Move-out cleaning services are always in demand. People either want to get their place ready for the new tenants or they want to ensure they get their deposit back. This is a large market for independently-owned cleaning companies. It’s a great way to pick up new customers and get fast cash. It’s also a good way to get referrals.
There are some great tips when it comes to offering your move-out services. It’s good to learn how to work around search engines. It’s also good to learn your way around advertising. In this article, we’re going to cover a few great ways to get these move-out cleaning gigs. Let’s start with some basics:
What Exactly Are Move-Out Cleaning Services?
Move-out cleaning services are different than your average cleaning gig. When you’re offering to clean someone’s house after they’ve moved, you’re offering the following (detailed) services:
- Dusting (literally everything)
- Mirrors and glass
- Vacuuming inside all of the closets, drawers, cabinets, nooks, and crannies
- Complete bathroom clean (sanitizing, scrubbing, deodorizing all tubs, showers, sinks, and toilets)
- Complete kitchen clean (this includes all sinks, backsplash, floors, stoves, microwaves, refrigerators, and dishwashers)
- Vacuuming and mopping all floors and baseboards
- Emptying all trash cans
These are just the basics. If you want to offer a higher-end cleaning package, or a “premium” package, you can also include the following:
- Scrubbing of all walls
- All blinds and window frames
- Outlets
- Light switches
- Doors and door frames
- Moldings, locks, and woodwork
Keep in mind that your prices should be reflecting the extra work with move-out cleaning services. When you leave your client’s home, it should (ideally) look brand-new. Some people need to show it for potential buyers, so it’s important to keep that in mind, too.
Why Should I Offer Move-Out Cleaning Services?
Move-out cleaning services are going to help your company grow. Yes, they’re more work than a residential clean. But they’ll bring in new clients, new referrals, and more experience for you.
Word-of-mouth is important when you own a cleaning company. If you do a great job cleaning someone’s house when they move out, they’re going to refer you to a friend. They’ll also use you again when they move out. If you can work with a realtor, you may be able to offer your move-out services on a regular basis for home-showings.
These kinds of cleaning services are also a useful source of income. You will get paid more for these services because they’re more detailed and they take more of your time. If you advertise for move-out cleaning services, you’ll be targeting a useful market.
How Do I Get Move-Out Clients?
There are a couple of simple ways your company can be successful in getting move-out clients. Advertising is important, but where do you advertise? Move-out cleaning services are a specific niche, so not every platform is going to work.
One of the best places to start is to contact real estate offices. As mentioned earlier, this is a great way to get notified when your services are needed. Quite a few companies are always looking for cleaning services. Commercial contractors are another good place to go.
Make sure that you’re comfortable cleaning commercial buildings if you contact the contractors. Be aware of your limitations and your strengths. If you’re going to offer to clean large buildings, it’s important that you have the staff and the experience under your belt.
If you’re going to be cleaning office buildings, it’s important that you’re familiar with how to clean computers and other types of equipment. Never take a job that you’re not 100% comfortable with doing – you could be risking a bad review.
Another popular place to advertise is through Facebook or Instagram. This will let your current customers know you’re offering these services, but it’ll also bring in some new clients. There are options to pay for advertising through these platforms. Your services will reach people in your area that you’ve never met.
Make sure that all of your current clients are aware that you offer move-in/move-out cleaning services. Give them your card so they can pass it on to friends in need. If you have an online or print newsletter, try adding a promotion for your move-out services. This will help you get the word out organically.
How Much Should I Charge for Move-Out Services?
How much you charge for move-out services is going to depend on your cleaning company. All companies have slightly different overhead costs and profit expectations. Most places will charge anywhere from $25-$40/hour. If you’re doing this kind of deep cleaning, you may want to charge a little more.
How many employees you hire for the job also plays a role (and what they’re paid). If you’re cleaning in groups of 3 or more, make sure you hire a supervisor for quality-control. You may or may not want to pay your supervisor a little more than the other employees. Many cleaning companies choose to pay their employees $11.50+ per hour, so that needs to be a big factor in your decision.
It’s a good idea to meet at the property so you can get an idea of what you’ll be working on. It’s hard to make an accurate estimation of your fee if you can’t see the building. Once you meet with the person/people hiring you, you can either charge a flat-rate fee for the whole job, or you can charge by the hour.
Many people choose to charge a flat-rate fee for move-out cleaning services, but if you do this, be careful: this kind of deep-cleaning often takes longer than you think it will. If you’re new to move-out cleaning and haven’t done it before, it’ll be hard to gauge how much time it will take you.
When in doubt, charge by the hour or charge on the higher-end of the flat-rate fee. Once you get the hang of this service, you’ll be able to provide a quicker estimate just by taking a look at the inside of the property.
