2026 Guide•80 franchises analyzed
Cleaning franchises offer some of the lowest entry points in franchising, but the business models vary from $10K home-based to $200K+ disaster restoration.
Best Cleaning Franchises to Own in 2026
Cleaning franchises offer some of the lowest entry points in franchising, but the business models vary from $10K home-based to $200K+ disaster restoration.
The cleaning industry spans janitorial, residential, carpet, disaster restoration, and specialty services. Some commercial cleaning franchises start under $50K, while established brands like Jan-Pro and Stratus require $100K+. Restoration franchises like Servpro require $250K+ but offer higher revenue per job.
We compared 80 cleaning franchise FDDs to show actual investment ranges, revenue by service type, and the crucial metric most buyers miss: customer acquisition cost and contract retention rates. A low franchise fee means nothing if you can't get and keep customers.
Data source: 2026 FDD filings · 80 franchises analyzed · Updated June 2026
Key Findings from FDD Analysis
80
cleaning franchises analyzed
$177K - $370K
avg. investment
$46K
avg. franchise fee
$765K
avg. revenue (Item 19)
How We Ranked These Cleaning franchises
This page ranks cleaning franchises by total locations, reported revenue from Item 19, projected growth, and minimum investment. Cleaning spans commercial janitorial, residential, carpet/specialty, and disaster restoration—each with different economics. Commercial contracts provide recurring revenue; restoration offers higher per-job revenue.
Top Cleaning franchises at a Glance
Ranked by Number of Locations
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COVERALL COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE | $18K - $64K | $16K | 5,669 | - |
| SERVICEMASTER RESTORE | N/A | $73K | 1,939 | $945K |
| VCS BUSINESS | $14K - $37K | $5K | 1,914 | - |
| THE MAIDS | $82K - $160K | $57K | 1,517 | $1.2M |
| Chem-Dry | $119K - $265K | $36K | 1,099 | - |
| MERRY MAIDS | $127K - $170K | $55K | 802 | $487K |
| OpenWorks | $4K - $134K | $25K | 615 | - |
| OXI FRESH CARPET CLEANING | $51K - $87K | $48K | 454 | $157K |
| MOLLY MAID | $140K - $197K | $15K | 448 | - |
| HEAVEN'S BEST AND HEAVEN'S BEST CARPET CLEANING | $56K - $110K | $42K | 430 | - |
10 Best Cleaning franchises Ranked
GrowingLitigationBankruptcy
Investment
$18K - $64K
Franchise Fee
$16K
Locations
5,669
Royalty
5.0%
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$73K
Locations
1,939
Avg. Revenue
$945K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$14K - $37K
Franchise Fee
$5K
Locations
1,914
Royalty
6.0%
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$82K - $160K
Franchise Fee
$57K
Locations
1,517
Avg. Revenue
$1.2M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$119K - $265K
Franchise Fee
$36K
Locations
1,099
Royalty
7.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$127K - $170K
Franchise Fee
$55K
Locations
802
Avg. Revenue
$487K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$4K - $134K
Franchise Fee
$25K
Locations
615
Royalty
15.0%
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$51K - $87K
Franchise Fee
$48K
Locations
454
Avg. Revenue
$157K
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Investment
$140K - $197K
Franchise Fee
$15K
Locations
448
Royalty
6.5%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$56K - $110K
Franchise Fee
$42K
Locations
430
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Compare all 80 cleaning franchises side by side
Get full financial data, franchisee contacts, SBA loan history, and due diligence reports for every franchise.
$199$9950% off
Get Full Access🎖️ Memorial Day Sale · One-time purchase · Lifetime access
Highest Profit Cleaning franchises
Ranked by net income, EBITDA, or owner earnings from Item 19 FDD disclosures. Not all franchises disclose profit data.
Litigation
Investment
$219K - $411K
Franchise Fee
$30K
Locations
60
Est. Profit
$821K
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$174K - $309K
Franchise Fee
$49K
Locations
0
EBITDA
$547K
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Investment
$868K - $1.3M
Franchise Fee
$40K
Locations
52
Net Profit
$331K
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$128K - $167K
Franchise Fee
$59K
Locations
45
Est. Profit
$315K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$710K - $1.5M
Franchise Fee
$50K
Locations
256
Net Profit
$271K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Highest Revenue Cleaning franchises
Ranked by average gross revenue per location from Item 19 FDD disclosures.
Investment
$110K - $346K
Franchise Fee
$75K
Locations
65
Avg. Revenue
$2.8M
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$174K - $309K
Franchise Fee
$49K
Locations
0
Avg. Revenue
$2.4M
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$269K - $514K
Franchise Fee
$63K
Locations
61
Avg. Revenue
$1.9M
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Investment
$176K - $510K
Franchise Fee
$50K
Locations
210
Avg. Revenue
$1.7M
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$93K - $147K
Franchise Fee
$20K
Locations
233
Avg. Revenue
$1.5M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Fastest Growing Cleaning franchises
Ranked by projected new locations from Item 20 of their FDD filings.
GrowingLitigationBankruptcy
Investment
$18K - $64K
Franchise Fee
$16K
Locations
5,669
Royalty
5.0%
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$14K - $37K
Franchise Fee
$5K
Locations
1,914
Royalty
6.0%
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$4K - $134K
Franchise Fee
$72K
Locations
402
Royalty
15.0%
Source: 2026 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$4K - $134K
Franchise Fee
$25K
Locations
615
Royalty
15.0%
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$128K - $167K
Franchise Fee
$59K
Locations
45
Avg. Revenue
$985K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Most Affordable Cleaning franchises
Ranked by minimum initial investment from Item 7 of their FDD filings.
Sorted by Minimum Investment
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenWorks | $4K - $134K | $72K | 402 | - |
| OpenWorks | $4K - $134K | $25K | 615 | - |
| ANAGO OF MINNEAPOLIS | $13K - $68K | $9K | 45 | - |
| VCS BUSINESS | $14K - $37K | $5K | 1,914 | - |
| COVERALL COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE | $18K - $64K | $16K | 5,669 | - |
Who Should Consider Cleaning franchises?
Cleaning franchises offer low entry points ($10K-200K) and can start part-time. Commercial cleaning suits buyers wanting B2B recurring revenue. Restoration (Servpro, ServiceMaster) requires more capital but generates higher revenue per job. Residential cleaning has higher customer acquisition costs but strong brand recognition in some markets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaning franchises
How much does it cost to open a cleaning franchise?
The average initial investment for cleaning franchises ranges from $177K to $370K, based on our analysis of 80 FDD filings. The average franchise fee is $46K. The most affordable option is OpenWorks, starting at just $4K.
What is the most profitable cleaning franchise?
According to Item 19 financial performance disclosures, STRATUS BUILDING SOLUTIONS (MASTER) reports the highest average unit revenue at $2.8M. Other high-performing cleaning franchises include Kitchen Guard Services ($2.4M), 1-800-PACKOUTS ($1.9M), STANLEY STEEMER INTERNATIONAL INC ($1.7M). Note: Not all franchises disclose Item 19 data.
What is the largest cleaning franchise by number of locations?
COVERALL COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE is the largest with 5,669 locations nationwide. Other major cleaning franchises include SERVICEMASTER RESTORE (1,939 locations), VCS BUSINESS (1,914 locations), THE MAIDS (1,517 locations), Chem-Dry (1,099 locations). Combined, the top 5 cleaning franchises operate over 12,138 locations.
What is the cheapest cleaning franchise to open?
The most affordable cleaning franchises by initial investment are: OpenWorks ($4K - $134K), OpenWorks ($4K - $134K), ANAGO OF MINNEAPOLIS ($13K - $68K), VCS BUSINESS ($14K - $37K), COVERALL COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE ($18K - $64K). Lower investment often means smaller format, mobile/home-based, or service-based models.
How do I evaluate a cleaning franchise opportunity?
Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) carefully. Key sections include: Item 5 (fees), Item 7 (initial investment), Item 19 (financial performance, if disclosed), and Item 20 (outlet information including terminations and closures). Our database extracts this data from official FDDs to help you compare cleaning franchises objectively.
Want to explore more cleaning franchises?
Browse all cleaning franchises in our database with advanced filters for investment range, location count, and more.
View All Cleaning franchises