BlogRunning a cleaning company isn’t just about mops, vacuums, and chemicals. It’s about trust, reliability, and consistency. The truth is, many cleaning businesses don’t fail because they can’t clean – they fail because of avoidable mistakes in communication, systems, and customer experience.
If you’re serious about growing a professional, long-lasting cleaning business, here are the top mistakes cleaning companies should avoid – and what to do instead.
1. Not Having Clear Cleaning Checklists
One of the biggest reasons clients complain is simple: misaligned expectations. The customer thought something was included. The cleaner thought it wasn’t. Result? Frustration on both sides.
Without a clear checklist, every job becomes guesswork.
What to do instead
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Create service-specific checklists for:
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Regular house cleaning
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Deep cleaning / spring cleaning
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End of lease / bond cleaning
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Office & commercial cleaning
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Share the checklist with clients before the job so they know what is and isn’t included.
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Train your team using the same checklist so every cleaner works to the same standard.
🔗 Internal linking idea: Link the word “End of Lease / Bond Cleaning” to your bond cleaning service page, e.g.
/end-of-lease-cleaning.
2. Underquoting Just to Win the Job
Many cleaning companies fall into the trap of saying “yes” to every job and pricing low just to beat competitors. In the short term, it might bring in work. In the long term, it destroys profit and burns out your team.
Underquoting usually leads to:
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Rushed jobs
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Unhappy clients
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Overworked staff
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No money left for growth, marketing, or better equipment
What to do instead
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Price based on time, labour, supplies, and overheads, not just what competitors charge.
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Use a simple pricing structure (e.g. “from $X for a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom home”).
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Be honest with clients if a property needs additional cleaning due to heavy build-up, mould, or neglect.
🔗 Internal linking idea: Link “Get a quote” or “Request a quote” to your quote/booking form page, e.g.
/get-a-quote.
3. Poor Communication With Clients
You can do an amazing clean and still lose a client if your communication is poor.
Common communication mistakes include:
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Not confirming bookings or arrival windows
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Not informing clients about delays
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Ignoring calls or messages
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Not following up after the job
What to do instead
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Send booking confirmations with date, time, service type, and price.
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Provide an arrival window (for example, between 8:00–10:00 am).
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If you’re running late, let the client know before they chase you.
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After the job, send a simple follow-up message:
“Hi [Client Name], our team has completed your clean today. If there’s anything you’d like us to improve next time, please let us know. Your feedback is very important to us.”
🔗 Internal linking idea: Link to your Contact Us page when you mention feedback or questions, e.g.
/contact.
4. No System for Handling Additional Work
Here’s a common scenario:
Your team arrives, the property is much dirtier than expected, and they end up doing extra work for free… or they skip it and the client complains.
Both outcomes are bad for business.
What to do instead
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Train your cleaners to do a quick assessment on arrival.
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If they find:
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Heavy grease in the oven
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Mould in bathrooms
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Very dirty blinds, walls, or windows
…they should inform the office or client before starting additional work.
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Have a clear “additional services” price list, e.g.:
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Oven deep clean – $X
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Wall washing per wall – $X
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Blind cleaning per blind – $X
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Always get client approval in writing (SMS, WhatsApp, email, or job app) before adding extra charges.
🔗 Internal linking idea: Link “additional services” to a page where you list extras such as wall washing, blind cleaning, oven cleaning, etc., e.g.
/additional-services.
5. Inconsistent Quality Across Different Cleaners
Clients expect the same level of clean every time. If one cleaner does an amazing job and the next one rushes through, the client quickly loses confidence.
Inconsistent quality usually comes from:
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No proper training
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No standard operating procedures (SOPs)
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No random quality checks
What to do instead
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Use standardised checklists for every service type.
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Create SOPs for:
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How to clean bathrooms step by step
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How to clean kitchens and ovens
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How to handle stains, mould, and build-up
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Conduct spot checks or periodic inspections for larger commercial or ongoing residential clients.
🔗 Internal linking idea: If you have a page about your quality guarantee, link it here (e.g.
/quality-guarantee).
6. Ignoring Reviews and Online Reputation
In the cleaning industry, reviews can make or break you. Many companies either ignore reviews or only react when they receive a bad one.
What to do instead
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Actively ask happy clients for reviews on:
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Google
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Facebook
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Your website testimonials page
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Make it easy:
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Send them a direct link after each job.
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Use a simple message:
“If you’re happy with our service today, would you mind leaving us a quick review? It really helps our small business grow.”
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Respond to all reviews:
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Thank people for positive reviews.
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Be calm and professional with negative reviews – show you’re willing to fix issues.
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🔗 Internal linking ideas:
Link “reviews” or “testimonials” to your testimonials page, e.g.
/reviews.Link “Google review” to your Google Business Profile review link.
7. Not Having a Professional Online Presence
A cleaning company with no proper website, no clear information, and no visible contact details looks unreliable – even if the cleaning itself is good.
What to do instead
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Have a simple, mobile-friendly website that clearly shows:
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Services you offer
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Areas you cover
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Contact details
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Before & after photos
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Reviews or testimonials
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Make sure key pages are easy to find:
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Home
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Services
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Pricing / Quote
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Contact
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Keep your Google Business Profile updated with:
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Opening hours
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Service areas
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Photos
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Recent posts (e.g. offers or tips)
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🔗 Internal linking idea: In your blog, regularly link to main pages like “House Cleaning Services”, “Commercial Cleaning”, etc., using keyword-rich anchor text (e.g. link the text “professional office cleaning” to
/office-cleaning).
8. Failing to Define Service Areas Clearly
Another common mistake: accepting jobs that are too far away, which eat up your profit in travel time and fuel.
What to do instead
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Clearly define the suburbs and postcodes you service.
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Add a “Service Areas” page on your website listing:
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Main cities/suburbs
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Surrounding areas
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Any additional travel charges, if applicable
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Mention your service areas in your homepage and footer to support local SEO.
🔗 Internal linking idea: Link the phrase “Service Areas” to your dedicated service area page, e.g.
/service-areas.
9. No Written Policies for Cancellations and Complaints
When something goes wrong, emotions run high. If you don’t have a clear policy, you end up handling everything case by case – which causes stress and inconsistency.
What to do instead
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Create simple written policies for:
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Cancellations & rescheduling
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Access issues (e.g. client not home, no keys)
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Damage or breakage
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Re-clean or satisfaction guarantee
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Share these policies:
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On your website (e.g. a “Terms & Conditions” or “Booking Policy” page)
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In booking confirmation emails
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🔗 Internal linking idea: Link “Booking Policy” or “Terms & Conditions” to your relevant page, e.g.
/booking-policy.
10. Treating Every Client the Same
Not all clients want the same thing. Some care more about price, others care more about quality, eco-friendly products, or reliability.
What to do instead
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Ask new clients what matters most to them:
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“Is there anything you want us to pay special attention to?”
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“Do you have any allergies or preferences regarding cleaning products?”
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Offer flexible options, such as:
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Eco-friendly/green cleaning (if available)
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One-off deep clean vs. recurring maintenance clean
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Custom add-ons like oven, blinds, walls, or balcony washing
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Make notes in your system so each visit becomes more tailored over time.
🔗 Internal linking idea: If you offer eco-friendly cleaning or regular maintenance plans, link those phrases to their respective pages.
Final Thoughts
Most cleaning companies don’t struggle because they’re bad at cleaning – they struggle because of simple business mistakes that can absolutely be fixed.
By:
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Using clear checklists
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Quoting correctly
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Communicating professionally
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Managing additional work properly
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Protecting your online reputation
