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Startup Costs: Under $2,000
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? Yes
Online Operation? No

THE BRIEF

Residential cleaning is a multibillion-dollar industry, and it’s not hard to get your piece of this very lucrative pie. Start-up investment and equipment costs are minimal and there is no shortage of work. Job dutiesÌýinclude dusting, vacuuming, washing surfaces, mopping floors, and polishing mirrors and fixtures.ÌýYou mayÌýalso choose to offer add-on servicesÌýsuch as interior window washing and deep cleans. In general, residential cleaners supply all cleaning products and equipment (such as a vacuum or steam cleaner). Ideally, you want to land customers who will be using your service regularly —daily, weekly or bi-weekly — instead of only occasionally. The best way to market your servicesÌýis with an online ad. It’s also easy to expand thisÌýbusiness: Simply subcontract with cleaners who have their own transportation and either pay them an hourly rate or negotiate an income-splitting plan.Ìý

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ASK THE PROS

How much money can you make?

Most cleaners charge in the vicinity of $15 to $30Ìýper hour. OnÌýaverage, owners of cleaning firmsÌýmakeÌýabout $56,000 a year, while 10Ìýpercent earn more than $110,000, according to Zip Recruiter.

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What kind of experience do you need to have?

“You need to be as skilledÌýdigitally as you are with a mop or buffer. The cleaning business may not be particularly high tech, but you don’t have time to do estimates, billing, payroll, inventory control and other record-keeping by hand. Your business should also have an extensive online presence with a website, social media accounts and an app (you could contract the building of one out).” — from Â鶹Éç Press

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What is the most important thing to know about this business?

“With cleaning, it’s a trust thing. When you trust someone, they’ll refer you.” — Kristen Hadeed, founder of Student Maid

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Needed Equipment

You’ll need to have your own transportation and invest in supplies like a vacuum cleaner, buckets, dusters, mops, rags, cleaning solvents, and a stepladder.