Cleaning business supplies list (free printable checklist)
A complete cleaning business supplies list fits in one caddy, one vacuum and one mop: about ten cleaning products, a stack of color-coded microfiber cloths, a few brushes, gloves and a step stool. Buy the basics before your first job, and buy specialty items only when you sell the service that needs them. Below is the full list by category, what to buy first, how to buy wholesale, and how to work out what supplies cost you per job.
Download the supplies checklist (.xlsx)
No email needed. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers, with a "have it?" column to tick as you shop and a second tab that works out your supply cost per job.
What supplies do I need to start a cleaning business?
Less than you think. Most new owners overbuy: five kinds of bathroom spray, a steam cleaner they never use, a carpet machine for jobs they haven't sold. Start with products that cover every surface in a normal home, and a kit one person can carry in one trip from the car.
The rule for everything below: if you can't name the job it's for this month, don't buy it yet.
The complete cleaning business supplies list
This is a starter kit for one cleaner doing residential deep cleans and recurring cleans. Double the consumables for each extra cleaner, and give every cleaner their own caddy.
Cleaning products (chemicals)
- All-purpose cleaner, ideally a concentrate you dilute into spray bottles. It covers most counters, doors, switches and baseboards.
- Glass and mirror cleaner.
- Bathroom cleaner or disinfectant. Read the label for the dwell time: most disinfectants only work if the surface stays wet for a set number of minutes.
- Degreaser for stovetops, range hoods and backsplashes.
- Toilet bowl cleaner.
- Neutral floor cleaner that is safe on sealed hardwood, tile, vinyl and laminate.
- Stainless steel cleaner for appliance fronts.
- Cream cleanser for sinks, tubs and soap scum.
- Spray bottles, and a label on every one. Never leave an unlabeled bottle in a client's home.
Later: oven cleaner (once you sell the inside-oven add-on) and a limescale remover if your area has hard water.
Cloths and tools
- Microfiber cloths, color-coded: two to three dozen. One color for kitchens, one for bathrooms, one for glass, one for dusting. It stops you wiping a counter with the cloth that did the toilet, and clients notice.
- Scrub brushes in a few sizes, plus a detail or grout brush.
- Non-scratch scrub sponges.
- Extendable duster for ceiling fans, vents and high shelves.
Later: a squeegee for glass shower doors and the interior windows add-on, and a razor scraper for stuck-on residue and post-construction jobs.
Floor care and cleaning business equipment
- Vacuum with attachments. Your biggest purchase. Pick one that's light enough to carry up stairs all day, with a hose and crevice tool for edges. A HEPA filter helps in homes with pets or allergies.
- Spare vacuum bags and filters. A clogged filter makes every job slower.
- Microfiber flat mop with at least four washable pads, so you start every home with a clean one.
- Bucket, broom and dustpan.
Later: a pet hair tool for the pet hair add-on. Hold off on carpet cleaners, floor buffers and steam machines until you sell those services and know they'll pay for themselves.
Bathroom
- Your own toilet brush, kept in a sealed bag in the caddy. Don't rely on the client's.
- Tub and tile scrub brush.
- Later: a pumice stone for toilet rings (porcelain only).
Kitchen
- Dish sponge and brush for the sink of dishes add-on and for sinks.
- Microfiber for the microwave, appliance fronts and cabinet doors.
- Later: an oven and fridge kit (a small bin, a scraper, degreaser) once you sell the inside-oven and inside-fridge add-ons.
Safety and PPE
- Disposable gloves and a couple of pairs of reusable rubber gloves.
- Face masks for dusty jobs and strong products.
- Knee pads. You'll be on your knees for floors, tubs and baseboards.
- Shoe covers. Clients notice when you walk in wearing them.
- First-aid kit.
- Later: safety glasses for oven cleaner and post-construction work.
Keep the Safety Data Sheet for every product you use. Product makers publish them on their websites, and if you hire employees, OSHA's hazard communication rules require you to have them and to train staff on them. See OSHA.gov for the details.
Caddy and bags
- A cleaning caddy per cleaner, laid out the same way every time so nobody hunts for things.
- Trash bags.
- A dirty-cloth bag so used cloths never touch clean ones.
- A step stool.
- Later: storage bins for the car so supplies don't slide around.
Business supplies
- A phone with your booking page and payments set up. This is the one "supply" that makes you money: customers book, see their price and save a card without you texting back and forth.
- A cleaning checklist for every room, so every clean is the same. Use our free house cleaning checklist.
- Your Safety Data Sheets, in a binder or a phone folder.
- Later: business cards to leave after each clean, branded shirts, and a car magnet.
What to buy first vs later
| Buy before your first job | Buy when you sell the service | Buy when you grow |
|---|---|---|
| Core cleaning products and spray bottles | Oven cleaner (inside-oven add-on) | A second caddy and kit per new cleaner |
| Microfiber cloths, brushes, sponges | Squeegee (interior windows add-on) | Car storage bins |
| Vacuum, flat mop, bucket, broom | Pet hair tool (pet hair add-on) | Branded shirts, car magnet |
| Gloves, masks, knee pads, shoe covers | Razor scraper, safety glasses (post-construction) | Bulk buying and a supplier account |
| Caddy, trash bags, step stool | Limescale remover (hard-water homes) | Commercial-grade vacuum |
This matches how you should build the business anyway. A new client's first clean is a deep clean, so your starter kit must handle built-up grime from day one. The specialty items follow the add-ons you sell.
Cleaning products for a cleaning business: what to look for
- Concentrates over ready-to-use. You pay mostly for water in a ready-to-use bottle. A concentrate diluted into labeled bottles costs less per job and takes less room in the car.
- Fewer products that do more. Every extra bottle is weight, cost and one more thing to restock. Most homes need the products above and nothing else.
- Surface-safe. Keep acidic cleaners away from natural stone, and harsh scrubs away from stainless steel and glass cooktops. When in doubt, test a hidden spot or ask the client.
- Scent-free or low-scent options. Some clients have allergies or asthma. Keeping one gentle option in the caddy means you never have to turn a job down.
- Never mix products. Bleach mixed with ammonia or with acids releases toxic gas. Teach this to every cleaner on day one.
Whether you should bring your own supplies or use the client's: bring your own. You know they work, every clean takes the same time, and you aren't stuck when a client runs out. If a client wants their own products used, agree, and note it on their booking.
Cleaning business supplies wholesale: buying in bulk
You don't need a wholesale account for your first few jobs. Buy retail until you know which products you actually go through. Once you do, these are the usual places to buy in bulk:
- Janitorial supply distributors. Local and online distributors sell commercial concentrates, microfiber, mops and vacuums. Many open a business account for you with your EIN or business registration, and some deliver.
- Warehouse clubs. Good for trash bags, gloves, paper towels and other consumables.
- Online bulk sellers. Handy for microfiber and PPE by the case. Compare the price per unit, not per box.
What's worth buying in bulk: concentrates, microfiber, gloves, trash bags, mop pads and vacuum bags. What's not: equipment. Buy one vacuum, use it for a few months, then buy more of the one that held up.
Keep receipts for everything. Supplies are a business expense, and the cleaning business license and registration guide covers getting the EIN and business account most suppliers ask for.
How much do cleaning business supplies cost?
It depends on your city, the brands you pick and whether you already own a decent vacuum, so we won't give you a made-up number. For one cleaner, a starter kit is usually a few hundred dollars, and the vacuum is the biggest single item. Put this list into a shopping cart at a local supply store before you set your budget.
If you're starting with very little money, borrow or use a vacuum you already own, buy the "buy first" column only, and let your first deep clean pay for the rest.
How to track supply cost per job
Supplies are part of your cost floor: the real cost of one hour of cleaning that every price must cover. In how much to charge for house cleaning, the example uses $2 per labor hour for supplies, next to cleaner pay and overhead. Your own number will be different, so work it out:
- Add up a month of supply receipts. Products, cloths, bags, gloves, mop pads, vacuum bags.
- Divide by the jobs you completed that month. That's your supply cost per job.
- Or divide by the hours your cleaners worked. That's your supply cost per labor hour, the number that goes into your cost floor.
- Check it every few months. It should drop as you move to concentrates and bulk buying.
The second tab of the supplies checklist does both: enter what you paid for each item and how many jobs it lasts, or enter last month's total spend and job count.
Supplies are usually a small line next to your cleaner's pay, but they're not free. Price every job by square footage and service type, stay above the minimums ($200 deep clean, $150 standard, $120 weekly standard, $250 move in/out, $400 post-construction), and your supply cost is covered. Our cleaning price calculator shows the numbers for any home size.
Common questions
What supplies do I need to start a cleaning business?
A vacuum, a microfiber flat mop, color-coded microfiber cloths, an all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, a bathroom cleaner or disinfectant, a degreaser, toilet bowl cleaner, a neutral floor cleaner, scrub brushes and sponges, gloves, a caddy, trash bags and a step stool. Buy specialty items like oven cleaner and a squeegee once you sell the jobs that need them.
How much do cleaning business supplies cost to start?
It depends on your market, the brands you choose and whether you already own a good vacuum. For one cleaner, a starter kit is usually a few hundred dollars, and the vacuum is the biggest single item. Price your own list at a local supply store before you set your budget.
Should I use my own supplies or the client's?
Bring your own. You know the products work, the job takes the same time in every home, and you aren't stuck when a client runs out. If a client wants you to use their products, for example because of allergies or a special floor, agree to it and note it on their booking.
Where can I buy cleaning business supplies wholesale?
Janitorial supply distributors, warehouse clubs and online bulk sellers all sell cleaning products and equipment in larger sizes. Many distributors open a business account for you with your EIN or business registration. Buy concentrates and consumables in bulk, and buy equipment one at a time as you need it.
Who pays for supplies when cleaners are independent contractors?
Either works, but write it into your cleaner agreement. Who provides tools and supplies is one of the things the IRS looks at when deciding if a worker is a contractor or an employee, so read the worker classification guidance on IRS.gov and ask a tax professional if you're unsure.
Just getting started? Read how to start a cleaning business and write your cleaning business plan. Kit ready? Here's how to get clients for a cleaning business.