Invoice app and templates for cleaning businesses
Regular clients, add-ons and last-minute cancellations. The invoice is what keeps a steady cleaning round steady.
A cleaning business lives on repeat clients. The same houses every week or two, the same prices, the same payment habits. That makes billing a routine, and a routine is easy to let slide: the money for last month’s cleans is only missing when you check.
What makes cleaning invoices different
- Most work is recurring, so the invoice should be quick to repeat and clear about which visits it covers.
- Add-ons such as the oven, the fridge or windows are where extra revenue hides, and they need their own lines.
- Cancellations and lock-outs cost you the slot. A written policy and a line for the fee make them easier to enforce.
- Clients often pay by habit, so a regular schedule and a payment link make the habit easy.
What goes on a cleaning invoice
- The standard clean, named by home size or time, such as “standard clean, 3-bedroom home”.
- Each add-on as its own line with its price.
- Supplies or equipment charges, if you bill them.
- The dates of the visits the invoice covers, if you bill weekly or monthly.
- Your cancellation and payment terms, in the same place on every invoice.
Example: a standard clean with two add-ons
| Item | Qty | Price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard clean, 3-bedroom home | 1 | $140.00 | $140.00 |
| Oven interior add-on | 1 | $35.00 | $35.00 |
| Inside fridge add-on | 1 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Total | $200.00 |
Total $200.00. The add-ons total $60.00 and are easy to see, which is why clients keep ordering them.
Three billing problems cleaners run into
Late cancellations
A visit cancelled at the door costs you the day. State the notice you need and the fee in writing, and put the fee on the invoice when it applies.
Prices that never change
Clients who started at your lowest price rarely see a rise coming. A yearly review and a short note keep your rates in line with your costs.
Add-ons done and not billed
A quick “while I was there” oven clean is a lost add-on. Add it to the invoice the same day.
Estimates, deposits and getting paid
For a deep clean or a move-out clean, send a quote that states the rooms and what is included. For recurring work, agree the rate and the payment schedule once. Our guide on pricing a cleaning job explains hourly, flat and per-room pricing.
How Invoice Mint fits cleaning work
- Save your standard cleans and add-ons so each client’s invoice is a few taps.
- Duplicate the last invoice for repeat clients and change the dates.
- Send the invoice as a link right after the visit.
- See which clients have paid and which need a reminder.
How much do house cleaners make?
In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts the median annual wage for maids and housekeeping cleaners at $35,510 as of May 2025. BLS publishes only the median wage and the growth rate for this group, so the table shows those two.
| Measure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median wage | $35,510 |
| Projected job growth, 2025 to 2035 | 1 percent |
These figures are for employees. BLS wage data does not include self-employed workers, so an owner’s income depends on the prices they charge, the work they win and the costs they carry. Say you want to take home the median, $35,510, and your supplies, equipment, vehicle, insurance and software cost $6,000 a year. If you can bill 1,200 hours (most of a self-employed year goes on quoting, driving, buying materials and paperwork), you need $34.59 for each billable hour just to get there, before tax and before any profit.
Do cleaners need a licence, and how do you learn the trade?
BLS lists no formal educational credential for maids and housekeeping cleaners and short-term on-the-job training. Rules for running a cleaning business, such as a local business licence or insurance, differ by place, so check with your city or tax office.
Taxes and costs when you run a cleaning business
The IRS sets the self-employment tax rate at 15.3 percent (12.4 percent for Social Security and 2.9 percent for Medicare), and people who work for themselves may need to pay estimated tax each quarter instead of having tax taken from every payment. Costs that are specific to cleaning include:
- Supplies and replacement equipment such as vacuums and mops.
- Insurance, which many clients expect.
- Your vehicle and the unpaid time between visits.
- Booking and invoicing software.
- Cancellations that leave a gap in your day.
Rules in Canada, Australia, the UK and elsewhere are different, so check with your own tax office. A habit that works everywhere: move a fixed share of every payment into a separate account the day it arrives, and ask an accountant what share suits your income.
Free tools for cleaners
- Free invoice template for contractors and small businesses Free invoice templates in PDF, Word and Excel. Pick a style, add your lines and prices, and send a professional invoice. Open
- Free estimate template for contractors and small businesses A free, clean estimate template in PDF, Word and Excel. Fill in your lines and prices, send it, and win the job. Open
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Service price calculator
Free service price calculator. Enter hours, your rate, costs and a profit markup to see what to charge for the job.
Open
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Markup and margin calculator
Free markup and margin calculator. Enter your cost and a markup, margin or price to see the selling price and profit.
Open
Common questions
How do I invoice recurring cleans?
Agree the rate and billing day, then invoice on that schedule and list the dates covered. Duplicating the last invoice keeps it quick.
Should I charge for supplies?
Many cleaners include supplies in the price. If you bill them separately, show them as their own line and explain it in your terms.
How do I charge for a late cancellation?
State the notice you need and the fee in your terms before the first clean, and add the fee as its own line on the invoice when it applies.
Is there a free cleaning invoice template?
Yes. The free invoice template can be edited for a cleaning business and downloaded as a PDF, Word file or Excel sheet.
