How To Manage a Successful Remote Cleaning Business

Starting a remote cleaning business can give you flexibility in your workday without sacrificing control. Here’s an in-depth guide to starting and running a remote cleaning business.

Learn about market research, business planning, global team hiring, and digital marketing.

Follow these steps to overcome the challenges of operating a cleaning business remotely and discover strategies to streamline your operations.

Interested in taking your small business to the next level? Book a free demo with Aspire today.

What is a remote cleaning business?

A remote cleaning business has no physical office and uses technology to manage and run its operations, which is ideal for those seeking remote work.

The cleaning industry is growing, and remote operations are becoming increasingly popular as a side hustle to earn additional income. This business model gives cleaning business owners flexibility while maintaining efficiency in their processes.

• Work from anywhere.

• Utilize apps and software like CRM for management.

• Coordinate cleaners and services virtually.

This way, entrepreneurs can run a house cleaning business or commercial cleaning services without the overhead of a traditional office setup.

Let’s talk about why running a remote cleaning business is good.

Why run a remote cleaning business?

Running a remote cleaning business is a modern way of managing cleaning services without being tied to a location. It offers a range of benefits over traditional business models.

1. Get a better work-life balance by working from anywhere.

2. It’s cost-effective. You don’t need a physical office and have low overhead costs.

3. Scale more easily by expanding services to new areas without establishing a local business.

4. Use digital tools and automation to run operations more efficiently and increase productivity.

5. Attract skilled cleaners from anywhere to provide customers with better service quality.

6. Reach more markets using local cleaners to serve a broader customer base.

The remote cleaning business model allows existing local cleaning companies to expand and scale.

Let’s talk about the challenges of running a cleaning business remotely.

What are the challenges of running a cleaning business remotely?

Knowing the challenges of running a remote business enables cleaning contractors to prepare and adjust ahead of time. Remember that a reliable internet connection is non-negotiable with remote work to communicate and coordinate with your team.

Common challenges include

1. Communicating clearly and consistently with your remote team without face-to-face check-ins can lead to misunderstandings.

2. Monitoring cleaner’s performance and reliability from afar requires robust systems.

3. Relying on digital tools and software can be tricky if there are technical issues or outages.

4. Maintaining high customer service without face-to-face interaction requires responsiveness and prompt troubleshooting.

5. Scheduling and dispatching cleaners efficiently requires precise coordination, and it can be hard to build efficient routes in new service areas.

6. Ensuring service quality across different locations is complex.

How to start a remote cleaning business step-by-step

Building a solid foundation when you start a remote cleaning business or expand remotely into new service areas can set your business up for long-term success.

Steps to starting a remote cleaning business:

1. Market research

2. Business plan

3. Website and CRM

4. Payment processor

5. Business structure

6. Remote cleaning business insurance

7. Cleaning contract templates

8. Employees

9. Marketing

1. Perform market research

Market research turns your ideas into a profitable business. Research what other companies in the industry do and find gaps that can increase your chances of success.

Identify high-potential service areas.

Use social media and Google’s search engine to find areas with a high population-to-cleaning business ratio. Consider breaking into new service verticals, such as condo buildings, HOAs, commercial office parks, etc. 

Conduct competitive intel.

Analyze competitors’ marketing strategies, pricing, and additional services like window cleaning.

Find industry gaps.

Identify services competitors lack or areas they don’t serve, like a maid service or window cleaning, and build a niche to meet underserved demand.

Define your target audience.

Create profiles of your ideal and acceptable clients and describe their service needs. 

2. Create a business plan

A business plan is essential for any business idea. Focus on building systems for your remote business into your plan, giving you a solid foundation for growth. Include these components in your plan:

• Startup costs: Give yourself and your investors a clear idea of the initial costs, such as software, equipment, and cleaning supplies.

• Operational plan: Define how you will manage operations remotely.

• Revenue model: How will you generate income, set pricing, and create service packages?

• Growth strategy: How will you scale the business over time?

• Financial projections: What are your expenses, revenue, and profit margins?

Download Aspire’s cleaning business plan template for a detailed blueprint of what to include in yours, and continue to adapt and revise it as your company scales. 

3. Get a website and a CRM

You’ll need a professional website and a customer relationship management (CRM) system to run your remote business efficiently.

A CRM capable of running a cleaning business remotely will include features such as:

• Online booking system

• SMS and email marketing 

• Payroll and accounting with integrations with platforms such as QuickBooks and Acumatica

• Sales pipeline visibility

• Property-centric client records

• Dispatch system with route optimization

• Invoicing and payment processing

Consider offering other services like recurring billing and subscription plans to cater to different customer needs.

Choose a CRM like Aspire that provides end-to-end functionality from estimate to invoice, with unlimited user seats, so your remote teams get the same visibility and functionality wherever they are.

4. Set up a payment processor

A payment processor is necessary to charge customers and pay cleaners. Aspire’s business management system includes a client portal with invoice payment via credit card and ACH bank transfer. 

You can improve your remote business's cash flow by making it fast and easy for customers to pay their invoices. 

5. Create your business structure

Your business structure has legal and tax implications, especially across cities, municipalities, or states.

• Common structures for cleaning businesses:

  • Limited Liability Company (LLC)

  • S-Corporation (S-Corp)

• Steps to establish your cleaning business:

  • Check the availability of the name with the Secretary of State.

  • Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

  • Register your LLC with the Secretary of State or—

  • File Form 8832 and Form 2553 with the IRS for S-Corp status.

  • Obtain necessary business licenses and permits.

  • Ensure your policy covers commercial and residential cleaning services to protect against potential liabilities.

Consult a business attorney to ensure compliance with local laws and look to get remote cleaning business insurance.

6. Get remote cleaning business insurance

Insurance is necessary to protect your business from risks and is vital in establishing brand reputation in new service areas. Most cleaning businesses will need:

• General liability insurance

• Commercial property insurance

• Additional riders (e.g., workers’ compensation, commercial auto insurance)

A Business Owners Policy (BOP) can provide comprehensive coverage tailored to your needs.

7. Prepare cleaning contracts

Having well-prepared contracts ensures clear agreements with cleaners and clients and protects a remote business owner against misunderstandings and miscommunication. Every contract should include:

• Define service expectations

• Payment structure

• Property damage terms

• Outline client-specific services and terms

Always get legal advice on what to include in contracts, including steps to take if clients break the contracts.

8. Hire employees

Finding reliable cleaners comes with added challenges with hiring remotely, but business owners should look for the same qualifications in candidates as if they were hiring in person:

• Reliability

• Good communication skills

• Positive attitude

Do background checks to ensure their character is suitable for your small business.

9. Promote your cleaning services

Marketing is essential to get clients and grow your business. Build a marketing strategy across multiple channels, including:

• Digital marketing (SEO, social media, Google Ads)

• Local advertising (flyers, postcards)

• Customer referrals and testimonials

For remote businesses that may not want to hire a dedicated marketing person or expensive marketing firm, there are tools available to launch your campaigns, including:

• Canva for design

• SurferSEO for content optimization

• MailChimp for email marketing

• Marketing Pro integration from Aspire

Review and adjust your marketing often.

4 Strategies for successfully running your cleaning business remotely

Running a cleaning business remotely requires strategic planning and execution. Here are four ways to do it.

1. Adapt digital marketing to a local level

Using global marketing strategies at a local level can increase your business visibility and client base. Many local janitorial and maid services still use traditional marketing, so you can use digital marketing to get ahead.

• Set up and optimize your Google My Business listing to improve local search engine visibility.

• Use social media to talk to potential clients, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Use images to showcase your expertise in cleaning different living spaces to get more clients.

• Optimize your website for local SEO keywords to show up in Google.

• Run local targeted ads on social media to get local leads.

• List your services in local directories.

Check our top 21 ways to market your cleaning business for more marketing tips.

Focusing on these areas will make your cleaning services stand out from those without modern marketing strategies.

2. Build a global team

Building a global team gives you access to a larger talent pool and operational efficiency. While local cleaners are necessary, other roles can be outsourced to remote workers.

Hiring remotely allows you to find the best fit for different roles. Creating remote jobs will enable you to tap into a global talent pool from other locations.

→ For example, having an operations team in Latin America can give you cultural alignment and the same time zone. Then, hire a local manager to handle hiring, training, and quality control.

A distributed team can help you streamline your operations and ensure high service quality.

3. Use software to streamline processes

Using software can improve the efficiency and management of your remote cleaning business.

Use Slack for team communication and ActiveCampaign or Aspire’s Marketing Pro for email campaigns and customer journeys.

Aspire is an end-to-end platform that provides users with:

• Estimating 

• Scheduling and route optimization

• CRM 

• Automated appointment reminders 

• Mobile app capabilities for labor tracking and job site checklists

• Integrations with popular payroll and bookkeeping software 

• Invoicing with the customer portal 

• Targeted marketing with the Marketing Pro integration

Aspire eliminates the time-consuming tasks for remote business owners, streamlining processes and providing unparalleled visibility into operations in other branches and regions of your organization.

4. Niche down and offer specialized services

Niching down can differentiate your business and attract a specific client base.

Target specific audiences such as business owners, restaurants, or industrial facility managers and specialize in cleaning those spaces. 

→ Reflect your niche in your branding and marketing.

Niche down, and you’ll position your business as an expert in that area and attract clients seeking specialized services.

Looking for ways to run your cleaning business remotely?

Running a remote cleaning business gives you flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. The right strategies—digital marketing, building a global team, using software, and niching down—can help you overcome the challenges and unlock ongoing growth.

Interested in taking your business to the next level? Book a free demo with Aspire.