7 Must-Know Safety Tips for Your Cleaning Business (That Most Owners Miss)

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Hey there! I’m Stephanie from Serene Clean, and today we need to talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in our industry: safety. As cleaning service owners, we have an enormous responsibility to protect our teams, and if I’m being honest, it’s something that kept me up at night until I developed solid systems to address it.

If you’re thinking about skipping this topic because safety sounds boring, I need you to stick with me. Because it’s our responsibility to keep our teams safe and prevent as many unsafe situations as possible. I’m going to share seven practical, mostly free things you can implement in your cleaning business right now to protect your team.

Start Here: Make Safety Your Company’s Superpower

The moment a new cleaner joins your team, safety needs to be front and center. At Serene Clean, we make it crystal clear to our clients and cleaners during orientation that safety is our top priority. We tell them straight up: no job is worth putting themselves in danger, and they’ll never face reprimands for walking away from an unsafe situation.

Here are 7 safety procedures we cover in our safety orientation:

1. Situational awareness
2. Personal safety protocols
3. Health and safety compliance
4. Communication procedures
5. Animal safety
6. Weather-related safety
7. Emergency responses

OSHA Compliance: What You Need to Know

There’s nothing like a 48-hour notice from OSHA with a $5,000 fine hanging over your head as a wake-up call. (Yes, this happened to me.) And here’s the thing — most cleaning companies aren’t fully OSHA compliant, often without even realizing it. Let me walk you through the key areas you need to know about.

1. Hazard communication is about ensuring your team knows exactly what chemicals they’re working with. You also need Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for every single cleaning product you use, and they need to be easily accessible while on the job.
2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is not just about having gloves and masks available — you need to document when different types of protection are required, train your team on proper usage, and keep records of who received what equipment.
3. Bloodborne Pathogens might not be something you think about daily, but in our industry, it’s crucial. Your team needs to know how to handle situations involving potentially infectious materials safely, and you need proper protocols in place for these scenarios.
4. Walking-Working Surfaces is everything from ladder safety to wet floor protocols. This includes proper training on equipment use and establishing clear guidelines for handling slippery conditions.

Pro Tip: At Serene Clean, we store all our OSHA documentation in a Google Drive folder link that our team can access through ZenMaid. This means they can quickly pull up any safety information they need, right from their phones. Much better than lugging around heavy binders that can get wet or lost!

For a complete OSHA compliance checklist specifically for cleaning businesses, visit OSHA’s cleaning industry database. Trust me, it’s worth bookmarking this page and going through it thoroughly.

The Two Safety Tools Every Cleaner Need to Carry

Over half of cleaning professionals report experiencing or witnessing harassment or assault on the job. That’s our devastating reality, and we need to face it head-on to change things. By being upfront about our safety measures and equipping our team properly, we send a clear message: we take our team’s security seriously, we’re watching for potential issues, and anyone with bad intentions should look elsewhere.

When I started Serene Clean, I learned that giving my team the right tools wasn’t just about cleaning supplies – it was about empowering them to feel secure on the job.

So, every new team member receives a safety kit during orientation. We provide them with a safety alarm (the kind that emits a loud sound to draw attention) and pepper gel. And yes, I specifically choose gel instead of spray because it’s more effective in close quarters.

But having these tools isn’t enough. We need to make sure our team knows how to use them effectively. That’s why we do hands-on training sessions where we practice:

• Proper usage and handling of safety tools
• Quick access techniques (no buried equipment in cleaning bags)
• Basic self-defense awareness
• Emergency response scenarios

Daily Safety Rules Every Cleaner Should Know

Let’s get practical about day-to-day safety. I give every team member a safety reminder sheet that covers four essential rules. Here they are:

1. Stay Alert in Transition Spaces. This is huge — we tell our cleaners to keep their phones and earbuds away when walking through parking lots, driveways, and entryways. Even during cleaning, we require one earbud out to stay aware of surroundings. Another must? Keep safety tools (like pepper gel or alarms) in your apron or pocket where you can reach them instantly.
2. Lock Up Behind You. As soon as you enter a home or business, lock the entrance. When you get back to your car, lock those doors before you start updating notes in ZenMaid or checking your phone. It’s a simple habit that makes a big difference.
3. No Unexpected Visitors. Here’s a firm rule: we don’t answer doors during cleanings. No signing for packages, no letting in other service providers without office approval. Even if someone claims they’re supposed to be there, we verify with the office or client first.
4. Trust Your Gut. In my opinion, this is the MOST important rule: if something feels off, it probably is. We tell our cleaners to leave any situation that makes them uncomfortable, get to a safe space, and contact their manager. If someone’s making them feel unsafe, they should get out of there immediately.

Download our printable Safety Reminders sheet to post in your office or add to your team’s binders. It’s the same one we use at Serene Clean, and it’s a great daily reminder for your team.

Write Clear Safety Policies for Your Clients

Your client policies need to spell out safety prioritization clearly, but they also need to be practical and easy to follow and remember. At Serene Clean, we’ve learned (sometimes the hard way) that clear communication with clients from day one prevents most safety issues before they start.

So, every client signs our safety agreement during onboarding to set clear expectations about how we protect our team. We cover everything from pets to health hazards, people’s behavior, weather conditions, and even internet access. (Yes, even internet access, because in today’s world, staying connected is a safety standard.)

Here are four non-negotiables that you can implement into your safety policy: 

• Cleaners use first names only and never share personal details
• Clients must secure pets during cleaning visits
• We require reliable communication methods at all job sites (like access to wifi and cell service)
• Team members have full authority to leave any situation that feels unsafe

The key is consistency. When a client questions these policies, stand firm. I’d rather lose a client than put my team in an uncomfortable situation. 

Pro Tip: If you’re just now writing a safety policy for clients, that’s ok. Better late than never. I recommend sending an email to every client with a short personal video that explains your new policies and why they’re important. 

Set Professional Boundaries for Your Cleaners

Here’s something that might ruffle some feathers, but I’m going to say it anyway: your branding and uniforms matter more than you think when it comes to safety. At Serene Clean, we have our team wear professional polos and aprons. Nothing above the knee, and nothing revealing. This isn’t about policing what people wear, but rather, setting a professional tone that commands respect.

Friend, it is 2025!! When we allow even small boundary violations, like comments about a cleaner’s appearance or subtle advances, we’re setting a dangerous precedent. I’ve had clients dropped for:

• Making comments about cleaners’ appearances
• Asking invasive personal questions
• Making cleaners feel uncomfortable in any way
• Showing signs of inappropriate behavior

If a situation ever becomes a “he said, she said” I always choose to believe my employees. Yes, this means sometimes saying no to money. But I don’t want money that puts my staff in jeopardy. Period.

Always Be Alert, On Gaurd, and Adapting

Every incident that happens is an opportunity to improve your safety protocols. And despite my best efforts to keep my team safe, things still happen. That’s why it’s so important to be alert and on guard for the unexpected incidents.

Let me share a recent situation that changed how we handle certain cleanings:

We had two cleaners at a job — one experienced cleaner in her forties and a newer team member who was 18. When the experienced cleaner had to leave for another appointment (as scheduled), the client cornered the younger cleaner and started making inappropriate comments and gestures. Thankfully, she got out safely, but it taught us several valuable lessons:

• Never assume a regular client is “safe”
• Have clear protocols for when team members split up
• Trust your gut when something feels off
• Take immediate action when boundaries are crossed

Now with that unfortunate experience out of the way, we’ve fine-tuned our safety protocols even more. 

Use ZenMaid’s Revolutionary SOS Feature

This brings me to something I’m incredibly excited about: ZenMaid’s SOS feature. As someone who’s experienced the panic of trying to reach a cleaner in distress, this is a game-changer for our industry. ZenMaid is releasing this new feature SOON! Be sure to join our newsletter to learn about it first.

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Your Next Steps

If you take anything away from this article, let it be this: your team’s safety isn’t something to address “eventually” — it needs your attention NOW. Start with these steps:

1. Review your orientation process – does it thoroughly cover safety?
2. Check your OSHA compliance – especially those secondary labels and SDS sheets
3. Create clear, written safety policies
4. Establish and enforce strong professional boundaries
5. Implement proper safety tools and protocols
6. Use ZenMaid’s SOS feature – COMING SOON!

Remember, we’re not just running cleaning businesses. We’re responsible for the safety and well-being of every person on our team. When we take on the privilege of employing others, we take on the responsibility of protecting them too.Let’s make the cleaning industry safer, one business at a time. Your team is counting on you.