What Does It Really Cost to Run Google Ads for a Cleaning Company?
By KATIE THOMPSON
Senior Impact Specialist, Five Door Media
If you’re running a cleaning company - whether you offer house cleaning, commercial janitorial services, power washing, or window cleaning - you’ve probably asked this at some point:
“What does it really cost to run Google Ads?”
And like most things in marketing, the honest answer is: it depends. Some folks say you can run ads with just a few hundred bucks. Others say you’ll need thousands to see real results. So what’s the truth?
In this blog, we’ll break down the actual components of running Google Ads as a cleaning company so you can make informed decisions, set a realistic budget, and avoid surprises.
There’s More Than One “Cost” to Google Ads
When people ask what Google Ads cost, they’re usually thinking of ad spend alone. But that’s just one part of the picture.
There are really three cost layers to consider:
Ad Spend: What you pay Google each time someone clicks your ad
Management Costs: Either your own time (if you DIY) or what you pay a freelancer or agency
Creative & Setup Costs: The work involved in writing ads, building landing pages, and setting things up correctly.
Let’s break down each one.
1. Ad Spend (Your Budget with Google)
Google Ads runs on a pay-per-click (PPC) model. You choose your budget, and you're charged when someone clicks your ad.
What Affects Cost Per Click (CPC):
Location: Big cities like Dallas or Chicago are more competitive than small towns. Higher competition = higher CPC.
Service Type: “Maid service” or “house cleaning” usually costs more than niche services like “gutter cleaning” or “solar panel washing.”
Ad Quality: Well-written, relevant ads can actually cost less, because Google rewards quality with lower rates.
Seasonality: Costs tend to rise in spring/summer (for exterior cleaning) and fall (for pre-holiday cleanups).
Typical CPC Ranges for Cleaning Services:
Residential house cleaning: $2–$6 per click in smaller markets, $8–$12+ in competitive metro areas
Specialty services (carpet cleaning, power washing, window cleaning): $3–$7 per click
Commercial cleaning leads: $8–$20+ per click because the contracts are larger
Example:
Let’s say your average cost per click is $6, and you want around 250 clicks per month. That’s $1,500 in ad spend. Not all clicks become leads, and not all leads become customers, but this gives you a ballpark for planning.
2. Management Costs (DIY vs. Hiring Help)
This is the part many business owners overlook. You can run ads yourself. Or you can hire someone to manage them. Either way, there’s a cost.
Option A: DIY (Do-It-Yourself)
At first glance, DIY looks cheaper. But your time isn’t free. Running Google Ads means you’re spending hours on:
Keyword research
Writing ad copy
Creating landing pages
Adjusting bids
Tracking conversions
Reviewing performance
This can easily take 5–10 hours per week - time you’re not spending managing crews, quoting jobs, or serving customers.
Option B: Hiring a Pro
Hiring an agency or freelancer adds a management fee, usually between $500–$2,000/month, depending on your market and the complexity of your campaign.
What you’re paying for:
Experience with service-based campaigns
Constant optimization (so you waste less money)
Regular reporting
Faster reaction to what’s working and what’s not
Key takeaway: DIY saves money up front, but pros often get better results, faster and waste fewer ad dollars in the long run.
3. Creative and Setup Costs
This includes things like landing pages, visuals, and ad copy. It's often a one-time investment, but it makes a big difference.
Landing Pages: Sending ad traffic to a well-designed landing page (instead of your homepage) usually increases conversions. These might cost a few hundred dollars to build, depending on your web setup.
Ad Copy & Visuals: Most Google Ads are text-based, but if you run Display or Performance Max campaigns, you may need images or short videos.
Bottom line: Good creative improves performance and helps you get more leads without increasing your budget.
“Hidden” Costs You Might Not See Coming
Even with all the basics covered, there are a few other things to keep in mind:
Learning curve: DIY campaigns often involve trial and error, and every mistake costs money.
Click fraud: Sometimes bots or competitors click your ads. Google catches most of it, but not all.
Call tracking or CRM setup: You may need tools to accurately track which ads are driving real leads (especially phone calls).
Putting It All Together: Example Scenarios
Small Market, DIY
Ad Spend: $1,000/month
Management: $0 (your time)
Creative: $300 landing page
Total: ~$1,300 to start, ~$1,000/month ongoing (+ your time)
Mid-Sized Market, Agency Managed
Ad Spend: $1,500–$2,500/month
Agency Fee: $750–$2,000/month
Creative: $500–$1,500
Total: ~$2,750–$6,000 to start, ~$2,250–$4,500/month ongoing
Large Market or Commercial Focus
Ad Spend: $5,000–$10,000/month
Agency Fee: $1,500–$5,000/month
Creative: $2,000+
Total: $8,500–$17,000+ to start, similar ongoing
How to Decide What You Should Spend
Before setting a budget, ask yourself:
What’s a customer worth to me?
Example: A recurring house cleaning client at $200/month for 12 months = $2,400.How many leads do I need to get one customer?
If 1 in 5 leads converts, you need 5 leads per customer.What’s my cost per lead?
If you spend $500 to get 10 leads, that’s $50 per lead.
Now compare that to customer value. If you’re spending $50 to get a $2,400 customer, that’s a win.
Final Thought
So, what does it cost to run Google Ads for a cleaning business?
It varies based on your market, your goals, and how you run the campaigns. But once you understand the moving parts, it’s much easier to budget with confidence.
Google Ads isn’t a magic button. But when done right, it can be one of the most predictable and scalable ways to grow your cleaning business.
