There are a few "How-To" books that give you some of the basics in starting a residential
cleaning service. Having purchased and read some of these books, convinced us that this
is why we see so many small start-up maid services going out of business.

For a cleaning service you need what?
1. A telephone
2. A means of transportation
3. A bucket full of the necessary cleaning supplies
4. A vacuum cleaner (Upright and Canister)
5. A broom and mop
6. A customer
1. Telephone (What type: Business or Private line)
Also: (Cellular Phone, Pager, Answering System)

2. Transportation (Car or Van)

3. Bucket(s) (2½ or 5 gal.) (Cleaning supplies...Spray Bottles, Pressurized Sprayer, Concentrated All Purpose Cleaner [non-abrasive], Concentrated Tile & Grout Cleaner [non-abrasive], Concentrated Shower Door & Glass Cleaner [non-abrasive], Concentrated Deodorizer & Disinfectant, rags, sponges, squeegee...etc...)
This is only the basics for a "General Clean" and not for a "First-Time Clean".

4. Upright (Light-duty home unit or a Commercial unit equipped with a 50' cord)
Canister (Light-duty home unit with no suction and expensive replacement bags that you can never find when you need them, or Commercial/Janitorial type unit with re-usable cloth bags or dust-cup type unit, or even a Back-Pack type unit)

5. A broom is a broom and a mop is a mop...Right! (Wrong!) Check-out your local
janitorial supply and even "Home Depots".

If you think you don't need to do steps 3-5, you will be short lived in this business.
We know some companies send a housecleaner out with the intent of using the
homeowner's equipment and cleaning supplies. You decide...what is professional.
Don't be another statistic in the cleaning business.

For those of you reading this and have steps 1-5 covered. Great you will be starting off better than most people that try this, without buying into a franchise.