Cleaning Services
Recurring contracts, crew payroll, and 1099 contractor filings handled properly so you can focus on growing the business.
Built From the Ground Up
A lot of cleaning businesses in the Bronx and across the outer boroughs started the same way. One person, a few supplies, and word of mouth. You cleaned offices at night, picked up residential clients on the weekends, and gradually brought people on to help. Now you have crews, recurring commercial contracts, maybe a van or two. The business grew because you showed up and delivered every single time.
But the financial side didn’t grow with the same kind of plan. Revenue comes in from monthly contracts, one-time deep cleans, and the occasional cash job. You’re paying crews weekly, restocking supplies, and trying to figure out which workers need to be on payroll and which ones get a 1099 at the end of the year. The bookkeeping gets pushed to Sunday night or doesn’t happen at all. That works for a while, until tax season hits or a property manager asks to see your financials before signing a bigger contract.
Who We Work With
Who We Work With
Commercial janitorial companies, residential cleaning services, pressure washing operators, and window cleaning businesses. Solo operators with a handful of accounts and growing companies running multiple crews across the five boroughs and Westchester County.
Why It Gets Messy
Why It Gets Messy
Multiple revenue streams from recurring contracts and one-off jobs. Crews with different pay rates and hours that change week to week. Subcontractors who need 1099s at year end. Supplies purchased in bulk. Cash payments mixed in with direct deposits from commercial clients. All of this needs to be tracked and most cleaning business owners simply don’t have the time.
Payroll, Contractors, and Your Books
Cleaning businesses depend on people. Some are W-2 employees on your payroll. Others are independent contractors you bring in for overflow work or specialized jobs like pressure washing. New York State takes worker classification seriously, and the distinction matters more than most owners realize. We handle payroll for your crews, making sure tax deposits go in on time and quarterly filings get submitted. For your independent contractors, we prepare and file 1099s at year end so nothing gets missed.
On the revenue side, recurring contracts need to be tracked by client so you know who is paying on time and who is falling behind. Commercial clients on net-30 terms create a gap between the work getting done and the money showing up. We manage your accounts receivable and close your books every month so you always have a clear picture of where the business stands financially, not just what the bank account says today.
Crew Payroll
Crew Payroll
Weekly or biweekly payroll for cleaning crews with varying hours and pay rates. Tax withholding, deposits, and quarterly filings all handled. Year-end W-2s prepared and distributed. If you are running payroll by hand or using a system you don’t fully understand, we can set you up on the right platform or take it over entirely.
Contract and Client Tracking
Contract and Client Tracking
Revenue tracked by client and contract type so you can see which accounts bring in consistent income. Accounts receivable monitored for commercial clients with payment terms. Monthly financial statements that show real performance instead of a bank balance that swings up and down with every payroll cycle.
Where Things Go Wrong
The single biggest risk for cleaning companies in New York is worker misclassification. Calling someone a 1099 contractor when they function as an employee opens you up to back taxes, penalties, and interest from both the IRS and the state. The New York Department of Labor has been actively targeting this in the cleaning industry. If you control when and where someone works, provide the supplies, and they only clean for you, that person is likely an employee in the eyes of the state. Getting this wrong is expensive and the penalties go back years.
The other problem is not knowing which contracts actually make you money. A $3,000 monthly janitorial contract sounds solid until you account for crew hours, travel between sites, supplies, and the insurance you carry on that job. Without tracking costs at the job level, you can’t tell the difference between a contract that earns you a healthy margin and one you are barely breaking even on. Owners who don’t have this visibility tend to chase more volume thinking it will solve the problem, when the real issue is pricing.
Misclassification Penalties
Misclassification Penalties
New York has some of the strictest worker classification rules in the country. If a contractor gets reclassified as an employee after the fact, you owe back payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and potentially workers compensation premiums on top of penalties. We help you understand the distinction and make sure your payroll and contractor setup reflects how your workers actually operate.
Invisible Margins
Invisible Margins
You know what the contract pays. But do you know what it costs after labor, supplies, travel, and insurance? Without tracking expenses at the job level, profitable contracts end up subsidizing unprofitable ones and you cannot tell which is which. That makes it impossible to price new work accurately or decide which accounts are worth keeping.
What Gets Better
Your books are current every month. You can see revenue by client, expenses by category, and actual profit instead of just the bank balance. Payroll runs on schedule without you chasing down hours at the last minute or worrying about missed tax deposits. Your 1099s get filed correctly at year end. When tax season arrives, everything is already organized and ready to hand off.
More importantly, you have numbers you can actually use. You know which contracts are worth keeping and which ones need to be repriced. When a property manager asks for a bid on a new building, you can price it based on real cost data instead of guessing. If you want to add another crew or expand into a new service area, the financials show whether the business can support it. The books stop being something you avoid and become something that helps you make better decisions.
Clean Compliance
Clean Compliance
Payroll taxes deposited on time. Quarterly filings submitted. 1099s prepared and filed at year end. Worker classification documented and defensible. You are not looking over your shoulder wondering if something got missed. The compliance side of running a business with employees and contractors is fully handled.
Growth With Confidence
Growth With Confidence
Bidding on a larger commercial contract or adding a crew requires knowing your numbers. With monthly financials that reflect actual costs and margins, you can make those decisions based on data. Whether you are looking to expand across the Bronx, take on work in Manhattan, or add pressure washing to your services, the books give you the foundation to grow without guessing.
Your NYC Small Business Bookkeeper
The Next Step:
A Short Conversation
Tell us about your business and what you need help with. We'll ask a few questions, walk you through how we work, and give you an exact quote.
