Most local cleaners start the same way: a post in a community Facebook group, a few comments and a couple of regular clients. It works. But when someone searches Google for a cleaner in your town, can they find you?
Here are five simple steps to get more clients, and most of them are free.
1. Get on Google Maps
When people search for "cleaner near me", Google shows a map of local businesses at the top. A free Google Business Profile puts you on that map. You don't have to show your home address: you can list the towns and villages you cover instead.
Add your hours, your prices and a few photos, and you're in the running. Our guide to setting up your Google Business Profile walks you through it.
2. Ask for Reviews From Day One
Reviews are what turn a stranger into a client. After every clean that goes well, ask for a Google review: send a short message with the link while they're still pleased. Our 5 ways to get more Google reviews has more ideas.
3. Answer the Questions Before They're Asked
People choosing a cleaner want to know the same things, so put them where they can see them:
- Your price per hour, and whether cleaning products are included
- The areas you cover
- What's included in a clean, and what costs extra (ovens, windows, carpets)
- Whether you're happy working in homes with pets
- How to book, and how soon you can start
4. Show People They Can Trust You
You'll be working in people's homes, often while they're out, so trust matters more than anything. These all help:
- Public liability insurance, and saying that you have it
- A basic DBS check, which you can apply for yourself on GOV.UK
- Reviews and references from the clients you already have
- Photos of your work, with the owner's permission and nothing personal in the shot
"People don't just hire a cleaner. They hire someone they're happy to trust with their home."
5. Give Yourself a Home Online
Facebook posts get buried within a day or two. A simple website keeps everything in one place: your prices, the areas you cover, your reviews and a Book or Call button. Put the link on your Google profile, your Facebook page and your WhatsApp.
It doesn't need to be big. One page is plenty, as long as you can change it yourself when your prices or availability change.
Just Starting Out?
If you're 16 to 21 and starting a business in Cumbria, our Young Business Kickstart gives you a free website and a Google Maps listing for your first year.
The Short Version
Keep posting in your local Facebook groups: they work. But get on Google Maps, collect reviews, put your prices and areas where people can see them, and give yourself a simple home online. That's how the clients who aren't on Facebook find you too.