Introduction

The UK cleaning industry is enormous and makes an important contribution to the UK economy. This article takes an in-depth look into the sector.

In the first part of this article we provide an overview of the size and structure of the overall UK cleaning industry. In the second section, we outline the growth in the sector and analyse growth drivers. Finally, we do a deep dive on the cleaning activities sub-sector which includes domestic cleaning.

Most of the data in this article is from 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the UK economy as a whole, including the cleaning sector. In a separate article, we explore structural trends in the sector and the likely impact of Covid-19. 

(A) Overview of the UK cleaning industry

Size and importance of the UK cleaning industry

According to recent data from the BCC (British Cleaning Council), the cleaning industry contributes £54.5 billion to the UK economy every year. For comparison,...

Before the lockdown

We first heard about coronavirus in early January. We began to take serious notice on 23^rd January when the Chinese government locked down Wuhan province. As the first cases were identified in the UK, we began to seriously think about the implications of a lockdown on the UK domestic cleaning sector. We have hundreds of independent cleaners using our platform. Would home cleaners be able to go to work? Would cleaners be able to support themselves?

House cleaners permitted to work during lockdown

We were expecting some form of lockdown before Boris Johnson made his announcement on 23^rd March 2020. After the announcement, we read and reread the rules and government guidance.

There was no specific guidance on working in people’s homes. The government rules said that you could leave home if you...

Valeri enjoys going to the cinema and playing sports. 

Languages - English, Bulgarian 

Characteristics - Friendly, Hardworking, Reliable 

Services - Fridge cleaning, Window cleaning, Oven cleaning, General cleaning 

Locations - #Brixton #Holloway #Kensington #Fulham #Stratford #Walthamstow

Daniela is our housekeeper of the week!

Languages - English, Portuguese

Characteristics - Fast, Reliable and Calm

Services - General Cleaning, Ironing, Laundry, Oven Cleaning, Windows Cleaning, Fridge Cleaning

Locations - #Poplar #CanaryWharf #Stratford

Nadjane is a mother of two and she loves pets!

Languages - English, Portuguese

Characteristics - Caring, Energetic and Hardworking

Services - General Cleaning, Food Shopping, Laundry, Oven Cleaning, Windows Cleaning, Fridge Cleaning

Locations - #Brixton #Balham #Fulham

On Sunday 10th May the prime minister sketched out his three-step "roadmap" to bring us out of lockdown. 

Cleaners are permitted to work. See our guidelines https://www.tidychoice.com/covid-19

Morenikeji likes to cook, swim and read!

Languages - English

Characteristics - Competent, Proactive and Hardworking

Services - General Cleaning, Food Shopping

Locations - #BrentPark #KennsalGreen #WembleyPark

Asli likes to cook, swim and read!

Languages - English, French

Characteristics - Efficient, Quick and Trustworthy

Services - Laundry, Ironing, Oven Cleaning, Window Cleaning, Gardening, Shopping

Locations - #Whitechapel #Stratford #StokeNewington

Each year, the British Cleaning Council produces a report on the UK cleaning industry. The cleaning sector is often overlooked so it is great that this report champions the vital services provided to UK workplaces, hospitals, schools, public spaces and homes.

The most striking aspect of the report is the sheer size of the sector. The cleaning sector contributes £55 billion to the UK economy and employs 1.6 million people. The British Cleaning Council divides the industry into four sub-sectors: Cleaning activities, Facilities management, Waste and resource management and Landscape service activities.

We have created a summary infographic to highlight the most important data. We have focused on the Cleaning activities sub-sector and summarised the key trends in commercial and domestic cleaning.

Cristian likes to read, watch movies and play football!

Languages - English, Italian, Spanish.

Characteristics - Determined, Trustworthy and Kind

Services - Laundry, Oven Cleaning, Window Cleaning, Gardening

Locations - #Walthamstow #Stratford