Should you start a cleaning business?
Lesson 1 of 5 in Starting Your Own Cleaning Business · 22 minutes
Going from worker to owner is appealing — higher pay per hour, your own schedule, growth potential. But it's also more risk, more admin, and more responsibility. Here's the honest comparison so you can decide deliberately.
What you'll learn
- Compare working for an employer vs running your own cleaning business
- Identify the realistic income and effort numbers
- Recognize the personal traits that fit self-employment
- Decide if now is the right time
From the lesson
If you've been working as a cleaner for a year or two, you've probably thought about starting your own business. The pitch is appealing — $40-60/hour residential rates, your own schedule, no boss. The reality is more complex. This lesson is the honest comparison: what changes, what stays the same, what you really earn after expenses, and whether your situation suggests it's the right move.
1. The headline numbers
As an employee at a cleaning contractor: • $17-22/hour gross. • Your time: just the work. • No equipment costs. • No client management. • You don't get paid if there are no shifts available. • Stable cheque every two weeks.
As a self-employed solo cleaner (residential): • $35-60/hour…