8 Best Software Tools for Cleaning Businesses

If you own a cleaning or janitorial business, you probably know there comes a time when technology needs to become a part of your business operations. When you start a cleaning business you may only have a few clients and a couple of employees, and it isn’t as difficult to manage. As your company grows, you will need to find the best software for cleaning businesses to stay profitable, organized, efficient, and competitive.

However, it’s not a great idea to just download or purchase a software solution based on what your neighbor or colleague said works for them. Cleaning companies have unique challenges that require unique solutions, so it’s important to take your time when considering which software would best suit your needs.

Best Software for Cleaning Business

1. Best for small cleaning business: ClockShark

2. Best for midsize cleaning business: Simpro

3. Best for fleet management: FleetSharp

4. Best for estimates: Aspire

5. Best for payroll: Gusto

6. Best for lead generation: Angi Services

7. Best for bidding: CleanGuru

8. Best for maid service: ZenMaid

What Are the Challenges Faced by Cleaning Companies?

All companies face challenges and in each industry, there are unique ways business owners need to adapt to stay operational. Cleaning companies and the janitorial industry as a whole are no exceptions. Here are some of the most common challenges faced by cleaning companies.

Employee Recruiting and Retention

Cleaning businesses have a high turnover rate which makes it challenging to keep valuable, properly trained workers onboard. 

Competition

There’s always competition for all businesses, but cleaning companies face a greater challenge in this regard because many clients just want the cheapest price, and it’s very difficult to compete with larger companies that have bigger budgets for marketing, sales, and labor. Plus since janitorial and cleaning services are generally local service providers, consumers have plenty of companies to choose from.

Getting New Customers

This is particularly true for small and mid-sized businesses that struggle to compete with larger operations with bigger budgets. These companies need to create exceptional customer experiences to keep their customers and get referrals from them.

Employee Scheduling and Labor Tracking

Having workers out on the road and at different jobs makes it nearly impossible to keep track of hours, time spent working at each job, who’s scheduled for when, where, and a general idea of where your employees’ time is spent. 

Adequate Training and Supervision

It’s difficult to adequately train new recruits when you have a  business to run and even if you have supervisors or managers in the field, they can’t be everywhere all the time.

Safety Compliance

Cleaning companies must stay on top of EPA regulations and rules, as well as monitor the safety of their employees when it comes to dealing with harsh chemicals or toxic environments. 

Inventory Management

With so many people working for you, it’s challenging to keep track of how much of each item in your inventory you have, increasing the risk of shortcuts and deviations from company protocol.

Equipment Maintenance

Similarly, cleaning equipment must be maintained regularly which is a challenge when you don’t have a convenient and efficient way to track its use and maintenance history.

What to Look For in a Good Cleaning Business Software?

With so many challenges to remedy, it makes sense to find a cleaning business software that is geared toward the specific needs of cleaning companies. While you could go for general business software, it may not have the types of solutions you need. Here are some things to look for in cleaning business software.

Ease of Use

Make sure any software or technology you adopt is easy enough to use that you have no problem using it. If it’s more complex, check to make sure the provider offers adequate training until you and your crews are all comfortable using it.

Mobile App

Your crews need to be able to access information on their mobile devices while in the field. With a mobile app, they can check on customer information, look at their schedules, clock in and out, record their tasks, provide details about jobs and/or customers, and more.

Crew and Job Scheduling

A scheduling app makes running any field service easier. When you can pull up the schedule to see who is working, which jobs are coming up, who is entering into unexpected overtime, and who’s closest to an emergency call, your crew and job scheduling becomes much easier.

Job Management

Job management features make it easier for you to stay organized and keep your crews on task and on time. Job management allows you to provide all information for a job and/or customer, and allows your workers to access it, too. This improves customer service which, in turn, nurtures the relationships you have with existing clients.

Billing and Invoicing

With the right software, you can quickly and easily turn estimates or contracts into invoices, featuring your company brand and allowing you to send them online. This speeds up your accounts payable and receivable.

Integrations

Before deciding on software for your cleaning company, check to be sure it will integrate with other software you’re already using or need. Using software that doesn’t work with your existing operations would be counterproductive and cost you both time and money.

Best Software for Cleaning Business

There are a number of different cleaning business software options available. Here are a few of the best:

1. ClockShark

Best for: small cleaning businesses

ClockShark’s cleaning software is the perfect fit for cleaning companies seeking to effortlessly manage their jobs, crew members, and business operations from anywhere.

ClockShark's time-tracking software is the ultimate solution for cleaning companies to streamline crew hours reporting. Your team can easily submit their hours right from the jobsite using the mobile app. No more messy paper timesheets – this ensures accuracy and provides all the essential time card details you need for payroll and labor costing.

With GPS tracking, you gain complete visibility over the location of each crew member while they work. This feature provides peace of mind and guarantees accuracy in payroll, ensuring fair compensation for everyone.

With ClockShark, you can create and send personalized quotes in just minutes. Stay in the loop on quote acceptance and customer change requests without any hassle. When the quote is approved and the cleaning job is completed, generating an invoice is as simple as a few clicks. Your customers can conveniently pay online directly from the invoice. No more dealing with paper-based quotes, payment delays, or cash flow concerns.

2. Simpro

Best for: midsize cleaning business

Simpro is a specialized job management software tailored for cleaning businesses. It offers solutions to boost operational efficiency and drive higher profits. With its user-friendly platform, Simpro assists cleaning businesses in effectively managing tasks like generating quotes for different cleaning projects, organizing inventory, coordinating with cleaning staff, and addressing various workflow needs.

3. FleetSharp

Best for: fleet management

FleetSharp is a GPS tracking and fleet management solution designed for businesses with vehicle fleets. It allows businesses to monitor the real-time location of their vehicles, enabling better route planning, improved dispatching, and increased efficiency. The platform provides detailed insights into vehicle activities, such as speed, idling time, and mileage, which can help optimize fuel usage and driver behavior.

4. Aspire

Best for: estimates

Aspire provides tools for financial management, enabling businesses to generate accurate estimates, track expenses, and handle billing and invoicing. The software's reporting and analytics capabilities allow owners and managers to gain insights into their business performance and make data-driven decisions.

5. Gusto

Best for: payroll

Gusto is a payroll and HR software that can be used by cleaning businesses. It offers many features, including payroll processing, benefits administration, and HR compliance. It is more expensive than other software options, but it can be a good choice for businesses that need a lot of features.

6. Angi Services

Best for: Lead generation

Angi Services is a platform that can help you generate leads, collect customer reviews, and promote your business.  It allows users to search for service providers based on their location and the type of service they need. 

7. CleanGuru

Best for: Bidding

CleanGuru offers solutions for bidding tailored to the needs of small and mid-sized commercial janitorial and residential house-cleaning businesses.

8. ZenMaid

Best for: maid service

ZenMaid is a software platform designed specifically for the cleaning industry. The software aims to streamline the entire workflow of a cleaning company, from managing appointments and assigning tasks to employees to handling billing and generating reports. 

Choose the Best Software for Your Cleaning Business

All businesses benefit from using software to make their operations run more smoothly but choosing the best software for your cleaning business is the key. 

Cleaning companies have specific challenges so it’s important to research what’s available, take advantage of free trials, and ensure the software you choose, suits your needs. Find out more about software by reading our blog, How to Choose the Right Field Service Management Software.

	Best for	Free Trial
	small cleaning business
	midsize cleaning business
	fleet management
	estimates
	payroll
	lead generation
	bidding
	maid service

Cristina Johnson

Cristina is a former journalist and certified content marketing writer. She is a self-proclaimed foodie and loves animals, reading, and fishing.