Nate Lucht

If you work in cleaning—brand-new on a crew or running the company—you picked the right industry at the right time. Expectations around health, trust, and customer experience have permanently shifted. Cleanliness isn’t a back-room expense anymore; it’s front-and-center for businesses that want to stay open, keep people well, and make strong first impressions. Research shows the U.S. janitorial market is on track to grow from about $76.7 billion in 2024 to roughly $100.2 billion by 2033. That steady climb says something simple: there’s room for good business operators and reliable teams to succeed. Why clean matters Growth like this isn’t hype. It comes from everyday realities clients care about. Clean workplaces reduce sick days and protect reputations. Parents and patients notice when schools and clinics are properly cleaned. Retailers know a tidy store keeps people browsing. Property managers understand that a lobby sets the tone for an entire building. When leaders see that cleanliness protects revenue and lowers risk, they keep funding it—even when budgets are tight. The result is broad, durable demand for cleaning services across office, healthcare, education, and retail facilities that isn’t going away. Solvable challenges Cleaning is physical, often performed off-hours when most people are sleeping. Building service contractors face margin pressure and constant competition. Teams deal with turnover. None of that is a reason to leave the industry; it’s an invitation to professionalize. The operators who will succeed this decade turn good intentions into repeatable habits: clear roles for employees, short “must-do” lists at each site, quick check-ins with clients, and a simple weekly review of hours, supplies, and do-overs. You don’t need fancy software for that—just a calendar, a clipboard, and the commitment to run a rhythm every week. Build the basics Your first “brand” is reliability. Show up on time. Learn the flow—cleaning from high to low, tackling the surfaces with less soil first—so you’re not undoing your own work. Use color-coded microfiber cloths and mops for specific rooms and surfaces to prevent cross contamination. Follow chemical dilution instructions to ensure product efficiency and human safety. Keep a one-page checklist so important details aren’t left to memory at 2 a.m. Ask the client what matters most in their space and hit those priorities first: entry glass, high-touch points, restrooms, floors. These aren’t glamorous habits, but they’re the ones people notice—and remember. Coach your crew Think like a coach, not just a scheduler. On day one, welcome your crew and offer clarity. Give new techs a simple plan for the first month, pair them with a steady “buddy” for the first few shifts, then check in around day 45 to catch small frustrations before they become big ones. Praise specific work—such as, “Great job on the mats by the elevators”—and be just as specific about fixes. When something goes wrong, acknowledge it and resolve it quickly. Clients forgive a lot when they can see you’re on it and your team is improving. Make clarity your moat Your biggest leverage is clarity. Price work based on the reality of the site, keeping in mind foot traffic, floor type, number of restrooms, security rules, and drive time. Be diligent in tracking hours as you go—small leaks become floods when you wait until the end of the month. If a location consistently needs more time to clean because of increased foot traffic or building additions, bring the data supporting the new cleaning times, offer options, and adjust scope or price respectfully. Most buyers appreciate candor and choose standards over shortcuts when you give them a clear choice. Keep routes clustered to reduce driving time, standardize products and steps where you can, and keep communication simple and regular. Specialize to stand out You don’t have to offer everything to be successful. Becoming the best local partner for schools, medical offices, small retail, or light industrial can set you apart. When you speak your client’s language and show proof of your results—photos, inspection trends, fewer complaints—you stop competing for hours and start getting chosen for outcomes. That’s how you protect margins and earn add-on work without feeling pushy. Clean is here to stay The last few years taught the world that clean spaces are essential to healthy communities and strong businesses. That lesson isn’t fading. The opportunity now is to turn that awareness into consistent business for your services. For newcomers, opportunity lies in skills and habits you can learn quickly. For teams, triumph requires coaching, recognition, and following the next logical steps. For cleaning business owners, success lies in consistently running simple systems and protocols—week in and week out. Stay in the game. Keep learning. Build the small, steady habits that compound into trust. The demand is real, the runway is long, and the next decade of cleanliness belongs to the operators and crews who choose to show up, improve a little each week, and make the right decisions.

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Nate Lucht

Founder and CEO, Spotless Co.

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