How to Start a Commercial Cleaning Business: Starting a Janitorial Services Company

Very few businesses have as low of overhead and as much demand as janitorial services. With just a few pieces of equipment, some essential supplies, and a solid work ethic, starting a commercial cleaning business is much more feasible than you might think.

We’ll show you how to start a commercial cleaning business below to set you up for success and leave you feeling confident and clear in your next steps in this journey. The key takeaway from this conversation should be this: don’t overcomplicate things. 

Invest in the essential cleaning equipment and start knocking on doors, calling up owners, and getting your name out there. All it takes is a few clients to love your work, and things can start snowballing quickly.

So, take the first step in starting a janitorial business at SweepScrub today. Whether you need a commercial floor scrubber for sale or an industrial floor sweeper machine, water restoration equipment, cleaning chemicals, or anything in between, this is your one-stop shop!

Is Starting a Commercial Cleaning Business a Good Idea?

Before we get into how to start a janitorial business let’s take a step back - is this really a worthwhile endeavor?It certainly can be. But, the first step in starting a commercial cleaning company is assessing the viability in your specific city.

Profit Potential and Scalability

From a profitability and scalability perspective, yes - starting a commercial cleaning business is actually one of the best ventures you can embark on. 

The startup costs are incredibly low compared to many other industries, and overhead is incredibly low too since you technically don’t need an office or some other space. This low barrier to entry makes starting a janitorial business accessible for anyone.

Profit margins can be high when operations are streamlined, especially with repeat clients who need consistent cleaning services. 

It can be tough to get off the ground and find a business that is willing to take a chance on an unproven cleaning service, but once you start generating success stories, referrals can trickle in over time.

Industries like healthcare, education, and retail always need their spaces clean and hygienic. You’ll have no shortage of work once you get your foot in the door.

From there the choice is yours - continue to run a lean, mean cleaning machine on your own or start to build out a team and remove yourself from the day-to-day operations, focusing on growing the business rather than working inthe business.

Starting With Market Research 

You can technically get started with just a few thousand dollars - less with financing options. Still, it’s worth doing a bit of due diligence to assess the feasibility of starting a commercial cleaning company in your respective city.

How many other cleaning businesses are in your town, and what sort of reputations do they have? Are there underserved markets, such as medical offices, schools, or industrial facilities that you can specialize in to set yourself apart?

For example, you can learn specifically how to start a water damage restoration company, or you can focus more on school floor cleaning. The possibilities are endless, you just need to do your research to find the segment you’ll seek to dominate. 

All that being said, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of how to start a commercial cleaning business below.

How to Start a Commercial Cleaning Business: Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Commercial Cleaning Company

Many guides on how to start a janitorial business will have you thinking you have to spend hours figuring out the perfect legal structure, or that you need to go out and find experienced talent to help get your business off the ground.  

We’re not going to do that. The truth is, most would-be entrepreneurs never actually end up getting their first client as a result of information overload. They focus too much on the details that don’t matter, when really, starting a commercial cleaning business is as simple as:

1. Find your niche
2. Source your equipment/supplies
3. Get someone to give you a chance

That’s it. Don’t stress about creating the perfect logo, or coming up with a catchy business name - these things won’t move the needle. All that being said, here’s a thorough step-by-step guide on how to start a commercial cleaning business.

Business Structure and Registration

While it shouldn’t be something you ponder over for days on end, you do need to come up with some sort of business structure and registration. You’ll likely choose between sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation.

An LLC is often a good option for small businesses because it combines simplicity with liability protection. However, corporations tend to enjoy better tax advantages. 

Truthfully, you can operate as an independent contractor at first - again, the goal is to start generating business ASAP. The clients you reach out to are likely not going to ask you what your business structure is - they want to see that you can provide the service they need.

Nevertheless, take some time to register your business name with your state and secure any required permits. This will vary based on where exactly you live.

Licenses and Insurance

Speaking of which, starting a commercial cleaning company might mean acquiring specific licenses and permits to legally operate. Research local and state requirements to stay compliant and avoid headaches down the road. 

This could be as simple as a general business license or specialized cleaning permits. This is also a good time to look into insurance for your business. At the bare minimum, you’ll want general liability insurance to cover potential damage to client property. 

As you scale up you’ll want to look into workers' compensation insurance for any employees. Eventually, bonding insurance might be a good idea as well. This protects you financially from theft or dishonesty by employees. We’ll assume you’re starting out as a one-man-shop for now.

Essential Cleaning Equipment

Now we’re getting into the part of our guide on how to start a janitorial business that reallymatters. Investing in the right equipment can make or break your journey to starting a commercial cleaning business.

The actual equipment you need will depend on your area of specialization. However, these are the most common essentials you’ll need to source:

• Floor scrubbers and sweepers: Ideal for large spaces like office buildings and warehouses.
• Vacuum cleaners: Choose commercial-grade models with HEPA filters for improved air quality.
• Carpet extractors: A must-have for deep-cleaning carpets in offices or hospitality settings.
• Pressure washers: Essential for exterior cleaning, including sidewalks and building facades.
• Hand tools: Stock up on microfiber cloths, mops, squeegees, and dusters for detailed cleaning.

Sourcing high-quality equipment and supplies will empower you to deliver consistently impressive cleaning results for your clients. Given how difficult it is to get your first few clients, this is not something you should take lightly.

What’s the point in cutting corners to save money if it comes at the cost of your long-term viability? Trust us - it’s worth paying a premium for the best of the best. It will pay for itself not just in the quality of your work but in terms of equipment longevity, usability, etc.

Our blog has resources on how to choose a floor scrubber or the best walk behind floor sweepers, choosing between a sweeper vs vacuum, differences between a floor scrubber vs buffer, and more.

As we said from the start, SweepScrub is your trusted choice for everything you need for starting a janitorial business. We source from the industry’s most highly regarded manufacturers so you can rest assured you’re getting the quality you deserve. Get in touch to learn more.

Budgeting for Equipment

Part of what makes starting a commercial cleaning company so appealing is you can technically get the business off the ground with a few hundred dollars. Wait, how is that possible if a single floor scrubber costs or water damage restoration equipment costs thousands of dollars?

Simple - financing!Most suppliers, including us here at SweepScrub, offer payment plans to help you source everything you need and pay it off over the course of time. 

Still, you should sit down and come up with a detailed budget that includes both initial expenses and ongoing costs, such as maintenance and floor scrubber/floor sweeper repair. 

You could also look into securing a loan through a bank, or getting a grant through some sort of small business association in your area. Another option is to look into leasing or buying refurbished equipment if you're working with a limited budget.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Don’t let the cost of starting a commercial cleaning business scare you away from taking the first step. This equipment will pay for itself time and time again.

Creating an Online Presence

In this day and age, just about any commercial client is going to want to look you up and see that you’re legit. Building a website and social media presence is essential.

Your website can display your services and business information, testimonials and before/after photos as they roll in, and over the course of time, become a way to generate sales on autopilot. 

It will take time, but if you optimize your site for local search using SEO tactics, companies in your city searching for “commercial cleaning company” or “janitorial services” will actually come to you rather than the other way around!

Make the experience as frictionless as possible with an easy booking system so a potential client can get in touch to learn more about your services or schedule their first appointment. 

Getting Your First Commercial Cleaning Contracts

We’ve touched on it a few times in this guide on how to start a janitorial business, but getting that first client (or those first few, for that matter), is the hardest part of starting a commercial cleaning business.

If you have connections to business owners in your city, reach out to them and ask about their cleaning needs. You may find that a family friend or old contact is willing to hire you off the strength of your relationship alone. 

Otherwise, you might need to offer to work for free or at a discounted price to generate some proof of ability. You can exchange your service for a testimonial and use before/after photos to help get your next clients. 

If you do a good enough job working for free, there’s a good chance the client will be willing to pay you the next time they need cleaning services. The best cleaning companies work on a recurring business model, after all - be it weekly or monthly services.

Remember, word-of-mouth referrals remain one of the most effective ways to build a commercial cleaning business. Every client interaction is an opportunity to showcase your skills, service, and reliability, in turn translating to future clients.

You can also attend local business events, join your Chamber of Commerce, and connect with property managers. Email marketing campaigns and cold outreach to businesses can also generate leads. 

The point is there are so many ways to bring in business and get the ball rolling. Don’t be discouraged if you fail to find any takers at first. Every “no” brings you one step closer to a “yes,” so stay consistent and keep pushing through the frustration!

Setting Service Standards

Once you provide a service to a client they’ll expect that same level of service going forward. This is why you need to standardize your business offerings and come up with processes for everything you do. This will be especially important as you begin building your team.

Develop a checklist of tasks for each cleaning job so nothing is overlooked. Use feedback from clients to improve your processes and address any gaps in service. 

Building a Team

There’s nothing wrong with starting a commercial cleaning company with the goal of being a solopreneur. However, working in the business (actually doing the cleaning service) prevents you from working on the business and actually scaling it up.

That’s why it’s worth at least considering hiring a team at some point. Delegate what doesn’t make you money so you can focus on what does. 

Maybe that means hiring someone to handle the logistics of scheduling cleaning services like an office manager or customer service member. Or, more practically, it could mean training someone to actually perform the cleaning services you provide.

This way you can take a step back and double down on client acquisition, fine-tuning processes, strategic planning for new ventures, or even just spending more time with your family or enjoying hobbies. 

After all, entrepreneurship is all about freedom. You don’t want to be a slave to your business!

Starting a Janitorial Business is Easy When You Source From SweepScrub!

There you have it, all you need to know about how to start a commercial cleaning business. The only thing left to do now is take the first step in starting a janitorial business - sourcing the essentials from a trusted supplier like SweepScrub.

We’ve helped thousands of businesses streamline their cleaning operations, and we are always excited to help aspiring entrepreneurs like you make their vision a reality. 

You gain access to the most trusted manufacturers and the most sought-after models here in our catalog, like Tennant, Advance, Clarke, Viper, and more. Our deep relationships with these brands means we always have the latest and greatest in stock at unbeatable prices.

But, we also have our own private-label lineup of machines and other essentials if you’re looking to stretch your budget as far as possible when starting a commercial cleaning company. Here are some of our most popular categories:

• Carpet extractor
• Heavy duty commercial vacuum cleaner
• Floor burnisher
• Industrial ride on floor scrubber
• Commercial walk behind floor scrubber
• Industrial ride on floor sweeper
• Commercial walk behind floor sweeper
• Floor sweeper scrubber machine
• And a whole lot more!

You can also count on us for all the spare parts you need to keep your equipment running reliably for the long haul, so you never have to skip a beat and miss out on a service. 

Our customer service team is on standby to talk about your goals in starting a commercial cleaning business and offer personalized recommendations to help you make the most of this journey. So, reach out today and take the next step!

Final Thoughts on How to Start a Janitorial Business

Hopefully this guide has left you feeling clear on how to start a commercial cleaning business - and more importantly excited to get the ball rolling. 

If you only remembered one thing from today, let it be this: don’t stress over the minor details like logos, company name, business structure, building a team, etc. What matters most is proving this concept’s viability, sourcing quality equipment, and getting your first clients. 

Our blog has more resources on cleaning warehouse floors, how to use a commercial floor scrubber, how to clean rubber gym floor, factory floor cleaning, how to clean commercial tile floors, how to clean commercial kitchen floor, how to clean concrete floors, how to clean a commercial freezer floor, and many, many more.

Whether you’re looking for the best commercial floor scrubber for school hallways or a gym floor scrubber, heavy-duty vacuums, water damage restoration equipment, cleaning chemicals, or anything in between, your search ends here at SweepScrub. Equip your business for greatness!