I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” but let’s put a new spin on it.

How about “one man’s hassle is another man’s opportunity?” That’s what we’re talking about today with the cleaning industry…the cleaning franchise industry to be exact.  Just as the title says, there are more flavors of opportunity with cleaning franchises than you may imagine at first thought. If you’re not cooking something, fixing something, or generally helping someone achieve something in the franchise industry, you’re cleaning up after it’s done. Think about this for a second…that’s a lot of different cleaning up, right? Each type is it’s own specialty, a separate business altogether. Cleaning service franchises include a diverse list of industries, all in demand by the commercial and residential sectors. This list includes maid services, carpet & upholstery cleaning, window cleaning, floor cleaning, and other cleaning services, which are needed by both the public and private sectors.

Time is money

Cleaning services have gained popularity because people are busy!  All of that busy work creates “stuff” to be cleaned or picked up. That’s just life.  Real estate development and construction need someone to pick up the debris behind them. Businesses want to concentrate on their area of expertise and their customers. They do not wish to keep up with the cleaning minutia. That being said, there is still a need for “clean and tidy” in the name of their outward appearance, right? Time is money and they will gladly spend money to gain a little more time and NOT be concerned with cleaning.

Now that we’ve addressed commercial cleaning, let’s next look at residential opportunities. The family unit is busier than its ever been. Just as everyone gets home, one or all of the kids have extracurricular activities. Very few just stay home and play like we used to. Parents need to make sure that the kids reach their activities and get home, then dinner/homework/baths/bed. Who has time to clean? Most families are dual-income these days, so time to clean isn’t quite the same as the generations before us. Rightfully so, parents prefer to spend time with their family than cleaning on those few precious hours to themselves. Just because they don’t have the time to do something (or choose not to) doesn’t mean that it doesn’t NEED to be done.

These examples are where the opportunity for the entrepreneur comes in. Cleaning franchise activities to be exact!

Achieving a “green clean”

Green cleaning is a fundamental expectation to many. It is not even an option anymore with some. It’s better for the environment. It’s better for the health of your customers and their associates, children, and pets. At first glance, this appears to add more demands to the cleaning business.

You have to be green and figure out how to get rid of the trash, strip and refinish floors and clean carpets without affecting the health of anyone. This is a strong shift when it comes to cleaning, where we trusted the harshest chemicals to do the best disinfecting. This can be good news for cleaning businesses. This new requirement has brought a different spin on cleaning franchises. Customers will actually pay EXTRA for you to use FEWER chemicals. While this can be a challenge at first, once conquered, this usually creates an even larger profit to the cleaning business by not having to spend on those harsh chemicals.

What kind of opportunity is there?

The better question is where is there NOT opportunity, and honestly, I cannot tell you where there isn’t cleaning to be done that someone isn’t willing to pay to not do it. I have so many different franchise opportunities for cleaning services. The best part is that all of these challenges I wrote about, from time to green practices have already been addressed and achieved by these franchises.

Like the other franchises I’ve shared, the genius is already there for you to bank on. All you do is invest and follow their pathway to success. That’s the glory of franchises, proven success models that greatly reduce the amount of risk that you might otherwise endure trying a new business on your own from scratch. Many of these franchises, once established, provide a steady stream of repeat customers. Other more specialized services aren’t as common, but when needed, their customers gladly pay a premium.

10% of the cleaning revenue is earned by carpet and upholstery cleaning services.  Ten percent doesn’t sound so big at first, but compare this to what makes up the other 90%:

I represent fifty-three different cleaning services franchises to choose from, with total buildouts from $35,000 to $700,000+. These franchises fall within this array of industries:  Carpet Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning, Construction Site Cleaning, Crime/Trauma Scene Cleaning, Dry Cleaning, House Detailing, Junk Removal, Laundry Services, Moving, Pool Services, Pressure Washing, Recycling, Residential Cleaning, Vehicle Cleaning, Vent & Duct Cleaning, and Window Cleaning. 

IBISWorld points out that in 2018, cleaning industry accounted for about $75 million in revenue. With office cleaning accounting for approximately 31% of the industry revenue, and the majority of these businesses work the overnight shifts when offices are empty.

Ready to learn more?

Just like other franchise opportunities, the value is in the proven success model. As a new entrepreneur, you are guided the entire way and trained on their best practices, so no prior experience is necessary. While some business owners like to be in the middle of it all, you may prefer a semi-absentee option. If you build yourself a strong and dependable team of employees and a fleet of vehicles if necessary, this could be a semi-absentee opportunity once your business finds its groove. With you and your employees going directly to the business, a storefront may not be necessary, either.  Branding and work ethic are the keys to success with this type of business.

If this has your interest, let’s talk! I can get you started and walk you through the process. If you are still browsing for opportunities, read some more of my useful articles where I feature different franchise opportunities. I would be happy to help you select the perfect franchise to match your current and desired lifestyle.