Moving out of a property is very stressful for a tenant, landlord, and agent. The tenant wants to leave a spotless-looking home as it will help them get their security deposit back immediately. A landlord and agent want a clean home to attract new tenants and buyers.
This has given rise to a great business opportunity. So, if you are looking for how to start a move out cleaning business and if it is profitable, you are in the right place.
In this article, we’ll discuss how starting a move-out cleaning business is a great idea and an extremely profitable venture.
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What is a Move Out Cleaning Service?
A move-out cleaning service includes deep cleaning of the vacant property to prepare it for the next person to move in and live. In regular cleaning, there is just basic tidying and maintenance while in a move-out cleaning, the place has to be spotless.
Everything is cleaned like carpets, kitchen appliances, windows, etc. It ensures that no dust or grime is found in the house.
Services Included in Move-Out Cleaning
- Taking care of any leftover debris or trash.
- Cleaning bathroom tiles, removing mold, sanitizing toilets, and polishing fixtures.Cleaning
- kitchen appliances like degreasing ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, and stovetops.
- Carpet cleaning includes vacuuming, removing stains, and professional steam cleaning.
- Dusting and wiping down all surfaces such as baseboards, light fixtures, and windowsills.
- Mopping and polishing floors.
- Removing cobwebs and cleaning inside cabinets, closets, and drawers.
In this article, you will find out how to start a business. It has all the basics about starting a business from scratch and building it up.
Why Start a Move Out Cleaning Business?
Starting a moving-out cleaning business is a great idea because it is highly profitable. According to Maggy Maid, a person can easily charge between $110 to $230 for a one-bedroom house.
This means the larger the size of the property, the greater the margins. Every month, thousands of rental agreements take place and people move in and out of properties so this ensures that you’ll get consistent customers.
The barrier to entry is extremely low. There is no need to buy expensive machines, etc. Your basic equipment can help you get the tasks done.
To immediately stand out, you can offer a specialized service such as carpet cleaning or appliance cleaning. This will provide you with a unique USP.
Lastly, no matter how the economy is, whether it is booming or slowing, people will always move in and out. This makes this a perfect business model.
How to Start a Move Out Cleaning Business?
1. Research and Plan
Start by carrying out detailed market research. This will help you in understanding the local market. Market research is done to get an idea about the demand, and competitors, and to identify a unique selling point (USP) that we can use to stand out in this competitive market.
Next up, try to understand who your target audience is. This will help you to refine your marketing strategy. Your target audience can be renters, landlords, real estate companies, etc.
When you have all of this information, move toward the next step and make a business plan. This is needed as it will not only help run the operations smoothly, in fact, it will help to get funding if there is a need.
A business plan should have the following:
- Business goals
- Types of services being offered (carpet cleaning)
- Pricing structure (hourly rate, etc.)
- Financial projections (startup costs, revenue, profits)
2. Set Up a Business
After finalizing the business plan, some tasks should be completed, and these consist of choosing a business structure, getting the necessary licenses, and creating a budget.
You can start by choosing a business name that goes well with the services you offer such as “Fresh Start Cleaning Co”. After choosing a name, decide how you want your business’s legal structure to be.
Are you interested in starting a corporation, LLC, or registering as a sole proprietorship?
Get the licenses and permits that you need after you register your business. These will depend on the policies that your state follows.
We strongly recommend getting general liability insurance as it protects the business in case of accidental damage to the property. You can also get worker’s compensation insurance if you plan to hire employees.
3. Get the Supplies and Equipment
You’ll need basic equipment and these supplies can cost you anywhere between $1000 to $5000 depending upon the type of machinery you are getting and the type of services you plan to offer.
You will need the following basic items:
- Cleaning solutions like multipurpose cleaners, degreasers, and glass cleaners.
- Microfiber cloths, sponges, and scrub brushes.
- Mop, bucket, and vacuum cleaner.
For specialized services such as cleaning carpets, you’ll need a carpet cleaner to remove stains and dust. You’ll need steamers to sanitize hard surfaces and grout.
4. Set the Prices
After doing all of this work, you should decide about the prices that you will charge your clients. The price will depend upon factors like property size, the depth of cleaning, and the types of clients.
If your clients are real estate companies then these can be your repeat customers and you should offer bulk discounts in order to get more work.
You can set your pricing models for different types of properties such as charging $100-$150 for a studio apartment. For a 2-bedroom house, you can charge $200-$300, etc.
5. Promote the Move-Out Cleaning Business
When you are wondering how to start a move out cleaning business, you should be well aware that marketing is the backbone of any kind of business.
A business cannot succeed without marketing and a social media presence today. You should get a website that talks about your services and prices and has a clean layout.
Then make social media accounts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook and post content regularly such as aesthetic cleaning videos and reels. This will attract customers.
You can also share reviews and before-and-after photos. If you have the budget, run paid ads such as Google ads and Facebook ads to get customers.
This is it. After you start getting some clients, you should continue to improve your services and expand your team with time.
How Profitable is a Move-Out Cleaning Business?
The cleaning business market size was valued at $375.32 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow even more with time.
Considering this, you can easily expect to make $30,000 to $50,000 a year. You can expect to make even more by taking more cleaning jobs and charging a competitive rate.
If you can get good reviews and a huge following on social media by sharing behind-the-scenes and aesthetic videos, you can easily charge higher rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to clean a house after moving?
It can take 2–5 hours to clean a house after moving but this depends on the size of the property and the depth of cleaning that is required. Big properties or those that are left in poor condition will take much longer than this.
What is the difference between move-out cleaning and regular cleaning?
In move-out cleaning, you will have to do a thorough, deep cleaning of the entire property. This includes cleaning appliances, carpets, and hard-to-reach areas. This is done to prepare it for the next occupant. Regular cleaning is surface-level cleaning such as vacuuming and regular maintenance.
What are the initial steps for how to start a move out cleaning business?
You should always start by doing market research and creating a business plan. Then get the licenses and permits. After that, buy the essential cleaning supplies and start marketing the business to attract your first clients.
What services should I offer when figuring out how to start a move out cleaning business?
You can include services such as deep cleaning tasks like appliance cleaning, carpet shampooing, window washing, and general sanitization of the property. Some unique services like carpet cleaning or pet odor removal can really increase your income.
Conclusion
If you are still wondering if it is a good option to start a move-out cleaning business, then the answer is yes. By carefully following all of the steps, you can easily start a profitable business in 2025.
To offer exceptional services to outrank your competitors. We highly recommend making a checklist when starting a new cleaning project. This will help you stay organized.