How to Be a Professional House Cleaner

The demand for house cleaning services across Australia is as high as ever. People with the room in their household budget are paying professionals to do their housekeeping because, well, why wouldn’t you?

Fortunately for those interested in a housekeeping career, this means there are ample job opportunities available. That said, you can’t just buy a mop, call yourself a commercial cleaner, and expect the offers to start streaming in.

Our guide to being a house cleaner covers all you need to know about launching your career and how to make it a success.

What Does a Professional House Cleaning Job Entail?

There are many types of cleaning jobs out there, all with their own specifications. However, most housekeeping jobs follow the same basic structure and involve similar tasks and techniques.

A standard Australian house cleaning job is likely to include:

• Sweeping and mopping floors
• Dusting and vacuuming
• Sanitizing surfaces
• Emptying bins and replacing bin liners
• Disinfecting and cleaning toilets, showers, and sinks
• Washing dishes (in some cases)
• Cleaning windows (in some cases)

Other potential tasks that come with the title of house cleaner are:

• Ordering stock of cleaning supplies
• Providing cleaning equipment
• Locking up a property before leaving
• Laundry
• Coordinating with other cleaners
• Specialty deep clean tasks

It is important to understand exactly what type of house cleaning job you are looking for. Some are light, weekly cleanups, while others involve deep cleaning and heavy work. You must also be responsible for having your own cleaning supplies and equipment, as not all jobs have the necessary items on site.

What Requirements Are There for Cleaning Jobs in Australia?

In Australia, no formal qualification is required to apply for cleaning jobs. As long as you complete year 10 of school, you can pursue this career. Education aside, there are a few things that you may want to prepare before embarking on a house cleaning career path:

• A National Police Check: This is a document to show you have no criminal history. Many people trust their house cleaners with a key and leave them unattended in their homes, so this document is an asset to show potential clients for peace of mind.
• Try to find some work experience first if you are planning to apply for a big cleaning company or independent jobs. Even if it is cleaning for family and friends or taking part in some volunteer work- every little helps.
• Consider pursuing some official training and obtaining a cleaning-related qualification. Australia has many great programs for anyone interested in developing their trade.
• If you plan to apply for any specialty jobs, make sure you have the relevant working certificates and permits.

There is more than just paperwork required if you want to be a successful house cleaner. You need to be a motivated and detail-oriented individual who prides themselves on a job well done. The best house cleaners are methodical, thorough, and efficient. If you struggle to stay focused when working alone, this may not be the path for you.

House cleaning is manual work, so you need to have a decent fitness level. Nobody is asking you to run a marathon, but you are going to be on your feet tackling some potentially tough messes: more than a little detergent and elbow grease is required!

How to Apply for Cleaning Jobs

Professional house cleaning is a booming industry in Australia. Many dedicated agencies are set up specifically for recruiting cleaning staff of every level. Online job sites are packed full of ads from commercial cleaning providers and individual clients looking for some casual help around the house.

Decide what road you want to pursue. You can either strive to become part of an established cleaning company, market yourself as an individual cleaner and work directly with clients, or set up a new company and recruit a team yourself.

Joining an Existing Cleaning Company

Think of these businesses as agencies. They hire multiple cleaners to work for them and assign jobs as they come in. Some are nationwide operations, and others work locally. Either way, you need to prepare a CV with all your relevant experience, training (if any), and availability.

Look for a company that works in your area and matches your experience level. At The Clean Group, we hire cleaners from all over Australia and are always looking for the best of the best.

Independent Jobs

As long as you have a permit and a client to work for, you can work as a cleaner without joining an agency. However, most Australians prefer to hire from a source they can trust. You can post adverts on local job boards and via Gumtree to connect with people looking for a casual service.

These jobs tend to pay less, but they are great for work experience if you are just starting your career.

Starting Your Own Company

If you have worked as an independent cleaner before and are getting a lot of local interest, you may want to start your own group! To do so, you need the get a business license or purchase a franchise. It helps if you have a professional cleaning qualification before you do this.

A Few Top Tips on How to Be a Successful House Cleaner

• Networking is extremely important. You need your name out there to attract new clients. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth!
• Invest time and money into building a professional website, even if you work independently. If people have somewhere to look you up, they are far more likely to trust your service.
• Stay competitive with pricing but do not undervalue the quality of your work. Most Australians are willing to pay more if they believe the service is worth it.
• Repeat clients are your bread and butter. Going after regular jobs, either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, is a great way to establish stability and build a reputation.
• Never show up to a new job unprepared. Buy yourself all the supplies you need as an investment in yourself and your new career. If you look unprofessional when you show up, then the chances are you won’t get a second call or a recommendation.

Final Thoughts

To be a house cleaner in Australia, you need dedication and flexibility. You must take pride in your work and be committed to building a good reputation for yourself. Big cleaning companies look to hire people they can trust to do a quality job on their own.

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