Why a cleaning card belongs on the fridge
House cleaning is a recurring service, and the moments clients reach for your number are small and frequent: rescheduling around a holiday, adding an oven clean before guests arrive, asking you to bring a spare key back. A paper card goes into a drawer and disappears. A magnet stays on the refrigerator in plain sight, where the whole household sees it, including the partner who books the next service.
It also works as quiet word of mouth. Visitors notice a magnet on a friend's fridge and ask about it, which is the exact referral conversation you want. That is why magnetic business cards are a favorite for cleaning companies, alongside standard paper cards for everyone else.
What to print on a cleaning card
- Business name and, for owner operators, your first name.
- Core services, such as Recurring home cleaning, deep cleaning, move out cleaning.
- Service area by town names or neighborhoods, not a radius in miles.
- Phone that accepts texts, since most clients prefer to text their cleaner.
- Booking or quote link.
- Hours or days of service if you do not work weekends.
If you also clean offices, short term rentals or post construction sites, choose which audience the card targets. A homeowner reading post construction cleanup may assume you are not the right fit for a small apartment. Many companies print two versions: residential and commercial.
How to phrase insured, bonded and background checked
Trust lines are the most valuable words on a cleaning card, and the most commonly misused. Print each one only if it is true for every job.
| Line | Print it when | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Insured | You carry general liability insurance | Implying coverage you lack |
| Bonded | You hold a janitorial or fidelity bond | Using it as a synonym for insured |
| Background checked team | Every cleaner is screened before starting | Checking only some staff |
| Licensed | A local business license or trade license exists and is current | Suggesting a state trade license that does not exist |
| Eco friendly | Only with a specific, provable detail | Vague green claims |
Most places do not issue a state license for house cleaning, so Licensed can mislead if all you hold is a general business license. Fully insured and bonded is clear and valuable when accurate. Environmental claims deserve the same discipline: the FTC's Green Guides warn against broad claims like eco friendly without qualification, so say something specific instead, such as Fragrance free products on request or We bring our own HEPA vacuums.
Magnetic, paper or door hanger
| Format | Best job | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetic card | Signed clients, on the fridge | Years |
| Paper card | Networking, realtors, first quotes | Weeks to months |
| Door hanger | Neighborhood prospecting | A few days |
Paper cards remain the workhorse for prospects because they are cheaper per piece and easy to carry. Use a standard or matte card for those. When you win a new recurring client, leave a magnet on the counter after the first clean. For neighborhoods where you already clean one home, a door hanger on the surrounding houses says your team is already on the street, which lowers the barrier for neighbors.
A back that sells add ons and schedules
The back of a cleaning card can do two jobs at once. For magnets, print a schedule panel: Your cleaning day, with a line to write Every other Thursday. Clients glance at it and stop texting to ask when you are coming.
For paper cards, list add ons with small check boxes: inside oven, inside fridge, interior windows, baseboards, laundry folding. A client can tick what they want and hand the card back, or photograph it and text it. Add a referral line such as Refer a neighbor, you both get your next kitchen detail free, with a name line so you know who to thank.
When and where to hand them out
The best moments come right after good work. Leave a magnet and a handwritten note on the counter after the first clean. Hand a stack of paper cards to realtors and property managers, who need move out and move in cleaning on short notice and love a reliable number. Short term rental hosts are another steady source, since turnovers repeat all year. Give each partner at least 25 cards and check back monthly. Our guide to how many business cards to order helps size those partner stacks.
Wording example for a cleaning card
- Fresh Nest Home Cleaning
- Recurring, deep and move out cleaning
- Serving Oviedo, Winter Springs and Lake Mary
- Fully insured and bonded, background checked team
- Text or call 407.555.0181
- Book online at freshnestclean.com
- Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
Magnet back: Your cleaning day, with a line to write the day and frequency, and Need to reschedule? Text us 48 hours ahead.
Get the free Business Card Launch Kit
The Business Card Launch Kit contains a printable 3.5 × 2 in spec sheet with bleed and safe area, a wording worksheet for your trust lines and service area, a proof checklist and a quantity planner for magnets and paper cards.
Cleaning card checklist
- Name your service area by town or neighborhood.
- Print insured, bonded and background checked only if true for every job.
- Replace vague green claims with a specific, provable detail.
- Use magnets for signed clients and paper cards for prospects.
- Add a schedule panel to the magnet back.
- List add ons with check boxes on the paper card back.
- Give realtors and property managers a stack of 25 or more.
Frequently asked questions
What should I put on a cleaning business card?
Business name, services, service area, a text friendly phone number, booking link and any trust lines you can back up, such as insured and bonded.
Should cleaning companies say they are licensed?
Only if a specific license applies. Most places do not license house cleaning at the state level, so insured and bonded are usually the more accurate trust lines.
Are magnetic business cards worth it for cleaners?
For recurring clients, yes. A magnet stays on the fridge where the household sees it every day, which helps retention and referrals.
Can I say my cleaning service is eco friendly?
The FTC Green Guides caution against broad environmental claims. Use a specific statement you can prove, like fragrance free products on request.
Sources & specification notes
The references below support the relevant technical or product details in this guide. Examples and checklists are not claims of practical testing or universal supplier requirements. Confirm the current specifications for your chosen product before production.
- Federal Trade Commission: Green Guides ↗
FTC guidance on qualifying and substantiating environmental marketing claims.
