To run Google Ads for a house cleaning business, set up call and form tracking first, then build a Search campaign with separate ad groups for each service (recurring house cleaning, deep cleaning, move-in/move-out), target only your service area, block job-seeker searches with negative keywords, and send each ad to a landing page about that exact service. Once that’s producing leads at a cost you can afford, add Local Services Ads and, later, Performance Max.
Below is each step in detail: the same approach we use when we build Google Ads for cleaning companies at Altura.
Step 1: Know what a cleaning client is worth
Before you spend a dollar, work out what you can afford to pay for a lead. House cleaning is different from most trades: a single client can be worth far more than their first clean if they become recurring.
Example (not a quote)Say a recurring client pays $180 every two weeks and stays for a year. That’s about $4,700 in revenue. Even a one-time deep clean that turns into recurring service makes a $60–$100 lead look very different than it does on a single job.
Use your own numbers: average job value, how many first-time clients go recurring, and your margin. That gives you a target cost per lead to manage toward. For typical costs, see how much Google Ads costs for a cleaning company.
Step 2: Set up tracking before you launch
Without tracking, Google can’t learn which clicks become clients, and you can’t tell which keywords are worth paying for. At minimum, track:
- Calls from your ads
- Calls from your website (with a tracking number)
- Quote and booking form submissions
Don’t count page views or button clicks as conversions. Our guide on setting up Google Ads conversion tracking covers the details.
Step 3: Structure the campaign by service
Different cleaning jobs attract different customers, prices and intent. Give each one its own ad group, or its own campaign if you want separate budgets:
| Ad group | Example keywords | Landing page |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring house cleaning | house cleaning service, maid service, weekly house cleaning, biweekly cleaning service | Recurring cleaning page |
| Deep cleaning | deep cleaning service, deep house cleaning, one time deep clean | Deep cleaning page |
| Move-in / move-out | move out cleaning, move in cleaning service, end of lease cleaning | Move-out cleaning page |
| Commercial (optional, separate campaign) | office cleaning service, commercial cleaning company | Commercial cleaning page |
Keep commercial cleaning in its own campaign. The searches, decision-makers and job sizes are different enough that mixing them with residential muddies your data.
Step 4: Choose keywords with buying intent
Focus on searches from people ready to hire, not people researching. Good house cleaning keywords usually include:
- A service: house cleaning, maid service, deep cleaning, move out cleaning
- A location or “near me”: house cleaning Kirkland, maid service near me
- Hiring words: service, company, cost, prices, book
Start with phrase and exact match so you control which searches you pay for. Broad match can work later, once conversion tracking is solid and you’re reviewing search terms regularly. For a deeper dive, see how to find high-intent keywords for Google Ads.
Step 5: Block job seekers and DIY searches
This is where house cleaning accounts waste the most money. A large share of cleaning searches come from people looking for cleaning jobs, not cleaners. Add these as negative keywords from day one:
- Jobs: jobs, hiring, careers, employment, salary, pay, apply, indeed, part time
- DIY: how to, tips, checklist, hacks, DIY
- Products: supplies, products, spray, vacuum, Amazon
- Business research: start a cleaning business, franchise, license, insurance for cleaners, software
- Free: free, volunteer, cheap (optional, depending on your positioning)
Then check your search terms report every week and keep adding to the list.
Step 6: Write ads that answer a homeowner’s worries
People hiring a house cleaner are letting a stranger into their home. Your ads should address that directly, using only claims that are true for your business:
- Trust: background-checked staff, insured, years in business, review rating
- Convenience: online booking, flexible scheduling, same-week availability
- Pricing clarity: flat-rate quotes, no contracts
- Location: name the city in the headline
Add call assets, location assets, sitelinks to each service page, and callouts. Run ads with call buttons during hours you can actually answer.
Step 7: Send clicks to service-specific landing pages
A click on “move out cleaning” should land on a move-out cleaning page, not your home page. A good cleaning landing page has:
- A headline that matches the search and names your city
- A click-to-call number and a short quote form above the fold
- Reviews, photos of real homes you’ve cleaned, and what’s included
- A clear checklist of what the service covers
Here’s our full guide on how to build a landing page for Google Ads.
Step 8: Target your service area tightly
Choose the cities or ZIP codes you actually serve and set location targeting to people in those areas. If certain neighborhoods produce your best recurring clients, increase bids there. Exclude areas that are too far to be profitable.
Step 9: Set a budget and bidding strategy
Start with a daily budget that gets enough clicks to learn within a few weeks. Across all industries, WordStream’s 2026 benchmarks put the average at $5.42 per click; your city and services will move that number. Many new accounts start with a click-focused or manual strategy, then switch to conversion-based bidding once tracked leads are coming in steadily.
Step 10: Add Local Services Ads and Performance Max
Once Search is working:
- Local Services Ads appear above regular ads and charge per lead rather than per click. House cleaning is one of the categories Google supports. See Local Services Ads for cleaning companies.
- Performance Max can extend reach across Maps, YouTube and more, but only with clean tracking and strong negatives. See Performance Max for cleaning companies.
- Meta ads work well for before-and-after visuals and retargeting. See Meta ads for cleaning companies.
Common house cleaning Google Ads mistakes
- No negative keywords, so budget goes to job seekers
- Every service in one ad group pointing to the home page
- Counting page views as conversions
- Targeting a whole metro area when you only serve part of it
- Missed calls during business hours
- Judging cost per lead without considering recurring value
Frequently asked questions
Do Google Ads work for house cleaning businesses?
Yes, when the account is built around buying-intent keywords, strong negatives and service-specific landing pages. Because cleaning clients can become recurring, the value of each new client is often higher than it first looks.
How much should a cleaning company spend on Google Ads?
Work backward from what a client is worth and what you can afford per lead, then set a daily budget large enough to get meaningful data within a few weeks.
Should I hire an agency for house cleaning Google Ads?
If you don’t have time to review search terms weekly and adjust bids, budgets and ads, an agency that knows cleaning companies can save you a lot of wasted spend. Ask whether they’ve managed Google Ads for cleaning services before and how they block job-seeker traffic.
Should I run Google Ads or Local Services Ads?
Many cleaning companies run both. Local Services Ads show at the very top and charge per lead; Google Ads gives you more control over keywords, ads and landing pages.
Want Altura to run your cleaning company’s Google Ads?
Altura provides Google Ads management for cleaning companies across Washington, Arizona, Florida and California, including Search, Local Services Ads, Performance Max and landing pages. Send us a message or call 253-579-3230.
Cole Mello is the founder of Altura Marketing Group. He studied marketing at Washington State University and manages Google Ads, Local Services Ads and Meta campaigns for local service businesses. About Altura