Cleaning Supplies for Commercial Cleaning: Checklist
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The short answer
Cleaning supplies for commercial cleaning fall into three groups: tools, chemicals and protective gear. Start with what your first jobs need, not a full van. This is general information, not advice.
Start with the jobs, then a starter checklist
Supplies follow the work. An office clean at night needs different gear from an end of lease clean or a carpet job. So decide your first type of job, then buy for that.
A new business can't predict every job. Buying for ten job types on day one ties up cash you may need for insurance and registrations. Add gear when a real customer asks for it.
This is an example list, not a rule. Trim it to the jobs you've chosen.
- Hand tools: buckets, mops, brooms, dustpan and brush, scrubbing brushes. - Cloths and sponges: several cloths, kept separate by task so a toilet cloth never touches a desk. - Powered gear: a vacuum cleaner suited to commercial use, and later a carpet extractor if you sell carpet cleaning. - Access and safety items: a sign for wet floors, gloves, and a way to carry everything. - Waste and consumables: bin liners and paper products, if a client expects you to restock them.
Ask each client which items they supply. Some offices keep their own paper products and vacuum.
Our guide to how to start your own cleaning business covers the registrations that come before the shopping. If you're still choosing a name, see our ideas for cleaning company business names.
Where supplies sit in your start-up costs
business.gov.au lists "supplies and equipment" among the expenses "common to all business types." 1 It also suggests listing your assets and expenses separately. It says: "Listing your assets and expenses separately is good practice when starting a business." 1
If you work from estimates, label them. The same page says to "label them clearly and state whether your figures include or exclude goods and services tax (GST)." 1
On tax, it says: "Some expenses can be claimed immediately, others you need to deduct over time." 1 Which supplies fall on which side? Ask an accountant or the ATO.
Chemicals: read the safety data sheet first
Chemical products are where a new cleaner most needs the rules. WorkSafe Victoria says: "A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is a document that provides health and safety information about products, substances or chemicals" classified as hazardous. 2
The same page covers employers who use or store dangerous goods or hazardous substances on their premises. They "must ensure that" they get an up-to-date SDS for each product, and that "their employees, contractors and emergency services personnel have access to the SDS". 2 That is Victorian guidance. Other states and territories have their own regulators, so check yours.
Handling advice for each product comes from its SDS, so ask the supplier for one before you buy. Don't rely on memory.
Buying wholesale or from a retail shop
Wholesale suppliers and retail shops both sell cleaning products. Compare a few suppliers' current quotes, and compare the price per litre or per item rather than the pack price. Note whether each price includes GST. business.gov.au says to "label them clearly and state whether your figures include or exclude goods and services tax (GST)" when you use estimates. 1
Check that every product has an SDS you can get before you order. Keep invoices from the start, because your accountant will want them.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment do I need to start a cleaning business?
It depends on your first jobs. An example starter kit might hold buckets, mops, cloths, a vacuum and gloves. You add to it as customers ask. business.gov.au lists "supplies and equipment" among the expenses "common to all business types." 1
Can I claim cleaning supplies as a tax deduction?
business.gov.au says: "Some expenses can be claimed immediately, others you need to deduct over time." Which applies to your supplies is a question for your accountant or the ATO. 1
Do I need a safety data sheet for my cleaning products?
WorkSafe Victoria says an SDS provides health and safety information about products, substances or chemicals that are classified as hazardous. Employers using or storing dangerous goods or hazardous substances "must ensure that" their employees, contractors and emergency services personnel "have access to the SDS". Check your own state or territory regulator. 2
Sources
- Calculate the start-up costs of your business, business.gov.au. Checked 21 October 2026.
- Safety data sheets, WorkSafe Victoria. Checked 21 October 2026.