How a Bucket and Squeegee Made Me $12K in a Month

Pre-Step: Goal & the money math (no guessing)

Your target: $12,000 gross revenue in 30 days. Pick one of these realistic revenue tracks and execute like a machine:

• If your average residential full clean / first-time deep job = $220, you need: 12,000 ÷ 220 = ~54.545 → 55 jobs. (55 one-offs in 30 days = aggressive but possible with heavy canvassing + paid ads.)
• If your average small commercial / storefront recurring client pays $300/month, you need: 12,000 ÷ 300 = 40 recurring clients.
• If you mix: 12 commercial accounts at $1,000/month (big accounts) + 30 residential jobs at $200 → 12×1,000 + 30×200 = 12,000. Fewer big contracts = faster stable income.

Pick the combination you can realistically sell in 30 days. Residential closes faster door-to-door; commercial gives recurring stability. Use both.

Step 1: Bare minimum kit & cash to start (buy cheap, look pro)

Bare minimum cash to start: $150 – $900 (DIY kit + ladder + supplies). You can literally start from a bucket, squeegee, mop, towels and a telescoping pole. Many pros begin with a < $200 kit and scale gear later.

Recommended pro starter (fast scale): $2,000 – $6,000 — quality extension ladders, pro squeegees, microfiber, basic water-fed pole or filtered water kit, a van/vehicle for speed. Water-fed pole systems begin at a few hundred and go up to $1,500+ for carbon fiber pro poles and pure-water setups.

Buy list — exact items (bare minimum first; upgrade later):

• Bucket, washable scrubber/mop (t-bar), 12–18” professional squeegee(s) — $25–$100.
• Telescoping pole (basic) or cheap extension pole —$30–$150.
• Step ladder (6–8 ft) or combo ladder — $60–$200 (used is fine).
• Microfiber cloths, scrapers, small hand tools — $30–$80.
• Cleaning solution / chemicals (Dawn or commercial glass soap) + soft brushes — $15–$50.
• Phone + mobile payment setup (Square / CashApp) — $0–$60.
• Flyers/business cards & 500 leaflets — $60–$150.
• Optional pro upgrade: water-fed pole + pump/filter system — $249–$1,900+ (see pro models).

Buy used where possible (Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace) and invest in the tools that save time first (pole, quality squeegee).

Step 2: Legal & insurance: fast checks (do these before you charge)

Do these quick and don’t skip them:

• Register a trade name or small LLC if you want credibility (simple registration can be $0–$200 local).
• Get General Liability insurance (required for commercial accounts and smart for residential). Expect ~$40–$70/month for basic policies — shop providers like NextInsurance/Insureon. If you plan to use a vehicle commercially, estimate extra for commercial auto.
• Create a one-page service agreement/waiver: scope, price, payment terms, cancellation. Leave a copy with the client.

Insurance is cheap compared to a lawsuit or lost contract — buy it day 0.

Step 3: Prelaunch assets: build the conversion stack (2–6 hours)

Make these now — they convert cold traffic into paying customers:

• One-page flyer with clear offer (before/after photo, “First-time exterior clean $X”, phone, short URL). Print 500–1,000.
• Clean logo + 1-page “service list” PDF to email or text to managers.
• Google Business Profile (claim & verify), Facebook page, Instagram business account, Nextdoor profile (local trust).
• Square/Stripe + invoicing template. Have a simple digital contract template you can sign on phone.
• A folder on your phone with before/after photos and short video clips (30s Reel) ready to post.

Do not over-design — simple, clear, professional.

Step 4: Day 1 Hustle: door-to-door blitz that pays today

The streets are your bank. This is the play you run until the phone rings off the hook.

• 05:30 — kit check, ladder, squeegees, cash change, flyers.
• 06:00 — head to 1 dense neighborhood or commercial strip (residential neighborhoods or row of small businesses). Avoid direct midday sun for window work (sun = streaks) — early morning or late afternoon preferred for photos.
• 06:30–12:00 — door-knock residential cluster or canvass 20–40 storefronts. Carry a signboard or clipboard and show before/after on phone. Offer same-day slots for first-time deep clean with a special price.
• 12:30 — post 3 before/after photos and one Reel to IG/FB + one Nextdoor post.
• 13:30–17:30 — second canvass wave, follow up warm leads by text and confirm same-day slots.
• 18:00 — wrap, invoice, and schedule recurring services.

Targets: 100 doors/day in dense streets (aim for 40–100 depending on area). Convert 3–8 signed jobs on a strong day if you run the script and offer gaps/discounts for same day. Be relentless.

Step 5: Door-to-door script (30–45 seconds) + closing lines

Short, confident, money-focused. Memorize this.

Opening (30s):

“Hey — I’m [Name] with ClearView Window Co. We’re doing a first-time exterior window special in your neighborhood today: full exterior clean (sills, frames, screens) for $X. We can do it today and I’ll send before/after photos. Would you like me to schedule you for this afternoon or tomorrow morning?”

If they ask price/objection:

• Price anchor: “Our normal rate is $Y; today only it’s $X — that’s for a full exterior, screens on/off where needed.”
• Scarcity close: “I’ve got two slots today at that price — do you want one? Card, Venmo, or cash?”
• If they say “we have someone”: “Respect — most people do — do you know when they’re scheduled next? If they raise prices or miss a date, keep my card. I’ll also do a one-time deep clean cheaper than most local crews to prove the quality.”

Objection handling (fast):

• “Not interested” → “Totally. Real quick — do you prefer monthly maintenance or just a one-time deep clean? If you tell me which, I can leave the perfect price tag on a card.”
• “I’ll think about it” → “Understand. If price is the only hang-up I can do a small discount for signing today and we guarantee the lowest first-time rate in the area.”

Closing rule: always try to book same-day and collect payment or a deposit. Immediate money = less churn.

Tips to lift D2D conversion:

• Wear a branded polo or clean uniform (look pro).
• Show phone before/after photos instantly.
• Offer a “neighbourhood loyalty” discount and a referral credit.
• Keep momentum: if someone says yes, start walking them through payment immediately.

Step 6: Pricing ladder & how to hit $12K (exact numbers)

Price smart — simple packages sell faster.

Example ladder (clean, easy to quote):

• Starter Exterior — small home, 1-story exterior: $80–$150 (one-off).
• Standard Full (exterior + interior main windows) — average home: $150–$300.
• Commercial/storefront maintenance — recurring weekly/biweekly: $150–$600/month depending on windows & frequency.

Revenue scenarios to hit $12,000/month (exact):

• 55 residential one-offs at $220 each → 55 × $220 = $12,100. (Short conversion route.)
• 40 recurring storefronts at $300/mo → 40 × $300 = $12,000. (Stability route.)
• 12 larger commercial accounts at $1,000/mo + 30 residential small cleans at $200 → 12×1,000 + 30×200 = $12,000. (Mix route.)

Commercial pricing ranges per sq ft or per window vary; typical commercial pricing is roughly $0.50–$2.50 per square foot or $5–$15 per window depending on height and difficulty. Use commercial bids to lock recurring revenue.

Note on frequency: residential is usually quarterly/biannual — to hit monthly revenue you must sell a lot of one-offs or package services (gutter cleaning, pressure washing, solar panel washes) to create monthly revenue.

Step 7: Deliver the job: absolute SOP (so you get 5-star reviews)

Every job follows the same checklist. Train yourself and any crew to this:

Before arrival:

• Confirm time via text; bring bucket, tools, ladder.
• Take a before photo from the sidewalk (phone).

On site (exact order):

• Remove loose debris from sill, screen removal if agreed.
• Wet/loosen grime, scrub, squeegee in clean passes, clean edges and frames.
• Reinstall screens, wipe sills, sweep below.
• Take after photo from same angle; show client if possible.

After job:

• Invoice, collect payment, ask for a Google review (text link), and add client to routing map for recurring scheduling.

Do not cut corners. Photos + reviews are your lead engine.

Step 8: Social + local ads that scale (do both daily)

The street is immediate; social is the multiplier.

Daily content blueprint (30 days):

• Post 1 before/after Reel to Instagram & Facebook each day you work. Short — 15–30s, add a pricing card and “Book link in bio”.
• Post 1 Nextdoor neighborhood post per area you canvass (show a before/after + offer). Nextdoor reaches homeowners and managers.
• Run two small paid tests: $100 on Facebook/Instagram hyperlocal ads (target 2 ZIPs) and $100 on Google Local Service/Google Ads if you have budget. Scale the winner to $300–$500/day for fast lead influx. (Start small → double winners.)

CTA: “First-time exterior clean $X — same-day available — limited slots” works.

Step 9: When & how to hire (the scaling snap)

Hire when you’re turning leads away or consistently hitting >30–50 jobs/week in a concentrated area. Hiring early lets you multiply routes.

Roles & pay:

• Entry tech: $15–$23/hr (market dependent). Typical windows wages range around $18–$21/hr for many markets. Budget payroll taxes.
• Crew leader/trainer (pay + commission) first — they run 1 crew and train 1–2 helpers.
• Use subcontractor pay per job if you want to avoid payroll at first ($20–$60 per home depending on price).

Hiring plan:

• Document SOP, ride-along training for 1–3 days, track quality photos per job.
• Cluster routes geographically so one crew can do many homes per day.

Step 10: Cashflow, margins & reinvestment

Here’s what your first $10K/month can look like:

Window cleaning gross margins vary with labor intensity. Early stage example:

• Gross revenue target: $12,000.
• Labor (2 techs averaging $20/hr, 160 hours combined) ≈ $3,200–$3,600.
• Supplies/fuel/maintenance ≈ $200–$600.
• Insurance/ads/marketing ≈ $300–$1,000.
• Net before owner pay ≈ $6,000–$7,500 depending on how lean you run it.

Reinvest early into a second crew and a van/vehicle to increase route density — that’s how you scale to >$20k/mo.

Step 11: 30-day tactical calendar (exact day-by-day spine)

Follow this schedule strictly. No chill.

Days 0 (prep)

• Buy/assemble kit, register Google Business, set up Square, buy 1000 flyers, get insurance quote. Post launch offer on social.

Days 1–7 (door-knock sprint)

• Knocking schedule: 6am–12pm, 1:30–6pm. Hit two dense neighborhoods and one commercial strip daily. Book same-day slots. Post daily social proof. Aim for 100 doors/day if dense — goal: 30–60 signed jobs within first week.

Days 8–14 (amplify & convert)

• Launch Nextdoor + FB ads ($200 per area), call and convert warm leads, begin first recurring schedule routing. Hire 1 part-time helper if workload > 30 jobs/week.

Days 15–21 (systemize)

• Optimize routes, train helper(s), begin offering packaged services (gutter + window). Start pitching commercial strip centers and property managers for monthly maintenance.

Days 22–30 (scale)

• Focus on closing commercial recurring deals (target 10–20 accounts), ramp ad spend on winners, hire second crew if revenue warrants. Lock clients into monthly subscriptions with autopay.

Daily KPIs to hit:

• Doors knocked, calls made, jobs booked, $ collected, 1 new Google review.

Step 11: Scripts, templates & micro checklists (copy/paste)

Short text follow-up after a door knock:

Follow-up review ask (after job):

Daily job checklist (hand to crew):

• Tools check ✓, photos before ✓, screens removed if needed ✓, squeegee passes ✓, frames & sills wipe ✓, photos after ✓, invoice & schedule next visit ✓.

Final hustle rules (no fluff)

• Sell same-day and collect money or a deposit. Cash today buys equipment tomorrow.
• Route density wins. Cluster clients to cut drive time and multiply output.
• Photos = trust. Post two before/after photos + one 15s Reel daily.
• Push commercial accounts. One commercial account equal multiple residential jobs in revenue and stability.