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Running a cleaning company means standing out in a crowded field. With so many options available, attracting new clients and keeping your schedule full means more than just doing a great job—it takes smart marketing.
In this article, we’ll cover 10 effective marketing strategies to help your cleaning business grow, whether you focus on cleaning homes, offices, carpets, or even cars.
Key takeaways
Keep these core tips in mind when creating your cleaning company’s marketing strategy:
Build a clear brand: Keep your name, logo, and message consistent everywhere.
Strengthen your online presence:: Use SEO, reviews, and a fast website to attract local customers.
Use paid and organic channels: Combine ads with social content to reach homeowners in your area.
Stay connected with customers: Send timely email and SMS reminders to drive repeat bookings.
Cleaning company marketing checklist
If prospective customers don’t know you exist, they can’t hire you. You need a plan to generate leads that translates to real revenue. To do that, you need to focus on these core areas:
- 1. Build a strong cleaning brand
- 2. Create a professional cleaning company website
- 3. Optimize your cleaning website for SEO
- 4. Run cleaning company ads
- 5. Use direct mail marketing
- 6. Generate cleaning leads with reviews and referrals
- 7. Use social media for cleaning company marketing
- 8. Build an email and SMS marketing strategy
- 9. Advertise your cleaning business with vehicle wraps and signage
- 10. Network and partner locally
1. Build a strong cleaning brand
Your brand is the first thing people notice, and often the reason they decide whether to hire you to clean their home, office, or vehicle.
- Choose a memorable business name: Pick a name that’s easy to say, spell, and remember. Test it on friends or potential customers to see if it lands.
- Add a short slogan: Craft a three- to five-word phrase that clearly communicates your service, like “Fresh spaces. Every time.”
- Create a clean, simple logo: Design a logo that looks professional and works across social media, uniforms, and vehicles. If you’re not confident in design, hire a freelancer and provide examples of logos you like.
Once you have your name, slogan, and logo, keep them consistent everywhere. That includes trucks, uniforms, business cards, invoices, and your online presence. A carpet cleaning company with matching shirts and truck decals feels more reliable than one that looks thrown together.
Here’s some inspiration to get you started:
- 750+ Cleaning Company Name Ideas (and How To Pick One)
- 70+ Cleaning Company Slogans (and How To Write One)
2. Create a professional cleaning company website
No matter how many of your jobs come from referrals, customers still expect to see a website. It tells them you’re established, trustworthy, and easy to reach.
Your site doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs the basics:
- Include the right pages: Make sure your site has a homepage explaining who you serve, a services page, a service-area page, a reviews section, and a clear contact method.
- Optimize user experience: Keep your layout mobile-friendly and fast. Your site shouldn’t take more than three seconds to load.
- Make navigation simple: Use clear menus and prominent “Book Now” buttons so visitors can find what they need quickly.
- Enable online booking and payment: Use a tool like Housecall Pro to let customers schedule and pay online. Convenience for them means more bookings for you.
- Add visuals: Include photos of finished spaces, before-and-after results, or team headshots. Seeing who you are and the real work you do helps customers feel more confident inviting you into their homes or businesses.
Not sure where to start? Let Housecall Pro build your website for professional, conversion-friendly results in weeks.
3. Optimize your cleaning website for SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps your business show up on Google when someone types something like “cleaner near me.” It’s one of the most reliable ways to bring in steady work because customers often start their searches online. It’s also the marketing channel that delivers the highest ROI over the long term, according to Brian Vastola, who owns MRB Marketing and specializes in lead generation.
Focus on these SEO strategies to make your cleaning business easy to find online:
- Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile: Add accurate business categories, upload fresh photos of your team, and request reviews from every happy customer.
- Build service area pages: Create pages like “House Cleaning in Denver” or “Carpet Cleaning in Phoenix” so Google knows exactly where you operate.
- Use on-page SEO best practices: Make sure each page clearly describes your services, includes relevant keywords, and has strong meta titles and descriptions.
- Leverage off-page SEO: Get backlinks from community groups and local directories to boost your site’s credibility and search rankings.
- Update your site regularly: Search engines reward freshness.
Pro tip: SEO agencies can handle optimization, backlink building, and content strategy to save you time and get results faster, but they can be costly. Build your SEO foundation yourself first, then hire an agency to scale and refine once you have consistent traffic and leads.
4. Run cleaning company ads
Paid ads help you generate leads quickly, and they’re especially useful when you want more calls or visibility in a specific neighborhood.
You don’t need to be a marketing expert to get started. Begin with a small budget, test different messages, and invest more in the ads that bring in the most quality leads.
Pay-per-click ads (PPC)
PPC ads appear on Google when someone searches for services like “house cleaner near me.” You only pay when someone clicks on the ad. Start with 3–5 core keywords tied to your main services and review your results weekly. For example, if you offer carpet cleaning in Denver, you could bid on keywords like “Denver carpet cleaning” or “professional carpet cleaners near me.”
Google Local Service Ads (LSAs)
LSAs make your business show up at the very top of Google with a “Google Guaranteed” badge. You pay per lead (usually a call) rather than per click. These ads are ideal for capturing customers who are ready to book, since the badge signals you’ve been vetted.
LSAs and PPC ads work best when used together. For example, you might use LSAs to drive calls for standard house cleaning and PPC ads to target customers searching for specialized services like “move-in/move-out cleaning Denver” or “deep cleaning for apartments.”
Paid social ads
Social ads are a great way to reach homeowners where they spend time online. Each platform works best for different types of messages. Start by identifying your goals and choose the platform that aligns with each message.
- Facebook Ads: Target homeowners by ZIP code and promote specific offers like seasonal specials, move-in/move-out packages, or deep-clean services.
- Instagram: Share before-and-after photos of your work to showcase results and attract local clients. Use hashtags and location tags to increase visibility.
- TikTok: Create short cleaning demos, quick tips, or time-lapse videos to grab attention and engage potential customers in your area.
Post 2–3 times per week on each platform and track performance metrics like clicks, messages, bookings, and engagement. Use this data to double down on content that works and adjust strategies that aren’t generating leads.
5. Use direct mail marketing
Direct mail reaches customers who might not see your business online. A well-designed postcard often catches attention in a way an email might not. Use direct mail to introduce your business to new neighborhoods, promote seasonal specials or discounts, or remind past customers they’re due for a cleaning.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Keep designs simple.
- Use clear calls to action (CTAs).
- Add tracking numbers or coupon codes to measure results.
- Mail to past customers before peak seasons.
Pro tip: Use Housecall Pro Postcards to design, target, and mail professional postcards with just a few clicks. Printing, postage, and delivery are all handled for you.
6. Generate cleaning leads with reviews and referrals
Online reviews are modern word-of-mouth, and they play a major role in how customers choose a cleaning company. “For every customer that you’re dealing with—it’s a lost customer if you don’t ask for a review,” says Will Hardwick, CEO of A-1 Cleaning.
The best time to ask for a review is right after the job. Tools like Housecall Pro’s review management automate this process, driving consistent feedback without adding extra tasks to your day.
Referrals are another strong lead source. Encourage past customers with simple incentives: $25 off the next cleaning for every new client they send, or a free add-on like a fridge clean-out.
Pro tip: Always reply to online reviews publicly, including negative ones. A calm, thoughtful reply shows you’re professional, take feedback seriously, and care about keeping your customers happy.
7. Use social media for cleaning company marketing
Social media isn’t just for ads. It’s a great way to connect with your community, show off your work, and let homeowners get to know your business firsthand.
The most impactful platforms for cleaning companies are Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, and TikTok. Each one reaches local customers in a slightly different way, so sharing a mix of content can broaden your reach:
- Facebook and Instagram: Great for before-and-after photos that show results quickly.
- TikTok: Effective for short cleaning demos or quick tips.
- Nextdoor: Perfect for neighborhood updates and seasonal reminders.
You don’t need to be a full-time creator. Simple, authentic posts work best. Share what feels natural, keep your tone friendly, and let your work speak for itself.
8. Build an email and SMS marketing strategy
Staying connected with past customers is one of the easiest ways to maintain steady work. People who’ve already hired you once are more likely to book again, especially for repeat services like cleaning.
- Collect contact info: Ask every customer for their email and phone number when they book, and get consent for SMS messages.
- Segment your audience: Separate one-time customers from recurring clients so you can tailor messages appropriately.
- Plan your campaigns: Use email and SMS to send appointment reminders, seasonal cleaning tips, thank-you notes, and limited-time promotions.
- Keep it consistent but not overwhelming: Aim for 1–2 emails or messages per month to stay top of mind without annoying customers.
- Track results: Monitor open rates, click-throughs, and bookings to see which messages drive the most repeat business, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Pro tip: Use Housecall Pro to automate messages so you don’t have to send everything manually.
9. Advertise your cleaning business with vehicle wraps and signage
Offline marketing still plays a major role in helping local customers remember you. Cleaning companies spend a lot of time on the road, and every trip through a neighborhood, business district, or apartment complex is a chance for people to notice your name.
Vehicle wraps turn your truck or van into a moving billboard. A clear logo, phone number, and website address on your vehicle are often enough to generate calls. Yard signs, stickers, and door hangers can also work well after completing a job.
To track how well these offline tactics work, use unique phone numbers or QR codes.
10. Network and partner locally
Local networking helps you meet the people who recommend cleaning services, such as realtors, property managers, and contractors. These relationships often lead to long-term contracts.
Here are some practical ways to build local connections:
- Join your Chamber of Commerce
- Attend neighborhood association meetings
- Sponsor a youth sports team
- Partner with realtors who need reliable cleaners for listings
- Connect with contractors who need post-construction cleanup
- Introduce yourself to apartment complex managers
- Participate in local fairs or business events
- Offer small discounts for partnerships with senior centers or HOAs
- Leave business cards at coworking spaces, gyms, or community centers
- Build relationships with moving companies for move-out cleanings
Set simple goals, like introducing yourself to five property managers per month. Over time, these connections turn into a strong pipeline of local leads.
How to make a cleaning company marketing plan (step by step)
Having a clear marketing plan in place helps you stay focused instead of jumping from tactic to tactic. Follow these steps to get started:
- Define your goals: Decide what you want to focus on in the next three to six months (for example, more calls, higher job size, or a new service area).
- Know your audience: Identify who your ideal customers are, what neighborhoods they live in, and what services they’re most likely to book. Think about what’s most important to them (speed, affordability, convenience) so you can tailor your marketing to address their priorities.
- Pick 2–3 channels: Start with two to three channels that make the most sense for your business and audience, like SEO + reviews + Google Ads. Commit to them for 90 days and review the results before expanding to new tactics.
- Set a budget: Decide how much you can spend monthly and how many hours you can dedicate to marketing.
- Measure and adjust: Track all calls and bookings. Keep what works and cut what doesn’t.
How Housecall Pro’s cleaning software can help
Once you’ve built a clear marketing plan, you need to put it into motion. Housecall Pro’s cleaning software supports your growth with tools built for your business, including:
- Online booking: Let customers schedule appointments anytime, reducing calls and no-shows.
- Automated reminders: Send texts or emails to confirm appointments and reduce cancellations.
- Invoicing and payments: Create invoices and accept payments on the spot, including credit cards and mobile payments.
- Customer database: Keep all client information organized, including service history and notes.
- Marketing tools: Run email, SMS, and postcard campaigns directly from the platform.
- Review management: Request, monitor, and showcase customer reviews to build trust.
- Scheduling and dispatch: Manage your team’s calendar and assign jobs efficiently.
Housecall Pro simplifies and organizes the tasks that slow you down, giving you more time to focus on your customers. If you’re ready to support steady growth, sign up for a free 14-day trial.
