The types of supplies that you need for your cleaning business are based on various factors. Are you going full time or part time? Does your business advertise a total clean? Are you cleaning offices or residences? The type of cleaning that you do will determine the type of equipment that you will need to keep on hand or purchase.

One thing that I recommend is that you should always bring your equipment with you. If your customers want you to use a certain type of polish, you can either put it in your own supply cart or ask them to provide it. Having your own equipment always saves you valuable time. Instead of hunting in their closets for their cleaning stuff, you can easily have your own at hand and save fifteen minutes that you could easily use for the next job.

This checklist should help you out when you decide to purchase your equipment:
Normal cleaning supplies include rags, micro fiber rags, solvents and cleaning solutions. This category includes daily cleaning supplies like furniture polish, wax, and glass cleaning supplies, brooms, squeegees and dust pans. This can also include mops and buckets, as well as disinfectants.

Heavy duty cleaning supplies are those supplies that are used to combat heavy duty stains. Gutter cleaners can be considered under this category. A good vacuum, deep soak cleaning solutions, bathroom cleaners and other heavy duty and dangerous chemicals also fall under this category.

Big equipment is the equipment that you don’t normally find in homes. Items like steam cleaners, heavy duty vacuums, carpet vacuums and floor polishers fall under this category. This is usually needed if you have a commercial cleaning company or include carpet cleaning as part of your office cleaning services.

If you own a commercial or carpet cleaning company you might want to begin by renting or leasing equipment. It is much less of an investment than purchasing your own. You can easily lease big equipment for less than $10. Once your business gets off the ground, then you might want to consider purchasing your own equipment.

Miscellaneous equipment is the equipment that doesn’t necessarily clean but are needed to clean properly. A good sturdy ladder can be a great help and a great investment. If you have a lot of capital, why not buy a van that can double as storage and a way to get around? This is also a great source of advertising if you paint the side with your company name. Miscellaneous equipment also includes the things you need to bring on the job with you, like the receipt or voucher. A good clipboard would also be a great investment. You can use it to note down jobs or any client specifications for your employees and for yourself. It will certainly come in useful.

This article covers the basic equipment that you will need for your very own cleaning business. Most of these you don’t even have to buy because they’re just lying around your own home!

See: Start a cleaning service

If you want to break into the business world with a low-cost but high-profit business, then a commercial cleaning business may just be the business for you. You don’t need special skills. You can start your business with very little capital and even run it out of your own home. It’s easy to start small with this business and expand later on, there are infinite ways to market and grow.

Starting a commercial cleaning business can be a little daunting, after all, why take a risk when you have a comfortable job and great benefits? Why not when you can be your own boss, manage your own time and make good money. The cleaning industry is so diverse and growing so rapidly that now is the time that you should take part in the action.

A commercial cleaning business is one way for you to break into the cleaning industry. It’s a smart way to jumpstart your life and take charge of your finances. Here are a few business secrets that could help you with your commercial cleaning business!

1) Be a professional. People will trust you more if they know that you are a professional cleaner. This doesn’t mean that you should take special cleaning courses or haul heavy equipment around. Registering your business, getting the proper licenses and insurance papers goes a long way towards earning your client’s trust. Having someone take calls for you when you make appointments or answering your own calls is also one way to be professional. This way you can easily schedule appointments without worrying about scheduling conflicts.

2) Contracts, contracts, contracts. The main difference of a commercial cleaning business is the need to sign contracts with the client. Quality service can be ensured by these contracts. You can either have generic contracts drawn up or meet with clients so that you can make stipulations that you both agree with. Contracts also guarantee steady work for your company over a period of time until the contract ends. That way you never run out of work. Contracts also allow you and your client to develop a business relationship over a period of time. This can be really beneficial for you.

3) Specialize. Commercial cleaners can be generic but you can create a business plan that can specialize in some or all areas of cleaning. If you’re just starting out, one or two services are ideal. These can easily be added to later on in your business life and you will eventually want to consider adding new services later on.

4) Customize. Your contracts and contacts allow you to customize the way you clean your client’s residence or office. This gives you a lot of leeway and allows your client to tell you what he or she wants out of your company. This also gives you a great opportunity to do on the spot research.  What do clients normally ask of you? What do they want out of your services? This knowledge can be invaluable when you price your services or as a way of differentiating your company from the competition.

Just follow these simple secrets and you will be well on your way. Your commercial cleaning business can be the most successful on the block, in town and in your community. All it takes is a few secrets, which we hope that you will keep in mind when you open up your business!

See: How to start a commercial cleaning business