How to start a cleaning business with (almost) no money
The free steps
- Start as a sole proprietorYou're automatically a sole proprietor if you do business without registering another structure, and SBA notes it can suit low-risk businesses and owners testing an idea.[1] The trade-off: your personal assets aren't separate from the business's debts.[1]
- Get your EIN, freeThe IRS issues EINs free, immediately online if approved.[2] Never pay a website for one.
- Get free adviceSBDCs and SCORE mentors help new owners at no cost: find yours.
- Use free toolsOur price calculator, contract template and starter checklists cost nothing.
The cheap steps (some may be required where you live)
- Business name registration (DBA) if you use a name that isn't your own: most states require it.[3] Or start under your own name.
- Local business license and, in some states, a sales tax permit: requirements depend on where you are.[3] Check your state.
Keep equipment costs near zero
- Start with what you have: vacuum, mop, bucket, cloths, brushes.
- Offer to use the client's own products and vacuum for the first jobs, and write it into your agreement.
- Buy supplies per job at first, and price them into that job.
- Use the startup cost calculator to see what you really need on day one.
Don't skip these
- Insurance before your first paid clean. SBA's rule of thumb is to insure against anything you couldn't afford to pay for yourself.[4] Make it the first thing your early income pays for.
- A written agreement with payment terms, so you're paid on the day and never fund a client's cleaning out of pocket.
- Setting money aside for tax. Self-employment tax is 15.3% on 92.35% of net earnings once they reach $400.[5] If you expect to owe $1,000 or more, you generally need to make estimated payments.[6]
Find the first clients for free
Tell friends, family and neighbors; create a free Google Business Profile; answer requests in local community groups; and ask every happy client for a review and a referral. Price the first jobs properly, not cheaply: underpricing is the most expensive way to start.
Free: the Cleaning Business Starter Kit
A one-page launch checklist and a room-by-room cleaning checklist you can hand to clients. PDF, no signup needed.
Want everything? The full Launch Kit: an 18-page guide, a pricing and tracking spreadsheet, 6 designed contract templates and checklists, $19. See the Launch Kit →
Questions people ask
Can you start a cleaning business with no money?
Close to it: start as a sole proprietor (no state entity filing[1]), get a free EIN[2], use basic equipment you own, collect payment on the day, and price each job to cover its supplies. Budget for insurance and any local license your area requires.
Do I need an LLC to start cleaning?
No. You're automatically a sole proprietor if you don't register another structure; an LLC protects personal assets in most instances but costs state fees.[1]