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Getting Started in Your Own Janitorial Cleaning Service
by Randy Wilson
A janitorial cleaning service is one of the best businesses for a hardworking, blue collar
person to start from scratch. Every business and every building needs to be cleaned once
in a while - in some cases, many times each day. With the overhead involved with hiring
employees to provide janitorial services, it is convenient for a company to outsource to a
commercial janitorial service provider.
This is where you step in!
If you are reading this article, you are probably looking for advice on how to start a
janitorial service. Hopefully the following information and advice will get you moving in
the right direction.
Start Up Costs and Financing Sources:
$500 and up
It is possible to get started with almost no investment, but you will be in a much better
position if you have a few hundred dollars of basic equipment available. Equipment for a
full-scale commercial janitorial service may run many thousands of dollars.
Writing a sound business plan describing how to start a janitorial service in your area -
including detailed market research and plans for future growth - may help you to secure
some of your initial funding from venture capitalists or angel investors.
Pricing Guidelines for Service:
Base your time at $20 to $50 per hour (before taxes and expenses) and price your services
according to the time you expect to spend on each task.
Itemize the exact services you intend to provide. Charging by the hour tends to make
clients comfortable asking you to do more and more work for the same money. Be clear that
you provide certain services for a certain price. By charging a flat fee, you will
continually earn a better hourly rate as you improve and become more efficient.
Advertising and Marketing:
Get listed in the yellow pages under all of the main services you provide. This is more
expensive than one general listing, but you can't expect all of your potential clients to
look under "Janitorial Services" when they are really looking for "Window Cleaners".
Face-to-face selling can go either way. Some managers and store owners like the fortitude
of this very direct way of marketing, but others find it very annoying - especially if they
get a lot of people coming in and asking to wash the windows. Always obey "No Soliciting" signs.
Walk around town and identify businesses which look like they really need your help. Send
a professional-looking brochure to the general manager.
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