How much should domestic cleaners spend on marketing in the UK?

How to think about marketing spend as a UK domestic cleaner

If you run a domestic cleaning business in the UK, marketing can feel like a strange expense. You know you need customers, but you also need products, travel, insurance, equipment, and time. Some months you’re fully booked and marketing feels unnecessary; other months a couple of cancellations can suddenly make you anxious about the pipeline. So how much should domestic cleaners spend on marketing in the UK?

The truth is there isn’t one “correct” number. The right spend depends on your goals (extra work vs. scaling), your local competition, your pricing, and how repeat-based your customer base is. But there are dependable ranges and practical rules that help you decide what’s sensible, avoid wasting money, and build a marketing approach that pays for itself.

This article will walk you through realistic UK marketing budgets for domestic cleaners, how to calculate what you can afford, what to spend it on, what to avoid, and how to track results properly. Because there’s one thing that matters more than the exact spend: measuring it so you know what actually works.

Typical marketing spend ranges for domestic cleaners in the UK

Most small service businesses set marketing budgets as a percentage of revenue rather than a fixed number. Domestic cleaning is usually a repeat service with high lifetime value (one happy customer can stay for years), which means marketing can be a very good investment—if you manage your costs.

Here are practical ranges many domestic cleaners can use as a starting point:

1) Maintenance mode: 2%–5% of monthly revenue
This level is for cleaners who are already stable and mostly full, and simply want to stay visible and protect against churn. Think: keeping your Google Business Profile active, getting reviews, basic local SEO, occasional leaflet drops, and light Facebook presence.

2) Growth mode: 6%–10% of monthly revenue
This is a common target for cleaners who want to add new regular clients consistently (for example, filling one extra day per week), expand into a neighbouring area, or replace clients more quickly when people move or cancel.

3) Aggressive growth / expansion: 11%–20% of monthly revenue
This range is typically used when you’re hiring, building a team, launching a new area, or pushing hard to grow. It may include paid ads, higher lead platform spend, professional photos, branded workwear, vehicle signage, and more frequent leaflet campaigns.

4) New business launch: a fixed “starter budget” for 8–12 weeks
If you’re brand new, saying “I’ll spend 10% of revenue” isn’t helpful because revenue starts at zero. Instead, use a short, focused launch budget to buy visibility quickly. Many cleaners choose a launch budget that covers a website, basic branding, and one or two lead channels for the first 2–3 months.

These ranges aren’t “rules.” They’re guardrails. Your real budget should be set by your customer economics: how much you can pay to get a new customer and still make a healthy profit.

Start with the only number that truly matters: your allowable cost per new customer

Marketing is only scary when you don’t know what you can afford. Once you know your allowable customer acquisition cost, budgeting becomes much simpler.

To estimate what you can afford to spend to gain a new regular client, you need three things:

1) Your gross profit margin per clean
Gross profit is what’s left after direct costs like travel and cleaning supplies (and wages if you employ staff). If you’re a solo cleaner, you can still estimate direct costs. You don’t need perfect accounting—just a realistic figure.

2) How long a regular client stays with you (customer lifespan)
Some clients stay a few months, others stay for years. A conservative estimate is safer. If you don’t know, assume 6–12 months and revise it later.

3) Your average revenue per client per month
For example: a fortnightly clean at £60 is roughly £120/month; a weekly clean at £50 is roughly £200/month.

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

Allowable acquisition cost = (Monthly gross profit per client) × (Months retained) × (Target % you’re willing to invest in acquisition)

Many service businesses are comfortable investing 15%–35% of the first year’s gross profit into acquiring a new recurring client, especially if they’re confident in retention. You might prefer 10%–20% if you want to be conservative.

Example (simple numbers):
A regular client pays £160/month on average. Your direct costs are £20/month, leaving £140/month gross profit. If they stay 10 months on average, that’s £1,400 gross profit. If you’re willing to invest 20% of that into acquisition, your allowable acquisition cost is £280.

This doesn’t mean you should always pay £280 to acquire a customer. It means you can pay up to £280 and still be happy. If you’re paying £40–£100 per new regular client, you’re usually in a great place.

What changes your ideal marketing budget in the UK

Two cleaners in two different towns can require very different budgets to achieve the same results. Here are the biggest variables in the UK market:

Local competition and density
In dense areas with lots of cleaners (parts of London, Manchester, Birmingham), you may need stronger marketing to stand out. In less competitive towns, consistent basics can be enough.

Your pricing position
If you price premium, you can afford a higher acquisition cost because margin per client is higher. Premium positioning also benefits more from brand presentation: reviews, photos, website quality, and clear messaging.

Your minimum booking size
If you accept one-off cleans and small jobs, you’ll see more churn and less lifetime value. If you focus on regular clients and minimum durations (for example, 2–3 hours), your marketing becomes more profitable and predictable.

Service mix
Domestic regular cleans behave differently from end of tenancy cleans, deep cleans, or Airbnb changeovers. One-off services often require more leads and more follow-up to maintain revenue.

Your capacity
If you only have one spare slot a week, you don’t need aggressive spending. If you’re hiring or need to fill multiple days, you’ll want to invest more and use faster channels like paid ads or lead platforms.

Reviews and reputation
A cleaner with 80 strong reviews can often spend less on acquisition because conversion is higher. A cleaner with no reviews may need higher spend or more effort on credibility building.

A practical budgeting method: choose a base budget + a growth budget

A helpful way to set marketing spend is to split it into two parts:

Base budget (always on)
This is the minimum you spend every month to keep your pipeline healthy and your presence strong. Even when you’re busy, the base budget keeps you from panicking later.

Growth budget (optional)
This is extra spend you turn on when you want to grow faster—like filling a new day, bringing on a new team member, or targeting a new area.

For many solo domestic cleaners, a reasonable base budget could be the equivalent of 2%–5% of revenue, mostly in time and small expenses. For a cleaner who wants predictable growth, a base of 6%–10% can make sense. The growth budget can be added for short bursts rather than forever.

This approach keeps you stable without making you feel like marketing is an endless drain.

Where your marketing money should go first

Domestic cleaning marketing works best when you build a simple system that converts well. If you spend money without fixing the basics, you’ll pay more for every customer.

Here’s the priority order that usually makes the most sense:

1) Your Google presence and reviews

In the UK, many people search for “cleaner near me,” “domestic cleaner [area],” or “house cleaning [postcode].” Your Google Business Profile and reviews are often the first impression they see.

Focus on:

• Completing your Google Business Profile with accurate services, areas, hours, and photos
• Asking every happy client for a review (make it part of your process)
• Responding to reviews to show professionalism
• Posting occasional updates or photos so your profile doesn’t look abandoned

This costs little, but it can reduce your reliance on paid leads dramatically over time.

2) A simple website or landing page that converts

You don’t need a fancy site with lots of pages. You need a page that answers the questions customers actually have:

• What areas do you cover?
• What services do you provide (regular, deep, end of tenancy)?
• What are typical prices or how do you quote?
• Are you insured?
• Can I trust you—who are you, and do you have reviews?
• How do I book?

Add an obvious contact form and a phone number. Keep it clean and clear. The main job of the site is conversion—not creativity.

3) Local listings and community visibility

Some marketing channels are almost free and still effective:

• Local Facebook groups (follow rules, avoid spammy posts)
• Nextdoor and community noticeboards
• School or nursery newsletters (sometimes a small fee, sometimes free)
• Local partnerships (estate agents, Airbnb hosts, small property managers)

These channels often work best when paired with credibility: photos, reviews, and professional messaging.

4) Paid lead sources and ads (only after your basics are ready)

Paid channels can work quickly, but they can also be expensive if your conversion isn’t good. You’ll get better results if your enquiry handling is strong and you can respond fast.

If you use paid leads or ads, track cost per booked job and cost per new regular client. Don’t just track “leads.” Leads are vanity; bookings are reality.

Marketing channels that work well for UK domestic cleaners

You don’t need all channels. You need one or two that you do consistently, plus a review system that improves conversion over time.

Leaflets and door-to-door drops

Leaflets are still common for domestic cleaning. They can work best when you target the right streets—areas with the demographics that match your service (busy professionals, families, higher household income, limited time).

Leaflets work better when they:

• Look clean and professional (not cluttered)
• Offer a clear service (regular domestic cleaning, deep cleans, end of tenancy)
• Mention your area coverage and trust factors (insured, DBS if relevant, references)
• Include a clear call-to-action (text or WhatsApp preferred by many customers)
• Push prospects to a page with reviews

Many cleaners find leaflets become more effective when repeated regularly. One drop may do little; consistent drops create familiarity.

Facebook and Instagram

Organic social can help, but the goal isn’t to become a content creator. Use social to build trust and stay visible:

• Before/after photos (with permission)
• Short cleaning tips that demonstrate expertise
• Testimonials and reviews
• Stories showing your routine and professionalism

Paid Facebook ads can work in some areas, especially if you offer a specific service and a clear offer, but they’re easier to waste money on. If you run ads, keep them local, simple, and track the outcomes.

Google Ads (search ads)

Google Ads can be powerful because they capture people who are already searching. It can also become pricey in competitive areas. If you use Google Ads, keep your targeting tight and focus on the exact services you want to sell (for example “weekly cleaner [area]” or “end of tenancy cleaning [area]”).

The main risk is paying for clicks that don’t convert. Your landing page and follow-up process matter as much as the ads.

Referral and word-of-mouth

This is often the best “channel” for domestic cleaning, but it’s not automatic. Build it into your business:

• Ask satisfied clients if they know anyone who needs a cleaner
• Offer a small thank you (a discount on a clean, or a small gift card) when they refer someone who books
• Keep service consistent so people feel confident recommending you

Referrals usually convert better and cost less than paid marketing. Even a modest referral system can reduce your marketing spend over time.

Lead platforms

In the UK, there are platforms where people request quotes and cleaners respond. These can generate quick leads, but the quality varies and competition can push prices down. If you use lead platforms, treat them as a short-term booster rather than the foundation of your business.

To make them work:

• Respond fast (speed often wins)
• Use a clear, confident message (not a generic copy-paste)
• Qualify the job (regular vs one-off, access, frequency, expectations)
• Track how many leads become paying clients

It’s normal to test several platforms and keep only the one that produces profitable bookings.

How much should you spend in pounds per month? Realistic examples

Percentages help, but monthly figures feel more tangible. Here are example budgets using typical cleaner revenue levels. These are not promises—just practical illustrations.

Example A: Solo cleaner doing £1,500/month
Maintenance (3%): ~£45/month (mostly on leaflets and a small listing fee)
Growth (8%): ~£120/month (leaflets + small paid leads + occasional boosted post)

Example B: Solo cleaner doing £3,000/month
Maintenance (3%): ~£90/month (leaflets + basic local SEO tools or occasional paid leads)
Growth (8%): ~£240/month (consistent leaflets + paid leads or small Google Ads test)

Example C: Small team doing £8,000/month
Maintenance (4%): ~£320/month (reviews + website upkeep + regular local campaigns)
Growth (12%): ~£960/month (Google Ads + leaflets + partnerships + recruitment marketing)

If these figures feel high, remember that marketing isn’t just “spending money.” It’s buying predictable future revenue. But you should only spend at the level that you can track and manage.

Don’t forget your time: the hidden marketing cost

Domestic cleaners often underestimate the time cost of marketing. Time spent answering messages, sending quotes, posting in groups, and doing viewings is part of your acquisition cost.

That’s why improving your systems can be as valuable as spending more money. If you can reduce the time spent per booking, your marketing becomes more profitable even if you don’t change the budget.

Two levers make a huge difference:

1) Faster response times
Many customers message multiple cleaners and choose whoever responds first with clarity and confidence.

2) Clear pricing structure
If you always need a long back-and-forth to quote, your time cost rises. Having starting prices, minimum hours, and a simple quoting script can reduce wasted conversations.

Tracking marketing properly: the difference between guessing and managing

If you don’t track results, you’ll never know if your marketing spend is sensible. Tracking doesn’t need to be complicated. You simply need to know:

• Where enquiries came from (Google, leaflet, referral, Facebook, platform)
• How many enquiries turned into bookings
• How much you spent to generate those bookings
• Whether bookings became ongoing regular clients

That last point matters. A one-off deep clean might be profitable, but a regular client is usually where domestic cleaning businesses become stable.

How invoice24 helps you market smarter (and look more professional)

Marketing isn’t only about being seen. It’s also about being trusted. When someone is deciding who to let into their home, they’re looking for professionalism, consistency, and signs that you run a real business. Your quoting and invoicing process is part of your marketing—because it shapes how customers feel about you.

That’s where invoice24 fits in perfectly. If you’re using a free invoice app built for service providers, you can make every customer interaction smoother:

• Send professional invoices quickly
When customers receive a clear invoice with your details, it reinforces trust and reduces awkward payment conversations.

• Keep your records organised
Knowing your income by month helps you choose a marketing budget confidently. Many cleaners avoid marketing because they aren’t sure what they can afford. Better records make budgeting less stressful.

• Support repeat clients
Domestic cleaning is repeat-heavy. Having a consistent invoicing routine makes your service feel reliable and helps clients stay with you long-term—improving lifetime value and making marketing more profitable.

• Save time
Time saved on admin can be reinvested into marketing actions that move the needle: asking for reviews, following up leads, or building partnerships.

Even if you use other tools for parts of your business, prioritising invoice24 as your invoicing hub keeps your admin streamlined and your brand presentation consistent. When prospects compare cleaners, small professional signals matter more than most people realise.

How to set your marketing budget step-by-step

If you want a simple plan you can apply today, follow this process:

Step 1: Decide your goal for the next 90 days
Examples: “Add 3 new fortnightly clients,” “Fill Mondays,” “Replace two clients who are moving,” or “Launch in a new postcode.”

Step 2: Estimate your allowable acquisition cost
Use conservative retention assumptions. If you’re unsure, start with 6–10 months of retention for regular clients and adjust later.

Step 3: Choose one main channel and one support channel
Main channel examples: leaflets, Google Ads, lead platform, local partnerships.