19 Unique and Profitable Cleaning Business Ideas to Start Today

If you want to kick-start your career in the cleaning industry, it's high time you do so. With people being more concerned about their health, cleaning services seem like a profitable business idea. But there is a problem; cleaning services are categorised into several niches, making it hard to choose one.

Therefore, you need to develop an action plan. First, determine your target audience. Then, see which niche targets their pain point and earns you considerable profit. That should be your way to move forward!

If you still need to figure it out, check this list of the most profitable and unique cleaning business ideas. We are sure you will find one that fits your goals.

19 Most Unique & Profitable Cleaning Business Ideas

19 Popular Home Cleaning Business Ideas

The cleaning industry has several categories, each offering different levels of profitability. Here are the 19 most popular cleaning businesses you should check out:

1. Pool Cleaning

Who doesn't like to unwind and relax in their swimming pool after a tiring day? Everyone does when the pool is clean and chemically balanced, and many prefer hiring professionals to maintain their swimming pools regularly to ensure both. 

Swimming pool cleaning can also include regular junk and impurity removal. This means you can get hired to clean up after a pool party. Not only that, but people also hire professional pool cleaners to maintain the pool filters and pumps.

Salary-wise, it earns you pretty decent. On average, pool cleaners make around $60 to $150 per job. The best part is you need a minimum investment to start a cleaning business in this category. But remember, it's a seasonal business with maximum business opportunities during warmer months.

2. Window Cleaning

Dirty windows can block the beautiful outdoor views and prevent sunshine from coming in. That's like a life-death situation for people who love waking up to the sun, and that's when window cleaners come to the rescue.

If you're reluctant and want to spend less, luckily, the window cleaning business requires low investment experience. Also, you will have a diverse target audience, including business professionals and residential people.

Window cleaning jobs usually earn around $30 - $55 per hour. If you're good at your cleaning service business, you can repeatedly get hired by the same clients.

3. Boat Cleaning

Boating and fishing enthusiasts love to get their boats cleaned before or after a fishing day. As a boat cleaning service, you can offer your services to these clients, including detailing, haul-outs, regular washes, and routine checks.

It can be a great business to start in areas with nearby water bodies. It's also a profitable business since boat cleaners can generate an income of $14 per hour or more.

4. Vehicle Cleaning

People often need to clean their vehicles more regularly, so dirt and junk can get stuck into their hard-to-reach corners. To solve this problem, vehicle cleaning businesses offer interior vacuum cleaning, car washing, and dashboard polishing services.

You can also clean your clients' car seats and wash car mats. Usually, a car cleaning service can generate around $15-$300.

5. Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning is a mainstream cleaning business idea, which is why it comes with a lot of competition. Still, it's a high-demand service, meaning you can serve hundreds of customers regularly!

Before starting the business, you must choose an ideal location. You should also have sufficient investment to buy washing detergent and dry cleaning machines.

When running your own dry cleaning business, you can charge your customers at least $11 for a single garment.

6. Commercial Cleaning Business

A commercial cleaning business can generate profitable income. Unlike a residential cleaning service, a commercial cleaning company targets office-going or corporate clients—the typical hourly rates for a commercial cleaning service range between $30 and $80.

7. Carpet Cleaning

Carpets require occasional cleaning as they get dirty from people walking over them. Thus, carpet cleaning is essential to prevent various diseases and impurities in a building.

To start your business, you need minimum investment. It's highly profitable as you can charge your services from $75 - $150 for a typical three-bedroom home. You can also offer emergency services on the same day for customers who require immediate cleaning.

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8. House Cleaning

Residential cleaning services are an all-weather business. After all, who doesn't like to live in a clean and disease-free home? However, cleaning large apartments and homes with multiple rooms can take time and effort. So people contact a house cleaner to do the job.

To start a house cleaning business, you require a sweeping machine, a vacuum cleaner, and other essential cleaning equipment. A typical residential cleaning business can earn nearly $60-$450 for each job.

9. Chimney Cleaning

You can begin a chimney cleaning business if you live in a neighbourhood with multiple homes with chimneys and fireplaces. These services can include repairs and inspections. Additionally, you may need to clean them for effective smoke conduction.

As a successful cleaning business, you can quickly generate an income of $150-$300 per service.

10. Trash Bin Cleaning

Trash cans are regularly used to dispose of garbage and waste material. However, these cans can also become unclean and dirty. They also offer ideal breeding grounds for mould, mildew, and germs.

People need help cleaning their trash cans properly. Therefore, you can offer the services to earn a stable income. For example, you can make $8 per bin by cleaning a single trash can.

11. Computer Cleaning

Laptops and computers can often accumulate dirt and dust, resulting in ineffective cooling and reduced performance. While the cleaning process could be more technical, many people hire computer cleaning services to do the job.

To start a computer cleaning business, you need special vacuum cleaners to clean various laptops or computer parts. Businesses serving in this cleaning industry can expect a stable yearly income.

12. Furniture Cleaning

Filthy furniture looks unattractive and hosts several germs. But fortunately, people can quickly restore and improve their furniture's smell by hiring professional upholstery cleaners.

The services are very competitive. But if you use the right digital marketing strategies and offer competitive prices, you can easily acquire your fair share of the market.

This specialised cleaning job can generate a stable income of around $12 to $250, depending on the cleaning requirements.

13. Waste Disposal Business

House cleaning also requires disposing of the trash regularly. If your cleaning team has the necessary skills for waste disposal, you can offer your commercial clients additional services. Businesses serving in this category can charge up to $28 per hour.

14. Cemetery Headstone Cleaning

Cemetery tombstones can often become damaged, cracked, or filthy over time. To maintain them, you can start a headstone cleaning and repairing business.

It's a profitable business, as many customers love to pay for regular maintenance of their family's tombstones.

15. Closet Cleaning

People need help dealing with their messy and large closets, and thus, they like to hire professional closet cleaners to organise and clean their closets. This business usually thrives in big and busy cities, as people typically need more time to maintain their closets.

You can charge your customers around $75 - $169 per hour to offer these services.

16. Air Duct Cleaning

Air duct cleaning companies remove dust and dirt accumulated between the furnace and air ducts. If these ducts are left unclean, several allergens and germs can spread into living spaces and make people sick.

These services can be offered to various businesses like restaurants, educational institutions, IT companies, and hotels. Additionally, you can also provide your services to homeowners.

17. Gutter Cleaning

People can often need help with their drainage and sewage system. For this purpose, gutter cleaning companies offer deep cleaning facilities to unclog their drainage systems.

People hire these services because they save time, energy, and money. Not only that, but professional services offer better results. Remember, it's a tedious job, but you can earn a good income of around $100 to $600.

18. Hotel Cleaning

People typically leave their hotel rooms filled with garbage. Therefore, hotel businesses constantly require green cleaning services to maintain their rooms.

Usually, hotels outsource their sanitising services to reduce the cost of hiring cleaning staff. This also helps them get by with welfare packages and pensions that should be offered to permanent employees.

It's a highly lucrative business that can generate profitable income. You can earn a good revenue of $30 to $40 per hour as a hotel cleaning service.

19. Garden Cleaning

Gardening enthusiasts love to maintain their gardens. You can target this audience and establish your own cleaning business in this niche, earning you good profits.

Typical garden cleaning can require removing fallen leaves and eliminating twigs and weeds from gardens. As a business owner in this cleaning sector, you can easily earn up to $60 to $80 per hour.

the Complete Cleaning Business Starter Kit

Get our FREE Comprehensive Start-Up guide, complete with a checklist, business card template, pricing calculator and Invoice template.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning businesses offer customers convenience at their doorstep. When starting a business, you can take inspiration from the above-listed ideas.


Our cleaning business ideas suit different target audiences with varying problems. For instance, you can offer pool services for party freaks, commercial cleaning services for hotels, gardening services for garden lovers, and so on.


Regardless of the business you choose, ensure that you have a decent understanding of your target audience. That's the only way to make the right decision for your cleaning service business.

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the Complete Cleaning Business Starter Kit

Get our FREE Comprehensive Start-Up guide, complete with a checklist, business card template, pricing calculator and Invoice template.