How do you get a business loan for a cleaning company?

How cleaning company cash flow shapes financing options

Cleaning companies fall into two distinct revenue models that lenders read differently. B2B commercial cleaning (office buildings, medical facilities, industrial) generates recurring monthly contract revenue — often invoiced net-30 — which is highly predictable and lender-favorable. B2C residential cleaning (homes, Airbnb turnovers) runs on smaller, higher-frequency transactions with lower average invoice values and seasonal fluctuation. Lenders weight B2B contract revenue more heavily in underwriting because it documents forward-looking revenue with signed agreements. Both models qualify under NAICS 5617 (Services to Buildings and Dwellings), but a commercial cleaner with $40,000/month in contracted recurring revenue will see materially better terms than a residential cleaner at the same revenue figure.

Working-capital lines of credit for payroll and supplies

Cleaning companies run thin gross margins — labor is the dominant cost, and chemical/supply spend scales directly with revenue. A working-capital line of credit gives you a revolving draw-down facility to bridge payroll weeks when customer invoices sit at net-30 or net-45. Lines are sized at roughly 10–15% of annual revenue for established operators, draw at prime + spread (reference the Federal Reserve H.15 prime rate for current base), and revolve as receivables clear — cleaning operators use them as cash-flow shock absorbers between the time a crew runs payroll and the time the commercial invoice clears.

Vehicle financing for cleaning fleets

Cargo vans and pickup trucks are the primary capital expenditure for most cleaning companies. Vehicle financing is structured as a term loan against the vehicle title — typically 60–84 month terms with fixed monthly payments — and is underwritten more on the asset value and business age than on deposits alone. Used cargo van financing is often available with as little as 10% down. Equipment financing follows the same asset-secured structure, covering commercial vacuums, floor buffers, pressure washers, and janitorial carts. Under IRS Publication 946 Section 179, cleaning equipment and work vehicles used more than 50% for business qualify for first-year expensing up to the annual limit — a meaningful tax offset for operators purchasing equipment before year-end.

SBA 7(a) for scaling operations

Established cleaning businesses with 2+ years of tax returns and $500,000+ in annual revenue are well-positioned for SBA 7(a) loans to finance acquisitions of competing cleaning contracts, route purchases, or multi-truck fleet expansion. SBA 7(a) up to $5 million at longer amortization (10 years for working capital, up to 25 years for real estate) keeps monthly debt service manageable. Commercial cleaning companies with documented recurring contract revenue are especially competitive for SBA approval because the contracted revenue base functions as a proxy for collateral — lenders can model forward revenue against debt service.

Qualification benchmarks for cleaning companies

For non-SBA working capital products, lenders typically look for 6+ months in business, $10,000+ in monthly business deposits, and a minimum owner FICO around 550. Commercial cleaning companies with signed recurring contracts can document revenue beyond bank statements — copies of master service agreements materially strengthen the file. For SBA 7(a), expect 2+ years of tax returns, 680+ personal FICO, and a debt-service coverage ratio above 1.25x. Apply at Find my match — your file routes to the funding partners best matched to it.