# Bookkeeping and QuickBooks for Cleaning Businesses

Bookkeeping for a cleaning business comes down to tracking labor closely, because wages are usually the biggest cost by far. Record recurring and one-time cleaning income separately, put cleaner pay and supplies against the jobs they serve, reconcile recurring billing monthly and keep mileage records. Done that way, QuickBooks shows which clean types actually make money.

## Key takeaways

- Labor as a share of revenue is the number that decides whether a cleaning company makes money.
- Split income into recurring residential, one-time residential, commercial and post-construction.
- Worker classification (W-2 vs. 1099) is the biggest bookkeeping risk in cleaning. Get it right before you scale.
- Supplies are small per job but worth tracking by job type at least quarterly.
- BRIX syncs invoices and payments with QuickBooks, categorizes expenses, tracks 1099 contractors and reminds you of estimated tax dates. It does not file taxes or give tax advice.

## Which numbers should a cleaning business owner watch every month?

Watch labor percentage, recurring revenue and average revenue per labor hour. Those three tell you more than a full profit and loss statement, and you can read them in five minutes if the books are set up right.

**Labor percentage**

```
Labor % = (Cleaner wages + Payroll taxes + Workers' comp) ÷ Cleaning revenue
```

> **Illustrative example**
>
> Say you billed $38,000 last month. Cleaner pay was $15,200, and payroll taxes and workers' comp added $2,300, for $17,500 in labor.
>
> Labor percentage is $17,500 ÷ $38,000 = 46%. Your crews logged 720 hours, so revenue per labor hour is $38,000 ÷ 720 = $52.78.
>
> If revenue per labor hour falls while prices stay the same, cleans are running long. Check which homes. These are example numbers, not benchmarks.

You can't calculate revenue per labor hour without accurate hours, which is why [crew timesheets](https://www.brix.so/#use-cases) tied to each job matter. The [labor burden calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/labor-burden-calculator) shows your true hourly cost per cleaner, and [gross profit per hour](https://www.brix.so/learn/gross-profit-per-hour) explains the metric.

## How should a cleaning company set up QuickBooks?

Set up income by type of cleaning and costs by what's tied to the jobs. Ask your bookkeeper or CPA to adjust this to your entity and state; it's a starting point, not tax advice.

- **Income:** recurring residential, one-time residential (deep, move-in/out), commercial and janitorial contracts, post-construction, add-ons.
- **Cost of goods sold:** cleaner wages and payroll taxes (or 1099 contractor pay), cleaning supplies and chemicals, equipment consumables like mop heads and vacuum bags.
- **Expenses:** vehicles or mileage reimbursements, insurance and bonding, software, marketing, office wages, background checks.
- **Assets:** vans, commercial floor machines and backpack vacuums above your capitalization threshold. See [depreciation](https://www.brix.so/learn/depreciation).

QuickBooks classes let you split results by service line, or by team if you run crews. See [QuickBooks classes vs. projects](https://www.brix.so/learn/quickbooks-classes-vs-projects) and the [chart of accounts](https://www.brix.so/learn/chart-of-accounts) explainer.

## Should cleaners be on payroll or paid as 1099 contractors?

That depends on how much control you have over the work, not what you call the worker. If you set the schedule, provide the supplies, train them on your checklist and send them to your customers, regulators may see them as employees. The Department of Labor explains that misclassified employees may miss minimum wage and overtime protections they're owed ([DOL](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/misclassification)), and the IRS has its own test ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee)).

If you do pay true independent contractors, you may need to file Form 1099-NEC for them ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-nec)), and you should have a W-9 on file before the first payment. Read [W-2 vs. 1099](https://www.brix.so/learn/w2-vs-1099), [1099 for subcontractors](https://www.brix.so/learn/1099-for-subcontractors) and [W-9 for subcontractors](https://www.brix.so/learn/w9-for-subcontractors), and compare costs with the [1099 vs. W-2 calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/1099-vs-w2-calculator). Talk to an employment or tax professional before you decide.

## How do you track supply costs per clean?

Track supplies by job type, not by job. Weighing out product for every clean isn't realistic, but knowing that a post-construction clean uses several times the supplies of a weekly clean is. Once a quarter, divide supply spending by the number of cleans of each type, then check that your prices cover it.

[Inventory tracking](https://www.brix.so/#use-cases) shows what's in each van and what needs reordering, which keeps you from making emergency store runs at retail prices. Restock rules and par levels are covered in [truck stock](https://www.brix.so/learn/truck-stock).

## How do you keep recurring billing from leaking?

Reconcile recurring billing against the schedule every month. Leaks in cleaning are small and constant: a client who paused for a month and never got restarted on billing, a card that declined twice, an add-on the cleaner did but nobody charged for. Compare completed cleans to invoices, then check your [accounts receivable](https://www.brix.so/learn/accounts-receivable) aging for anything over 30 days. A ten-minute monthly check usually pays for itself the first time.

## What taxes do cleaning business owners need to plan for?

Cleaning owners usually face income tax, self-employment or payroll taxes, quarterly estimated payments, and sales tax on cleaning in some states. Use this as a checklist for your tax pro, not as advice.

- **Estimated taxes:** if you expect to owe and don't have enough withheld, the IRS expects quarterly payments ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes)). Use the [quarterly estimated tax calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/quarterly-estimated-tax-calculator).
- **Payroll taxes:** if cleaners are employees, you withhold and pay [payroll taxes](https://www.brix.so/learn/payroll-taxes) every pay period.
- **Mileage:** driving between homes is deductible business travel when you keep the records the IRS requires ([Publication 463](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463)). The [mileage deduction calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/mileage-deduction-calculator) estimates it.
- **Sales tax:** some states tax residential or commercial cleaning services, and many don't. Check your state's revenue department.
- **Records:** keep receipts and records that support every deduction ([IRS](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/recordkeeping)).

BRIX turns each completed clean into an invoice, chases unpaid ones, and syncs customers, invoices and payments with QuickBooks. It keeps expenses categorized, tracks 1099 contractors and sales tax, records crew hours, and reminds you of quarterly estimated tax dates. BRIX does not file taxes or give tax advice.

- [QuickBooks sync](https://www.brix.so/integrations/quickbooks): Syncs customers, invoices and payments with QuickBooks so the books match the jobs.
- [Bookkeeping and tax help](https://www.brix.so/features/bookkeeping-taxes): Keeps expenses categorized, tracks 1099 subcontractors and sales tax, and reminds you of quarterly estimated tax dates. BRIX does not file taxes or give tax advice.
- [Invoicing and payments](https://www.brix.so/features/invoicing-payments): Turns finished jobs into invoices and politely chases unpaid ones until the money is in your account.
- [Crew timesheets](https://www.brix.so/#use-cases): Clock-ins, job hours and payroll-ready timesheets.

More on the whole system at [cleaning business software](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning). To fill the schedule you're now tracking so carefully, see [how to get more cleaning clients](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning/sales) and the [AI receptionist for cleaning companies](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning/ai-receptionist).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a good labor percentage for a cleaning business?

We haven't found a reliable public benchmark, and it varies with your pricing and service mix. Track your own labor percentage monthly and by service type. If it creeps up while prices stay flat, cleans are running long or wages have outpaced prices.

### Is QuickBooks good for a cleaning business?

Yes, QuickBooks Online is widely used by small cleaning companies, and most scheduling and booking tools connect to it. Setup matters more than the software: separate income by service type and keep cleaner pay and supplies as job costs.

### Can I pay my house cleaners as 1099 contractors?

Only if they truly qualify as independent contractors under the DOL and IRS tests. If you set schedules, supply equipment and direct the work, they may be employees. Get professional advice before classifying anyone.

### Are cleaning supplies cost of goods sold?

Many bookkeepers treat supplies used on jobs as cost of goods sold, since they're tied directly to the service. Office supplies and general overhead are regular expenses. Confirm the setup with your CPA.

### Do cleaning services charge sales tax?

It depends on the state, and sometimes on whether the service is residential or commercial. Check your state department of revenue and set invoicing to add tax only where it applies.

### Does BRIX do payroll?

BRIX records clock-ins and job hours and produces payroll-ready timesheets, and it syncs with QuickBooks. You'd still run payroll through your payroll provider. BRIX does not file taxes or give tax advice.

## Related

- [Cleaning Business Software for Maid Services and Janitorial Companies](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning)
- [AI Receptionist for Cleaning Companies and Maid Services](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning/ai-receptionist)
- [How to Get More Cleaning Clients and Keep Them Longer](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning/sales)
- [QuickBooks for contractors: the right version, real job costing and a sync that keeps the books matched to the jobs](https://www.brix.so/integrations/quickbooks)
- [Bookkeeping for contractors that keeps your books tax-ready all year](https://www.brix.so/features/bookkeeping-taxes)
- [W-2 vs. 1099: What's the Difference for Contractors?](https://www.brix.so/learn/w2-vs-1099)
- [What Are Payroll Taxes?](https://www.brix.so/learn/payroll-taxes)
- [Labor Burden Calculator](https://www.brix.so/tools/labor-burden-calculator)
- [1099 vs. W-2 Cost Calculator: Employee or Subcontractor?](https://www.brix.so/tools/1099-vs-w2-calculator)
- [AI Receptionist & CRM for Cleaning Companies in Rochester, NY](https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning/rochester-ny)

## Sources

- [U.S. Department of Labor, Misclassification of Employees as Independent Contractors (FLSA)](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/misclassification) (checked 2026-10-19)
- [IRS, Independent Contractor (Self-Employed) or Employee?](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee) (checked 2026-10-19)
- [IRS, About Form 1099-NEC](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1099-nec) (checked 2026-10-19)
- [IRS, Estimated Taxes](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/estimated-taxes) (checked 2026-10-19)
- [IRS, Publication 463: Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463) (checked 2026-10-19)
- [IRS, Recordkeeping for small businesses](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/recordkeeping) (checked 2026-10-19)

---
Written by BRIX Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-10-12. General information, not tax, legal or financial advice.
Canonical: https://www.brix.so/for/cleaning/bookkeeping