Invoice templates for cleaning services

Whether you’re a freelance cleaner or run a large cleaning company, you'll need to issue invoices for your services. Invoices are official documents issued from a seller to a buyer when payment is due. 

There are a number of different ways you can create invoices, including Word, Excel and invoicing software. This article explores what kind of invoice template you should use for your cleaning business, what details need to be included on your invoices, a sample invoice for cleaning services, and free downloadable invoice templates. 

What kind of invoice template should you use?

Before you start issuing invoices, you should create or choose a template so that your invoices will always include your business information and be legally compliant. Using programs like Word or Excel is common for creating invoices, as most people know how to use the software. However, these programs have some drawbacks as they're not specifically designed for creating invoices. 

Word and Excel invoice templates are not created with local legal requirements in mind. Each country has specific invoice requirements that are mandatory in order for your invoices to be valid. In addition, most of the information needs to be manually inputted and updated with each new invoice. This can be time-consuming and may lead to errors.

Invoicing software, on the other hand, is specifically designed for creating and issuing professional, legally compliant invoices. All of the amounts are automatically updated, it is quick to select customers and products that are saved in the software, and the program will automatically detect if there are any errors or missing information prior to issuing it to your customer. 

Most invoicing software lets you do much more than create invoices. You can accept payments online, create quotes and delivery notes, and reconcile your accounts all with one tool. 

Once you’ve created or selected an invoice template for your business, you'll need to know what information to enter on each invoice.

What details need to be on my invoice?

Since invoices are official requests for payment, they require certain information to be legally valid. This includes information about your business and the customer, a breakdown of the products/services you are selling, the date of issue, a unique invoice number, and the total amount due. 

You can find all of the legally required invoice information in our article: “What information needs to be on an invoice?” If you're registered for VAT in the UK, you'll need to issue VAT invoices to your customers which require more information than non-VAT invoices.

VAT invoices or non-VAT invoices?

If you’re just starting your cleaning business, you may be wondering if you need to include VAT on your invoices. Value-added tax (VAT) is a type of consumption tax that is added to invoices of VAT-registered businesses. 

You must register for VAT if your annual turnover is above £85,000. You can also voluntarily register if you wish to do so. 

If you're not registered for VAT, you don't need to apply VAT to your sales. If you're VAT registered, you will need to issue VAT invoices to your customers and submit VAT Returns to HMRC.

Use your invoices to market your cleaning business

Completing paperwork can be a tedious task, however, you can use your paperwork to market your business. By adding a logo, website, and images to your invoices, you help your customers identify what the invoice is for and help get your brand easily recognised. 

With invoicing software, you can use different pre-made templates, try different fonts and colour schemes, upload your logo, and add custom images to make your invoices pop!

Sample invoice for cleaning services

Below you’ll find an example of a cleaning service invoice. As you can see, the “Unit” column has been changed to include different metrics, for instance, days and metres squared. The invoice is legally compliant and shows all of the mandatory invoice fields. 

Word invoice template for cleaning business

If Word is your software of choice for creating invoices, we've provided free invoice templates for download below. With Word, you'll need to manually calculate the totals and edit the information. With our template, you can also add your business logo to help you market your business.

Excel invoice template for cleaning business

Excel templates are much more customisable than Word with the use of formulas. Our free Excel invoice templates below will automatically add up the totals and VAT (if applicable) for you. Be advised that the file includes 2 tabs, one for non-VAT registered businesses, and one for VAT invoices.

Invoicing software with pre-made templates

With invoicing software, like SumUp Invoices, you can create professional, legally compliant invoices and quotes quickly. You can also save your customers and products to your account for quick selection. Your invoice will automatically include a payment link so your customers can pay quickly and securely online.