Starting a contract cleaning business can be a relatively straightforward way to build a business with regular, repeat customers. Offices, schools, communal areas, leisure facilities, retail premises and other commercial buildings all require ongoing cleaning, creating opportunities for cleaning companies of all sizes.
However, winning a cleaning contract is only the beginning. To provide a professional and reliable service, you need the right cleaning equipment, chemicals, tools and consumables.
One of the advantages of starting small is that you don't necessarily need a huge investment in machinery. A carefully selected range of professional products can cover the majority of everyday commercial cleaning tasks, and you can add more specialist equipment as your customer base grows.
Here are some of the essentials to consider when setting up a contract cleaning business.
Start with a Good Commercial Vacuum Cleaner
A reliable vacuum cleaner is one of the first pieces of equipment most contract cleaners will need.
Domestic vacuum cleaners aren't designed for the demands of regular commercial use, so investing in a professional machine from the outset can make sense.
A great starting point is the Numatic PPR170 Recycled Plastic 620W Vacuum.
The PPR170 is a compact professional vacuum designed for commercial cleaning. It has a long 12.5m cable, cable rewind system, professional accessory kit and convenient onboard tool storage. It is also manufactured using recycled plastic, making it particularly suitable for cleaning companies looking to introduce more sustainable equipment into their operation.
As your business grows, you may want to add additional equipment such as wet vacuums, carpet cleaning machines, rotary machines and scrubber dryers. Initially, however, a good-quality dry vacuum will cover a large proportion of everyday office and commercial cleaning.
Choosing Your Cleaning Chemicals
You don't need dozens of different chemicals to start a cleaning business. In fact, keeping your initial range relatively simple can make stock control, staff training and COSHH management much easier.
A useful starter selection could include:
- Multi-purpose cleaner or sanitiser
- Washroom cleaner
- Toilet cleaner
- Limescale remover/descaler
- Glass and stainless-steel cleaner
- Floor cleaner
- Heavy-duty degreaser where required
Once you start winning contracts, you can introduce specialist products depending on the buildings you are cleaning.
Should You Offer Eco-Friendly Cleaning?
Environmental considerations are increasingly important for many organisations, and offering an eco-friendly cleaning option can help a contract cleaner provide customers with an alternative to traditional cleaning products.
Delphis Eco offers a broad selection of commercial cleaning products, including washroom cleaner, toilet cleaner, limescale remover, sanitiser and glass and stainless-steel cleaner.
Another option is BioHygiene, which offers biotechnology-based cleaning products using naturally derived ingredients.
These ranges allow you to build an environmentally conscious cleaning system rather than simply replacing one or two individual chemicals.
For customers who don't specifically require an eco range, Clover Chemicals provides a wide selection of professional cleaning chemicals suitable for contract cleaning applications.
Whatever range you choose, make sure employees are trained in correct dilution and application and that the relevant product information and Safety Data Sheets are available.
Don't Forget the Everyday Cleaning Tools
Chemicals are only part of the equation. Your cleaners need good-quality tools that allow them to work quickly and effectively.
One of the most important purchases is a supply of microfibre cleaning cloths.
Colour-coded cloths can be particularly useful in commercial cleaning because different colours can be allocated to different areas, helping to reduce the risk of cross-contamination between washrooms, kitchens and general areas.
You should also keep a selection of cleaning scourers for removing stubborn deposits and food residue. Always make sure the scourer is appropriate for the surface being cleaned, particularly on delicate or highly polished surfaces.
Other everyday items worth keeping in your cleaning kit include trigger bottles, buckets, warning signs, dusters, brushes, dustpans, refuse sacks and bin liners.
PPE and Disposable Gloves
Personal protective equipment should also form part of your cleaning setup.
The PPE required will depend on the products being used and the cleaning task being undertaken, so cleaners should always follow the chemical manufacturer's instructions, Safety Data Sheet and their company's risk assessment.
A supply of appropriate disposable cleaning gloves is useful for many everyday cleaning operations.
It's also important to remember that gloves aren't a substitute for proper chemical handling procedures and staff training.
Consider a Flat Mopping System
Floor cleaning can account for a considerable amount of time on a commercial cleaning contract, so choosing the right mopping system can make a big difference to productivity.
Traditional Kentucky and socket mops still have their place, particularly for some larger or heavily soiled areas, but flat mopping systems are an excellent option for many modern commercial environments.
Flat mops are particularly useful in offices, schools, corridors, reception areas and other hard-floor environments. Microfibre flat mop heads can also be changed between areas, helping cleaners maintain a consistent cleaning system throughout a building.
As contracts become larger, it may eventually make financial sense to introduce a scrubber dryer to increase productivity across larger hard-floor areas.
Your Cleaning Contract Can Be More Than Just Cleaning
One area that new contract cleaning businesses sometimes overlook is the opportunity to supply their customers with everyday washroom and cleaning consumables.
If you're already visiting a customer's premises several times each week, you're ideally positioned to monitor their stock and replenish essential products.
These can include:
Toilet rolls, hand towels, hand soap, refuse sacks, centrefeed rolls, facial tissues, air fresheners and other washroom consumables.
Rather than the customer ordering these products from another supplier, you can incorporate them into your service or invoice them separately.
This has several advantages.
For the customer, it reduces the number of suppliers they need to manage. For your cleaning company, it creates an additional source of recurring revenue alongside the cleaning contract itself.
It can also strengthen your relationship with the customer because you become responsible for keeping their entire cleaning and washroom operation running rather than simply providing cleaning labour.
For example, if your cleaners notice that hand towels or toilet rolls are running low, replacement stock can be arranged before the customer runs out.
Don't Forget the Dispensers
When taking over a new cleaning contract, check which dispensers are already installed.
Toilet roll, hand towel and soap dispensers aren't always compatible with every consumable. Supplying the correct products is important, but replacing old or unsuitable dispensers can also give you the opportunity to standardise the washroom across the customer's site.
This can make stock management much easier and allow the same toilet rolls, towels and soaps to be used throughout a building.
Build a Standard Cleaning Kit
Once you've decided which products work for your business, create a standard cleaning kit that can be replicated across each new contract.
For example, each cleaning cupboard could contain the same colour-coded cloths, flat mop system, chemicals, gloves, refuse sacks and basic cleaning tools.
Standardisation makes it easier to train new employees, control stock and ensure that cleaners aren't using different products and methods at different customer sites.
Think About Cost Per Use – Not Just the Purchase Price
When quoting for a cleaning contract, don't simply look at how much a bottle of chemical costs.
A concentrated professional product may initially appear more expensive than a ready-to-use alternative, but if it produces dozens or even hundreds of trigger bottles or buckets of cleaning solution, the actual cost per use can be considerably lower.
The same principle applies to paper products.
When comparing toilet tissue and hand towels, look at the quantity per case, sheet size, number of sheets or metres per roll and expected consumption rather than comparing case prices alone.
Small savings become significant when they are multiplied across multiple customers and throughout an entire year.
Grow Your Equipment as Your Contracts Grow
You don't need every cleaning machine from day one.
Start with the equipment required to service your first contracts properly. As you win larger customers, you can invest in equipment that saves labour and allows your team to clean more efficiently.
Your equipment might eventually expand to include:
Carpet extraction machines, wet and dry vacuums, rotary floor machines, scrubber dryers, high-level cleaning equipment, pressure washers and specialist floor-care equipment.
The important thing is to buy equipment because there is a commercial requirement for it, rather than tying up cash in machinery that spends most of its time sitting in storage.
Professional Products Help Create a Professional Service
Building a successful contract cleaning company isn't simply about finding customers. It's about providing a consistent service, controlling your costs and giving your cleaners the equipment and products they need to do the job properly.
Start with the essentials: a dependable commercial vacuum, professional chemicals, cloths, scourers, mopping equipment and appropriate PPE. Then look beyond the cleaning itself.
Supplying toilet rolls, hand towels, soaps and other consumables can turn a standard cleaning contract into a broader facilities supply relationship, creating additional recurring sales while making life easier for your customer.
As your contracts increase, your range of equipment can grow with your business.
ClickCleaning supplies professional cleaning chemicals, machines, janitorial equipment, PPE and washroom consumables for cleaning businesses of all sizes. Whether you're preparing for your first cleaning contract or expanding an established cleaning company, having the right products in place from the beginning can help you deliver a more efficient and professional service.
