0800 007 269 (Toll Free)
Get Compliant from Anywhere, Easy and Fast!
0800 007 269 (Toll Free)

Get Compliant from Anywhere, Easy and Fast!

0800 007 269 (Toll Free)
Get Compliant from Anywhere, Easy and Fast!

Table of Contents

  • Funding, Starting a Business

Creating a Cleaning Business Plan That Works (South Africa 2025 Guide)

Creating a Cleaning Business Plan That Works (South Africa 2025 Guide) with Company Partners

If you’re serious about building a successful cleaning company, you’ve probably already searched for a cleaning business plan, wondered how to write a cleaning business plan, or even asked yourself how to start a cleaning business in South Africa. These questions come up because cleaning is one of the most opportunity-rich yet fiercely competitive sectors in the country.

The truth is: cleaning companies don’t struggle because there isn’t enough work; they struggle because they lack structure and compliance. In a contract-driven industry where procurement, compliance, and consistency matter, the businesses that succeed are the ones built on a clearly defined, professionally written plan. And that is exactly what Company Partners specialises in.

South Africa’s cleaning and hygiene sector continues to grow as there is an increasing demand for specialised cleaning services according to research. Corporate offices, logistics centres, schools, residential estates, and construction sites all outsource cleaning. But only those who are contract-ready will secure the high-value clients. A powerful, clearly written cleaning business plan becomes the tool that positions you not just as another cleaner, but as a trusted cleaning service provider.

According to Credence Research, the South African contract cleaning services sector is projected to expand from USD 1,497.03 million in 2023 to USD 2,046.41 million by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 3.47%.

Why a Cleaning Business Plan Matters More Than Ever

Most new cleaning businesses fail not due to lack of effort, but due to lack of clarity. The drafting of a business plan (which is done right) answers the critical questions:

  • Who exactly do you serve?
  • How do you price correctly?
  • What is your operations model?
  • How will you scale your staff?
  • What is your route to compliance?
  • How will you win your first contracts?
Wondering why creating a cleaning business plan matters more than ever in South Africa

Without this foundation, entrepreneurs underquote, overextend, and struggle to access corporate opportunities.

Company Partners has assisted 94 industry-specific service companies, such as cleaning companies, with custom business plans over the last 7 months. Our team’s experience ensures every plan is grounded in real South African conditions, from local pricing benchmarks to tender requirements to labour structures. Our research has also shown that starting a cleaning company is one of the best business ideas in South Africa in 2025.  Read more about it here.

This is supported by research from respected third parties such as Deepmarketinsights.

The size of the contract cleaning market in South Africa from 2021

How to Write a Cleaning Business Plan

Below is the exact framework our specialists use to create contract-ready business plans:

1. Executive Summary

Include a brief note on your compliance readiness, procurement teams scan this section for indicators like COIDA status, Tax Compliance Status (TCS) pin, and Health & Safety commitments.

2. Company Overview

This section establishes credibility:

  • CIPC incorporation details
  • Directors and ownership
  • Vision, mission & values
  • B-BBEE level
  • Long-term positioning
  • Tax Reference Number
  • VAT Registration status (if turnover may exceed R1 million in 12 months)


If you’re still figuring out how to start a cleaning business, registering your company is your first step.

3. Industry & Market Analysis

Show that you understand the South African landscape:

  • Corporate cleaning demand
  • Post-pandemic hygiene expectations
  • Retail & estate cleaning trends
  • Outsourcing patterns
  • Seasonal demand (e.g., December deep cleans)
Use real data where possible. Market size figures, growth trends, or tender statistics show procurement teams that you understand the industry.

Use real data where possible. Market size figures, growth trends, or tender statistics show procurement teams that you understand the industry. You can find some great insights here.

4. Service Offering

Be clear about what you offer:
  • Office park cleaning
  • Residential cleaning
  • Retail cleaning
  • Post-construction cleaning
  • Industrial cleaning
  • Carpet and upholstery
  • Window cleaning
  • Deep cleaning & sanitation

Different niches require different equipment, staff ratios, and chemical protocols, show that you understand these distinctions.

5. Target Market

Define your ideal clients and why they need you.

Examples:

  • Medical facilities requiring strict hygiene cycles
  • Office parks needing daily or after-hours cleaning
  • Construction companies requiring post-build cleaning
  • Estates needing weekly maintenance
  • Retail centres with high foot traffic
If your going to target contracts and tenders ensure you have a good BEE score

For tenders, specify whether your business qualifies as an EME or QSE under B-BBEE.

6. Pricing & Revenue Model

You may charge:

  • Per hour
  • Per room
  • Per square metre
  • Per project
  • Per contract (retainer)


Understanding local pricing norms, BCEA minimum wage requirements, and labour cost structures is essential and included in Company Partners’ projections.

7. Operations Plan

This is the heart of your plan, and the key to winning contracts.

Include:

  • Staffing model
  • Supervisor hierarchy
  • Training programme
  • Health & Safety procedures under the OHS Act (85 of 1993)
  • Equipment & chemical lists
  • Waste disposal plan
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) standards
  • Scheduling system
  • Inspection & quality control
  • COIDA processes (Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, 130 of 1993)
Procurement teams need operational stability. Demonstrate systems for staff rotation, absenteeism, reassignments, and equipment backup.

Procurement teams need operational stability. Demonstrate systems for staff rotation, absenteeism, reassignments, and equipment backup.

8. Marketing & Sales Strategy

Your plan should explain:

  • How will you approach corporate clients
  • Which platforms will you market on
  • How your company profile strengthens your pitch
  • Your retention and referral strategy
  • Your online credibility (Google Reviews, website, B-BBEE certificate)

9. Compliance Plan

Cleaning companies often require:

  • COIDA registration and Letter of Good Standing
  • UIF registration (Unemployment Insurance Act, 63 of 2001)
  • PAYE and SDL (if employing staff)
  • Public liability insurance
  • Health & Safety File under OHS Act
  • Chemical handling documentation
  • Valid Tax Compliance Status (TCS) pin
  • Registration with the National Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA)


Compliance builds trust, and without it, you cannot win contracts.

10. Financial Plan

Includes all funder-ready projections:

  • Start-up costs
  • Equipment list
  • Labour cost model
  • Cash flow forecast
  • Break-even analysis
  • Profit forecast
  • VAT considerations (becoming a VAT vendor above R1 million turnover)
Top tip about how to set your pricing

Use your financial projections to set minimum prices. Never guess; pricing mistakes cripple cleaning businesses more than anything else.

Building Your Cleaning Business From the Ground Up

Before a cleaning business can win its first client, it needs more than equipment; it needs structure. Many entrepreneurs focus on buying chemicals and hiring cleaners but overlook the essentials that actually secure contracts.

A strong foundation includes:

  • A compliant, registered company
  • A professional company profile for pitching
  • A contract-ready cleaning business plan
  • A scalable accounting and compliance system
  • Safety, PPE, and chemical documentation


Once these elements are in place, all of which Company Partners can set up for you, even a lean start-up team becomes credible and contract-ready. Your business plan then ties all these elements into one cohesive strategy.

What Makes a Company Partners Cleaning Business Plan Different?

Designed for Contract Readiness

Our plans are structured specifically for South African procurement expectations due to our extensive knowledge in supporting entrepreneurs. Whether you serve corporates, estates, retail, or construction, your plan will reflect real-world operational readiness.

Pair it with a professional Company Profile.

Full Financial Projections Included

Our Business Plans can include full financial forecasting based on local benchmarks:

  • Start-up costs
  • Labour cost model (including UIF & COIDA contributions)
  • Monthly overheads
  • Break-even analysis
  • Income projections
  • Equipment & chemical costs

Learn more about writing a winning business plan here for more inspiration.

Top tip about how to set your pricing

Use projections to set your minimum pricing. Just remember: all projections are based on typical industry averages and should be reviewed with your accountant.

Integrated Startup & Compliance Support

Most cleaning entrepreneurs begin by securing their incorporation through Company Partners’ Business Setup Packages.

Those needing an immediate older registration number, especially for tenders, use our Shelf Companies.

As you grow, our Monthly Accounting Services keep your tax, payroll, VAT, and compliance in perfect order.

Your cleaning company needs to ensure that its compliance is maintained

Compliance and accounting are not admin; they are your competitive edge.

How to Get Contracts for Your Cleaning Business

Winning contracts is where your plan becomes real.

  1. Present a professional company profile.
  2. Have full compliance.
    COIDA, UIF, TCS, B-BBEE, OHS, public liability, NCCA.
    (CSD registration is mandatory for government tenders.)
  3. Build monthly cleaning packages.
    Retainer models stabilise cash flow.
  4. Apply for tenders.
    This is where most cleaning companies scale.
  5. Build your digital footprint
    Google Reviews and online consistency matter.
  6. Collect references/testimonials
    A thumbs-up from even two small clients can build trust.
We dont only write about how to write a cleaning business plan but how to convert it into real business
Start by focusing on small office complexes or estates, they often onboard new or smaller cleaning companies first.

Start with small office complexes or estates, they often onboard new or smaller cleaning companies first.

Why Cleaning Entrepreneurs Choose Company Partners

A Partner in Growth, Not Just a Document Provider

CP doesn’t sell documents, we build businesses. With 50 000+ entrepreneurs supported, we know the difference between a plan that “describes” and a plan that “wins.”

Industry Insights Backed by Real Specialists

We understand cleaning industry costing, labour, compliance, and tender processes. This translates into plans grounded in real operational understanding.

A Strategy Built on the Right Questions

We ask the questions no template can:
How will you price? What niche will you target first? How will your team scale?

Contact Company Partners and you will understand why entrepreneurs trust us with their cleaning business plans

A Fully Integrated Startup Ecosystem

Registration, compliance, accounting, business plans, and tender support, all under one roof.

Built for Winning, Not Just Starting

Our plans are structured to impress procurement teams, investors, and partners.

Engagement-Boosting Design

A Company Partners business plan is:

  • Visually clean
  • Professionally branded
  • Easy to read
  • Filled with icons, tables, and clear sections
A visually appealing cleaning plan increases reading time, and reading time increases trust.

A visually appealing plan increases reading time, and reading time increases trust.

Conclusion: Build a Cleaning Business That Wins

The cleaning industry has endless opportunities, but only for entrepreneurs who position themselves with structure, compliance, and a contract-ready plan. Contact us and begin your cleaning business journey here.

Company Partners helps you build a business that doesn’t just start but grows, competes, and wins.

Contact us today!
Send via WhatsApp