What a cleaning invoice should include
Cleaning clients rarely argue with the main clean. They question the extras. The invoice above names every add-on, so the total explains itself.
- The size of the home next to the service. "Biweekly standard clean, 3 bed / 2 bath" ties the price to the house. If the client adds a room or moves, it's obvious why the rate changes.
- How often, with visits as the quantity. Biweekly, weekly or one-time goes in the description, and the number of visits goes in the quantity column. Two visits this period, a quantity of 2.
- Each add-on as a separate line. Inside the oven and inside the fridge are priced on their own, so the client sees exactly what they asked for and can pick and choose next time.
- Where a special task stops. "Interior windows, ground floor" sets the limit, which matters when the client was hoping for the upstairs too.
- Surcharges with a reason. A pet hair surcharge per visit, named plainly, reads as fair. Folded into the base price, the same money looks like a price rise.
- Supplies and the next dates in the notes. "Supplies included" answers a common question before it's asked, and the next two visit dates confirm the schedule.
The example adds 8.25% sales tax. Some states tax residential cleaning and some don't, and commercial cleaning may be treated differently, so check your state's rules. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, whether you add VAT or GST depends on your registration.
How to write an invoice for house cleaning
- Bill regular clients per period. One invoice covering two biweekly visits is easier for both of you than a bill every other week. One-off deep cleans get their own invoice.
- Put the base clean first. Then the add-ons, then any surcharge. The client reads down the page and the total makes sense when they reach it.
- Name the room or area for each extra. "Ground floor", "main bath", "inside cabinets". Vague lines are the ones people ask you to take off.
- Note anything skipped or added. If a room was locked or the client asked you to leave it, say so and adjust the line rather than leaving it for them to spot.
- Confirm the next visits. Write the dates in the notes so the schedule and the bill live in one place.
- Make it easy to pay right away. Cleaning invoices are often due on receipt, like this one. TapBill prints your own Stripe, PayPal or Venmo link as a Pay button and QR code on the PDF, and takes no fee.
Use this cleaning invoice template
Move-out and deep cleans are usually quoted first, and the cleaning estimate template shows a move-out quote for a property manager. If you also look after outdoor spaces, the landscaping invoice bills recurring visits the same way. For turnover work between tenants, the painting invoice shows how another trade prices the same empty unit.
Frequently asked questions
What should a cleaning invoice look like?
Short and specific, like the example: your business and the client, an invoice number and date, the regular clean with the home's size and the number of visits, each add-on below it, then subtotal, tax and total. The notes say whether supplies were included and when you're coming next.
How do I invoice for Airbnb or short-term rental cleaning?
Use one line per turnover with the date and the property, since hosts often manage more than one place. Laundry, restocking and extra-dirty checkouts each get their own line. Billing the host weekly or monthly for all turnovers keeps the paperwork down on both sides.
Can I charge a fee when a client cancels late or I can't get in?
You can if the client agreed to it beforehand. Put your cancellation and lockout policy on the first estimate or booking, then bill the fee as a named line ("Late cancellation, Nov 12") so it's clear what it's for.
Is a commercial cleaning invoice any different?
The layout is the same. Office and building clients often want a purchase order number, monthly billing per site and net 30 terms, so ask what their accounts team needs before the first invoice goes out.