Starting a cleaning business is hard work. If you’ve never owned a prior business, then finding clients, creating cleaning standards, marketing, and everything else you have to do can be a real challenge. That’s why many people wonder how to get a cleaning franchise.

We asked franchise brokers about the best cleaning franchises. From there, we checked out their websites and franchise disclosure documents to see what makes each cleaning franchise different. Some provide extra services or focus on the revenue you can make, while others have different tiers of franchises to offer business owners multiple ways to enter the industry.

Get ready to find out more about how to get a cleaning franchise.

Our #1 Cleaning Franchise Brand: MaidThis

As a MaidThis franchise owner, you’ll be operating a cleaning franchise that focuses on residential and Airbnb cleaning. You’ll have the resources you need to grow your business and support your team using the best processes in the cleaning industry.

• Initial License Fee: $35K
• Other Startup Costs: $12.6K to $31.6K
• Total Expenses: $47.6K to $66.6K
• Royalty Fees: 6%
• Advertising: 2%

Finding a cleaning franchise where you can work remotely is an amazing but rare opportunity. Given that most states don’t already have a franchise, it’s even better. 

Neel explained that the most important thing he does to grow his business is answering the phone:

Learn more about Neel’s story in our interview below:

We’ve partnered with Neel to provide you a unique opportunity to start a remote cleaning company. He’ll even give you $6,000 off the marketing when you sign up through our link. 

Next, we’ll provide an overview of the cleaning industry.

General Cleaning Industry Overview

According to IBIS World, the cleaning services industry is growing. There are three main areas where cleaners operate:

• Commercial cleaning services: Commonly referred to as janitorial cleaning, these services made over $90 billion in 2022 and are expected to grow to $96.1 billion by 2028. This segment of the industry averages 6.9% profit.
• Residential cleaning services: The housekeeping, maids, and gardening industry made over $30 billion last year and is expected to grow to $33 billion by 2028. This industry has a nearly 52% profit margin.
• Specialty cleaning services: This is a catchall for other services like carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, power washing, and window washing. These add up to around $10 billion in revenue, and profits vary.

That means cleaning is nearly a $130-billion-dollar industry.

Pro Tip: Customers expect green cleaning services to be available in all types of buildings. Office spaces, retail stores, medical facilities, and even homeowners are becoming more aware of hospital-grade disinfectants and HEPA vacuums.

Queen Bee Cleaning Services is part of the residential and Airbnb cleaning segment. Owner Cristobal Mondragon told us:

Check out our interview with him below:

How much does a cleaning franchise make?

Every franchise has different cleaning business operations, but some share their numbers on their websites. According to these statistics, cleaning franchises can earn up to $3.25 million annually. Merry Maids disclosed the highest revenue.

Pro Tip: All cleaning companies should disclose how much their franchises make in their financial disclosure documents. If they don’t, run! That means they don’t have a proven track record (and are breaking franchising laws).

Next, we’ll answer how much a cleaning franchise costs.

How much does a cleaning franchise cost?

Cleaning companies franchise their business operations to small business owners for an initial franchise fee ranging from about $1K to $100K. The differences are impacted by:

1. Local market potential
2. Reputation of the brand
3. Size of the zone
4. Corporate greed
5. Master vs. service franchise
6. Assistance provided by the corporate office

In addition, you’ll have initial costs to other suppliers that may bring the total cost to buy franchise cleaning businesses up to $500K. That’s a huge range, but many cleaning franchises are less than $100K for a recognized brand.

Can I buy a cleaning franchise for under $1,000?

If you’re thinking about franchising a cleaning business, you can’t start a cleaning franchise for under $1,000 in most locations. However, there are some companies that will allow a down payment as low as $1,000 to start your own business using their brand recognition. These options include:

• UpFlip Cleaning Business Blueprint
• Jan-Pro
• Stratus Building Solutions
• Anago Cleaning Systems

We’ll cover all of these and more before you finish this article. Let’s start with the UpFlip Cleaning Business Blueprint.

The UpFlip Cleaning Business Blueprint

The UpFlip Academy Cleaning Business Blueprint is a course we created with Cristobal Mondragon. Chris started Queen Bee Cleaning Services in 2015, and today the company makes over $1 million per year. We worked together to provide you with his formula for success, which includes:

1. A 10-module course
2. Your own website and SEO
3. Marketing and sales scripts
4. Google local service ad templates
5. A guide to booking Airbnb clients
6. Software to provide reviews
7. Mentoring while you start and run your cleaning business

Effectively, we’re giving you everything a cleaning business franchise would, but you’re getting all this without the royalties, so you benefit from significant savings. Become your own boss for only $967.

We’ve broken the rest of this blog into groups based on the three major cleaning segments. We’ll start with residential cleaners.

Best Cleaning Franchise Opportunities

The most profitable cleaning franchises with a proven business model are all in the commercial cleaning industry. Franchise owners should consider daily janitorial services to make the most money.

#2. Jan-Pro: Best Commercial Cleaning Franchise Under $50K

Jan-Pro has been recognized as the entrepreneur’s best commercial cleaner franchise in multiple ranking categories. Consider a Jan-Pro franchise opportunity if you want to work with commercial clients.

The Jan-Pro website says that you can get into cleaning franchises for as little as $3,150, which includes the down payment, the Franchise Development Starter Kit, and $1,000 for emergency expenses.

Jan-Pro helps you book commercial facilities that need commercial cleaners and lets you set the number of clients or hours you want to work with each month. According to Entrepreneur, the franchises incur the following costs:

• Initial Franchise Fee: $2K to $4.5K
• Initial Investment: $4.8K to $58K
• Royalty: 10%
• Ad Royalty: 1%

#3. Stratus Building Solutions: Lowest-Cost Commercial Cleaning Services Franchising

This franchise opportunity with a commercial cleaning franchise has two ways of franchising:

1. Janitorial services franchises
2. Stratus master franchises

The janitorial franchises are some of the lowest-cost franchises in the cleaning industry. They start at just $1,000 for an owner-operator without employees.

Meanwhile, the Stratus master franchises are regional offices with a 9-5 schedule. They support janitorial services by providing admin, invoicing, and business consulting services.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $3.6K to $69K
• Initial Investment: $4.6K to $79K
• Net Worth Requirement: $5K to $40K
• Cash Requirement: $2K to $20K
• Royalty Fees: 5%
• Ad Royalty: 1%

This franchise opportunity allows you to focus on the part of the business that interests you most.

#4. Anago Cleaning Systems: Easiest to Get Approved

These cleaning franchises are focused on commercial cleaning services. Anago Cleaning Systems uses the same franchise business model as the other commercial cleaning franchise opportunities on the list, where you have master franchise and “unit franchise” options.

The master franchise gets an exclusive territory where they book clients and sell unit franchises.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $5K to $31K for units, $98K for master franchises
• Initial Investment: $11K to $61K for units, $219K to $339K for master franchises
• Net Worth Requirement: $31K
• Cash Requirement: $1K
• Royalty Fees: 10%
• Ad Royalty: 2%

The best part of Anago Cleaning Systems franchises is their low net worth and cash requirements.

#5. Voda Cleaning & Restoration: Best Specialized Services

Cleaning and restoration businesses are crucial for repairing buildings after smoke, fire, or water damage. They normally work with insurance companies to help get the space in a usable condition.

Voda Cleaning & Restoration franchises have a median income of $2.4 million with 60.1% gross margins and 26.88% after expenses.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $66.5K
• Initial Investment: $176K to $257.9K
• Royalty Fees: 7%
• Ad Royalty: 7.5%

#6. MilliCare

The median MilliCare commercial floor cleaning franchise business makes $273K annually. MilliCare might be right for you if you want a commercial cleaning business that focuses on floors only

• Initial Franchise Fee: $49K
• Initial Investment: $170K to $195.5K
• Royalty Fees: 6%
• Ad Royalty: 1%

Best Specialized Franchise Opportunities

This next batch of cleaning franchise opportunities aren’t your standard janitorial or home cleaning companies. These franchise opportunities focus on cleaning floors, windows, or pools. These franchise owners can even make more money cleaning because they offer specialized services.

#7. Pool Scouts: Best Pool Cleaning Franchises

Pool Scouts focuses on cleaning pools and maintaining their chemical balance. The average Pool Scouts franchise makes $1,276,961 annual revenue with a 56.30% gross margin and 15.90% after fees.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $73.4K to $74.4K
• Initial Investment: $102.8K to $134.8K
• Ongoing Fees: 10% + $1.1K monthly

#8. Corporate Cleaning Group

Corporate Cleaning Group focuses on cleaning healthcare facilities, schools, churches, car dealerships, and warehouses. The average Corporate Cleaning franchise makes $889,299 annual revenue with a 47% gross margin.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $68.2K
• Initial Investment: $94.7K to $140.7K
• Ongoing Fees: 7% (subject to a minimum of $275 or an amount based on time in business) + $119 monthly + $307.92 per user annually

#9. Poolwerx

Poolwerx is a pool and hot tub cleaning franchise where the average franchisee earns $770,835 in annual revenue with a 71% gross margin.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $85.8K to $134K
• Initial Investment: $107.3K to $164K
• Ongoing Fees: 13%

#10. Fish Window Cleaning: Best Window Cleaning Service Franchise

Fish Window Cleaning is the only cleaning franchise on the list that focuses on washing windows. These services normally target high-priced homes where the homeowner can’t reach the windows themselves. Franchisees average $489,894 in annual revenue.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $61.4K to $87.9K
• Initial Investment: $106.8K to $171.5K
• Ongoing Fees: 7% to 9% + $50 per week

#11. OxiFresh: Best Carpet Cleaning Franchise

If you want to start a carpet cleaning franchise, consider Oxi Fresh. Oxi Fresh has franchises across the U.S. and Canada. Plus, it offers the opportunity to become a master franchise in other countries.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $46.9K
• Initial Investment: $52.8K to $82.8K
• Ongoing Fees: $475 + 3% monthly (plus other potential fees)

Best Residential Cleaning Franchises

#12. Cleaning Authority: Best Home Cleaning Services

Cleaning Authority uses a similar franchise model to commercial cleaning for residential franchisees. It seems to work as the average franchise makes $1,500,000 annually.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $26.3K to $65K+
• Initial Investment: $105.3K to $172.7K
• Ongoing Fees: 7% down to 5% (plus other fees)

#13. Maid Brigade

Maid Brigade is one of the more affordable cleaning services franchises on the front end, but it has a tremendous amount of ongoing franchise fees. The average Maid Brigade franchise earns $594,400, so it should cover the costs for the franchise owner.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $27K to $47K
• Initial Investment: $119.2K to $147.9K
• Ongoing Fees: 8.9% + $4.5K monthly

#14. Maid Right

Maid Right is a residential maid service that uses non-toxic and eco-friendly products for cleaning a house from floor to ceiling. The average Maid Right franchise cleaning business makes $448,724 annually.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $65,000
• Initial Investment: $103.6K to $147.5K
• Ongoing Fees: $630 per week minimum or 10% + $210 per week

#15. Maid Pro

Maid Pro offers a satisfaction guarantee that comes with a 49-point checklist. That means this cleaning franchise brand takes home cleaning seriously. The average franchise makes $375,369 annually.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $45K to $45.5K
• Initial Investment: $105.6K to $130.8K
• Ongoing Fees: 10.5% + $550 monthly (plus fees for more than one user)

#16. Home Clean Heroes

Home Clean Heroes is a residential cleaning franchise opportunity. One of the main ways Home Clean Heroes differentiates itself is through its charitable work. They provide free cleanings for cancer patients, run an annual food drive, and donate to charities for first responders.

If you want a cleaning franchise business committed to good, check out Home Clean Heroes.

• Initial Franchise Fee: $80.3K to $85.4K
• Initial Investment: $112.7K to $196K
• Ongoing Fees: 8% + $2.8K per month (plus other fees)

Contact the Franchise That Works for You

Once you’ve decided which cleaning franchise is the best fit for your location, skill set, and budget, it’s time to contact them and get your franchise started.

Honestly, I would recommend taking our cleaning course by Chris Mondragon. I’ve taken it myself and found it incredibly thorough and full of practical information.

Using Chris’s strategies will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in royalties every year while giving you the tools you need to start a $1-million-dollar cleaning business.

If you choose to go with one of the other providers, I am confident that you’ll be happy with your results. The majority of them have been in business for more than a decade. Which way would you prefer to start a cleaning business?

• Start my own cleaning business from scratch.
• Start my cleaning business with a course.
• Contact a franchise. Tell us which one in the comments!