How to Start a Cleaning Business in 2026

How to Start a Cleaning Business in 2026: A Practical Guide for NZ and Australia

Thinking about starting a cleaning business in 2026? You’re in great company. Demand for both residential and commercial cleaning services continues to grow across New Zealand and Australia, fuelled by busy households, expanding commercial hubs, and the ongoing shift toward outsourced home and office maintenance.

The good news is that starting a cleaning business remains one of the most accessible ways to enter the home‑service industry. With low startup costs, flexible hours, and room to scale at your own pace, it’s a popular choice for new entrepreneurs. Plus, cleaning is one of those services people genuinely appreciate — especially when life gets hectic.

This guide walks you through everything you need to launch a successful cleaning business in 2026, from licences and pricing to marketing, equipment, staffing, and the software that keeps your jobs and customers organised.

Why Start a Cleaning Business in 2026?

The cleaning industry continues to be one of the most resilient service sectors. Whether households are juggling work and family commitments or businesses want to maintain hygiene and presentation, cleaning is a service people rarely cut back on.

Here’s why 2026 is a great time to get started:

• Low startup costs compared to other trades and services.
• Reliable repeat income from weekly, fortnightly, and monthly clients.
• Increasing demand for specialised cleaning such as deep cleans, move‑outs, eco‑friendly services, and builders’ cleans.
• Strong scalability, whether you stay solo or build a team.
• Modern job management software makes running day‑to‑day operations easier than ever.

Whether you plan to work independently or develop a larger team, the steps below will help you build a sustainable cleaning business from day one.

Step 1: Decide Your Cleaning Services

Start by choosing the types of cleaning services you’ll offer. This makes it much easier to organise your equipment, pricing, and marketing. Think of it as deciding what’s on the menu before opening the doors.

Common residential services

• Regular house cleaning
• Deep cleaning
• Spring cleaning
• Move‑in/move‑out cleaning
• Airbnb or holiday rental cleaning
• Eco‑friendly or chemical‑free cleaning

Commercial cleaning options

• Office cleaning
• Hospitality and retail cleaning
• Construction and builders’ cleans
• School or daycare cleaning
• Medical or specialised cleaning (extra training required)

Begin with services you can confidently deliver, then expand as you gain experience and customer demand grows. You don’t need to offer everything from day one.

Step 2: Understand Legal and Compliance Requirements

Regulations in New Zealand and Australia are generally straightforward, but setting up correctly from the start saves time and stress later.

In New Zealand:

• Register as a sole trader or company with the NZ Companies Office.
• Prepare record‑keeping for tax and GST (GST registration required at $60k revenue).
• Public liability insurance is highly recommended.
• Follow WorkSafe NZ requirements when hiring staff.

In Australia:

• Register for an ABN (and an ACN if forming a company).
• Register for GST at $75k revenue.
• Consider public liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
• Comply with Fair Work obligations for employees.

Many cleaning businesses begin as sole traders and transition to a company structure as they grow.

Step 3: Calculate Your Startup Costs

Startup costs vary depending on whether you’re working solo or setting up a team. Most new cleaners can start with under $1,500 in essential equipment, making this one of the most accessible service industries.

Common expenses include:

• Cleaning equipment such as vacuums, mops, cloths, buckets, and spray bottles
• Supplies including chemicals, eco‑friendly products, gloves, and masks
• Business registration
• Insurance
• Transport (car or van)
• Software for quoting, scheduling, and invoicing

Starting small is completely fine — just ensure your pricing covers your time, labour, and operating costs.

Step 4: Price Your Cleaning Services

Pricing is one of the most important parts of building a profitable cleaning business. Charge too little and burnout appears quickly; charge too much and clients may hesitate. Your goal is a balanced rate that reflects the value you deliver.

Most cleaning services across NZ and AU use these models:

Hourly pricing

Common for casual or flexible jobs. Rates vary depending on location, experience, and service type.

Flat‑rate pricing

Ideal for regular clients or fixed jobs such as move‑out cleans. Flat‑rate structure is easier to automate using quoting tools like Taskly’s quoting system, which helps you stay consistent and avoid undercharging — something every new cleaner has done at least once.

Square metre pricing

Best suited for commercial spaces and builders’ cleans.

Whatever your method, price using this formula:

• Labour time
• Travel time
• Supplies and equipment wear
• Admin and overheads
• Your profit margin

Step 5: Get the Right Tools and Equipment

You don’t need industrial‑grade gear to start, but reliable basics help you produce consistent results — and avoid those “why is this vacuum doing that?” moments.

Essential items:

• Vacuum cleaner (bagless or commercial)
• Microfibre cloths
• Mop and bucket or spray mop
• All‑purpose, bathroom, kitchen, and glass cleaners
• Scrub brushes and sponges
• Gloves and PPE
• Organised caddy or kit

As your business grows, you can invest in steamers, carpet cleaners, or backpack vacuums depending on customer needs.

Step 6: Build a Professional Online Presence

In 2026, most customers will discover cleaning services online — often via Google, Facebook, or local directories. A professional online presence helps you stand out and build trust.

The essentials:

• A professional website with services, pricing guidance, and contact details
• A Google Business Profile for stronger local visibility
• A Facebook page or Instagram profile
• An online booking option if possible

If you don’t want the cost or hassle of a web developer, you can build a simple service business website using the Taskly website builder for service businesses, which includes built‑in online booking tools.

Step 7: Get Your First Clients

Your first clients are often the hardest to secure — but once trust and consistency build, referrals begin to flow. Word of mouth is powerful in the cleaning industry.

Effective ways to find early customers:

• Join local Facebook groups and offer introductory specials.
• List yourself on directories such as Neighbourly or Oneflare.
• Deliver flyers in high‑density neighbourhoods.
• Offer a first‑clean discount to encourage reviews.
• Connect with real estate agents for move‑out cleans.
• Partner with Airbnb hosts for regular turnover work.

Consistency is your greatest marketing tool — happy clients talk.

Step 8: Streamline Your Operations With Software

Running a cleaning business involves more than cleaning. You’ll also need to:

• Send quotes
• Schedule and reschedule jobs
• Track client details
• Send invoices and follow up payments
• Manage staff or subcontractors

Using job management software early helps you stay organised and presents a professional image. It also saves hours of admin each week — time you can put into growing your business or enjoying a well‑earned lunch break.

Platforms like Taskly make it easy to automate quoting, invoicing, field service scheduling, CRM, and online bookings in one place.

Step 9: Hire Staff When You’re Ready

Many cleaning businesses scale by hiring casual workers or subcontractors. Hiring is a major milestone and helps you grow beyond your personal capacity.

Before you hire, make sure you have:

• Enough recurring work to cover wages
• Clear processes for cleaning and customer communication
• Scheduling software to manage staff
• Training procedures for consistency and safety

Starting small is perfectly fine — one or two part‑timers can significantly expand your capacity.

Step 10: Focus on Retention and Growth

A thriving cleaning business relies on repeat customers. The more recurring jobs you book, the more predictable your income becomes.

Ways to retain clients:

• Consistent quality checks
• Clear, friendly communication
• Flexible scheduling
• Easy online payments
• Automated reminders so clients never miss a booking

This is where CRM and automation tools are incredibly useful. For example, Taskly’s CRM features help track customer history, preferences, and communication so clients always feel cared for.

Final Tips for Starting Your Cleaning Business in 2026

A few final tips to set you up for success:

• Start with simple services and expand as you grow.
• Use consistent pricing rather than adjusting on the spot.
• Focus on customer experience as much as cleaning quality.
• Automate admin early to avoid overwhelm.
• Build relationships locally — referrals are invaluable.

Ready to Start Your Cleaning Business?

Starting a cleaning business in 2026 is achievable and rewarding, especially with the right systems in place. Whether you’re launching solo or planning to build a team, strong organisation, fair pricing, and professional communication make all the difference.

If you want help managing your bookings, quotes, invoices, and clients, try Taskly. It’s designed specifically for NZ and AU home‑service businesses and keeps everything running smoothly in one place.

Learn more at Taskly’s cleaning business software page.