How to Start a Cleaning Business: 9 Steps, From License to First Client

TL;DR: Pick residential or commercial cleaning, choose a structure, register your name and get a free EIN from the IRS. Check state, county and city license rules, then buy insurance. Price from your time: Angi's 2026 guide says cleaners typically charge $25 to $50 an hour per cleaner. Then write your terms and book clients.

Pick one to start. It shapes your prices, hours and paperwork.

• Residential: houses and apartments, often weekly or every two weeks. Daytime work, smaller jobs, many clients.
• Commercial: offices and shops, often after hours, under a contract. Fewer clients, bigger jobs, longer sales cycle.

Many solo cleaners start residential, because one client can be booked this week. You can add commercial work later.

The SBA's 10-step guide is the backbone of this list. The cleaning-specific parts are added.

Look at who already cleans in your area, what they charge and what they don't offer. Gaps might be move-out cleans, pet homes or weekend slots.

Many cleaners start as sole proprietors. An LLC adds some separation between business and personal assets. Our guide to sole proprietorship vs. LLC vs. corporation explains the trade-offs.

Trading under a name that isn't your own? Ask your state, county or city whether you need to register it as a DBA ("doing business as"). The SBA's register your business page explains the options.

You can apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number) on the IRS website, online and for free. Never pay a third party for one. The IRS page explains when a business needs one. Hiring staff is a common reason, and many banks ask for one. Read our EIN guide.

There's no single national cleaning license. Check with your state, county and city, starting with whether they ask for a general business license. Our guide to US business licenses and permits shows the search order.

Keep client payments and supply costs out of your personal account. It makes your taxes and records far easier.

The SBA's 10-step guide treats business insurance as a step of its own. Cleaners commonly look at general liability (if you damage a client's property) and coverage for employees once you hire. Ask a licensed insurance agent what you need in your state.

Price from your time and costs, then check the market. More on this below.

Before the first clean, have a client registration form, a written scope of what's included, and a payment and cancellation policy.

There's no reliable national figure for start-up costs, so we haven't invented one. Your real costs are:

• registration and any license fees from your state, county or city
• insurance premiums
• supplies and equipment: vacuum, mops, cloths, products
• transportation to jobs
• phone, booking and payment tools

The EIN is free from the IRS. Price your list locally and add it up before you spend.

These are consumer cost guides, not a survey of cleaners:

Check what cleaners near you charge by home size and service type. For the method, see how to price small business services.

Probably. Read the IRS pages on self-employment tax and estimated taxes to see what applies to you, or ask an accountant. Either way, set aside part of every payment from day one, so tax time isn't a shock.

Be careful, and get advice before you hire. Read the IRS page on independent contractor or employee and talk to an accountant. Questions to bring: Who sets the schedule? Who supplies the tools and products? Whose clients are they? What does your agreement say?

• Ask friends and neighbors for one referral each.
• Set up a Google Business Profile with your service area and prices.
• Offer a clear first clean, then a recurring price.
• Ask every happy client for a review.
• Follow our small business marketing plan.

The Cleaning Company Startup Guide ($7.99) is a 20-page US Letter PDF with a setup roadmap covering priorities, pricing and first-customer planning, plus local readiness checks for the rules to verify.

Cleaning Company Business Documents Premium ($19.99) has six core forms, including Client Registration, a Service Log and an Invoice Checklist, as fillable PDFs and Word files.

There's no single national cleaning license. Ask your state, county and city whether you need a general business license at your address.

Many cleaners run the office side from home and work at clients' properties. Check your city's home business rules and any homeowners association rules.

Not with zero. The EIN is free, but you'll pay for supplies, any license fees and insurance. Start small and price each job to cover them.

Angi says $25 to $50 per cleaner per hour (updated Sep 29, 2026). Thumbtack says $40 to $55 an hour.

Checked October 1, 2026.

• SBA, "10 steps to start your business"
• SBA, "Register your business" (DBA may need registering with state, county or city)
• IRS, "Get an employer identification number" (free; never pay a fee; reviewed Aug 19, 2026)
• IRS, "Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)" (15.3%; $400; reviewed Jun 27, 2026)
• IRS, "Estimated taxes" ($1,000; reviewed Sep 25, 2026)
• IRS, "Independent contractor (self-employed) or employee?" (behavioral, financial, type of relationship; reviewed May 19, 2026)
• Angi, "How much does professional house cleaning cost?" (updated Sep 29, 2026; $176 average from 98,643 projects; $118–$238; $25–$50 per cleaner per hour)
• Thumbtack, "How much do house cleaners charge?" (page says last updated Mon, Jan 05, no year shown; rechecked 3 Oct 2026; $40–$55 an hour; $174–$256 one-time)

This is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Licensing and insurance rules vary by state, county and city, and they change. The price figures are consumer cost guides, not a survey of cleaning businesses. Confirm requirements with your local authorities and a licensed professional.