How to Scale Your Cleaning Business: A Guide to Hiring, Promoting, and Delegating Like a Pro

So, you've grown your cleaning business to the point where you're cleaning around 100 homes a month. Congrats! That’s no small feat. But now you're hitting that inevitable wall—there are only so many hours in the day, and you and your partner can only clean so many houses. It's time to scale, but how? The answer isn't just "hire more people." The answer is smarter: hire and promote the right people while mastering the art of delegation. Let’s dive in.

Why Your Cleaning Business Needs a Lead Cleaner

If you're serious about scaling your cleaning business, you need to shift from being a doer to being a delegator. You can't be at every job site forever. That’s why hiring a lead cleaner or promoting someone internally to this role is a game-changer. This person will not only help with cleaning but also oversee other cleaners, ensuring that every job meets your standards without you having to be there.

Why is this crucial? Because as the owner, your time is better spent on high-level tasks like business development, client acquisition, and strategy—not scrubbing floors. If you want to grow, you need to free yourself from the day-to-day grind. And that starts with delegating.

Hiring vs. Promoting From Within

One of the biggest questions you'll face is whether to hire externally for this lead cleaner role or to promote from within your current team. Let's break it down.

Promoting From Within: This is often the smartest move. Why? Because your current employees already know your business inside and out. They understand your expectations, have established trust with you, and are familiar with your clients and cleaning routines. Promoting from within can also be a great morale booster for your team. It shows that you're invested in their growth and that there’s a clear path for advancement within your company.

However, not every employee is ready to step into a leadership role. You need to assess whether they have the necessary skills, such as managing others, problem-solving, and maintaining quality control. If you have someone on your team who fits the bill, offering them an additional $1-$2 per hour might be enough to secure their loyalty and get them on board with the new responsibilities.

Hiring Externally: If none of your current employees are ready for promotion, hiring externally might be your best option. But be cautious—bringing in an outsider comes with its own set of challenges. They’ll need time to learn your systems, understand your standards, and integrate with your team. Plus, you'll need to pay competitive wages to attract someone with the right experience.

If you go this route, make sure to clearly define the role and expectations upfront. What exactly does the job entail? How will they be trained? And how will their performance be evaluated? Don’t leave any room for ambiguity. A well-defined job description will save you from headaches down the road.

How Much Should You Pay a Lead Cleaner?

Compensation is always a tricky topic. Pay too little, and you won’t attract quality candidates. Pay too much, and you’ll cut into your margins. So, what’s the sweet spot?

The consensus among many cleaning business owners is that a lead cleaner should earn around $22 per hour. This can vary depending on your market, so it’s essential to do some local research. The key question is whether this rate applies only to the time spent cleaning or if it also includes travel time between jobs.

Some business owners opt to pay for travel time as well, which can be a great way to incentivize your lead cleaner to stick with you for the long haul. Others prefer to pay a flat rate and then add a travel fee. The right approach depends on your business model and what your competitors are doing.

Whatever you decide, make sure it’s competitive. Remember, you’re not just paying for labor—you’re paying for leadership, reliability, and the ability to represent your brand without you having to micromanage.

Documenting the Lead Cleaner Role

Before you start promoting or hiring, you need to get crystal clear on what this new role entails. What exactly do you and your partner do when you’re on-site? How can you translate those responsibilities into a job description?

Take a day or two to document every task you perform during a typical cleaning job. Break it down step-by-step, and include everything from client communication to quality control checks. Once you have this list, you can create a comprehensive job description for your lead cleaner.

This document will be your roadmap. It will guide your hiring or promotion process, set clear expectations for the role, and serve as a training tool for the person you bring on board. It’s not the most glamorous task, but it’s crucial for setting your business up for scalable growth.

The Power of Delegation: Work on Your Business, Not in It

Delegation is the secret sauce for any successful entrepreneur. If you want to scale your cleaning business, you need to step back from the daily operations and focus on strategic growth. Hiring or promoting a lead cleaner is just the first step. Your goal should be to gradually delegate more and more tasks until your time is freed up for higher-level activities.

Imagine what you could accomplish if you weren’t tied down by the day-to-day grind. You could focus on marketing, building client relationships, expanding your service offerings, or even launching a new location. But none of that can happen if you’re too busy vacuuming floors and scrubbing toilets.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Virtual Assistance

A common suggestion for overworked business owners is to hire a Virtual Assistant (VA). And while VAs can be incredibly useful, they’re not a one-size-fits-all solution—especially not in the cleaning industry.

For a lead cleaner role, you need someone who’s physically present, someone who can manage on-site operations and ensure your standards are being met. This isn’t a job that can be done virtually. So, don’t get sidetracked by well-meaning advice that doesn’t align with your specific needs.

If anything, consider a VA for administrative tasks like scheduling, client communication, and invoicing. But when it comes to managing your cleaning crews, that’s a role that requires boots on the ground.

Conclusion: Scaling Your Cleaning Business the Smart Way

Growing your cleaning business to the next level isn’t just about hiring more hands. It’s about hiring smarter, promoting the right people, and mastering the art of delegation. Whether you choose to promote from within or hire externally, make sure you’re clear on what the role entails and what you’re willing to pay.

Remember, the goal is to work on your business, not in it. By delegating effectively, you’ll free up your time to focus on strategic growth, and that’s where the real magic happens.

So, take a step back, document those roles, and start planning your next move. Your future self will thank you.