Entrepreneur magazine frequently highlights cleaning businesses as one of the best small businesses to start on your own. Why is this a good choice if you’re looking to branch off and start your own business?
Low startup costs
There are almost no overhead costs to consider with a cleaning business. You don’t need to rent an office and there are many ways to get the word out for low-cost or no-cost. Many people start a cleaning business for under $100 by buying a few cleaning products and knocking on doors. Find nearby clients to keep your transportation costs as low as possible. In the beginning, if you’re doing all the cleaning yourself, your labor costs can be as low as the amount you pay yourself for survival.
High demand
Cleaning is a job that will never disappear. As modern lives get more and more complex, people are more willing to pay for services like cleaning in exchange for a little bit of free time. Your clients are trading money for time with their families, and everyone needs their house cleaned.
Stable market
The cleaning industry isn’t as susceptible to the boom and bust other industries experience. Even in an economic downturn, businesses still need their offices cleaned so they maintain a professional environment. Restaurants still need cleaners to clean their buildings and bathrooms to keep their health score in good shape. Demand for residential cleaning should continue to grow as Boomers age out of wanting to or being able to maintain their homes on their own.
Good margins
Depending on how you price your services, you can have a cleaning service with good profit margins. The average hourly rate for house cleaning services is between $20-60 per hour, going up to $100 per hour depending on the type of cleaning and demand in your area. You might have to accept a lower profit margin when you’re first getting started as you try to attract customers, but it should be something you keep an eye on and increase as your experience grows.
Job satisfaction
While scrubbing toilets might not sound like the path to job satisfaction, there is actually a real pleasure to be obtained from taking someone’s disorderly house and imposing cleanliness and order onto the chaos. Seeing the happiness in your client’s face when you’ve done a good job is a reward that many other businesses don’t have.
