by Suzanne James

Created on: February 01, 2009   Last Updated: February 07, 2009

We ran an all-natural house cleaning business for several years. It is really quite easy, and opens some new niches. We found our best customers had high-end homes, 5000 sq foot and higher, worth more than $500,000, or new homes in upscale subdivisions.

Our biggest sales pitch was the fact that our cleaners do not damage granite & concrete counters, marble, draperies, or carpet. Many of todays over the counter leave rings and stains on counters, flooring, and can stain carpets.

Our second biggest sales pitch was that our chemicals were safe for children. We were shocked to learn that many people need to rinse their bathtub of all residues, or suffer a chemical reaction, especially children.

The trick is to avoid the folk type of cleaners. Skip the baking soda, vinegar, and salts. Instead, pick a good natural cleaner from a janitor supply store. Several good concentrates on the market are effective and easy to use.

More than the cleaners the equipment is what makes an all-natural cleaning company successful. We used commercial vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters and promising a new vacuum bag in each home. Our teams used those orange chamois cloths but don't buy them from retail stores. We bought all ours from a flea market where we bought 20 cloths, 3'x3'. We cut them into 4 sheets. These cloths eliminated the need for chemicals. Make one of these cloths damp and you can dust an entire room without streaks.

Using a window squeegee and a paint-scraper in the shower does the same thing. It makes tile shine without using strong cleaners. This is very important in high-end homes. Brushed chrome and some faucet finishes can turn smoky when cleaned with a cleaner, even Windex.

Do not market all-natural.' This does not have an immediate impact on potential customers. Marketing to customers social issues can increase sales:

Going Green

We are Blue

Reduce indoor pollution

Healthier indoor environment

Protect your investment: No staining, corrosion, bleaching

The trick is to market the company year round. Door hangers and fliers are the best tools for marketing a cleaning business. At least 10% of our sales calls were in response to fliers, or door hangers, that were saved for several months.

Very few sales calls will be to people who need cleaning. Most of the houses will be immaculate. All you'll be doing is cleaning smudges and dust, and customizing the service to address problems specific to that client.

Most of these special requests will be standard: dust under things, vacuum under cushions and furniture, wipe blinds, and leave no streaks in the bathroom. Some will be a little unusual. One of our most unusual requests was to clean a rainforest shower.' Of course, the client wanted the 10'x4' shower streak free, mold free, and polished. However, they also wanted it aired out with a fan. The client believed that leaving the door open and putting a fan inside the shower for one hour would inhibit the growth of fungus.

We eventually created a check sheet that we carried to each house. It checked off what the client wanted done, how often they wanted it done, and any special instructions.

GETTING STARTED

To get started, you will need:

Bonding insurance

A commercial vacuum

Tote trays to carry supplies

Chamois cloths

Squeegee

Glass cleaner

Hard water remover

Rubber and Disposable Gloves

Suggested: Matching T-shirts with logo

SALES POTENTIAL

We cannot promise any results to marketing. Our averages varied through the year. The best time to market is in February and September/October. We delivered 10 000 fliers, received about 20 sales calls, and closed 2 8 new clients.

Learn more about this author, Suzanne James.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.