What should a cleaning invoice include?
Your business name and phone number, the client's name and service address, a unique invoice number, the service date (not just the invoice date), and one line per item: the base clean with home size or scope ("3 bed / 2 bath, deep clean"), each add-on such as inside oven, fridge, windows or laundry, and any supplies or trip charge. Then the subtotal, sales tax if your state taxes cleaning, the total due, how to pay, and when the next visit is.
Line items cleaners actually bill
- The base clean, with scope: home size and type of clean in one line, e.g. "Deep clean, first visit: 3 bed / 2 bath" or "Move-out clean, 2 bed apartment". Clients compare quotes by home size, so put it on the invoice.
- Add-ons with a quantity: inside oven, inside fridge, interior windows per window, cabinets, laundry per load, baseboards. A count in the Qty column ends "what was the extra $95 for?" emails.
- Hourly jobs: for clutter or post-construction cleans billed by time, put crew hours in Qty and the hourly rate in Unit price ("2 cleaners × 3 h" = Qty 6).
- Trip charge or supplies, if you charge them, on their own line.
- Service date and next visit in the notes, so the invoice doubles as a visit record.
Sales tax on cleaning: two states, two answers
Texas. The Comptroller says maid, janitorial and custodial services should collect state and local sales tax, and that tax is due "on the charge to clean a home, office, warehouse, garage, restaurant, or any other building". There is no tax on a self-employed person who provides traditional housekeeping as an employee of the household rather than as a subcontractor for a maid service (Texas Comptroller publication 94-111, Cleaning and Janitorial Services). The example above is a cleaning company with a two-person crew, so it charges tax. Texas state tax is 6.25% and local jurisdictions can add up to 2%, for a maximum combined rate of 8.25% (Texas Sales and Use Tax). Austin is at that 8.25%: 1% city plus 1% Austin MTA (Comptroller city rate table). Look up your own address with the Comptroller’s rate locator before you fill in the Tax % field.
New York. Sales tax applies to interior cleaning and maintenance services performed anywhere in the state, on short-term or long-term contracts. That includes dusting, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, waxing floors and cleaning appliances (TSB-M-91(4)S). The rule is old, but the Department still cites it, for example in the 2024 advisory opinion TSB-A-24(49)S.
Other states set their own rules, and many do not tax residential cleaning. This is a summary of the published guidance, not tax advice, so confirm with your state or your accountant.
FAQ
How do I write an invoice for house cleaning?
Put the service address and date at the top, then write the base clean as one line that names the home size and the type of clean (standard, deep, move-out). Bill each add-on on its own line with a quantity, for example interior windows Qty 10 at $9.50, so the client can see exactly what the extra cost is for. Add tax if it applies, set a due date ("due on receipt" is common for residential cleans), and list the payment methods you accept. In InvoiceSnap the totals and tax calculate as you type, and the free preview PDF shows you the finished layout.
Do house cleaners charge sales tax?
It depends on the state, and sometimes on how the business is set up. Texas taxes the charge to clean a home, office or any other building when it is sold by a maid, janitorial or custodial service. The exception is a self-employed person doing traditional housekeeping as an employee of the household, not as a subcontractor for a maid service (Texas Comptroller publication 94-111). New York taxes interior cleaning and maintenance services statewide (TSB-M-91(4)S). Many other states do not tax residential cleaning at all, so check your own state's revenue department before you fill in the Tax % field.
How do I invoice recurring weekly or biweekly cleanings?
Either send one invoice per visit, which is simplest for clients who pay on the day, or send one invoice a month with one line per visit date ("Standard clean, Oct 6", "Standard clean, Oct 20"). Keep the quoted recurring price in the notes so the client sees the rate before the next visit.
How is a janitorial or commercial cleaning invoice different?
Commercial clients usually pay a monthly contract price, so bill the month as one line ("Nightly janitorial, 5 nights/week, October") and put extra work such as floor stripping and waxing or carpet extraction on separate lines. Add the client's PO number to the notes if they use one, use Net 15 or Net 30 terms, and check your state's rule: in Texas, janitorial service on any building is taxable.
Can I use this for a UK or Australian cleaning business?
Yes. Switch the currency to GBP or AUD and rename the tax line to VAT or GST with your rate, or set it to 0 if you are not registered. The layout and line items work the same way.
Is InvoiceSnap free?
Yes. You can fill in the invoice and download a watermarked preview PDF free with no signup. A clean PDF is $4 one-time for 7 days of unlimited invoices (USDC; card coming soon).
Is my data uploaded?
No. The PDF is generated in your browser; your client and pricing details are not sent to a server.
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