If you're looking for a way to earn a living or just to make some extra money on the side, cleaning houses for a living is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.

Cleaning houses? Doesn't that sound like a lot of unpleasant, grungy work?

Yes, it does sound pretty unpleasant, and that is exactly why there is very good profit in it. Most people hate to clean. Add to that how busy everyone is, and you have a recipe for success.

Maybe you're not so fond of doing your own housework. But having your own business cleaning houses could be surprisingly enjoyable, because there are many benefits to this work. Here are just a few:

By learning how the professionals clean houses, you can do it much more quickly and easily than you ever did before.

You can start this business with a little simple promotion and gain customers within a week or two.

You can begin with less than $100.

You can select your own schedule. Maybe you want to work particular days or evenings. For example, if you have children, you might want to work at times when your partner is at home to watch the kids.

You can choose where you work, how far away from your home you will go, what neighborhoods you will work in.

You can choose whether to do all the work yourself, work with one other person, or hire others to do the cleaning while you devote yourself more to management. This last kind of arrangement can make you more money but does also have the potential for more stress. Recently I emailed a friend who is about to be laid off, suggesting that he consider cleaning houses for a living. He's a management sort of guy, so I suggested that he do it that way. His reply indicated he thought it would be a bunch of headaches.

Is a business cleaning houses for you?

It's not for everyone. If you have physical conditions that would make it impossible, then of course it's out. If you have trouble getting around to doing what you say you will do, you might end up with some unhappy customers. But if you are responsible and like the idea of working for yourself, full-time or part-time, in a job with low stress and surprising income potential, then do consider cleaning houses for a living.

Rosana Hart

Rosana Hart writes about things she knows: living in Mexico, training dogs, ecological living, raising llamas, the science fiction of her father Cordwainer Smith, how to start a small business on a shoestring, photography, and more.

She also writes about things she gets interested in: starting a cleaning business, how beginners can get started with effective websites, popular wall posters, how and why to convert your old VHS tapes to DVD, and more.

As a librarian turned writer, publisher, and webmaster, she loves the power of the internet to bring people together.

She lives in Mexico and Colorado, with her husband, natural building expert Kelly Hart.