How to Find Work When Starting or Growing an Exterior Cleaning Business

By Mark Cave July 10, 2025

How to Find Work When Starting or Growing an Exterior Cleaning Business

Running an exterior cleaning business whether you’re just starting out or growing an established operation can be highly rewarding. But one of the biggest challenges is keeping a steady flow of work, especially when times are tight and customers are watching their spending. The good news is there are plenty of proven strategies you can use to attract customers and build a solid reputation. This guide covers practical, field-tested ways to help you secure more jobs and grow your exterior cleaning business across the UK.

Build a Strong Brand and Professional Image

Your brand is more than just your logo it’s how people perceive you. A strong, professional image helps you stand out from competitors and builds trust with potential clients.

Brand Everything: Put your business name, logo and contact details on uniforms, business cards, flyers and especially your vehicle. A van wrap acts as a travelling billboard, advertising your services wherever you go.
Consistency is Key: Keep your branding consistent across all materials and online platforms so customers remember your name and associate it with reliability.

Establish Your Online Presence

These days, the first place people look for services is online. A well built website and strong local presence help customers find and trust your business.

Professional Website: Your website should clearly explain your services, showcase before and after photos, list your service areas, and include testimonials from happy customers.
Local SEO: Optimise your website with keywords like “driveway cleaning [Your Town]” so you appear in search results when locals look for exterior cleaning services.
Google Business Profile: Create and regularly update your free Google Business Profile. This helps you show up on Google Maps and local search results. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews to build credibility and boost your rankings.

Use Social Media to Your Advantage

Social media is a powerful, mostly free way to reach local customers. It’s a place where you can showcase your work, share tips, and connect directly with your community.

Facebook Business Page: Set up a page with your logo, service details, and contact information. Post before and after photos, quick videos of your cleaning process, and seasonal promotions.
Local Community Groups: Join Facebook and Nextdoor groups in your service areas. Contribute helpful posts, answer questions, and engage with locals. Many homeowners look for recommendations in these groups.
Consistent Posting: Keep your business top of mind by posting regularly, but avoid spamming. A few quality posts each month showcasing your expertise is better than daily sales pitches.

Traditional Marketing Still Works

While online marketing is crucial, traditional methods remain highly effective, especially for trades. Many successful exterior cleaning businesses in the UK still get significant work from offline efforts.

Door to Door Canvassing: Knock on doors in targeted neighbourhoods to introduce yourself and leave a flyer. While it can feel daunting, it’s a proven way to secure new customers, especially when starting out.
Flyers and Door Hangers: Print professional flyers that highlight your services, include your contact details and offer a special deal for new customers. Deliver these to letterboxes in areas you’d like to target.
Business Cards: Always carry business cards. Hand them out wherever you meet potential clients builders’ merchants, community events, even casual conversations.
Signage and Van Wraps: Invest in signage for your vehicle. A well branded van can attract attention and generate calls while you’re working or simply parked in a visible spot.

Leverage Customer Referrals and Reviews

Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools in the exterior cleaning industry. A recommendation from a trusted friend or neighbour carries more weight than any advertisement.

Ask for Referrals: Don’t be shy about asking satisfied customers to refer you to friends and family. A simple “If you’re happy with my work, I’d appreciate you passing my details to anyone who might need similar services” can go a long way.
Referral Incentives: Offer small discounts or free add ons for customers who refer new clients to you. For example, “Refer a friend and get 20% off your next gutter clean.”
Collect Testimonials: Ask happy clients for a short testimonial you can feature on your website, flyers, or social media. Positive reviews help establish credibility and can convince potential clients to choose you over competitors.

Network and Build Partnerships

Sometimes the best opportunities come from building relationships within your local community.

Partner with Related Trades: Connect with landscapers, painters, or home improvement contractors. Recommend each other’s services to your clients to generate mutual referrals.
Approach Estate Agents: Estate agents and property managers often need reliable exterior cleaning services to improve curb appeal before listings. Introduce yourself and show before and after photos of your work.
Community Involvement: Participate in local events, sponsor community initiatives, or offer discounted services for community projects. It raises your profile and makes people more likely to remember your business.

Consider Paid Advertising When Ready

Once you have some cash flow, paid advertising can help accelerate growth.

Google Ads: Run ads targeting people searching for services like “driveway cleaning near me” or “roof moss removal [Your Town].” Keep your budget under control and track which ads bring in leads.
Facebook Ads: Target homeowners in your local area with visually engaging posts and promotions. Use before and after photos or videos for the best impact.
Nextdoor Ads: Nextdoor offers local advertising to neighbourhoods, which can be effective for hyper local businesses like exterior cleaning.

Track Your Marketing Efforts

One of the keys to long term success is knowing which marketing efforts are working. Whenever you secure a new customer, ask how they heard about you. This helps you understand which strategies deliver the best return and where to focus your efforts in future.

Keep notes on:

Which streets or areas respond well to canvassing or flyers
Which Facebook posts generate messages or calls
Which referrals led to new jobs
Which paid ads produce actual paying customers

By doubling down on what works, you’ll steadily grow your client base and avoid wasting time or money on ineffective channels.

Final Thoughts

Finding work for an exterior cleaning business in the UK takes a mix of online savvy and old fashioned legwork. It’s about showing customers why they should trust you, proving your value, and staying visible in your local community. If you’re starting out, focus on building relationships, delivering outstanding service, and making sure people know who you are. For growing businesses, it’s about scaling those efforts and investing in the right marketing tools to reach more customers.

Stay consistent, track your results, and never stop learning. With determination and the right approach, you’ll soon find your schedule filling up with customers who appreciate your skills and professionalism.

Happy cleaning and here’s to growing your business!

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If you have little knowledge of how to remix a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.
If you want to save money when mixing a soft wash recipe then this app is for you.

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