Cleaning Franchises: Comparing Options & How to Find the Best Fit

If you are new to franchising and trying to figure out what kind of franchise to open, you may want to consider a cleaning franchise. They are a good choice for first time entrepreneurs because the cost of running them is low, while the demand for services is high.

Cleaning Companies are among the lowest cost franchises, with franchise fees lower than $20,000. Plus, you won’t need the expense of a brick-and-mortar location as all your work will be done on site. And depending on the type of cleaning you decide to do, you probably won’t need a lot of expensive equipment.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the already high demand for cleaning services. Business owners want to hire cleaners to reassure employees and customers that their location is as sanitized as possible. Home owners are spending more time in their houses, maybe even working from home, and are willing to pay someone else to keep their surroundings clean.

Different Types of Cleaning Franchises

Cleaning franchises fall into several categories, each providing different services for different types of clients.

• Residential Cleaning FranchiseAlso known as maid services, or house cleaning services, these franchises target renters and homeowners. They usually offer move in and move out cleaning, deep cleaning, and monthly or bi-monthly service. While there is a large customer base for this type of business, turnover can be high. People often change house cleaners if they find a company that will charge them less.
• Janitorial FranchiseBusinesses hire janitorial cleaning services instead of keeping janitors on staff. These cleaners come in daily, usually after the business has closed for the day. They empty trash, vacuum and mop, clean the kitchen and the bathroom. Janitorial cleaning jobs are contracted so the turnover is not as high. So, it may hard to find a company looking for a new janitorial service. And, if you find one, you may have to bid for the job.
• Commercial Cleaning FranchiseJanitorial Cleaning Companies often provide commercial cleaning services as well. These are bigger jobs that only need to be performed a couple of times a year. They include carpet shampooing, floor polishing, window washing, upholstery cleaning, and grout scrubbing.
• Medical Cleaning ServicesIf you have a background in health care, you may be interested in this type of cleaning. Because of the germs, blood, and hazardous waste found at medical facilities, cleaning them requires following guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.) The CDC even specifies which types of cleaning products to use. This ensures that everything is disinfected and sterilized properly to prevent the spread of infection throughout the facility. You might want to consider this if you live near an area with several hospitals and a lot of doctors’ offices.
• Restaurant Cleaning Services Restaurants also have a special set of cleaning requirements set by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA.) The products used to clean restaurants must be strong enough to kill germs and bacteria, while being safe to use around food. If the restaurant is not cleaned to standards, they could fail healthy and safety inspections and lose customers.
• Specialty Cleaning ServicesThere are other cleaning companies that focus on one aspect of cleaning, like carpet cleaning, or window cleaning companies.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Cleaning Franchise

• Is the company’s brand well-established?Let’s face it, no matter what type of cleaning you decide to do, the field is crowded. Starting with a name people recognize will give you a heads up on the competition. As will franchising with a company that’s been doing this awhile, giving them time to hone their franchise model to best help their franchisees succeed.
• How strong is their advertising and marketing?What are they doing to help their franchise stand out in market?
• What kind of training do they offer?While you may know how to clean, a good cleaning franchise will train you how to do it the most efficient way. This will allow you to complete each job in a timely manner and move on to the next.
• What kind of equipment and supplies will I need?All cleaning companies will need the basics— vacuum cleaner, mops and buckets, rags, and cleaning solutions. Janitorial franchises may need a heavy duty commercial vacuum cleaner, as well as a floor scrubber. The kinds of cleaning solutions you use will vary depending on the type of cleaning you do. Some cleaning companies require franchisees to buy equipment and cleaning solutions from certain suppliers, using the strength of the combined franchise network to get better prices.

The Two Maids Difference

A leader in the residential cleaning industry, Two Maids was founded twenty years ago, and we’ve been franchising since 2013. In that time, we’ve developed specific systems that all our cleaners use to not only meet, but to exceed the customers’ expectations. All our franchises are trained how to follow our systems.

We are also forward thinking when it comes to advertising. Many other cleaning franchises exclusively use traditional media to promote their brands. At Two Maids, we use digital marking strategies like pay per click, search engine optimization, and social media.

What really sets Two Maids apart from other cleaning services is our pay-for performance model. Each time we complete a job, the customers rate how well we did. The higher the rating, the more money the team earns. This ensures the cleaning crew does their absolute best on each job. And satisfied customers are less likely to seek out another cleaning service.

Get Started with Two Maids Today

To learn more about how Two Maids operates, contact us. One of our franchise advisors will be in touch to answer your questions so you can see if owning a Two Maids franchise is the right investment for you.