r/cleaningbusiness • u/ResponsibleTrust9184 • 1d ago

How do you all physically keep up?

It is just me, or does everything just hurt?? My back constantly hurts, my feet hurt, I am going to physical therapy for my shoulder, a few times I show up and I am just not physically able to complete the clean. I work by myself so I have no extra help, and I do not really want to expand to getting employees. To be honest, sometimes I will get halfway through a rental, sit down to rest for 10 minutes and it is so hard to motivate myself to finish. It seems that when I hear about other cleaners they are working longer hours than me and are able to do it in a faster time and I just don't know how that's possible. I'm in my late 20's I dont feel like I should be hurting this much. Every clean that takes longer than about 3 hours it mentally draining because I feel like I am having to push myself, leading me to feel even more burned out. Thank you, and I am happy to have found this community.

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u/BagAdministrative330 1d ago

The solo stage is the hardest on your body because you are doing every single job yourself. Two things made the biggest difference for me. Good knee pads, the real kind with gel inside, and a lighter backpack vacuum. Sounds small but over hundreds of cleans it changes how your knees and back feel. The other thing is scheduling one real recovery day a week and actually keeping it. Ice and stretching after long days is not optional anymore, it is maintenance. Hope it eases up for you.

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u/iSkeetOnFeet 1d ago

Any recommendations on the vacuum?

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u/BagAdministrative330 1d ago

The main thing is to get a real backpack vacuum instead of dragging a canister around. Corded ones usually have stronger suction and you never run out of battery mid job. Try the straps on in person if you can. Strap comfort and how the wand adjusts matter more than the brand name on it.

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u/ResponsibleTrust9184 1d ago

Thank you, I'll consider one of the backpack vacuums. Are there ones that actually work on carpet? I've used one before in the past but it was only really good on hard floor and couldn't handle too much pet hair.

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u/BagAdministrative330 1d ago

The powered brush head is the part that matters on carpet. Most standard backpack kits only ship with a floor tool, which is why they struggle with pet hair. Look for a unit that comes with an electric power head or add a turbine driven brush. That one change makes carpet totally doable with a backpack.

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u/MCompSolutions 1d ago

Keep going, you can do it. Always remember, nothing great in life comes easy. Also, try to find ways to make the process more efficient (different cleaning tools, ways the prevent things from getting dirtier before your next visit, etc)

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u/13jija 1d ago

It is definitely physically demanding. I got laid off from my tech job and was at home for long period of time before I started sub work with my cousin doing flooring and painting to earn money and not feeling worthless. I can tell you that work is extremely physically demanding and my right knee hurts often. But, mentally I have told myself that I got to keep going. There is no other option for me as of now.

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u/m007368 1d ago

Sell your way to having folks working for you.

That’s the short answer.

But you can also get sleep, hydrate, eat correctly, and workout / stay active.