Cleaner / Cleaning Business Owner

Key skills/talents

To be a successful - and sought-after - cleaner in the UK, several skills and qualities are valuable...

 

1. Attention to Detail: Cleaners must have a keen eye for detail to ensure that every area is thoroughly cleaned and maintained to the highest standards. This includes noticing dirt, dust, or stains that others might overlook and ensuring all surfaces are spotless.

2. Time Management: Efficient time management skills are crucial for cleaners to complete tasks within designated timeframes. They must prioritize tasks effectively, manage their workload efficiently, and adhere to schedules to ensure all cleaning duties are completed promptly and to the satisfaction of clients or supervisors.

3. Physical Stamina: Cleaning can be physically demanding work, requiring cleaners to stand, bend, lift, and move for extended periods. Having physical stamina and strength is essential to perform tasks such as vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, and lifting heavy objects safely and effectively.

4. Communication Skills: Good communication skills are important for cleaners to interact professionally with clients, supervisors, and fellow team members. They need to understand instructions clearly, ask questions when necessary, and communicate any issues or concerns promptly to ensure effective collaboration and customer satisfaction.

5. Adaptability: Cleaners often encounter various cleaning challenges and changing environments, so being adaptable is essential. They should be able to adjust their cleaning techniques based on different surfaces, materials, or cleaning products, as well as adapt to new work environments or client preferences quickly and efficiently.

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​Qualifications required

You might be surprised to learn that The British Institute of Cleaning Science offers training courses for cleaners, some of which are free: https://www.bics.org.uk/training. In fact, if you would like to go on to clean (and/or run a cleaning business) for the rich and famous, maybe even royalty, then having specialist training like this under belt, would certainly help to distinguish you from the rest.

 

Should you wish to do a course in starting/setting up a business, similar to what Chelsea did, then there a few options available:

https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-support/kick-off-in-business-business-start-up-workshops

https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/short-courses/yg018

https://www.learndirect.com/course/small-business-management

 

Chelsea talks about her application process with the Princes Trust, and how invaluable that process has been for her. Sadly it is only available to those aged 18-30, however, it’s worth a look anyway: https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/how-we-can-help/support-starting-business

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Rules and regs

There are several types of insurance you will need as part of your cleaning business.

 

You will be legally required to have public liability insurance, and if you have any employees, you will also need employee liability insurance. Below are a couple of companies that offer insurance, but there are many companies out there: 

 

https://www.hiscox.co.uk/business-insurance/cleaners

https://www.policybee.co.uk/cleaners-insurance

If you are looking to handle hazardous waste of any type, thai requires a specific licence: https://www.gov.uk/dispose-hazardous-waste

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Remuneration framework

Rates vary hugely depending on your geographical region, but ‘typically’, hourly 'domestic' rates go from £15 to £25 an hour, and most cleaners will require a minimum of 2-hours work, per clean, per week. Chelsea insists on a minimum of 3-hours a week, because she works to very high standards and likes to do as much of a ‘deep clean’ each time as possible.

 

As a cleaning business owner, and working off a £15 an hour ‘client’ rate, you would typically take £5 of that, leaving £10 for the cleaner themselves.

 

Beyond that it comes down to how much work you want to do each day and each week. Thankfully set-up costs are very low, again as Chelsea discusses in the podcast.

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Commercial cleaning rates are typically charged out higher, because of the increased liability involved, the associated insurance, and the increased costs (commercial-grade equipment etc). Hourly rates are typically £25-40 an hour.

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How to get started

Below is a handy check-list to get you going in the right direction as a domestic cleaner...

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1. Explore and Plan: Before you grab your mop, do a little snooping around your local area, like Chelsea did. Get to know who’s currently ‘working the area’, and do some research calls to find out how much they charge and what their terms are. With this info, decide what type of cleaning you want to specialise in—maybe it's homes, offices, or even eco-friendly cleaning.

2. Get Legal and Official: Time to make your business official! Register with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and pick a legal structure that suits you. Don't forget those licences and permits you might need. Oh, and insurance is a must to keep your business safe and sound.

3. Give your business a personality, just like Chelsea has done: Create a catchy name, design a snazzy logo, and set up a cool (simple) website. With this and with relatively active social accounts, Google will find you, as will potential customers… it’s a topic that is searched A LOT online.

4. Buy your kit/gear: Which is super simple and is most likely a good vacuum, brushes, mops, sprays and cloths. Simples.

5. Go Promo!: Get some starter offers going to attract your first customers. Everyone loves a good deal, so think about offering special promotions to attract new clients.

6. Wow Your Customers: Show your clients some love by delivering top-notch cleaning services. Use quality products and tools, and always go the extra mile to make sure everything shines bright like a diamond. And ask for feedback that you can then showcase on your website and across your socials.

7. Keep Those Finances in Check: Stay on top of your money matters. Keep track of what's coming in and going out, and set fair prices for your services. Money management is crucial for keeping your business afloat.

8. Embrace Technology: Use tools like basic (and relatively cheap) scheduling software, to manage appointments and keep things organised. Social media and online booking can help you reach more customers and grow your business.

9. Build Relationships: Get to know your customers needs and build trust. Offer personalised services and rewards for loyal clients. A happy customer is your best advertisement! Listen to feedback, tweak your approach, and stay open to new ideas. With a little hustle and a lot of heart, your cleaning business can reach new heights!

10. Stay Trendy: Keep up with the latest trends and innovations in the cleaning world. Eco-friendly cleaning is all the rage, so consider going green! Stay flexible and adapt to meet your customers' changing needs.

11. Expand: Once you’re nailing all the above, it’s time to expand and build a Dream Team Trustworthy folks who love to make spaces sparkle. Train them well and make sure they're as passionate about cleaning as you are. Good communication is key to keeping everything running smoothly.

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If you have your eyes set on commercial cleaning, then we would first recommend working for a commercial cleaning business in your area. Observe how they operate and what the working procedures are. Then, if you are still keen to give it a go (and have some extra £ capital to set yourself up), then our advice would simply be to do things properly and professionally. Your business will live and die by your reputation, and commercial cleaning contracts are typically quite short-term and you can be cut-loose relatively easily on various standards and/or privacy breaches.

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Associations or official bodies to register with

Having membership with the two bodies below, on your website and social pages, will really help to demonstrate your professionalism and dedication to the trade.

 

https://britishcleanersassociation.org offer special benefits to members including accreditation.
https://britishcleaningcouncil.org was established in 1982. The British Cleaning Council (BCC) serves as the leading advocate for the cleaning, hygiene, and waste management sectors in the UK.

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Job site links

Cleaning jobs are listed far and wide, on your local news media, FaceBook and all the usual online sites (Indeed, Reed etc). Googling will pop these for you no problem.

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Progression pathway​

Working for yourself or as a sole trader, it very much depends on where you want to take it. If you would like to expand, as Chelsea has done, then it simply becomes a case of following the steps above and employing staff. 

 

Beyond that there are many cleaning companies that have built a solid brand name and reputation and then franchise their model out across the UK. Brands like Merry Maids are one example: https://merrymaids.co.uk, as are Maid2Clean: https://www.maid2clean.co.uk. Both websites would be worth checking out, for comparison and market relevancy..

 

Rather than expanding alone, you could even take on a local franchise and a next step, but with some extra support and backing. Please, please do your research and read all the terms and conditions that come with a route like this. You are usually locked in for a few years with some quite strict ‘non-compete’ clauses thereafter.

 

And of course, as we’ve said at the start… If you end up with a storing enough brand and reputation, you could well end up cleaning for the rich and famous - which then comes with it’s own unique terms and conditions (and lots of NDA signing: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-disclosure-agreements).