Have you ever thought about buying a cleaning franchise? What are cleaning franchises actually?
All of these questions are valid, especially if you have never been part of the cleaning industry.
In today’s post, I hope to give you a few answers on why cleaning franchises are considered so successful. Together, we will go through everything you need to know about cleaning franchises, in order to give you a better understanding.
What is a Cleaning Franchise?
Let’s start in simple terms and take a look at what a franchise is.
This term is mainly used when a franchisee buys the right for distributing products and offering services to the public under a trademarked brand. The franchisor owns the specific product or the operating method of the service, which is trademarked as their own. As they hold the right to it, other businesses or businessmen need to invest in order to legally partake in utilizing these tools.
In other words, the contract or financial agreement between the franchisor (the owner of the trademark) and the franchisee (the investor who wishes to use the trademark to make a profit) is technically called the franchise. However, this term has grown to be used as the business created under the franchise.
If we follow this logic, a cleaning franchise is the system or method of the cleaning operation trademarked by a business or person, which is then sold to other companies in order to make their profit.
The franchisor creates a cleaning method or cleaning tool which is unique to their franchise, and the franchisee purchases the right to use the method, tool or business model during their operation in order to make a profit.
Cleaning franchises are quite popular on the market. Why? Well, their most important aspect is their price. Cleaning franchises can be purchased at decreased fees. Even a lower investment can make good profit for the franchisee, which cannot be said for most markets in the country.
Cleaning franchises are also a good investment as they can be done part-time at the start. The business can be easily grown, as most cleaning companies start off on a residential level and later move over to handle commercial clients as they expand.
What to Look for When Buying a Cleaning Franchise?
As with all investments, it is important to do some research before placing your money, and your faith, into a specific cleaning franchise.
As a business owner myself, I always carefully consider all options and do extensive research before choosing suitable endeavours. For that reason, I have created a short list of things you should consider before jumping into the market.
- How is the Franchise Special?
- What Role does the Franchise Fulfill?
- What is the Franchise’s Profitability?
- Does the Franchise Offer Support?
How is the Franchise Special?
There are different types of cleaning franchises available on the market. From residential to commercial businesses, all of them have their own niche and specialties. Consider what the franchise offers and why you should invest in it.
If customers are not interested in the service offered, it will not be a profitable investment. For that reason, it is important to research the local market and see what the competitors offer.
In this manner, once you know what you are looking for, you will be able to find a franchise that will establish you with a regular clientele.
What Role does the Franchise Fulfill?
Cleaning franchises specialize in offering a certain kind of service for a specific group of customers. Apart from residential and commercial services, they can also be divided into focusing on versatile fields of cleaning. These can include medical, industrial, corporate, or retail commercial buildings, or different areas of the home – be it the home itself or certain appliances.
Depending on their cleaning focus, their business model and operating method will differ as well.
It is important that you know what business type suits your interests, as cleaning franchises can offer both hands-on and managing models. Some franchisees prefer to be part of the work, while others are more comfortable with organizing cleaning teams. Make sure you know which one you would prefer.
What is the Franchise’s Profitability?
If you are interested in buying a franchise, you will have some finances to look through.
In other words, franchises are already existing operations which should already have a financial record on hand. The franchisor should have these.
The financial records should be looked through with a financial advisor, a person who understands the meaning of the numbers down to the last detail. This will give you a peek into what you can expect from the franchise you are interested in.
A financial advisor will be able to help you with this, as they offer an unbiased opinion of the profitability of the franchise.
Additional questions should also be asked before finalizing the franchise purchase. Check what the price of the franchise entails, what benefits you get with it, what are the limitations, and what are the possible additional fees.
Does the Franchise Offer Support?
Franchisees need to understand what they are doing and the franchisor should offer this support and knowledge to them. When stepping onto a new territory, you will have obstacles to overcome – owning a cleaning franchise is no different.
Whether you are new to the cleaning sector or have no experience in business, the franchisor should offer training that includes the technicality of the job, learning and training modules, and how to build your business. Without this training, most new franchisees would not succeed in the business, no matter which market they are working on.
The franchisors need to provide the franchisee with a full training and offer support as well. The start is at the initial training before the franchisee begins operations under the trademark, The training should continue with new business marketing campaigns and throughout the franchise term. It is of the utmost importance that the franchisor offers its support and training to the franchisee.
How Much Does a Cleaning Franchise Make?
The actual amount that is made by purchasing a cleaning franchise depends on a lot of things.
Usually, the main factors that regulate the income of a cleaning franchise are the sector they are working in (residential or commercial), the size of the territory they are operational on, the number of appointments they have, the size of their regular clientele, the competition in their area or sector, and cost of their overheads (cleaners’ salary, rent, bills, fuel cost).
The spent amount should be subtracted from the income to see the actual profit the cleaning franchise makes. However, depending on the part or niche of the cleaning sector you are in, that number can be drastically different.
Generally speaking, the average income of a franchise owner is between $100,000-$150,000 a year.
Best Cleaning Franchises
In all business sectors, you will find the best of the best whom everyone is jealous of. Well, among cleaning franchises the same standards can be found. Let’s check out some of the biggest, most well-known and most successful cleaning franchises.
| Franchise | Initial License Fee | Total Investment |
| Chem-Dry | $23,500 | $70,000 – $190,000 |
| Steamatic | $42,000 | $125,000 |
| Merry Maids | $37,500 – $51,500 | $90,000 – $130,000 |
| ServiceMaster Clean | $69,500 | $230,000 – $280,000 |
| JAN-PRO | $3,150 – $60,000 | $4,000 – $70,000 |
| The Cleaning Authority | $30,000 – $65,000 | $90,000 – $180,000 |
| Stratus Building Solutions | $75,000 – $575,000 | $120,000 – $740,000 |
| Vanguard Cleaning | $5,000 | $6,000 – $40,000 |
| PuroClean | $55,000 | $180,000 – $210,000 |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK | $160,000 | $250,000 – $300,000 |
Chem-Dry
Franchise fee:
Chem-Dry is a carpet cleaning business, which became a cleaning franchise in 1978. Currently the franchise has about 4000 operating locations around the world. This franchise is most known for their carpet cleaning methods and procedures. However, they offer versatile cleaning services as well.
Chem-Dry Reviews
Based on their online reviews, Chem-Dry franchisees are quite satisfied. According to their testimonies, the franchise gave them detailed training and support, even after their start-up. Furthermore, they could easily use their new-found knowledge to their advantage on the field.
Steamatic:
Franchise fee:
Steamatic is a residential, industrial and commercial cleaning franchise based in Melbourne, Australia. The franchise was founded in 1968 and it specializes in disaster management and cleaning services.
Steamatic Reviews
When it comes to Steamatic reviews, they are overall quite positive. The company provides basic training to their franchisees, both about the cleaning and restoration processes and about marketing strategies to use as the business grows.
Merry Maids
Franchise fee:
Merry Maids focuses on residential cleaning services. It is an international cleaning franchise which was established in 1979. This franchise’s specialty is anything and everything in and around the home. It’s headquarters is in Tennessee, US.
Merry Maids Reviews
Franchisees are also satisfied with Merry Maids. This cleaning franchise provides them with the necessary training to ensure their safe and correct cleaning operations. Depending on the fee paid, the franchisee gets a territory or market they can operate on. The only drawback is the franchisor recommends the franchisee to personally check in on their business, which many people are unable to do.
ServiceMaster Clean
Franchise fee:
ServiceMaster Clean was founded in 1929 in Memphis, Tennessee. This is one of the oldest cleaning franchises on our list. The franchise mainly deals with commercial and industrial cleaning services, disaster response, etc.
ServiceMaster Clean Reviews
When it comes to ServiceMaster Clean, the reviews are also positive. From what I could find online, the franchisees have received their promised training needed to start their business. They are generally all satisfied with the opportunity the franchise has offered them.
JAN-PRO
Franchise fee:
Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems is an American cleaning franchise, which is most known for their Cleaning and Disinfecting process. The franchise offers its services in the commercial cleaning sector, as it specializes in cleaning commercial, retail, office, and other types of buildings.
JAN-PRO Reviews
As we see from what their franchisees are saying about this franchise, Jan-Pro is not a dream job. According to their reviews, Jan-Pro’s franchisees felt like they were working for the company, not with them. Their franchise purchasers were dissatisfied with the support and training the franchise has offered them, and most have deemed the experience a financial loss.
The Cleaning Authority
Franchise fee:
The Cleaning Authority is another cleaning franchise which focuses on the home. This franchise provides house and apartment cleaning and moving services. It officially became a franchise in 1996, in Columbia, Maryland.
The Cleaning Authority Reviews
For the Cleaning Authority, we sadly could not find any reviews left by franchisees. However, based on the clients’ reviews, most of the franchisees are well trained. Customers are satisfied with the jobs these franchisees and their teams are doing, which shines a positive light on the franchise itself as well.
Stratus Building Solutions
Franchise fee:
Stratus Building Solutions is a cleaning franchise founded in 2006 and located in Los Angeles, California. The franchise offers its services on the commercial cleaning market, for versatile offices, healthcare buildings and retail shops, among others.
Stratus Building Solutions Reviews
Based on the reviews of the Stratus Building Solutions, their franchisees create a calm working environment for their employees. This allows both the franchisee and their team to grow along with the business. Franchisees of Stratus Building Solutions are satisfied.
Vanguard Cleaning Systems
Franchise fee:
Vanguard Cleaning Systems was established in 1984. This cleaning franchise has over 3,000 franchisees. Their specialty is offering janitorial services to commercial businesses, therefore they fall into the commercial cleaning sector.
Vanguard Cleaning Systems Reviews
While Vanguard Cleaning Systems ranks high among franchises, their franchisees are not exactly happy. Online, they complain about hidden fees, bad support and training, overpriced tools and equipment. Some even raised concerns about possible fraud. Tread lightly on this ice.
PuroClean
Franchise fee:
PuroClean is a disaster response cleaning franchise founded in 2001. They offer their services as a disaster response company, in case of water, fire, mold, and biohazard damage to the building. They also deal with the reconstruction of the property after the damage.
PuroClean Reviews
PuroClean as a cleaning franchise is considered to be above average. Based on their online reviews, given by the franchisees, the company offers good training and support as a franchise system. PuroClean is a great financial opportunity and their franchisees are generally satisfied.
1-800-GOT-JUNK
Franchise fee:
To show that there are all types of cleaning franchises available, I have added 1-800-GOT-JUNK as well. This franchise deals with junk removal from residential and commercial sites. The company’s franchises operate in Australia, Canada and the United States.
1-800-GOT-JUNK Reviews
As I have seen online, based on the franchisees reviews, 1-800-GOT-JUNK is considered a good opportunity if you are looking to invest in a cleaning franchise. While the services offered by this franchise are a bit unique, they are still necessary and the franchisees receive the necessary training in order to make their share of the business flourish.
Is Buying a Cleaning Franchise Right For You?
As I have mentioned in the beginning, many things need to be considered before buying a cleaning franchise. Jumping into cold water without a second thought is not fun and it can lead to undesired consequences.
However, if you understand what you are getting yourself into, buying a cleaning franchise might be one of the best decisions you will ever make.
The cleaning business, be it residential or commercial, is not for everyone. Hard work is rewarded in this sector. Therefore, if you believe yourself to be able to handle what the market offers, a profitable future might be waiting for you.
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