Residential and commercial cleaning: pay, clients and how to start

By Sandrine Côté · Published October 29, 2026 · 8 min read

It is 5:45 p.m., the offices are emptying out, and you are rolling in with your cart. Or it is Tuesday morning, and a client has left you the key with a little note: "The oven, if you have time!" Cleaning is two worlds that look alike but do not pay the same. Here are the real numbers, the safety rules and the steps to land one of the many cleaning jobs out there or build your own client base.

Residential or commercial: two trades under one apron

Residential means houses, condos and apartments. You work solo or in pairs, during the day, often for the same clients every week or every two weeks. The tasks: dusting, washing floors, disinfecting the bathroom and kitchen, sometimes changing the sheets. Add the big jobs: deep cleaning, end of lease, post-renovation. Here, everything rests on trust: you have the key, the alarm code and sometimes the cat.

Commercial means offices, stores, clinics, schools and the common areas of buildings. You often work in a team, in the evening or overnight, with equipment: floor scrubber, carpet extractor, floor stripping and waxing. The schedule is steadier, the pace tighter.

Which one is for you? Check what sounds like you:

You like variety and dealing with clients → residential.
You prefer evening work, in a team, with a fixed schedule → commercial.
You want to set your own prices and choose your clients → residential, self-employed.

Do it now: write down your real availability (days, evenings, weekends) on a piece of paper. It is the first filter. Then take a look at the residential cleaning and commercial cleaning and janitorial pages.

What it really pays

The floor is the minimum wage: $16.60 an hour since May 1, 2026, according to the CNESST. In practice, most jobs pay more, and it varies by region.

The Government of Canada's Job Bank publishes hourly wages for housekeeping attendants (NOC 65310), based on Statistics Canada data (2023-2024):

Region	Low	Median	High
Québec (province)	$16.60	$20.47	$25.00
Montréal	$16.60	$20.00	$25.00
Laval	$17.50	$20.93	$23.53
Laurentides	$17.00	$19.97	$22.73
Montérégie	$17.00	$20.50	$23.52
Capitale-Nationale	$18.00	$21.00	$25.57

The "median" is the middle: half of people earn less, the other half more. The top often goes to experience and team leads.

In commercial cleaning, a decree can guarantee you more

In the Montréal region, the Decree respecting building service employees in the Montréal region sets a higher minimum wage for cleaning done for others in "public buildings." The term is broad: offices, stores, restaurants, schools, apartment buildings.

Class	Work	Since March 4, 2026	From November 1, 2026
A	Heavy work: walls, ceilings, windows, floor stripping and treatment, carpets	$23.25	$23.83
B	Light work: dusting, offices, sweeping, light washroom cleaning	$23.25	$23.83
C	Washing windows and surfaces at heights (scaffolding, bosun's chair, safety belt)	$23.90	$24.49

It notably excludes hotel rooms and a craftsperson working alone on their own account. In the Québec City region, a similar decree sets $21.57 to $22.23 an hour depending on the category (rates as of November 1, 2025, text current to July 1, 2026).

Do it now: offered a commercial job in these regions? Compare the rate with the decree. If in doubt, the parity committee in charge of the decree can answer you.

Products and safety: your body is your tool

Rule number one, as the Government of Canada reminds everyone: never mix bleach with another cleaning product, especially ones that contain ammonia or acid (glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, vinegar). The mix gives off a toxic gas. Read the label, follow the directions and ventilate during and after.

At a company, your employer must train you and inform you about the labels and safety data sheets (SDS) of hazardous products: that is WHMIS, overseen in Québec by the CNESST. Nobody has shown you the sheets? Ask to see them.

Your back, knees and wrists work hard. Do and don't:

Do: use a telescopic mop and duster so you don't have to climb.
Do: wear knee pads for floors and lower cabinets.
Don't: carry a full bucket at arm's length; fill it halfway.
Don't: stand on a chair to clean light fixtures; use a stable stepladder.

If a private individual hires you directly: according to the CNESST, they must register, and you are covered in case of a work accident, once you work at least 420 hours over 12 months or 30 hours a week for 7 consecutive weeks. Self-employed? The CNESST offers optional personal coverage instead.

Do it now: go through your product kit and store the bleach separately. It takes two minutes.

Employee: landing a job without a résumé

Cleaning companies mainly want clear availability and reliability. On GPP Emploi, your profile takes about 3 minutes, with no résumé, in 8 steps you can fill in any order. It is free for workers, always.

Your name and cell number stay encrypted and hidden. The employer sees an anonymous profile (trades, region, availability, cards) and has to invite you; you accept or decline. You can also apply to job postings with a short note: the employer has 14 days to respond, otherwise the application closes on its own.

Three settings that change everything:

Check several related trades (residential cleaning, commercial cleaning, window washing) to widen your matches.
Be precise about your evenings and weekends.
Turn on text alerts for matches of 85% and up. Never a text at night.

Do it now: create your profile, then tap "Available now" on your dashboard: you move to the top of employers' lists for 48 hours.

Self-employed: finding your first clients

One or two clients, then word of mouth. Treat your business like a real business, because it is one. The basic steps (registration, income tax, insurance) are explained in Becoming self-employed in Quebec: the steps from A to Z.

Before your first visit:

Your territory: pick a tight radius. Thirty minutes of driving between two clients is time nobody pays you for.
Your offer: by the hour or flat rate (e.g., "two-bedroom condo, every two weeks"). A flat rate reassures; an hourly rate protects you from surprises.
Your price: it covers products, travel, quotes and slow days, not just your hours on site.
Taxes: according to the Canada Revenue Agency, you must register for the GST once your taxable sales exceed $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive calendar quarters. For the QST and your specific case, check with Revenu Québec.
Your written task list: what is included and what is not (inside the oven, outside windows, laundry).

Where are the clients? Seniors who want to stay in their homes are a big share. Good to know for them: according to Revenu Québec, housekeeping of living areas is one of the eligible services for the tax credit for home-support services for seniors aged 70 or older (the cost of cleaning products is not included). Also think of busy families and small rental buildings.

On GPP Emploi, turn on "Contracts on my own account" in your profile. You answer quote requests with your price, sign the contract on the platform and deliver in stages; after each stage is delivered, the client has 72 hours to accept or dispute it. Protected payment is not offered yet: the client pays you directly according to the signed schedule. You can also open a public showcase (photos, reviews) and get clients through GPP Central, same account. Details on the self-employed workers page.

Do it now: take a photo of your best before-and-after, with the client's permission. It will be the first picture in your showcase.

Keeping clients: the one who comes back is your real pay

Keeping a client comes down to details. A residential client compares your consistency more than your price: same day, same time, same quality.

Keep a sheet for each home: rooms, products to avoid (a marble counter does not like vinegar), alarm code, the dog's name.
Leave a note when you notice something: a dripping faucet, a smoke detector that beeps.
If you break something, say so the same day. Honesty keeps more clients than any discount.
Announce price increases in advance, in writing.
Offer extras at the right time: the pre-holiday cleaning, the big spring cleaning.

In commercial cleaning, loyalty goes through the building manager: short reports, complaints handled quickly, no surprises. A log of your visits protects you the day someone swears "nobody came." And remember: nobody ever lost a client because the towels were folded too well.

Do it now: write your first client sheet tonight, while the details are fresh.

The bottom line

Employee or self-employed, start with clear availability and a realistic territory: the rest follows. And if you are looking for a second income this winter, read Snow removal worker in Quebec: pay, hours, licences and how to get hired.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a house cleaner make in Quebec?

According to Job Bank, the median hourly wage for housekeeping attendants in Québec is $20.47, with a range of $16.60 to $25.00 (2023-2024 data). In public buildings in the Montréal region, a decree sets a minimum of $23.25, rising to $23.83 on November 1, 2026.

Do you need training to work in cleaning?

In general, no competency card is required to do residential cleaning. At a company, you must be trained and informed about hazardous products (WHMIS) and their safety data sheets.

Do I have to charge sales tax if I clean houses on my own?

For the GST, the Canada Revenue Agency sets the small supplier threshold at $30,000 in taxable sales, in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive calendar quarters. Above that, registration is mandatory; below it, it is voluntary. For the QST and your specific situation, check with Revenu Québec.

Does someone who hires me to clean their home have to register me with the CNESST?

According to the CNESST, the individual must register when their domestic worker works at least 420 hours over 12 months or 30 hours a week for 7 consecutive weeks. The worker is then covered in case of a work accident. A self-employed worker is not covered this way, but can apply for optional personal coverage.

How do I find cleaning clients?

Start within a tight radius around your home and target specific groups: seniors, busy families, small rental buildings, post-renovation jobs. On GPP Emploi, you can answer quote requests and open a public showcase with photos and reviews.