Start a ServiceMaster Clean Franchise in 2025

Company Overview

About ServiceMaster Clean

Industry	Maintenance
Related Categories	Commercial Cleaning
Founded	1959
Parent Company	ServiceMaster Brands
Leadership	Austin Yoder, President
Corporate Address	1 Glenlake Pkwy. N.E., #1400 Atlanta, GA 30328
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1959 (66 years)
# of employees at HQ	138
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Europe (Eastern), Europe (Western), Canada
# of Units	949 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a ServiceMaster Clean franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$32,500
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$89,775 - $131,200
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$200,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$100,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	20% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4%-7%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	0.5%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	5 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	ServiceMaster Clean has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

Classroom Training	70.5 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Online Support Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No

Franchise 500 Ranking History

Compare where ServiceMaster Clean landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Additional Rankings

Curious to know where ServiceMaster Clean ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.

Ranked #164 in 2025

Franchise 500

Ranked #7 in 2025

Top Franchises for Less Than $100,000

Ranked #124 in 2024

Top Franchises For Veterans

More from ServiceMaster Clean

Who We Are

For more than 65 years, ServiceMaster Clean has been serving facilities nationwide with excellent janitorial services and even better customer care. Since our early days, we’ve pursued the very highest industry standards in all aspects of our commercial cleaning business. Our impressive growth over the years is all thanks to our passion for serving our customers, dedication to our work, and commitment to delivering an unbeatable level of quality.

With more than 670 franchise locations in North America and a comprehensive range of services, we provide communities with the cleaning services they need when they need them. Our business model is unique to the cleaning services sector, and we work diligently to bring entrepreneurs like you into the system as owners, where they learn how to operate and continue growing our business, sharing in our success story.

By the Numbers

We believe in letting the numbers speak for themselves. Here’s a quick look at where ServiceMaster Clean stands:

65+ – Years of Experience
41 – Years on the Franchise 500 List
670+ – Locations Across North America
$32,000 – Initial Franchise Fee
$1,808,414 – Average Gross Sales of Top Quartile
#22 – 2023 Ranking for Top Franchises for less than $100K
15% – Conversion Franchise Discount Available

Become Part of a Growing Franchise

No matter what the fluctuating economy may have in store, franchising opportunities in the commercial cleaning and janitorial industries set entrepreneurs up for success. Even when it’s time for businesses to tighten their belts, there is always room in the budget for reliable janitorial services. As a ServiceMaster Clean franchisee, you’ll become part of a $58.3 billion industry that continues to grow year after year. We provide an essential service that helps businesses and other commercial properties run smoothly all year round.

Our clients, which include office buildings, healthcare facilities, retail centers, schools, stadiums, distribution centers, and other institutions, require regular maintenance. With clients on daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedules, you’ll enjoy recurring sources of revenue.

Wondering if the commercial cleaning industry is right for you? Whether you’ve had years of experience in the field or have never cleaned an office building before, ServiceMaster Clean’s system and support structure will help set the foundation for you to build a thriving franchise. From the start, we empower our franchisees to excel at lead generation, job costing, sales and more.

Getting Started

Ready to begin your journey to owning a ServiceMaster Clean franchise? We’re here to assist you every step of the way with this simple and efficient process designed to help you get down to business as soon as possible:

Start the Conversation. After you complete an inquiry form on our website, a ServiceMaster Clean team member will reach out to you to talk.
Meet the Brand. Next, you’ll have a deep-dive discussion with one of our Franchise Development experts to explore our brand, learn about the life of a franchisee, and gain a greater understanding of this unique franchising opportunity.
Complete a Request for Consideration. This no-obligation application will help us better determine if a partnership with ServiceMaster Clean is a good fit for you.
Meet the Experts. With the help of our business plan template, you’ll get the chance to have a conversation with our operations partners to ensure you are set up for success.
Sign on the Dotted Line. Now it’s time to make it official by signing a ServiceMaster Clean franchise agreement!
Attend Training. During our comprehensive training program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of running a business, as well as the details of our operating system and all software required to complete your day-to-day tasks.
Start Your Business. You’re now ready to go! Our team of experts will be alongside you every step of the way to help you on your journey to success.

Support for Success

When you choose to franchise with ServiceMaster Clean, you’re working with an industry leader that’s committed to you. Once you’ve signed your franchise agreement, your journey will begin with our best-in-class franchise training program at our ServiceMaster Academy in Memphis, TN, online training modules, and continued support long-term with:

Virtual franchise training sessions
In-person workshops and conventions
Networking opportunities
A dedicated franchise development consultant
Resources from our marketing, business intelligence, and field support teams.

We provide continuous training throughout the life of your business that will keep you evolving, adapting, and innovating. From the moment you become a franchisee, you’ll begin receiving our biweekly newsletter, full of the latest news and information about our network and our industry.

Best of all, our Continuous Improvement Initiative helps franchises stay on the cutting edge by regularly updating our processes and systems to better, more efficiently, and more competitively provide service to our customer base.

Making the Investment

Wondering what makes a good franchise investment? Simply put, a good investment is one that is profitable – and ServiceMaster Clean fits the bill. Our franchise model regularly outperforms the rest of the janitorial industry, and our individual owners have a clear path to building a profitable business.

The approximate initial franchise investment ranges from $87,675 to $125,200 based on which format you choose for your business. This investment will include everything you need to get started—materials, equipment, certifications, and other expenses related to opening a business.

About the ServiceMaster® Family of Brands

ServiceMaster® Brands is a leading franchisor of residential and commercial services in the restoration, cleaning, moving, junk removal, and bioremediation industries. The company is home to over 3,200 franchisees across 4,600+ locations serving over 1 million homes and businesses each year. ServiceMaster was founded with a deep commitment to its franchisees and has franchise opportunities available in ServiceMaster Restore®, ServiceMaster Clean®, Merry Maids®, and TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®.

Disclaimer

The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise or business opportunity by Entrepreneur Media. Our listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare opportunities. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise or business opportunity. That should include reviewing the company's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees/licensees/dealers.

Updated: December 12th, 2022

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