The Truth About Running a Cleaning Business

What No One Tells You

Thinking about starting a cleaning business? Maybe you already have. You’ve seen the stories. People quitting their jobs, hiring a team, making real money.

So you’re wondering:

Can I really do this?
Is it as easy as it looks?
What am I not seeing?

Here’s the truth: a cleaning business is one of the cheapest, fastest ways to take control of your income. But don’t let the simplicity fool you. Simple doesn’t mean easy. And if you want to build something that lasts, you need to know what’s coming.

Let’s break it down—the stuff no one tells you when you first get started.

1. You Don’t Need a Lot of Money—But You’ll Need Hustle

Most businesses require thousands just to get off the ground. Not this one. You don’t need:

An office
Fancy equipment
A perfect logo or website

You can get started with less than $500, a vacuum, and a car. But while the cost is low, the effort isn’t. You’ll be walking neighborhoods, posting in Facebook groups, talking to strangers at the grocery store.

If you’re waiting for the work to come to you, this isn’t the business for you.
But if you’re willing to put in the grind? Clients will come fast.

2. Friends and Family Probably Won’t Take You Seriously—At First

Be ready for the sideways comments:

“You’re starting a cleaning business?”
“Why not just get a better job?”
“Is there even money in that?”

Then a few months later, when you’re booked out and making more than they are:

“Are you hiring?”
“Can you show me how you did it?”
“I need a side hustle like yours.”

Let them talk. You build.

3. Your First Hire Might Be a Mess—or a Lifesaver

Hiring is hard. Some people will show up, do amazing work, and stick around. Others will flake by Friday.

Here’s how to survive it:

Hire slow. Fire fast. Don’t hang on to someone who’s messing up your reputation.
Pay fairly—but don’t let that blur the line. You’re the boss.
Train properly. A cleaner who “wings it” can tank your business in a week.

When you find someone solid, treat them right. They’re worth it.

4. You’ll Want to Quit at Some Point

There will be a day—maybe more than one—when you want to throw in the towel.

A cleaner quits without notice.
A client complains over a missed cobweb.
You’re booked back-to-back and your bank account still doesn’t show it.

It happens. To all of us. What matters is that you keep going. The hardest days don’t last forever—but the success you build from them does.

5. The Real Money Kicks In When You Stop Cleaning

At first, you’ll be the one scrubbing toilets. That’s normal. But long-term? That’s not the goal.

The goal is to hire a team. To manage the work, not do it all yourself. Because once other people are handling the cleaning:

You work less, but make more.
You can take a day off without losing income.
You go from cleaner to business owner.

That’s the real shift. That’s when the income jumps.

6. You’ll Be Booking Jobs While Making Lunch—and Nobody Cares

You’ll answer the phone with a baby on your hip or while making a sandwich. Someone will scream in the background. You’ll apologize.

And the client? They won’t care.

If anything, they trust you more. They know you’re a real person with real responsibilities—and you still show up and get the job done. That matters.

7. You’ll Never See a Dirty House the Same Again

Once you’re in this world, you can’t unsee it.

You’ll notice dusty baseboards in restaurants.
Streaky mirrors will make you twitch.
You’ll walk into a friend’s place and mentally calculate what the job would cost.

Welcome to Cleaner Brain. You’re one of us now.

8. You’ll Realize You Were Always Capable of This

At first, you might feel out of your depth. Pricing feels awkward. Talking to clients is nerve-wracking. Doubts creep in.

But give it time. After a few months, you’ll be:

Quoting jobs with confidence
Handling customer issues without panic
Making money you didn’t think was possible

And one day it’ll hit you—this was always in you. You just had to start.

So, Is It Worth It?

Absolutely.
It’s not glamorous. It’s not effortless. But it’s real, solid, honest work that can completely change your life.

If you’re ready to stop relying on someone else’s paycheck and start building something that belongs to you, I’ve got a course that walks you through the exact steps.

No fluff. No corporate buzzwords. Just a plan that works.

Build your own $100K cleaning business—right from your kitchen table.
You bring the grit. I’ll bring the guide.

Let’s get it done. Get started here.

Clean4Profit