How to Get More Leads for Your Cleaning Business (Without Begging for Referrals)
Let's address the elephant in the room: How do you get more leads for a cleaning business when half your competition charges $50 to clean a whole house and the other half is your neighbor's kid making summer money?
The cleaning industry is wild. Low barrier to entry means tons of competition, but it also means tons of opportunity—because most cleaning businesses are absolutely terrible at marketing. They rely on word-of-mouth, post occasionally on Facebook, and wonder why business is inconsistent.
If you're here, you're already ahead. Let's talk about what actually works.
The Truth About Cleaning Business Leads
Before we get tactical, let's be honest about the cleaning business lead landscape.
The good news:
The bad news:
The businesses that win aren't necessarily the best cleaners. They're the best at getting found by the RIGHT customers—the ones who value quality over price and stick around for years.
Strategy #1: Dominate Local Search (Google Business Profile)
This is the single most important thing you can do for your cleaning business. When someone searches "cleaning service near me" or "house cleaners [your city]," Google shows a map with three businesses.
You want to be in that three-pack. Here's how:
Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
If you haven't done this, stop reading and do it now. Go to business.google.com.
Essential optimizations:
Get Reviews (Lots of Them)
Reviews are the #1 ranking factor for local search. More reviews = higher rankings = more visibility = more leads.
How to get reviews consistently:
1. Ask every happy client right after you clean
2. Send a text with a direct link to your review page
3. Follow up once if they don't leave one
4. Respond to EVERY review (yes, even the bad ones)
Aim for: 2-4 new reviews per month minimum. If you're cleaning 20+ homes a month and getting fewer than 2 reviews, your ask process is broken.
Post Weekly Updates
Google Business Profile has a "Posts" feature. Use it.
Post about:
This signals to Google that your business is active and engaged.
Strategy #2: Build a Website That Converts
"I just use Facebook/Thumbtack/Nextdoor." Cool. You're also building someone else's business instead of your own.
A website you own is an asset. Platform profiles are rental properties.
What Your Cleaning Website Needs
Above the fold (before scrolling):
Service pages for each offering:
Social proof everywhere:
Easy contact:
Local Landing Pages
If you serve multiple areas, create pages for each:
These pages should have unique content about serving that area—not just the same page with the city name swapped.
Strategy #3: Get Found on Google (SEO)
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is how you show up when people search for cleaning services without paying for ads.
Target the Right Keywords
High-intent keywords (people ready to buy):
Informational keywords (people researching):
Write blog posts answering informational queries. They attract visitors who eventually become customers.
Technical SEO Basics
Make sure your website:
Build Local Citations
Citations are mentions of your business on other websites. Consistent citations help rankings.
Priority citation sources:
Make sure your business name, address, and phone are EXACTLY the same everywhere.
Strategy #4: Paid Advertising (When Organic Isn't Enough)
SEO takes time. If you need leads NOW, paid advertising can help.
Google Ads
Best for: Immediate leads, targeting people actively searching
What works:
Budget: Start with $300-500/month. Test and adjust.
Facebook/Instagram Ads
Best for: Brand awareness, special offers, reaching homeowners
What works:
Budget: Start with $200-400/month.
Google Local Service Ads
Best for: High-intent leads with Google backing
Google Local Service Ads appear at the very top of search results with a "Google Guaranteed" badge. You pay per lead, not per click.
Requirements:
Cost: $15-50 per lead depending on your area
Worth it for most cleaning businesses because leads are pre-qualified.
Strategy #5: Referral Systems That Actually Work
Word-of-mouth is great, but passive referrals aren't a strategy. Create a system.
Client Referral Program
Make it worth their while:
Make it easy:
Partnerships with Related Businesses
Who else serves your ideal clients?
Potential partners:
The pitch: "When you refer a client to us, we'll refer clients to you." Mutual benefit, no cost.
Contractor Partnerships
Trades people often need cleaning after their work:
These are one-time jobs but often recurring relationships. One contractor partner can send you 5-10 jobs per month.
Strategy #6: Social Media (Without Wasting Your Life on It)
Social media CAN work for cleaning businesses, but most people do it wrong.
What Works
Before/after photos: These perform amazingly. People love transformations.
Quick cleaning tips: "3 minutes to a spotless microwave" video content
Behind-the-scenes: Your team, your process, your personality
Client testimonials: Video testimonials are gold
What Doesn't Work
Platform Focus
Facebook: Best for local visibility. Post in local groups (without being spammy), run targeted ads.
Instagram: Good for visual content, reaching younger homeowners.
Nextdoor: Excellent for local services. Be helpful, not salesy.
TikTok: Growing opportunity for cleaning content. "Satisfying cleaning" videos do extremely well.
Pick one or two platforms and do them well. Better to be great on Facebook than mediocre everywhere.
Strategy #7: Old School Methods (That Still Work)
Digital marketing is great, but don't sleep on traditional methods.
Door Hangers
Old school but effective. Blanket a neighborhood after you clean there.
"We just cleaned your neighbor's house! $25 off your first cleaning."
Best practices:
Vehicle Branding
Your car is a mobile billboard. Get it wrapped or at minimum add magnets with:
Local Event Sponsorship
Sponsor little league teams, school events, local fundraisers. Gets your name in front of families (your ideal clients).
Cost: Often just $100-500
Return: Brand recognition, community goodwill, word-of-mouth
Tracking What Works
None of this matters if you don't know what's working.
At Minimum, Track:
Tools That Help:
You don't need fancy software. A spreadsheet tracking "Lead Source | Date | Converted? | Value" is enough to start.
The Math: What Should You Spend?
Here's how to think about marketing budget:
Average cleaning job: $150
Monthly recurring client: $150/month = $1,800/year
Lifetime value (3-year retention): $5,400
If it costs you $50 to acquire a recurring client worth $5,400, that's a good deal.
Rough budget guideline:
If you're doing $10,000/month in revenue, spending $500-1,000 on marketing makes sense.
The Action Plan
Overwhelmed? Here's where to start:
Week 1:
Month 1:
Month 2-3:
Ongoing:
The Bottom Line
Getting more leads for your cleaning business isn't about finding one magic trick. It's about building multiple lead sources so you're never dependent on any single channel.
The cleaning businesses that thrive have:
1. Strong Google presence (Profile + reviews)
2. Professional website they own
3. Systematic referral process
4. Paid advertising for extra volume
5. Tracking to know what works
Start with Google Business Profile and reviews—that's your 80/20. Then layer in other channels as you grow.
Want help building a lead generation system for your cleaning business? Check out our local SEO services or get a free audit to see where you stand.
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Word count: ~2,000 words. Last updated: December 2025.