Need New Equipment or More Staff? Business Loans for Cleaning Services Can Help
August 07, 2025 | Last Updated on: August 11, 2025
By Melanie Lockert
Your cleaning services are in demand, and your business is growing. You can feel the growing pains, wanting to expand your reach but feeling constricted. You may not have access to the funds you need to level up your business. In the cleaning services industry, having the right people is key.
Using the latest equipment matters a lot for efficiency. Not being able to scale can feel stifling if financial resources are holding you back. For those ready to step up, loans for your cleaning business are available. In this guide, learn more about how they can help, different types of financing options, and what to consider.
How Loans for Your Cleaning Business Can Help
First, let’s dive into how loans for your cleaning business can help you:
- Hire additional staff
- Purchase equipment
- Buy cleaning supplies
- Expand service areas
- Open a new office or facility
- Market your services to gain new clients
- Access working capital
Whether you’re looking to keep up with cash flow needs, hire new employees, buy new cleaning machines, or scale up to larger contracts, you can do that with the right financing.
Types of Financing and Loans for a Cleaning Business
You may have a new business on your hands or an established cleaning services enterprise. Wherever you are on your business journey, there is a type of business loan or financing option that can help.
Term Loans
You can use loans for your cleaning business for a wide range of purposes, depending on your business needs. Typically, these will be term loans that give borrowers a lump sum upfront to use for expenses. Repayment terms vary by lender and can be short-term or long-term.
In many cases, term loans have fixed interest rates in addition to a set term. Because of that, monthly payments are easier to plan for and can make it easier to manage cash flow. You can find term loans for your cleaning business from:
- Traditional banks
- Credit unions
- Online lenders
Term loans in particular are a solid option if you need to hire staff and expand your operations, purchase janitorial equipment, or build out a new facility. Given the large sum of money, term loans give you the capital to grow your cleaning services business.
SBA Loans
The Small Business Administration, or SBA, helps entrepreneurs and small business owners access government-backed loans. These can include:
These different loan programs each have their own uses and maximum loan amount. The SBA 7(a) loan is often the go-to option for business owners as funds can go toward working capital and equipment. For a cleaning services business, this can be essential to stay afloat and keep things moving. So, if you need loans for your cleaning business, the SBA is one option.
Business Line of Credit
When you take out loans for your cleaning business, you typically get a lump sum upfront. That has its own advantages, but if you need more funding later on, you’ll need to go through the process again and apply for another loan.
That’s not the case with a business line of credit. When you get a business line of credit, a financial institution gives you a set credit limit to draw from. Use the amount you need and repay what you use, not on the total line of credit. For example, you might get a $40,000 line of credit but only use $20,000 of it. So, you’d pay back only $20,000. The beauty of the business line of credit is that when you repay the $20,000 in this example, you can then access the rest of your available credit like you would with a credit card.
So, maybe you need to purchase equipment now and new cleaning supplies in the next quarter. If you anticipate that you’ll have ongoing financing needs, a business line of credit could be a good funding solution.
Merchant Cash Advance (MCA)
As an alternative to a traditional loan for your cleaning business, you can also look into a Merchant Cash Advance. First, you must accept various payments through credit card or debit card transactions. Secondly, it’s key to be aware that this business funding option can have hefty interest rates and potential fees.
The way it works is that you can receive a cash advance in the form of a lump sum. From there, what you borrow gets repaid through a percentage of your future card transactions.
Equipment Financing
In the commercial cleaning industry, you may need robust equipment to do the job. This can include buffers, industrial vacuums, sweepers, scrubbers, pressure washers, and more. Purchasing the items you need can negatively impact your cash flow.
Through equipment financing, you have two options. You can look into equipment loans for your cleaning business or an equipment lease. When you get a loan, you get the funds to purchase equipment outright. The equipment is collateral on the loan. That means that the loan may be easier to get, as the collateral provides extra reassurance to the lender. But it also means that if you fail to meet your payment obligations on the loan, the lender may seize the equipment to recover the lost costs.
Be aware that some equipment loans may have a down payment requirement. But not all lenders require one. You want to know any potential costs or fees that you’re responsible for before taking out any financing.
An equipment lease can be an easy way to secure what you need without any commitment. Leases can have different structures, so you may be able to renew the lease once you hit the end of your term. Some may allow you to buy out the equipment, and of course, you can return the equipment as well.
Invoice Factoring
If you have a commercial cleaning company, you might use invoices to collect payments from clients. You can turn the invoices you have into a financing option through invoice factoring. While this isn’t a traditional loan for cleaning businesses, it’s still an effective way to get funds.
Through invoice factoring, you sell your invoices to a third-party entity or factoring company. You then get a portion of your invoice total upfront. Since the factoring company now owns the invoices, it collects payment from the outstanding invoices.
Business Credit Card
If you don’t qualify for any loans for your cleaning business, you have an alternative to look into a business credit card. While it’s not the most cost-effective option, it can provide short-term assistance if you’re in a bind.
You may be able to get a business credit card with the same bank you have a business checking or savings account with. If you must carry a balance because you can’t pay in full by the due date, understand how the interest rates will impact what you owe. Even if you can’t pay off your business credit card right away, if you make minimum payments on time, you can still take positive steps to build up your business credit history.
Whether you need to quickly pay for cleaning supplies or materials, a business credit card can give you more time.
What to Consider Before Taking Out Loans for Your Cleaning Business
You have different financing and loan options available. What’s the right one for your cleaning business depends on several factors, including:
- Lender’s eligibility requirements
- Business needs (predictability vs. flexibility)
- Your creditworthiness
- Budget for monthly payments
- Business plan and goals
- Repayment term
Each lending option serves a different purpose, and you may not qualify for every type of financing or loan for your cleaning business. Understanding what you need and how you plan to grow sustainably can help guide you when making a decision.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a small enterprise or a big commercial cleaning services business, you provide a valuable service. You literally do the dirty work for other individuals and businesses and make a meaningful impact. But you may be stuck at a certain capacity or treading water because you have limited financial resources. Getting a loan for your cleaning business or other types of financing can give you more opportunities to grow.
FAQs about Loans for Cleaning Businesses
Want more information about taking out loans for your cleaning business? Find answers to frequently asked questions below.
What Types of Cleaning Equipment Financing Are Available?
Various financing options are available to purchase cleaning equipment, including equipment loans, equipment leases, vendor financing, and small business loans.
Is Cleaning Equipment Leasing an Option?
You may be able to lease cleaning equipment instead of buying it. Depending on where you’re at with your startup, this could be a helpful option if you’re building up your business and getting new clients.
What Are the Popular Business Loan Companies for Cleaning Service Businesses?
Some of the top funding options for cleaning service businesses are bank loans, business loans from online lenders, and the Small Business Administration. If you’re looking for the best company to get loans for your cleaning business, do your research and check out reviews.
What Financing Solutions Are Available to Purchase Equipment?
If you need to purchase equipment for your cleaning company, you have different loans for your cleaning business. You can look into equipment loans, leases, and term loans, among other business financing options.
What is the Application Process to Get Loans for Your Cleaning Business?
Once you choose a lender, you’ll need to fill out the loan application and provide information about your business. Typically, this includes financial statements, tax returns, and the lender will review your credit score. If approved, you may get funds in your business bank account to buy cleaning supplies, hire staff, and purchase new equipment.
