

Our pricing structure is meticulously crafted, reflecting the quality we offer while remaining competitive:

Base Pricing: Competitive hourly rate per [sq. ft./service] to ensure accessibility for various businesses. Our gross margin objectives are outlined based on the nature and scale of the cleaning projects:

• 70% for specialty cleaning services(carpet, tile, furniture, VCT)
• 60% for small cleaning jobs (less than $10k per year)
• 50% for medium job ($10k – $30k per year)
• 40% for large project work (more than $30k)

Promotions: Seasonal discounts or offers for first-time clients to encourage trial.

Packages: Bundled cleaning solutions tailored for businesses of varying scales, providing savings on combined services.

Professional Branding

Implement a strong online presence through a user-friendly website and spreads a wider reach. Show your project work with virtual tours and 3D imaging to build trust among potential clients.

Social media advertising

Use engaging social media channels to enhance online visibility. Share industry trends, news, and other events on social media to attract potential customers searching for cleaning services.

Partnerships

Always try to build strong relationships with local businesses and real estate agencies. Also, offer special promotions for collaboration. This will expand your reach and generate referrals.

Customer retention strategy

Explain how your commercial cleaning business will build loyalty and retain clients. Try to mention loyalty programs, personalized cleaning services, or various packages.

6. Introduce Your Team

A management team is crucial to demonstrate your business’s ultimate success in the cleaning industry.

This section introduces the business owners and key managers, along with their roles & responsibilities, qualifications, work experience, and compensation plan.

A dynamic and experienced leadership team can be important to weigh authority and help investors to be confident about your cleaning services business’s idea and vision.

You may start by introducing the cleaning business’s owners/founders and key employees, such as the operations manager, marketing director, cleaners, etc. Highlight their education, professional background, and relevant experience in the industry.

Try to include an organizational chart for the management team that depicts the reporting lines and the decision-making flow.

For your reference, you may have a look at the PristineClean’s organizational structure:

Don’t forget to describe your compensation plan in this section. Include salaries, incentives, or benefits for the management team and cleaning staff.

If your team is lacking, consider mentioning the board of advisors for your business. Also, define their roles and experience in handling cleaning services or small businesses.

7. Outline Business Operations

Now, it’s time to highlight an impactful description of daily business operations and activities. This section includes key aspects such as staffing, operational processes, and quality control measures.

Operational excellence can be critical to achieving your business goals and optimal results committed to clients.

So, briefly outline operational planning, emphasize how it directly impacts the quality of services, and pique the reader’s interest. Here are a few key factors that your operations plan section must include:

Convey the staffing needs for your cleaning services business, including the number of cleaning professionals required, experience, and responsibilities. Also, mention the employee perks and training programs you will provide.

Here is an illustration of a staffing requirement with the help of Upmetrics:

Cleaning operations

Summarize the processes and methods you will use to run your cleaning business. It includes the scheduling of appointments, strict cleaning protocols, responsive customer service, communication channels, etc.

Quality control measures

Discuss the regular cleaning service inspections, compliance verifications, and ongoing improvement initiatives through client feedback surveys. This will help you maintain customer service excellence.

Equipment and cleaning supplies

Describe equipment and cleaning supplies to guarantee that all your cleaners have the resources and tools required for high-quality cleaning services. Include inventory, replenishing supplies, latest cleaning techniques, and technology.

8. Prepare Financial Projections

A well-structured and in-depth financial plan is the most crucial and demanding section of any business plan.

In fact, it’s one of the deciding factors for potential investors, banks, or partners to invest or lend money in your cleaning services business.

This section is a detailed blueprint of your company’s financial information and the strategies you will use to reach its long-term goal. It may include all the cash flow & revenue streams, initial startup costs, and earned profits.

This financial forecast is significant in terms of whether you secure funding or not. So, highlight all the below key components in your cleaning business plan:

• Profit and loss statement(Income statement)
• Sales forecast
• Cash flow statement
• Balance sheet
• Break-even analysis
• Tax considerations
• Business ratios

From the above financial statements, you can identify the funding needs and evaluate the funding resources for your cleaning company, including bank loans, SBA-guaranteed loans, investors, or personal savings.

Download Cleaning Company Business Plan Template

Need help writing your business plan from scratch? Here you go; download our free cleaning company business plan pdf to start.

It’s a modern business plan template specifically designed for your cleaning company business. Use the example business plan as a guide for writing your own.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

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With Upmetrics, you will receive easy-to-follow steps, 400+ business plan examples, AI support , and a financial forecasting tool to simplify your entire business planning process.

Whether you’re venturing into a new business or expanding an existing one, Upmetrics provides valuable insights and resources you need to create a successful business plan that perfectly aligns with your goals.

So, don’t wait; start planning now!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What sections are included in the cleaning company business plan.

A professional cleaning company business plan should include the following sections:

• Executive summary
• Company overview
• Industry & market analysis
• Service offerings
• Sales and marketing plan
• Management team
• Business operations plan
• Financial plan

What financial information should I include in the business plan?

You should include below financial information in your business plan:

• Income statement
• Use of funds

How often should I update my cleaning company business plan?

It is advisable to review and update your cleaning company business plan at least once annually or more often to reflect specific changes in the business environment, service offerings, or market trends.

Can a business plan template help me secure funding?

Indeed, a well-prepared business plan helps you secure funding or bring on new business partners. It offers a clear overview of your business model, strategies, target market, and financial projections. So, this will significantly enhance your chances of securing funding.

Can the template be customized to fit various types of cleaning businesses?

Absolutely! A modern business plan template can be easily customized to fit various cleaning businesses, such as commercial cleaning, residential cleaning, or other specialized services. Upmetrics provides customizable templates for your specific business needs and cleaning services.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

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Cleaning Business Plan Template (+Free PDF Download)

Read Time 8 minutes

Author Joanne Bratton

Published March 29, 2024

Table of Contents

Executive summary: Setting the foundation

Industry analysis: understanding the market landscape, marketing plan: promoting your cleaning services, financial plan: estimating costs and projections, operations plan: running a thriving cleaning company, set up your commercial cleaning business for success.

A commercial cleaning business plan can kickstart a new endeavor or clear the way for growth for an existing enterprise.

Crafting a comprehensive commercial cleaning business plan is pivotal to starting a new venture or fostering significant growth in an existing service. A well-structured business plan becomes a cornerstone for:

Making informed decisions

Setting objectives

Navigating the competitive commercial cleaning market

A cleaning company business plan isn’t a one-and-done task. You should regularly review and revise your business plan to evolve as your company grows to reflect your current vision, market, and financial targets.

This template provides a sample to help create a business plan.

An executive summary is an overview of your entire business plan.

While the executive summary is the first section of a business plan, most business owners find it makes sense to write it last. The executive summary often is one to two pages, but you should keep it as short as possible.

Essential components of an executive summary include:

Mission statement: Defines your company's mission, vision, and core values.

Company overview: Write a company description of services, locations, and number of cleaning staff. Include a short history of how the business started, names of owners, and business growth milestones.

Market synopsis: Provide an overview of your market, mentioning your commercial cleaning business's size and competitive advantages.

Financial elements: Summarize your business financials, including sales, profits, and projections for one to two years.

Future objectives: Outline your company’s plans for growth, such as offering new services, adding verticals, or expanding your service area.

Your executive summary must be clear and concise. If you’re seeking funding for your small business, the executive summary should demonstrate your cleaning company’s value to potential investors.

An industry analysis identifies the potential market for your commercial cleaning or janitorial services. This involves defining and comprehending key elements such as:

Target customers

Competition

Cleaning industry trends 

Customer’s changing demands

Customer analysis

Commercial cleaning companies perform a customer analysis to understand and meet customer needs. This research-based process identifies your potential client base's demographics, values, and behaviors.

To perform a customer analysis:

Gather information about your target market through your existing customer data, industry research, online tools such as Google Analytics, and social media surveys.

Segment your customers based on similar demographics, traits, preferences, and pain points.

Create customer personas, or fictional profiles, of your target customers and their specific needs.

Leverage your customer analysis to inform business services, products, and prices.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software assists market analysis by providing invaluable information about your customers and their buying journeys.

→ Aspire commercial cleaning business software helps businesses connect the dots with real-time customer data, feedback, and analysis. 

CRM data empowers companies to retain existing customers and expand their customer base by cultivating strong relationships with prospects and customers through:

Efficient communication

Personalized offers

Proactive support to address potential issues before they escalate

Competitor analysis

A competitive analysis identifies the competitors in your market. It helps you understand market demand and gives your business a competitive edge.

For instance, if you plan to specialize in carpet cleaning or window cleaning, you’ll want to know if competitors offer these services and what they charge.

Steps to perform a competitor analysis include:

Identify and gather information about your competitors.

Evaluate competitors’ services, service areas, prices, promotions, reputation, sales tactics, marketing strategies, target audience, and online presence.

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your business.

Develop sales, marketing, and pricing strategies to gain a competitive advantage.

Once you know your customers and competitors, these assessments will help you develop effective marketing campaigns.

While a service business plan template provides a guideline for developing a marketing plan , it’s crucial to identify your company’s marketing goals and include methods to measure outcomes.

An effective marketing plan includes the following components:

Market research: Know your audience, their preferences, and their preferred online channels.

Marketing objectives: What do you want to accomplish? Increase cleaning contracts? Generate leads? The more specific your objectives, the better.

Marketing strategies: The marketing channels you use depend on your target audience. The most effective marketing campaigns use an omnichannel approach to share a consistent message online and offline.

Pricing strategy : A cleaning service pricing strategy should cover costs and include an appropriate profit margin. Your target market preferences and competitor pricing should also be factored into your pricing strategy.

Marketing budget: Determine the percentage of revenue for your marketing budget. Focus on the channels that deliver the best return on investment (ROI). You can adjust your budget depending on objectives, channels, and results.

Key performance indicators (KPIs): Measure marketing effectiveness with KPIs. These could include conversion rate, customer acquisition cost, cost per lead, customer lifetime value, and overall ROI. Track KPIs to make better marketing decisions and improve your ROI.

Review your marketing plan annually. Some businesses review their marketing strategy and budget quarterly to adjust as needed.

A solid financial plan ensures your commercial cleaning business doesn’t just stay afloat but thrives.

To get funding for business operations, you’ll need a realistic estimate of: 

Initial startup costs

Ongoing operational expenses

Financial projections 

A comprehensive, realistic financial plan shows potential partners and investors the value of your company and outlines business growth.

→ Include graphs and visuals in your financial plan to break down the numbers and easily communicate business information.

If you struggle with financial planning or creating budgets and forecasts, consider hiring a professional financial advisor.

The right business management software makes collecting accurate data in your initial months much easier to ensure your initial estimate and projections are sound. 

→ The earlier you can adjust operations and pricing to maintain profitability, the quicker you can set and achieve new goals.

The following sections provide more detail about key areas of a financial plan.

Calculating initial startup costs

Initial startup costs cover one-time expenses for a new cleaning or janitorial business.

While startup expenses vary based on several factors, the average cleaning service spends $3,500 on startup costs .

Startup costs may include:

Legal fees: If you seek the advice of legal professionals, you’ll need to budget for legal expenses.

Business licenses and permits: Check on local regulations because you may need to register in additional states if your business performs work or hires employees from another state.

Cleaning equipment: Equipment such as floor buffers, vacuums, brooms, mops, cleaning supplies , cleaning products, and other specialty equipment.

Office space and equipment: Property purchase or rental deposit for an office space and technology costs.

Company vehicles: Depending on the size of your company, you may use a fleet of branded company vehicles.

Operational software : Instead of implementing siloed solutions for different aspects of your business, look at comprehensive software capable of scaling with you as you build. 

You’ll also want to consider additional marketing and advertising dollars to spread the word about your business.

A clear understanding of operational expenses ensures you correctly price cleaning jobs and target realistic revenue goals.

Recurring expenses are costs you pay regularly to keep your business running. Ongoing expenditures include:

Employee payroll and benefits

Mortgage or rental payments

Office utilities

Business insurance

Vehicle insurance

Cleaning products and supplies

Equipment maintenance

Technology subscriptions

Some expenses may be fixed, such as the mortgage payment, while others may be variable, such as the cost of cleaning products. 

Follow a budget, use best-practice accounting procedures, and track expenses to make needed financial adjustments.

Aspire’s comprehensive business management software collects financials above the gross margin line and pushes them in a one-way data sync to your accounting platform so you have clean, accurate data to inform your business plan updates. 

Financial projections and realism

Financial projections predict business revenue over a certain period. Data-backed financial plans drive better business decisions and help you plan for the future.

A startup cleaning business uses projected financial statements to determine future revenue and expenses. Industry and market analysis data can provide a starting point. In the case of an established cleaning business, use your historical data to project a percentage of financial growth.

To create a financial projection, you’ll need the following financial statements:

Income statement: An income statement, or profit and loss statement (P&L), shows your income and expenses. Your income statement should cover one year.

Cash flow statement: This statement projects all incoming and outgoing expenses for one year. A break-even analysis shows you how much revenue you need to break even with your expenses.

Balance sheet: This document lists business assets and liabilities and shows a summary of a business at present. 

In financial projections, accuracy is key. You don’t want to inflate your numbers, fail to reach your goals, or underestimate and miss out on growth opportunities.

As your business continues to operate, it’s important to use the right software to capture accurate financial data to achieve financial objectives and increase the accuracy of future projections. 

Aspire commercial cleaning business software integrates purchasing, invoicing, accounting, and payroll for full financial visibility. Robust reporting allows you to drill into sales, financials, job costs, and KPIs.

With real-time data , you gain deeper insight into business performance and can develop more effective business growth strategies.

A business operations plan outlines how your company will deliver high-quality service and achieve operational goals.

As you create an operations plan, involve your management team for ideas and input. After all, your managers are the ones who provide on-the-job oversight and remain accountable for operational goals.

An operations plan includes these elements:

Determine operational goals: Set business and departmental  goals. For instance, you could set a goal to increase annual revenue by 20% or a sales goal of 10 new cleaning contracts monthly.

Create roles and job descriptions: Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each position. This ensures accountability and the ability to measure performance.

Plan the how-tos: Detail business processes and workflows in every department so your team delivers consistent, efficient results. This includes investing in commercial cleaning business software to centralize data and streamline operations.

Track performance: Set KPIs to measure short-term goals and identify areas for improvement. Operational KPIs measure the performance of your operations, such as average contract amount, contract renewal conversion rate, closing percentage, and gross profit percentage by department. 

Aspire provides user-based dashboards so every role can see the KPIs relevant to their short- and long-term goals. Having accurate, real-time information fuels responsive management, building ongoing growth momentum.

Commercial cleaning business owners who optimize operations experience the greatest profitability and growth. Aspire commercial cleaning business software provides seamless workflows in every area of business, including:

Crew management

Job costing

Equipment and supply management

Streamlined processes reduce waste, increase efficiency, and improve performance in your operations.

Creating a thorough commercial cleaning business plan sets the stage for business growth. But successful results rely on how well you execute your plan.

Aspire commercial cleaning business software provides industry-specific management tools to empower business owners to take control of operations. From simplified scheduling to accepting customer credit card payments online, Aspire’s advanced features give cleaning contractors full visibility into business operations and finances.

To get your business plan off the ground, implement the right tools to improve business and boost year-over-year growth.

Ready to see what Aspire can do for you? Request a demo to see Aspire features in action.

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Starting a cleaning business? A good business plan will give you a leg up on the competition. To get an idea of what your business plan should look like, check out these sample business plans for cleaning services, janitorial services, carpet and upholstery cleaning services, and other related businesses.

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Commercial Cleaning Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Commercial Cleaning Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Commercial Cleaning business plan.

We have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their Commercial Cleaning businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Commercial Cleaning business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Denver Corporate Cleaning is a new commercial cleaning service that serves the Denver, Colorado area. We offer the best quality services in the industry and can work with any type of business that needs our services. We offer several cleaning services including office cleaning, emergency cleanings, sanitization, and carpet cleaning. With our stellar work ethic, high-quality cleaning services, and client focused service, we plan to be the #1 commercial cleaning company in the Denver area in the next five years.

Denver Corporate Cleaning is founded by Pedro Hernandez. Pedro has worked in several cleaning companies over the past twenty years, but was disappointed in the lack of good customer service that these companies provided. For years, Pedro has been planning his own business that will provide client focused service as well as a longer list of cleaning services than the competition. After years of planning, he is now ready to launch his business.

Product Offering

Denver Corporate Cleaning offers a full suite of commercial cleaning services for businesses located in Denver, Colorado. These services include office cleaning, breakroom cleaning, window cleaning, emergency cleaning, and sanitizing. Clients can order a one-time cleaning service or regular services that occur monthly, weekly, or daily. Long-term clients will be charged monthly for their plans.

Customer Focus

Denver Corporate Cleaning will provide cleaning services to businesses located in Denver, Colorado. We expect most of our clientele will be corporate offices, but we will also work with churches, gyms, restaurants, schools, and other establishments.

Management Team

Denver Corporate Cleaning is founded by Pedro Hernandez. Pedro has worked in several cleaning companies over the past twenty years, but was disappointed in the lack of client-oriented service that these companies provided. For years, Pedro has been planning his own business that will emphasize client focused service and provide a longer list of cleaning services than the competition. After years of planning, he is now ready to launch his business.

Success Factors

Denver Corporate Cleaning is primed for success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Professional cleaning services for an affordable price.
• Client-focused service where the owner will keep in touch with clients on a monthly basis.
• A referral program where clients can earn a free cleaning for every business they recruit.
• A focus on maintaining long-lasting relationships with our clients.

Financial Highlights

Denver Corporate Cleaning is seeking $225,000 in debt financing to launch. The funding will be dedicated to the office build out, purchase of initial supplies, working capital, marketing costs, and startup overhead expenses. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Office location design/build: $50,000
• Initial supplies and equipment: $50,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $50,000
• Working capital: $25,000
• Marketing: $50,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Denver Corporate Cleaning.

Company Overview

Who is denver corporate cleaning.

Denver Corporate Cleaning is a new commercial cleaning service that serves the Denver, Colorado area. We offer several cleaning services to the businesses located in the area including office cleaning, emergency cleanings, sanitization, and carpet cleaning. We are open to working with any business (including churches, gyms, and restaurants) but we expect much of our clientele will be corporate offices.

  Denver Corporate Cleaning is founded by Pedro Hernandez. Pedro has worked in several cleaning companies over the past twenty years, but wasn’t satisfied with the level of service these companies offered their clientele. Pedro has been planning his business for years and is now ready to launch.

He recently conducted a market analysis and consumer survey to see if the business would be in high demand. The results from these were very positive, with many consumers saying that they would be interested in hiring the company’s services as soon as the business launches.

Denver Corporate Cleaning’s History

After spending several years in the cleaning industry, Pedro Hernandez gained the knowledge, skills, and expertise to start his own commercial cleaning business. In April 2023, he quit his job at his employer and incorporated Denver Corporate Cleaning as an S Corporation.

Since incorporation, Pedro has achieved the following milestones for Denver Corporate Cleaning:

• Developed the company’s name, logo and website
• Finished the list of services the company will provide
• Determined equipment and inventory requirements
• Found a potential office location

Denver Corporate Cleaning’s Services

Denver Corporate Cleaning will provide the following services to our clientele:

• Office cleaning
• Breakroom/kitchen cleaning
• Emergency cleaning
• Sanitization
• Window cleaning
• Carpet cleaning
• Weekend services

Industry Analysis

Revenue for the commercial cleaning industry is expected to grow over the next five years. This growth is due partially by the increase in demand from businesses across all sectors. Businesses are expected to continue outsourcing cleaning activities to janitorial and cleaning service specialists. In particular, education, healthcare and medical-related industries, which outsource the majority of their cleaning requirements, will likely provide sustained demand for industry services. Most businesses save money by outsourcing cleaning services, so this will be a major factor in the industry’s growth.

According to Grand View Research, the contract cleaning services industry was valued at $343.34 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3% from now until 2030. This shows that commercial cleaning services are still in great demand and will continue to be. Therefore, this is a great time to start a commercial cleaning business.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Denver Corporate Cleaning will serve the businesses located in the Denver area. Most of our clientele will include corporate offices, but we will also serve churches, gyms, restaurants, schools, and other establishments.

Customer Segmentation

Denver Corporate Cleaning will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Corporate offices
• Restaurants

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Denver Corporate Cleaning will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

Denver Cleaning Solutions

Denver Cleaning Solutions is a local cleaning business that primarily services office buildings in downtown Denver. The company has a team of over 40 cleaners who provide a long list of services to their clients. These services include cubicle cleaning, office cleaning, breakroom cleaning, and sanitization. Unfortunately Denver Cleaning solutions suffers from high turnover which results in low quality services. Therefore, the company is seen as a low-end budget quality option and will not be a major competitor for clients who want higher quality services.

Smith Premium Family Cleaning Services

Smith Premium Family Cleaning Services is a family-owned company that has operated since 1990. They have a small, yet highly trained cleaning staff that cleans residential homes and commercial spaces located around the Denver area. As the name suggests, they offer premium services that have given them a great reputation, but also allow them to charge premium prices. Though Smith Premium Family Cleaning Services will continue to succeed, the company is small enough that we don’t expect them to be a major competitor.

Denver Maids

Denver Maids is a popular cleaning service that serves the Denver area. They clean both residential and commercial locations and offer a wide suite of services and contract options. They have more than 100 cleaners on staff and are fully equipped to manage hundreds of contracts throughout the year. Though most of Denver Maid’s contracts are for residential cleaning services, they also service many businesses, making them a strong competitor in the market.

Competitive Advantage

Denver Corporate Cleaning will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Client-focused service : Customer service is our #1 priority. Our entire mission is to provide high-quality client focused service that focuses on maintaining long-term relationships with our clients.
• Management : Pedro has significant experience in the industry and knows what it takes to offer the best cleaning services and keep clients happy. Pedro will interact with each client on a weekly or monthly basis to ensure they are completely satisfied with their cleaning service. He will ask for any constructive criticism in order to implement strategies beneficial to client retention and referrals.
• Referral Program : We will offer a referral program where clients can earn a free cleaning for every business and/or household they recruit.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Denver Corporate Cleaning will offer the unique value proposition to its clientele:

• Affordable and quality cleaning services
• Highly trained staff
• Wide variety of commercial cleaning services
• Ability to work with any commercial business in the area

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Denver Corporate Cleaning is as follows:

Referral Program

Denver Corporate Cleaning will implement a referral program that will reward an existing client with a free cleaning service if they recruit a fellow business to our services.

Social Media Marketing

The company will have several social media accounts and invest in ads on all social media platforms. These accounts will showcase pictures of our cleaning crew as well as a list of the services we provide. The company will use targeted marketing to appeal to our target demographics.

SEO Website Marketing

Denver Corporate Cleaning will invest funds into maintaining a strong SEO presence on search engines like Google and Bing. When a person types in “local commercial cleaning services” or “Denver cleaning services”, Denver Corporate Cleaning will appear in the top three choices.

Advertisement

Advertisements in print publications like newspapers, magazines, etc., are an excellent way for businesses to connect with their audience. Denver Corporate Cleaning will advertise its services in popular magazines and news dailies. Obtaining relevant placements in industry magazines and journals will also help in increasing brand visibility.

The pricing of Denver Corporate Cleaning will be moderate and on par with competitors so customers feel they receive value when hiring our cleaning services.

Operations Plan

Denver Corporate Cleaning will utilize the following operations plan. Operation Functions:

• Pedro Hernandez will be the Owner of Denver Corporate Cleaning. He will oversee the general operations and keep in touch with all clients to ensure they are satisfied with the company’s services. To efficiently run the business, Pedro will hire the following:
• An Accountant who will manage all client invoicing, billing, and payables.
• A Human Resources Manager who will oversee all employee hiring, onboarding, payroll, retention, and benefits programs.
• A Training Manager who will develop and implement a strict cleaning protocol program that every employee will have to pass.
• 20 hourly cleaning professionals to provide cleaning services to our clients.

Milestones:

Denver Corporate Cleaning will have the following milestones complete in the next six months:

• 5/1/202X – Finalize lease agreement for office space
• 6/1/202X – Office build out
• 7/1/202X – Hire and train essential staff
• 8/1/202X – Begin marketing campaign
• 9/1/202X – Launch Denver Corporate Cleaning
• 10/1/202X – Reach break even

Denver Corporate Cleaning is founded by Pedro Hernandez. Pedro has worked in several cleaning companies over the past twenty years, but was disappointed in the lack of client-oriented service that these companies provided. For years, Pedro has been planning his own business that will emphasize client focused service. We will also provide a longer list of cleaning services than the competition. After years of planning, he is now ready to launch his business.

Since he has worked in the industry for decades, Pedro has in-depth knowledge of what it takes to provide premium cleaning services. Though he has never run a business, he will hire several staff members who will help him run the operations, marketing, management, and accounting aspects of the company.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Denver Corporate Cleaning will come charging our clients for our professional cleaning services. We expect most of our clients will stick with us long term, so we will charge them monthly for our services. Businesses that need a one-time cleaning will be charged the day of the cleaning.

The cost drivers for Denver Corporate Cleaning will include the overhead costs, salaries, cost of supplies, and marketing expenses.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required in order to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.

• Number Of Clients:
• Average Client Contract Per Month: $500
• Annual Lease: $25,000

Financial Projections

Income statement, balance sheet, cash flow statement, commercial cleaning business plan faqs, what is a commercial cleaning business plan.

A commercial cleaning business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your commercial cleaning business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can easily complete your Commercial Cleaning business plan using our Commercial Cleaning Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Commercial Cleaning Businesses? 

There are a number of different kinds of commercial cleaning businesses , some examples include: General Commercial Cleaning, Healthcare and Lab Cleaning, and Damage Restoration.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Commercial Cleaning Business Plan?

Commercial Cleaning businesses are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding.

What are the Steps To Start a Commercial Cleaning Business?

Starting a commercial cleaning business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Commercial Cleaning Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed commercial cleaning business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your commercial cleaning business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your commercial cleaning business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Commercial Cleaning Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your commercial cleaning business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your commercial cleaning business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms.

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations.

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events.

7. Acquire Necessary Commercial Cleaning Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your commercial cleaning business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation.

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your commercial cleaning business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful commercial cleaning business:

• How to Start a Commercial Cleaning Business

Cleaning Service Business Plan

There are a lot of reasons why you need a solid business plan for your cleaning service business . One of the most important reasons is that it acts as an official document which helps you with framing your objectives, goals and the ways to achieve them. Preparing a business plan may require little upfront investment and research from your side. However, if you are not getting enough time to reap a quality plan, you can try downloading free business plan documents and modify it according to your business requirements .

Check the below 10+ cleaning services business plan examples and choose the one that fits your business goals .

12+ Best Cleaning Service Business Plan Examples

Cleaning service business plan template.

• Google Docs

Size: US, A4

Cleaning or Janitorial Marketing Plan Template

Commercial Cleaning Service Business Plan Template

• Apple Pages

Size: 38 KB

Simple Cleaning Services Business Plan

Size: 714KB

Every business plan must be simple and easy to interpret the ideas while implementing it. Similarly, while creating a cleaning service business plan, there must be concise information about the management of your business, the mission statement for your company, location where you are going to offer your services, start-up cost, foreseen profits and losses, local competition, pricing and a lot more. So while creating a business plan make sure you have added all basic information which makes the plan simple yet effective. Check out the sample that highlights five elements essential to winning the competitors.

Sample Cleaning Business Plan

Size: 570KB

There are many parts you need to keep your eyes on while creating a business plan for cleaning business , budget is one of them. It will take you to the edge of the needle if you overspend your budget. If you are not taking the budget part very seriously while creating a business plan , you may end up with troubles smudging you. You can use the existed equipment for cleaning services instead of buying a new one. Having said that, you need to set the budgetary review on a monthly basis, so that you can review the ins and outs and modify the plan according to it. You can also consult with any cleaning business owner who has been in the field for more than years to learn the ideologies they followed in their journey.

Cleaning Operational Plan

Size: 120KB

Well, everyone can start a cleaning business, but not everyone can turn it into a thriving business. It needs a perfect plan to find a road map to success. A perfect cleaning business plan needs market research and business idea validation in order to differentiate your service offerings. A well-researched business plan asks you research on the present market standards. Once you are done with researching you will know certain strategies to break the ways of competitors to overcome your future plans.

Start-Up Cleaning Service Business Plan

A start-up agency must compose a perfect cleaning business plan in order to succeed in the race. It is very important to prepare a well-researched business plan to avoid pitfalls that may happen in future. One of the important things to be aware of is pricing. As a start-up, it is important to identify the ideal target audience before finalizing the charges. Pricing depends on various factors like the size of your house, how often and when you clean and equipment you use to clean the area. Depending on the above-mentioned things, a cleaner can charge the client, however as a newbie in this business you should not overprice for your services. This must be included in the pricing part of the business plan .

‘How to Start’ Cleaning Business Plan

If it is a start-up company you need to start with finding answers for why you need a business plan for your service. Even though your target is to boost your audience, you need to make sure you earn potential clients. Audience in common may not be a potential client for your service.

Commercial Cleaning Services Plan

Size: 140KB

The term itself denotes that the commercial cleaning company must earn good response over its commercial aspect. For this, having a perfect business plan is mandatory. Among various business tools for promoting your service and boosting your audience, you need to find the ideal one for you. You can start googling for business plan making software so that you find many ready-made templates available in the market.

Commercial and Residential Cleaning Business Plan

It is always essential to have thorough research on the present market status before creating a market plan . You need to analyse over the existing competitors, demographics and size of the market as an initial point. However, the information will not be concise to remember by heart, but you will certainly get an idea of how your business plan should be.

Maid-to-Clean Business Plan Example

Size: 119KB

If it is a cleaning company, the business owner will have to employ four to five maids to offer their services, but as an individual maid, it is out of the pattern. If it is maid to create cleaning business plan for their limited services, then it will be of comprising content includes objective, market analysis, company description and the services they provide. Check out the sample maid-to-clean business plan attached here.

Janitorial Business Plan Sample

Size: 196KB

janitorial business includes almost all kind of cleaning services such as housekeeping, building maintenance, commercial cleaning services, etc. So while preparing a business plan for janitorial services you need to be keen on including all the relevant services. A perfect cleaning service business plan must be ended up with proper validating of your idea and the facts. In this, you need to make sure all the information is true to the present market standards in order to avoid future hassles.

Standard Residential Cleaning Service

A successful business plan includes sections like an executive summary, a company description, extensive market analysis , business operations , financial projections and a lot more. This sample residential cleaning business plan comes in a way smarter than contemporary plans. This sample document contains details like vision, mission, management of the company, manpower solutions with overall services they provide. Check out the sample now.

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How to Start a Cleaning Business in California [2024 Guide]

Last Updated on May 17, 2024 by The ZenMaid Team

Why Start a Cleaning Business in California?

Looking to start a cleaning business in California? California is an awesome location for cleaning businesses because of its dense population, diverse industries, and booming economy. There’s a thriving tourism industry that creates an on-going demand for cleaning services. And if you’re interested in a niche market, California’s commitment to sustainability and green living has led to an increased demand for eco-friendly cleaning services.

This article will provide all the essential information you need to know on how to start a home cleaning company in the state of California, including necessary permits, training for staff, equipment needed, insurance requirements, and more. Let’s get started!

• Read This Guide First: How to Start a Cleaning Business

Apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number) for California

• Getting Business Insurance 

A quick note:

The contents of this article are meant to help you grow your cleaning business, but should not be taken as legal advice. Always consult with an attorney and/or accountant to help make legal and financial decisions. If you need help finding a professional in your area, see what other cleaning business owners recommend in our ZenMaid Mastermind.  

Read This Guide First : How to Start a Cleaning Business

For an overview and general guide, including a checklist, to starting a cleaning business, start here: How to Start a Cleaning Business in 10 Steps . 

We suggest you read that first if you haven’t already, then return to this guide to continue with the specific requirements for California.

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Choose a Business Structure for Your Cleaning Business 

This is an important step that cannot be skipped. Go here for more information on the different legal structures and which one to choose for your cleaning business.

Do I need a cleaning license in California?

In California, there is no state-wide licensing requirement for starting a cleaning business. However, some cities and counties within the state may have local regulations and business license requirements that must be met.

You can apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your home cleaning business in the state of California by following these steps:

• Determine if you need an EIN: An EIN is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the IRS to identify a business for tax purposes. You may need an EIN if you have employees or if your business is a partnership or corporation.
• Gather the necessary information: To apply for an EIN, you will need your legal business name and address, as well as the name and Social Security number of a principal officer.
• Apply online: The quickest and easiest way to apply for an EIN is online through the IRS’s website. You can fill out the online application form and receive your EIN immediately.
• Apply by mail or fax: You can also apply for an EIN by mail or fax by completing Form SS-4 and sending it to the IRS. This process can take several weeks.
• Apply by phone: You can also apply by phone by calling the IRS Business & Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933.

Please make sure you have all the documents ready and also check the state laws in California as well for any additional requirements.

Here are the steps for an online application:

• Visit the IRS website at www.irs.gov/businesses and select the option to “Apply for an EIN online.”
• Complete the online application form, providing information about your business, such as the name and address of the business, the type of business entity, and the name and Social Security Number of the business owner.
• Submit the application.
• Once your application has been processed, the IRS will provide you with your EIN.

File/Register Your Business with California

The cost of registering a business in California can vary depending on the type of business structure you choose and the specific requirements of your local government. In general, the following fees are commonly associated with registering a business in California:

LLC: A limited liability company (LLC) must file Articles of Organization with the California Secretary of State , which costs $70 to apply. Your annual fee will depend on your income level.

Sole Proprietorship or Partnership: If you are operating as a sole proprietorship or partnership, you will need to obtain a business license from your local government, which typically costs between $50 and $100 in California.

Corporation: Incorporating a business in California requires filing Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State, which costs $100, as well as obtaining a business license from your local government, which typically costs between $50 and $100.

Business License Requirements in California

California does not require a business license for general house cleaning businesses. But as things often change, check with the state’s licensing needs when registering a new business.

Be sure to also check with your individual county, city, or local municipality. Requirements can vary and some may need a general business tax, licensing, or other filing requirements for business. Search for special filing requirements right here.  

You can also call your local municipality office and inquire if this is required.

If you’re planning to hire employees, you will need to register with the California Employment Development Department and obtain workers’ compensation insurance to protect your employees and your business.

Getting Business Insurance 

For a breakdown of why you need insurance, the different kinds of insurance to consider, plus the difference between insurance and bonding, read this guide first .

It is recommended to have business insurance when starting a cleaning business in California. Business insurance can help protect your business and personal assets in the event of a lawsuit or other legal claim. Common types of business insurance to look into for cleaning businesses include general liability insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, and commercial property insurance. You can learn more about getting business insurance for your cleaning company at this Commercial Insurance Guide.  

Get Organized from Day One

Starting a cleaning business in California comes with a lot of moving parts, and staying organized from the beginning can make all the difference. That’s where ZenMaid comes in. Unlike other scheduling tools, ZenMaid was built specifically for maid services like yours — so you won’t spend hours figuring out features you don’t need.

Our users often tell us that ZenMaid hasn’t just streamlined their scheduling but has actually helped them run a more efficient, less stressful cleaning business. With everything in one place — from booking and scheduling to automated client reminders — it’s designed to save you time and help you focus on growing.

ZenMaid makes it simple to keep things running smoothly from day one. Get started with a 14-day free trial and see how it fits your new cleaning business.

Other Resources

California Chamber of Commerce

The ZenMaid Mastermind

Check these guides out next:

Ways to market your cleaning service for free

How to price your cleaning services  

Free cancelation policy templates

5 automations to grow your cleaning business (that cost less than $100/month)

Still have questions or looking for advice from a fellow cleaning business owner? Ask your question in The ZenMaid Mastermind . 

Amar is the founder and CEO of ZenMaid Software, Inc. He started and ran Fast Friendly Spotless, a maid service in Orange County, CA. With the help of customized software to automate work he successfully operated the service in under 30 minutes per day. He created ZenMaid scheduling software to help other maid service owners do the same.

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• Free Business Plan Template
• Free Online Education to Start Your Own Business

Download: MOBI Business Plan Template

Enroll now: MOBI's FREE Starting a Business course

MOBI Business Plan Template

The primary value of your business plan is to create a written resource that evaluates most aspects of your new business including a description of your target customers and markets, profitability, organization, operations and more. The very process of writing your business plan helps you put your ideas on paper so you can evaluate what resources you have and what you need to be successful.

Your business plan is your blueprint for starting your business, your script to tell the story of your business to others, and your comprehensive analysis of the opportunity for your business. Business plans help you plan your roadmap, state your goals, share your vision, and analyze your strategy. A business plan is an important and valuable tool for new as well as existing businesses.

This MOBI Business Plan Template consists of sections that relate to the content included in the MOBI Starting a Business course . You can also use this template as a guide independently. We have created this template with the input of key stakeholders such as economic development agencies, lenders, mentors and successful entrepreneurs. You can complete sections of the business plan as you go through the course, to apply what you are learning along the way, or you can wait until you have completed the course. This business plan template is a universal model suitable for most types of business, which you can customize to fit your circumstances. MOBI provides leading topics, questions, and suggestions in each section to guide you. Here are some instructions to help you get started:

• On the cover page replace the MOBI spark with your own logo and provide your business name, personal name, contact information, and date.
• Complete each section leaving the main title, such as “Executive Summary,” and using the subtitles and questions as a guideline. Replace those subtitles and questions with the needed and relevant information. If some of the subtitles work with your format, you can keep them. You can type directly over the provided content or delete it as you complete it.
• You might want to start each section on a new page, which can also be helpful if you decide to include a Table of Contents.

Once you complete your business plan, be sure that key stakeholders review it. Business plans are not static; they will change as your business and the business environment change around you. It’s important to continually review and update your business plan to adjust for these changes.

BUSINESS PLAN

Enter Your Business Name

Enter Your Name

 Enter Date

Contact Information

Executive Summary Provide a summary of your business by addressing these key areas.

Name and Description of Business State the name of your business and describe your product or service.

Targeted Market and Customers Describe your target markets and customers and why they want or need your product or service.    

Trends in this Industry What are the current trends in the industry that make this a good time for your product or service? For example, is the market for your product growing, and why? Have others failed to address a particular need that your product or service will address?  

Value Proposition Provide a brief statement of the unique benefits and value your business will deliver to your customers. Describe the unique qualities of your product or service that will enable you to be profitable.

The Vision  Describe the vision of your business and why you are committed to pursuing this vision and making it successful. 

Founder Background: Work/life experience related to the intended business Describe your work/life experience, educational credentials, and how they are related to the business you plan to start. Include a list of your skills and knowledge, which will be required in your business. 

Your Team If you plan to hire full- or part-time employees or seek business partners, describe your plan for engaging with these other members of your team. If you already have employees or partners, describe key personnel and their roles here. 

Goals for business: Outline your key goals for your business. (Explain your plans for growing the business and what you can realistically accomplish in a defined period of time.)

Financing and Financial Projections ( Many business owners require the assistance of a bookkeeper or accountant when completing this section.)

Startup Capital Provide a table or spreadsheet showing the sources of your startup capital including what you or other investors will contribute and what you intend to borrow.  Create a list of what the startup capital will be used for and how much will be left over for working capital ( SCORE Startup Expenses Template ).

Accounting Statements Prepare your starting balance sheet and projected profit and loss (income) statements for the first three years. (By month for the first year and then by year for years two and three.) Forecast your month-to-month cash flow requirements for the first year.  

Analysis of Costs List and explain the key costs and profit margins that are important for your business.  Classify your costs as fixed, variable, product, delivery, etc. 

Break-Even Analysis Based on your costs and pricing strategy, prepare a break-even analysis.

Internal Controls Explain your internal and cash controls. For instance, check signing policy, strategy for controlling shrinkage, and control of incoming merchandise or supplies.

Business Organization

Business Organization Explain the form of business organization you intend to use and why it is best for your business (sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, etc.).

Professional Consultants List the names of your key advisors: bookkeeper/accountant, consultants, lawyer, insurance agent, and any other professionals.   

Business Location

If you need a physical location other than your home to operate your business, identify your business space needs considering all phases of your workflow (production, storage, shipping, potential employees, customer meetings, and future requirements). Explain why the location you picked meets your workflow needs.

Marketing and Sales

Market Research: Your Customers and Competition Describe your ideal customer (who will be purchasing your product/service, key characteristics).

• Include any research that has helped you identify and characterize your target customer.

Describe your position in the market, your strongest competitors, and how you intend to compete. 

Marketing Strategy and Tools Describe your overall marketing strategy, how you will find, engage, and build customers, including:

• Traditional marketing tools (signage, storefront, collateral, advertising, promotion, uniforms,  mail, etc.).
• Online marketing (website, social media, email marketing, text marketing, others).
• Ecommerce (if applicable).
• Describe in detail how you plan to sell your products or services online.
• Describe how your best competitors utilize ecommerce and your strategy to improve on their practices.
• Research and identify the different channels where you will sell your product or services. What is your expectation of sales?
• Detail how will you take orders, process payments, and fulfill requests? 
• Provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved in creating, operating, and maintaining your ecommerce activities.

Sales Strategy Describe your sales process, activities you will conduct, obstacles you expect, how you will overcome them, and any customer service strategies to retain and expand your customer base.

Include k ey details about how you will operate your business.

• Outline the workflow of your business and the processes and procedures you will put into place.
• If applicable, provide details about how you will procure supplies, manufacture your product, and deliver your product or service to your customer. Include any equipment and facilities that you need.
• Describe how you will measure the success of your operations for quality, efficiency, cost control, or other measures of performance. Include any testing.
• Order fulfillment: describe your order fulfillment process, software to be used, and quality control methods.
• Supply chain: describe products/materials you need to purchase in order to make your product, include primary and secondary sources for these. products/materials, lead times, purchasing methods, and tools.
• Staffing: skill requirements, training program, supervision, outsourced functions, and hiring timeline.

Addendum: Licenses and Permits   *Addendums can include but are not limited to License and Permits*

Make a comprehensive list of all licenses and permits you will need to do business in your area.   

Your list should include the following: (For US-based businesses; requirements differ by country and region.)

• Name under which you intend to do business
• Permissions and/or limitations on the use of your property or facilities
• Federal, state, and local licenses (city/county), permits, and certifications needed to do business in your area (e.g. business tax license, seller's permit, safety certifications, employer identification number, etc.)
• Industry licenses needed for your particular area of business (contractor, electrician, daycare, beauty, etc.)
• International and national intellectual property protection through trademarks, copyright, and patents.

Download:  MOBI Business Plan Template

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California Cleaning Business Start-up Laws

This article provides three key state business start-up requirements for self-employed sole proprietors and general partners who run residential house cleaning businesses.

Information from the Secretary of State, the California Franchise Tax Board and selected city and county government sources were used to research this article.

Be aware that sole proprietor and general partner start-up requirements in this state are always changing. Some requirements even vary from county to county.  

It is important that you call or visit your local county or city government in person or online to find out local requirements for residential house cleaning businesses and home-based businesses.

This article is not intended to be exhaustive or a substitute for qualified legal or tax advice.

Business Name Registration

Sole proprietors and general partners who want a business name that does not include the owner(s) full names (for example, Janice Smith’s Cleaning Service or Martha Harris and Tom Graham’s Maid Service) need to find out whether the name they want to use is available in the California county or counties where they plan to do business.

Start with a statewide, corporate business name search to avoid legal problems and customer confusion.

Do Your Own Search Online For Business Names

Then do an online search for names similar to the one you plan to use. For example, if you want to use the name, Crystal Clean Maid Service, do simple Google searches for “Crystal Clean Maid Service+California” plus Crystal Clean Maid Service+your county” and “Crystal Clean Maid Service+your town or city”.

Search beyond the first page of results. Go at least five pages deep into the search results to see if the name you want or similar names are being used in your state, county or city.

Name Registration Details

In California, a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) or DBA (“doing business as” name) registration is required when:

Sole proprietors and general partners should register a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) or DBA (“doing business as” name) for their business with the California county and city where the business will be based.

Statewide Registration

For state-wide name registration, consider applying for a California trademark with the Secretary of State.

Apply for a Trademark or Service Mark online through the California Secretary of State’s bizfile California portal.   Trademark applications can also be made in person at the Sacramento office, or through the mail.

Publish Your Business Name

After registering a fictitious name or DBA with the state, county or city, businesses must publish their names once a week for 4 successive weeks in a local newspaper or legal publication within 30 days of registration.

Name Rights

In the state of California, filing a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) or DBA does not guarantee a business sole rights to the use of that name .

Other businesses in the state may also register the same fictitious name. Registered businesses are expected to legally defend their fictitious name.

Ready to start your dream business?

Get Started Checklist and Workbook

This Checklist and Workbook will help you set up your own licensed house cleaning or maid service business.

This Checklist guides you step-by-step through in the start-up process.

🌟 Get started with your dream business today!

Business License Registration

Sole proprietors and general partners do not have to apply for a state business license in California. Business licenses are issued by counties and cities where the business is based.

Note: The State of California provides a license and permit website, CalGold , that directs business owners to the appropriate city or county office for licenses, permits and registrations.  

Simply select your city or county, enter your business type and click on the Search button.   The CalGold portal also leads to state and federal links, addresses and phone numbers.

Related: Get more details about licensing your cleaning business .

General Partner Licensing

In California, a general partnership is created when two or more owners form an oral or written agreement to start a business together. General partners are not required to file any documents with the Secretary of State.

It is advisable for general partners to file a fictitious name or DBA in the county where the business is based plus a state-wide trademark registration.

A written partnership agreement drawn up by a lawyer is important for both or all partners. Partnership agreements do not have to be filed with the state.

👥 Start a solid partnership with help from the Business Partnership Portal.

How an EIN Helps

Sole proprietors and general partners may apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS even if they do not plan to hire employees.

Getting an EIN may make it easier to open a bank account and reduce your risk of identity theft .  

You can apply for an EIN online. 

In addition, some business registration forms will require a NAICS business classification number for the house cleaning industry.

A Deep Guide to Cleaning Business Insurance

Protect your house cleaning business from the start with liability insurance and bonding. Also find out:

• what types of coverage you need.
• the difference between bonding and insurance?
• how to find a commercial agent.

Business Tax Registration

Sole proprietors and general partners must register their businesses with the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB).

Residential house cleaning services are not taxable in the state of California. Cleaning services do not have to collect and send sales taxes to the Franchise Tax Board (FTB).

Sole proprietors and general partners pay tax on business income to the state of California through their personal state tax return.

Related: Get a deeper understanding of cleaning business taxes .

State Estimated Tax

Sole proprietors and general partners are responsible for paying estimated self-employment income taxes in California (on Form 540-ES) similar to the way self employment taxes are paid to the federal government.

Get more information about estimated tax requirements by calling the Franchise Tax Board at (800) 852-5711.

State Partnership Tax

California general partnerships that file a Federal partnership information Form 1065, may need to file state income tax Form 565. In addition, partnerships are required to withhold and pay taxes on California based income for non-resident partners.

Get more information from a CPA or qualified tax preparer to find out if your partnership must file those returns.

Selected California City Licenses

Anaheim Business License: https://www.anaheim.net/616/Business-License-Application

Bakersfield Business License: https://www.bakersfieldcity.us/204/Business-Licenses-Permits-Fees

Chula Vista Business License: https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/finance/business-licenses

Fontana Business License: https://www.fontana.org/262/Customer-Services

Fremont Business License: https://www.fremont.gov/government/departments/finance/revenue/business-tax

Fresno Business License: https://www.fresno.gov/finance/business-license-and-tax-certificate/

Glendale Business License: https://www.glendaleca.gov/business/doing-business-with-the-city/starting-a-business-in-glendale

Irvine Business License: https://www.cityofirvine.org/ipd-divisions-bureaus-units/business-licensing

Long Beach Business License: http://www.longbeach.gov/finance/business-info/business-licenses/

Los Angeles Business License: https://latax.lacity.org/businessregapp/eappreg_criteria

Modesto Business License: https://www.modestogov.com/2379/Business-License-Applications-and-Agreem

Moreno Valley Business License: http://www.moval.org/departments/financial-mgmt-svcs/svc-biz-license.html

Oakland Business License: https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/apply-for-a-business-license-online

Oxnard Business License:   https://www.oxnard.org/city-department/department-billing-licensing/business-license/

Riverside Business License: https://www.riversideca.gov/finance/license.asp

Sacramento Business License: https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Finance/Revenue/Business-Operation-Tax

San Bernardino Business License: https://www.sbcity.org/city_hall/finance/business_registration

San Diego Business License:  https://www.sandiego.gov/treasurer/taxesfees/btax

San Francisco Business License:  https://sftreasurer.org/business/register-business

San Jose Business License: https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/finance/business-tax-registration/register-for-a-business-tax-certificate

Santa Ana Business License: https://www.santa-ana.org/business-license-related-services/

Stockton Business License: https://www.stocktonca.gov/business/business_licenses/index.php

I would like to know , if I get my residential cleaning license in Sacramento ,can I work anywhere in California , it’s my goal to work in All of the Bay area

In California, you will have to get a business license for each city or county in which you do business. On this page, California Cleaning Business Start-up Laws, under the heading, Business License Registration , is a link to CalGold . The CalGold site will direct you to the right city and county offices for licenses, permits and registrations throughout the state.

Is there a license number that I have to display for a cleaning service? For example on a business license or invoice.

Hi Chandra,

If you have an office or retail space, you should display your license in a prominent place. If your your business is home-based, you don’t have to display your license or print your license number on your invoices like building contractors are required to do in many states.

It’s a good idea to show a copy of your business license to prospective customers during a walkthrough meeting.

Some house cleaners post their business license on their website in a PDF document that anyone can download but it’s not a requirement in any state.

Are those cities listed above the only cities in California that require a city business license?

No, they were simply the largest cities in CA population wise. Other cities also require business licenses.

One way to find out about local requirements is to use the CalGold portal . With CalGold, you can type in a city or county and the website will help you find license and permit information for your California business.

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