by Brandon Boushy 
So you’ve decided to start a cleaning business. Now you’re wondering “What supplies do I need to start a cleaning business?”
We’ve got the answers for you. We’ve talked to multiple cleaning business owners to learn the things needed to start a cleaning business. Christopher Mondragon worked with us to create a cleaning business supply list, while Neel Parekh offers a way to start a cleaning business without cleaning supplies.
Both of these small business owners make over a million per year and are here to answer What do you need to start a cleaning business?
Click on any of the sections below to choose the topic you’re interested in learning more about.
Keep reading for everything you need to start a cleaning business.
Where to buy cleaning supplies
There are lots of places to buy cleaning supplies, but at UpFlip, we aim to make it really easy to get home and office cleaning supplies. That’s why we suggest shopping for cleaning supplies on Amazon. You’ll want to:
- Create an Amazon business account.
- Buy products from the UpFlip Amazon store.
- Schedule recurring purchases.
Create an Amazon Business account
Make ordering your basic cleaning supplies easier with convenient delivery options, simplified purchasing workflows, multiple payment options, and a competitive marketplace with business-only pricing and quantity discounts.
Anyone who makes purchases for work (e.g., procurement specialists, office administration, IT departments, etc.) can create a free account for their business. Note that customers must be from a verified business in order to successfully create Amazon Business accounts.
Get an Amazon Business account to simplify ordering your cleaning business supplies.
Buy products from the UpFlip Amazon store
We took the time to make it really easy for you to buy the right cleaning supplies to be a professional home cleaner. Just head over to our Amazon store and get your own cleaning products shipped directly to your home.
Schedule recurring purchases
Order your cleaning business supplies list so Amazon ships your essential supplies on a regular basis. Doing this makes getting cleaning supplies for business operations easier than ever. Just select the frequency at which you want them to ship your cleaning company supplies.
Download our professional cleaning supplies list
Cleaning supplies for a house cleaning business
Starting a cleaning business requires careful planning and gathering the necessary supplies and equipment. The following are the supplies for home cleaning business success:
- Cleaning agents and chemicals
- Cleaning tools
- Protective gear
- Trash bags and liners
- Equipment and machinery
- Transportation and storage
- Uniforms
- Business supplies
- Marketing materials
- Insurance and licensing
- Client communication
Read on for specific examples of all these supplies for cleaning business.
Christopher Mondragon told us:
Learn how he started a successful cleaning business in this video.
Cleaning solutions
You’ll need a variety of cleaning chemicals when you run a cleaning company. Make sure to get cleaning solutions like:
- All-purpose cleaners*
- Disinfectant
- Glass cleaner
- Bathroom cleaner
- Floor cleaner
- Carpet cleaning solution (if offering carpet cleaning services)
- Furniture polish
- Tile cleaner
- Leather cleaner
- Oven cleaner
- Laundry detergent
*Multi-purpose cleaner works for many surfaces, but there are some surfaces that cleaning chemicals might damage. You’ll probably want to get a stainless steel cleaner and wood cleaning solution as well.
Check out our complete list of cleaning supplies, all of which can be found in the UpFlip Amazon Store.
Cleaning equipment
When you start your own cleaning business, you’ll need to have cleaning equipment to apply cleaning products and remove dirt and dust.
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Dusting tools (dusters, dusting cloths)
- Grout brush
- Microfiber cloth
- Mop
- Mop bucket
- Paper towels
- Pet hair removal tool
- Toilet bowl brush (we recommend ones that clean themselves or disposable toilet brushes)
- Scrub brush
- Small trash cans
- Sponges
- Vacuum cleaner (with appropriate attachments for different surfaces)
- Window cleaning tools (squeegee, window washing solution, extension poles)
Keep reading for information on cleaning service equipment to protect yourself and your employees while they are on a cleaning job.
Personal protective equipment
In addition to cleaning supplies and cleaning equipment, cleaning services will need personal protective equipment to prevent injuries. Make sure you have the following cleaning business supplies:
- Gloves (latex, nitrile, or rubber gloves)
- Aprons or cleaning smocks
- Safety goggles or glasses
- Face masks or respirators
- Shoe covers to protect floors
Trash bags and liners
A residential cleaning business will also need:
- Various sizes of trash bags (for regular waste, recycling, and composting)
- Multiple sizes of liners to protect customers’ trash cans
Equipment and machinery
Cleaning businesses may offer other specialty services. Depending on the scale of your cleaning business, you might need specialized equipment like carpet cleaners, pressure washers, or floor polishers.
Eco-Friendly Cleaning
If you want to go after a niche market, consider investing in eco-friendly cleaning equipment. Force of Nature Clean, for example, sells systems that allows you to make zero-waste, medical-grade, EPA-registered disinfecting solution that can be used on all different surfaces. Keep your costs low and get clients by marketing this unique offering.
Transportation and storage
You’ll need places to store and carry your cleaning equipment and cleaning business supplies. Make sure you have:
- Reliable transportation that can carry all essential cleaning equipment and supplies
- Storage containers or shelves for organizing and transporting supplies
Uniforms
In addition to the residential cleaning supplies, you’ll want uniforms or aprons with your branding. It looks more professional and helps people readily identify you and your employees.
Business supplies
You’ll need office supplies to operate your cleaning business. Make sure you have:
- Invoices or receipts
- Cleaning service agreements or contracts
- Laptop or PC
- Printer
- Phone line
- Business cards
- Cleaning business software
Check out our blog for a more in-depth look at starting a cleaning business checklist.
Marketing materials
Other things needed to start a cleaning business include marketing materials. Some of the primary marketing materials you’ll need include:
- Business cards
- Flyers
- Brochures
- Door hangers
- Pricing sheets
- Business website
- Social media profiles
- Other marketing tools (See suggestions below.)
Useful marketing tools
These are some useful marketing tools that small business owners use to market their companies:
- Canva: Simplify graphic design with Canva. Get access to thousands of templates for websites and social media for as low as $4.99 per month.
- SurferSEO: Write blog content faster and rank higher on search engines with SurferSEO.
- MailChimp: Email and SMS marketing automation is one of the keys to success that many small business owners mention. Get started with Mailchimp.
Insurance and licensing
You’ll need business licensing and insurance to start a cleaning business. Make sure to get:
- Liability insurance (to protect against potential accidents and damages)
- Business license or permits (check local regulations)
You can also add the terms Licensed and Insured to your website to let people know that you follow the law.
Client communication
- Phone or smartphone for communication with clients
- Email address for correspondence
- Scheduling system or calendar for booking and managing appointments
We suggest using Google Workspace for your email and calendar.
Download the cleaning supplies list for cleaning business
Consider a remote cleaning business
Neel Parekh, CEO of MaidThis, doesn’t think small business owners need to be buying cleaning products. He got into the cleaning industry by focusing on cleaning business marketing. He explained that you can focus on cleaning business software to make a great living.
Check out our interview with Neel below.
Want to find out more about how to forego the cleaning business supplies list? Reach out to MaidThis and save $6,000 on the marketing investment for your remote cleaning business franchise.
Cleaning supplies for a commercial cleaning business
A commercial cleaning supplies list will be similar to the residential cleaning services supply list. The main difference is you’ll need to invest in heavier-duty products that work well with the high-frequency cleaning of commercial spaces. A commercial cleaning company will need the following commercial cleaning equipment list:
- Broom
- Company uniforms and aprons
- Company vehicle
- Dustpan
- Extendable feather duster
- Floor scrubbing brush
- Floor waxer and buffer machine
- Handheld vacuum for spot cleaning
- Indoor window washing kit
- Industrial vacuum cleaner with attachments for carpet and hardwood
- Knee pads
- Laundry bags
- Multi-colored microfiber cloths to identify each use
- Mop
- Mop bucket
- Respirator
- Reusable color-coded spray bottles
- Rubber gloves
- Slip-resistant shoes
- Squeegee
- Steam cleaner
- Supply cart
To learn more about commercial cleaning businesses, read our blog about cleaning contracts.
Where do you buy your professional house cleaning supplies?
Everyone has their own personal preference for where they buy cleaning service supplies. Where do you buy your cleaning service products and what do you consider the best cleaning products?
