Everything  gets dirty. Therefore, everything needs to be cleaned. This obvious (and trivial) truth has combined with a number of social and cultural trends to bring cleaning services into the forefront of opportunities for anyone willing to roll up his (or her!) sleeves and get some dirt under their fingernails.

Our society has long held that “cleanliness is next to godliness.” We hold cleanliness to the highest of standards, whether in our homes, our businesses, or our meeting places. We frown on those who do not maintain a neat and tidy home, tend not to do business in places that are not clean, and avoid frequenting places that are dirty.

As it happens, our high standards are not solely the result of our aesthetic preferences. Uncleanliness and sickness seem to go hand in hand. Dust, mold, and other domestic air pollutants have been associated with respiratory illnesses in homes and offices. An unclean workspace is often an unsafe and unhealthy workspace. In short, “clean” often translates into healthier, happier, and safer work and living environments. Legions of homemakers have traditionally devoted hours upon hours to tasks from vacuuming to polishing to scrubbing bathroom floors. But things have changed.

While economic demands have conspired with social and demographic trends to make it more difficult for people (traditionally, women) to devote all those hours to cleaning, our lifestyle choices have made many less willing to devote their ever-diminishing “personal time” to tasks like cleaning. A growing number of people simply prefer not to do the cleaning themselves. Add to that number the growing number of single parents, two-income households, “middle age” empty nesters and elderly people living alone—people who do not have the time or the physical capability to do their own cleaning—and it becomes clear that fewer and fewer people are keeping their houses clean. While some may long for the “good old days” when the demands of our economy weren’t so great on families, and homemakers could stay in the home to take care of these chores, you can applaud these changes because they represent a tremendous opportunity for you. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment cleaning and services will grow 11% by 2020.

Cleaning services run the gamut from home cleaning services that do regular and “routine” cleaning to those that step in for those more demanding jobs—from carpet shampooing to commercial cleaning and even crime-scene clean-up.

As suggested above, cleaning services are needed for more than just homes. Offices, clinics, banks, churches and synagogues, large commercial spaces such as schools and supermarkets, along with every manner of retail space all require regular cleaning. By providing prompt, efficient, and reliable cleaning services, you can easily create a business that will maintain a comfortable middle class lifestyle.

Cleaning services often work flexible and “off” hours. Banks, offices, and nursery or private schools generally prefer that cleaning crews come in during evening or weekend hours. Other nonemergency cleaning jobs can be scheduled through-out the daytime hours.

Cleaning services lend themselves to specialization. Some services will focus on working in homes, providing cleaning services such as dusting and waxing. Others will concentrate on office buildings. Still others will focus on medical clinics. Each type of service has its particular set of needs and demands. Some specializations worth considering, either because of their size or their growth potential, include the following:

• Construction Cleanup. Whenever there’s a construction job of any type, cleanup is necessary before occupancy or marketing to lessees. Another positive for this specialty is you can readily identify your potential clients.
• Disaster Cleanup. When people hear “disaster,” they usually think hurricane, tornado, or earthquake. However, many smaller, more localized “disasters” occur. Fire. Flood. Smoke. Damage from these and other sources can prove to be traumatic for businesses and homeowners. Being able to provide fast, efficient, and complete cleanup helps minimize the trauma and begins the transition to people feeling comfortable and safe in their homes and businesses again.
• Green Cleaning. Whether because more people are being identified with having allergies and sensitivities to man-made products or because a growing number of people are environmentally conscious, cleaning services that use green cleaning methods—biodegradable, nontoxic products and equipment and supplies such as HEPA vacuum cleaners and microfiber cloths for cleaning surfaces without chemical cleaners— are growing.
• Pressure-Cleaning/Water-Blasting. For the tough jobs and for large areas such as construction sites, industrial-sized equipment mounted on a truck cleans aluminum siding; old brick, cement, and marble on buildings being restored; farm, industrial, and construction equipment; garbage trucks, airplanes, and boats; parking lots; restaurant freezers and vent hoods; awnings and signs; and air-conditioning units, phone booths, shopping carts, and hotel dumpsters.
• Rubbish Removal. From rotted fences to soiled carpeting to complete garage cleanups, rubbish removal services attack the cleanup jobs that are too large for the home or business owner. From general rubbish removal, to clearing out the homes of deceased family members, to stripping down offices, factories, houses, or apartments, the rubbish removal service performs a necessary—and much-in-demand—service.
• Window Washing. Window washers have profited from most cleaning services avoiding windows. Window washing can be done part-time or expanded into a good-sized business. The International Window Cleaning Association site makes it obvious that window cleaning is an industry. See the American Window Cleaner magazine for more information on this specialization.

Other specialized cleaning services include parking lot sweeping, organization and storage solutions, drape and blind cleaning services, furniture refinishing, painting, and “odd jobs.”

Of course, there are still more specific areas of specialization—air-duct clean-ing, chimney cleaning, crime-scene cleanup, disaster cleanup, power washing exteriors and sidewalks, pool cleaning, stone and masonry cleaning, and window cleaning, just to name a few. In the future, environmentally friendly mobile car wash machines, such as the ones made by the Korean company Seven Car Wash, that use steam and as little as a glass of water, will continue to grow in popularity with the public.

Cleaning services have the added benefit of not requiring extensive communication skills. Basic language skills are required so that special instructions can be correctly understood, but an advanced education is not required. However, as more and more clients expect cleaning materials to be “green” or environmentally friendly, you will have to be able to understand the correct and safe uses of various cleaning materials and solvents. Certain cleaning environments, such as public bathrooms and food preparation areas, must be cleaned according to Department of Health guidelines and requirements.

Once you are established for providing cleaning services, you will find that home and business owners will ask you for assistance when they have other jobs on their premises. From snow removal and painting to gardening and floor refinishing, you will be in a position to recommend a network of other professionals, thereby expanding your network of references. Or you may want to enlarge your own business to provide these services to your clients.

You can learn more at associations like the Building Service Contractors Association International is a trade association for commercial cleaning firms, providing certification in a number of specialties.

If you think we can help, Paul and Sarah offer counseling. For an initial free consultation, contact us.

Comments on the substance of the blogs are welcome. If you have other questions, please contact me directly for a consulting appointment.

Livelihoods For an initial free consultation to explore this or another sustainable livelihood that bests suits your personality and your community, contact us.

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Comments on the substance of the blogs are welcome. If you have other questions, please contact me directly for a consulting appointment.