Cleaning Invoice Template

What is a cleaning invoice used for? 

A cleaning invoice is used by a cleaner to collect payment for all services rendered. Without an invoice, there will be no payment.

There’s more to it than that, though. A good invoice will also itemize all of the services and provide some clarity for the client, who may not otherwise know what they are paying for. The clearer the invoice is, the less likely it is to trigger an onslaught of questions from the client. The last thing you want as a cleaner is to have your work time disrupted by client emails and phone calls relating to a job that was completed and should have been paid.

The way that a cleaner invoice is used will ultimately depend on the client and the type of invoice, for example:

• The Client is an Individual: When you’re cleaning for a homeowner or a small business owner, they probably have a good idea of what work you completed and how efficient you were. They will typically be more responsive and easier to work with, but you may need to provide them with a wider range of payment options.
• The Client is a Company: If the client is a business, invoices will probably be paid at the end of the month and must follow guidelines set by their finance department. Typically, it will be paid by bank transfer and must include a detailed list of the services, charges, and expenses.
• The Service is Recurring: A recurring invoice is one that repeats. These invoices are common in this industry as cleaners often provide their services every day or week before billing at the end of the month. A recurring invoice should be just as clear and detailed, but it is usually triggered and paid automatically.

If you’re a cleaner, stop neglecting those invoices as a good cleaner invoice will make your life much easier.

You can bill your clients by sending them an invoice. There are a few things to get right with your billing. Here’s a short list:

• You can bill by the hour, milestone, or project. 
• Hourly billing is really common and you can use Indy’s Time Tracker to track your hours easily. You can even add your time tracks to your invoices as line items.
• Milestone billing is useful for larger projects that will take place over several weeks or months. Set some milestones, such as the delivery of first stages, and send an invoice when those milestones happen. 
• Billing by the project is very common for freelancers. Once the client approves the final proof, send them the bill.
• Many freelancers take a deposit at the beginning of the project. This protects you from shady clients and sets you up for cash flow success. Deposits up to 50% are normal.
• You should set out your billing and payment terms in your contract. If you don’t have a contract, use Indy’s Contracts tool to create one before you start work.
• Once you finish the work or pass the milestone, send the client an invoice. If you don’t have an invoice, you can use Indy’s invoice generator to create a professional invoice in just a few moments.

That’s it! Those are the basics of how to bill someone for your work. 

Short answer: 

Most freelancers work 36 hours per week and charge $21 per hour according to a survey by Payoneer. Experience level is the most important factor in determining the best hourly rate to charge. New freelancers usually charge a lower amount, while experienced experts charge two to three times the average rate for their industry.

Knowing how much to charge for your work is a complicated area. We want to help freelancers, so we’re going to give you some general tips here about settling on the best amount to charge clients for your services.

Let’s think about this from a few different perspectives:

First, how much do you want/need to earn? You should create your rates to reflect what you need to earn. Keep in mind that you won’t get paid for some of the things you must do, such as preparing your taxes, looking for more customers, and weekly admin work. So, your hourly or project rate needs to be a little higher to make up for the unpaid work that is part of every freelancer’s life.

Second, how much do others charge for similar services at your level of expertise and experience? This question can be a little difficult to answer, but you can just ask. Join a Facebook group and ask. Call a local competitor and ask. Once you know what they charge, you can go under that if you’re new to the market or over it if you’re the boss.

Another massive item you should plan for is taxes. You’ll be paying your own taxes as a freelancer, so your rates should incorporate the taxes you’ll eventually have to pay. The average tax amount paid by Americans, for all taxes, is about 29%. This means you’ll end up paying $3 in taxes out of every $10 you earn. Price your work to pay your taxes and be left with the income you want.

Your best rates will be different, because everyone’s market is different. What works on the East Coast might not be successful in Nevada. Try a few different price points until you find the rate clients accept and you can live on.

This part is simple! Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting your invoice done:

1. Open one of Indy’s Freelance Invoice Templates.
2. Add your business branding and information.
3. Insert your client’s contact information.
4. Number your invoice in a useful way.
5. Fill in the lines with your work completed and the cost per task/hour.
6. Check the invoice total and details.

Once you’ve finished these six steps, you are ready to send your invoice to your client. Save it in your Indy workspace or download it as a PDF. Then, email it to your client so they can pay you.