Bookkeeping for Cleaning Businesses 101
Simple Tips to Stay Profitable and Organized
Whether you’re a solo cleaner juggling clients or running a growing residential or commercial cleaning crew, bookkeeping matters. Not just at tax time — but year-round.
Why? Because even if you’re killing it with customer service and hustle, you can still end up broke if your books are a mess.
This beginner’s guide will walk you through the basics of bookkeeping for cleaning businesses, so you can stay organized, profitable, and on track to grow.
What Is Bookkeeping, Anyway?
Bookkeeping is the process of tracking all the money coming in and going out of your business.
For a cleaning business, this typically includes:
Client payments (cash, checks, cards, invoices)
Expenses (supplies, fuel, marketing, payroll, etc.)
Mileage or vehicle costs
Credit card charges
Loan payments
Business owner draws/pay
Good bookkeeping keeps your business healthy, helps you plan ahead, and protects you from surprises at tax time.
Why It Matters for Cleaning Businesses
Cleaning businesses often deal with:
Frequent small transactions (gas, rags, products)
Mileage-heavy schedules
Seasonal highs and lows
Client payments in multiple formats
That makes it easy to lose track of where your money is really going — and whether you’re actually profitable.
Bookkeeping helps you:
Know if your prices are high enough
See which clients or services are most profitable
Set aside money for taxes (no more panic in April!)
Plan for growth, like hiring help or buying new equipment
What Should You Be Tracking?
At a minimum, every cleaning business should keep track of:
🟩 Income
Invoices paid
Cash/check/card payments
Tips (if any)
Refunds/discounts
🟥 Expenses
Supplies (cleaning products, rags, gloves)
Mileage or fuel
Insurance and licenses
Advertising or flyers
Software subscriptions (like scheduling apps)
Equipment repairs or upgrades
📦 Optional but Helpful:
Time spent per job
Types of services (standard, deep clean, move-out, etc.)
Client notes or frequency
💻 Tools That Make It Easier
Here are some beginner-friendly tools to keep your books in order:
QuickBooks Online – Popular and powerful (syncs with bank accounts)
Wave – Free and simple option for new businesses
Mileage Tracker Apps – Try MileIQ or Everlance
Google Sheets or Excel – If you’re a spreadsheet person, start simple
Tip: Use a separate business bank account and debit card to make tracking way easier.
Bookkeeping Checklist for Cleaners
Here’s a simple weekly/monthly routine:
Weekly:
Categorize transactions (fuel, supplies, client payments)
Send or follow up on invoices
Track mileage
Set aside money for taxes
Monthly:
Reconcile bank accounts
Review income and expenses
Check if you’re profitable
Save receipts and backup records
When to Hire a Bookkeeper
If you’re:
Falling behind on invoicing
Mixing personal and business money
Unsure about your numbers
Spending hours each month on your books…
Then it might be time to get help. A bookkeeper (like me 👋) can handle the numbers so you can focus on growing your business — and avoid making costly mistakes.
✅ Final Thoughts
Bookkeeping doesn’t have to be complicated. But it does need to be consistent.
If you keep your books organized, you’ll:
Feel more confident about your business
Know exactly how much you’re really making
Be ready for taxes (and maybe even a refund!)
Have what you need to grow, scale, or hire help
Need help getting your cleaning business books in order?
Let’s do a free Bookkeeping Health Check — no pressure, just clarity.
Contact us by clicking here
Or send us an email at David@RuckandReconcile.com
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And as always, thanks for reading and we’ll see you next week!