How to set up a cleaning business in the UK

Updated 10 October 2026

Why start a cleaning business?

Cleaning is needed by households, landlords, offices and shops all year round. The start-up costs can be lower than many other trades, and you can begin small and grow as your reputation builds. It does take hard work, reliability and good organisation, and income is not guaranteed.

Steps to set up your business

1. Decide what you will offer

Pick a focus, such as regular home cleaning, end of tenancy cleaning, deep cleaning or office cleaning. A clear focus makes pricing and marketing easier.

2. Choose a business structure

Most new cleaners start as a sole trader, registering as self-employed with HMRC. A limited company is another option. Check the current rules on GOV.UK or speak to an accountant before you decide.

3. Get insured

Public liability insurance protects you if something is damaged on a job. If you take on staff you will have further legal duties, so check the current requirements on GOV.UK.

4. Set up the basics

Open a separate bank account, keep records of income and costs, and agree simple terms with customers for payment and cancellations.

Domestic or commercial cleaning

Domestic cleaning covers homes, from regular visits to one-off jobs. Commercial cleaning covers offices, shops and other business premises, often with set hours and larger areas. Equipment, pricing and contracts differ between the two. Many new cleaners start with domestic work, then add commercial work later. In the UK job data behind this guide, the work is almost all household and property cleaning, such as end of tenancy, deep and carpet cleaning, so check what demand looks like in your own area before you choose.

Managing a team

You do not need a degree to manage cleaners, but clear communication, fairness and good organisation matter. Set out what a finished job looks like, check the work, and deal quickly with any customer complaint. If you employ people or use subcontractors, get advice on the legal side first.

Basic equipment

For domestic cleaning you will usually need:

• Protective gloves
• Bucket and mop
• Dustpan and brush
• Sponges, cloths and a multipurpose cleaner
• A reliable vacuum cleaner
• Products suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and glass

Commercial work often needs larger machines, such as floor scrubbers or carpet cleaning equipment, and you should follow the safety guidance for any chemicals you use.

Pricing your work

Look at what other local cleaners charge, then work out your own costs: time, travel, products, insurance and tax. Quote clearly and confirm the price before you start so there are no surprises. For a sense of how customers see pricing, see our prices page. As a guide, our end of tenancy cleans start from £155 for a studio and our deep cleans from £200.

Customers also pay for bigger properties. This is what our customers paid, as a median booking value, by number of bedrooms for end of tenancy cleaning. It is what the customer was charged for the whole booking, not what a cleaner earns.

Source: Hello Cleaners job records, 31,487 UK jobs, part of Hello Services Ltd. How the numbers were built: they come from Hello Cleaners job records of end of tenancy jobs since 2024. They describe jobs in the dataset, not the whole UK market. A median is the middle value, so half of bookings cost less and half cost more. Booking values are the whole job total, and jobs often bundle several services, so they are not the price of one service. Our records have a gap in 2022 and 2026 is the year to date, so we use full-year data from 2024 and 2025 for month patterns.

Planning your week around real demand

Cleaning work follows a pattern. Across 31,487 UK jobs recorded between 2019 and 2026, most start at 9am, and a second wave starts at 2pm. Friday is the busiest day and Sunday the quietest.

Plan your travel and breaks around those peaks, and leave room for jobs that overrun. Remember the quiet months too: across all UK jobs in the data, December and January are the lowest months at 6% each of the year, while August and September are 10% each.

Finding customers

Ask friends and neighbours first, then build a simple website, a Google Business Profile and social media accounts. Collect honest reviews from every happy customer. Local search and online advertising can work well, but test with a small budget first. Fast replies to enquiries often decide who wins the job.

Working with an established brand

Some cleaners prefer to work with a company that handles marketing and bookings for them. Hello Cleaners is part of Hello Services Ltd and has been cleaning since 2016, and its UK job records hold 31,487 jobs. If you would like to work with us, see our join us page or email info@helloservices.co.uk. Our article on becoming a cleaning business owner at low cost explains the options.

Our main services include end of tenancy cleaning, one-off deep cleaning and carpet and rug cleaning, if you want to see what a professional service looks like.

Frequently asked questions