Starting a Cleaning Service Business in Kenya

There are so many business ideas out there and all these ideas might be confusing. And this is especially if you have never been in business before and are just an aspiring entrepreneur. 

If you are looking for a business to venture into this year, a cleaning service business can be in your consideration list. 

Cleaning is a trivial chore. And, most people don’t find sufficient time to clean up as they have more pressing issues to attend to. Whether it’s their houses, clothes, carpets, cars, mattresses, furniture, or their offices. However, cleaning businesses make the hustle of cleaning go away for many people. 

For a long time, majority of people considered paying for cleaning services as a luxury. But today, paying for cleaning services is being considered as a necessity by a majority. 

The cleaning service industry is wide. It can range from the local cleaning lady (mama fua) to a business that offers its services to companies and other institutions. 

2 ways to venture into the cleaning service industry

You can either go the domestic way and offer domestic cleaning services to homesteads, mostly individual consumers. Or, you could go the commercial way and offer your cleaning services to commercial spaces: offices, hotels and institutions (schools, hospitals). This includes janitorial and building maintenance service. 

A cleaning business may not be considered as a glamorous business to venture into by a good number of people. 

However, it’s evident that if you venture into the right way, you can make a good fortune out of it. Look at existing cleaning companies such as One Way Cleaning, Safisana Home, Usafi Spaces, and Blue Ocean. These are just 4 among many cleaning businesses. 

You don’t have to start big. With as less as Kes5,000, you can start your own small cleaning service business in your local area. And with time, and effort, you can grow your business to whatever heights you envision.

Starting

Starting your cleaning business starts with finding a market for your services. Where or whom can you offer your services to? Who needs your services and can pay for them? 

Your target market or customer should be the focal point for your business. 

After considering your market, whether domestic or commercial, think of what you need to offer these services to them. Figure out the equipment you need, the cleaning supplies (chemicals, detergents, etc) and uniform.

Depending on the capacity of your business ,you can do the cleaning by yourself or hire cleaning staff.

For the latter, think of  how to get good staff that can sufficiently offer your services and represent your business. Whether it’s training them yourself or hiring then from bureaus and agencies. 

Flexibility in the business

One upside of starting your own cleaning service business is the flexibility that comes with just like most entrepreneurship ventures. 

No one needs cleaning services 24/7. Most of the time, especially for commercial services, cleaning services are required during a set period of time. Either morning hours or evening hours while others require cleaning services in intervals. Thus you know when your services are required if you are working alone and if you have staff, you are able to delegate on time. 

If you are offering domestic services, most customers book in advance and you are able to plan your work schedule. 

Another flexibility aspect is the flexibility in the services you offer. Client X calls and needs cleaning services as they move into a new house. Client Y calls and needs rugs and carpet cleaning services. And, Client Z calls and needs laundry services. These are different jobs but in the same line of service and you can easily adapt from one to the other easily. 

Flow of Income 

For most customers whether domestic or commercial, cleaning is on a regular basis. 

You might be hired by a business or a company on a contract basis and this means your income is guaranteed for as long as your contract goes. And, you might be offering your services to two or more businesses/offices. You can have as many clients as you wish so long as your business can accommodate them. 

If you are into domestic cleaning, you can also have as many customers as you can and this brings more income. 

Depending on the variety of domestic cleaning services you offer you will have a variety of jobs and clients. This brings more money because you are not stuck on offering one service. 

Also, in the cleaning business, repeat customers are a treasure.  Once a customer contacts your business for laundry service and you do a good job and give them an amazing customer experience, they will call you next time. They will even go to the extent of referring you to others.

Now, imagine having many customers and all contact you for different services regularly. That’s how you make money. 

Remember this;

• Just like any other business in Kenya, you are legally required to register your cleaning business. Go to the eCitizen portal and see what’s required of you to register your business.  
• Nowadays, social media is the biggest link between businesses and customers. If you want to reach more customers, consider creating an online presence. 

Market your business on Facebook and Instagram and connect with more customers. 

Be active in these pages and make your business pages engaging. Share customer testimonials, photos, videos and other engaging and informative content. 

Final thoughts… 

This business takes honesty and customer satisfaction. 

Always do your best to satisfy your customers and give them more than they even expected. Let every cleaning job be a job well done and pleasing to your customers. 

Honesty is crucial when it comes to cleaning services. If there is a stain on a couch, a rag, or a carpet and you are not sure you can remove it, don’t promise you will. Don’t give your customers too high expectations. If you don’t meet these expectations, they will walk. 

Give your customers the best customer experience and they stay. Do the opposite, and they walk.