Why Cleaning Businesses Fail ❌

You’ve seen the numbers: 20% of new businesses kick the bucket in the first 2 years, 45% by year 5, and a staggering 65% by year 10. Only a lucky 25% survive to see their sweet 16. Ouch.

Here's the hard truth: your biz is more likely to nosedive than soar. Why? Let’s dive into two big reasons cleaning businesses bite the dust:

1. Failure to Create and Stick to Boundaries

Ever had this happen? It’s 7pm, and a non-urgent text from a host pings your phone. You think, “Eh, it’ll only take a sec,” and you reply. Congrats! You've just given your client a golden ticket to invade your personal time. Yay… not.

Want a life outside work? Of course you do. We all need that sacred work-life divide. It’s called creating boundaries, and they’re not just important—they're everything.

And then there’s this classic: a client asks for an extra task, unpaid and outside your usual duties. You think, “Why not?” and help out. Fast forward, and you're swamped with freebie tasks. No bueno.

So, here’s the challenge: Draw your boundaries and stick to them. One way to do this is with automatic text responses using OpenPhone (see pic). Train your hosts to respect your off-hours. Want in? Sign up for OpenPhone.

2. Failure to Charge the Right Amount

Another biggie? Not charging enough. The cleaning biz isn’t exactly exclusive—tons of cleaners out there driving prices down. You’ve been there: you quote a price, and the client says, “But my last cleaner charged $XX.” Ugh.

So, how do you rise above this and command higher prices? Differentiation, my friend. It’s the opposite of middle school: in business, you want to stand out.

Here’s how to shine and charge more than your competitors:

• Automatic scheduling with software (Breezeway, anyone?)

• Quality control inspections

• Multiple cleaners on staff

• Eco-friendly materials

• A mountain of 5-star reviews

• Years of experience

• Providing your own cleaning supplies

• Offering extras (trash removal, supply restocking, etc.)

Differentiation isn’t just a reason to charge more; it’s the reason.

Here’s a challenge: Write down 2-3 reasons why your cleaning biz is different. Do you make that clear to hosts when quoting a job? Everyone claims to do a “good job,” but what sets you apart? Focus on that!

Wrapping Up

There are countless reasons why cleaning businesses fail. In my humble opinion, if you keep your boundaries and pricing in check, you’ll be one of the lucky ones who make it.

Want to nail down what you should charge and what boundaries to keep? We’ve got a course for that. Join our 6-figure Airbnb cleaning course and take back control of your biz.

Missed last week’s edition? Check out our Ultimate Cleaner Hiring Guide here!

Until next time,

Logan

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