Starting out
How to start a cleaning business in Australia
Starting a cleaning business needs no licence and little equipment, which means plenty of other people can start one too. The businesses that fill their week are the ones customers can find early.
Tell us about your business and what you need.
The short answer
The legal setup takes an afternoon.
How to start a cleaning business in Australia: register a business name and ABN, get public liability insurance and open a separate bank account. There is no general cleaning licence in any Australian state.
After that, the work is pricing jobs properly and being easy to find.
The setup
The legal setup
- Register a business name
- Through ASIC, for a small yearly fee.
- Get an ABN
- Free and online.
- Public liability insurance
- It covers you if something is broken or someone is hurt. Most commercial clients ask to see the certificate.
- A separate bank account
- It keeps the tax return simple.
Some settings have their own requirements. Cleaning in hospitals, childcare centres or some strata buildings can need a police check, and government and school contracts have their own conditions. Add workers compensation as soon as you employ anyone.
A company structure, uniforms, a second vehicle and staff can all wait. Starting as a sole trader and changing later is routine.
Pricing
Price the job, not the hour
An hourly rate means you earn less as you get faster. Experienced cleaners quote a price for the job instead, so the time they save is theirs.
- Quote after a walkthrough
- A three bedroom house is not a fixed amount of work. Jobs quoted sight unseen are the ones that lose money.
- Set a minimum call-out
- A small job an hour away is a loss otherwise.
- Choose domestic or commercial early
- Commercial pays less per hour but is the same building every week at a time you choose. They need different marketing.
First clients
Where the first clients come from
First clients usually come from a Google Business Profile, local community pages and people you already know. Someone searching for a cleaner in their suburb sees the map first, and an empty profile does not appear on it.
Reviews decide a lot on that map. A handful of genuine reviews in your first month can put you above operators who have never asked. A website matters more once you want commercial work, because a business comparing three quotes will look you up.
- Create the Google Business Profile
- Free, and it is what the map reads.
- Photograph real jobs
- Before and after, on your phone, rather than stock images.
- Ask every client for a review
- In person, at the end of the job.
- Tell everyone you know
- The first few clients are often people you already know.
The short version
Set up the business in an afternoon, price by the job after a walkthrough, and get a Google Business Profile with real photos and reviews in your first week.
From clients
What clients say about working with spareday
“Huge shoutout to Reece for building my website for Hughesys Painting Services. Since it went live my phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”
“He didn’t just build me a great website, he created an easy-to-manage system that allows me to make updates myself whenever I need to. He has spared me so much time doing all of this myself!”
“He created a stunning website for us that captures and nurtures leads with an automated email marketing system, which has filled a huge gap in the business and saved a lot of time (and money!).”
Official guidance
For independent background, read the official guidance on registering a business name, applying for an ABN and business insurance.
Common questions
Questions people ask.
Do I need a licence to start a cleaning business in Australia?
There is no general cleaning licence in any state. Some settings, such as childcare or health facilities, can need a police check, and government contracts have their own conditions.
What insurance do I need?
Public liability, and most commercial clients will ask to see the certificate. Add workers compensation when you employ anyone.
How much should I charge?
Quote the job after a walkthrough rather than charging by the hour.
How long before I get the first job?
Often days rather than months, if you set up the Google Business Profile straight away and tell people you are open.
How does spareday charge?
spareday quotes one price for the work your business needs, agreed in writing before anything starts. The figure depends on what the business needs, and it comes with your quote.
Who you’ll work with
Hi, I’m Reece.
spareday is my business, based here in Newcastle. You’ll deal with me from the first review of your website, and I’m the person you talk to each month about what’s working.
Find us
spareday in Newcastle.
12 Grey Street, Wickham, Newcastle NSW 2293.
Next step
Get a free growth plan for your cleaning business.
spareday builds the website, Google Business Profile and booking setup for cleaning businesses. Tell us what you clean and where. We will talk through the details and send you a free growth plan, price included.
Or call 0485 017 387.