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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Regulations in New Zealand and Australia are generally straightforward, but setting up correctly from the start saves time and stress later.
Many cleaning businesses begin as sole traders and transition to a company structure as they grow.
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:
Starting small is completely fine — just ensure your pricing covers your time, labour, and operating costs.
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:
Common for casual or flexible jobs. Rates vary depending on location, experience, and service type.
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.
Best suited for commercial spaces and builders’ cleans.
Whatever your method, price using this formula:
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:
As your business grows, you can invest in steamers, carpet cleaners, or backpack vacuums depending on customer needs.
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:
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.
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:
Consistency is your greatest marketing tool — happy clients talk.
Running a cleaning business involves more than cleaning. You’ll also need to:
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.
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:
Starting small is perfectly fine — one or two part‑timers can significantly expand your capacity.
A thriving cleaning business relies on repeat customers. The more recurring jobs you book, the more predictable your income becomes.
Ways to retain clients:
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.
A few final tips to set you up for success:
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.