Best Cleaning Franchises 2026: Costs, Profits & Real FDD Data
Quick Summary: Cleaning franchises remain one of the most accessible paths to business ownership in 2026 — with entry points around $46,000 and median annual revenues of $500K+ for established operators. But not all cleaning franchises are built the same. This guide surfaces real Item 19 Financial Performance data from the 2025–2026 FDDs so you can compare what franchisees actually earn — not just what the brochure says.
FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document): A legal document every franchisor in the US must provide before any money changes hands. It contains 23 standardized sections covering everything from the company's history and fees to financial performance and litigation history. Think of it as the franchise's official fact sheet — required by the FTC.
Item 19 (Financial Performance Representation / FPR): The section of the FDD where franchisors can (but are not required to) share how existing franchisees have actually performed financially. When a brand makes an FPR, they've chosen to disclose real earnings data. When they don't, you have no official basis to estimate what you might earn — a significant red flag.
Item 7 (Estimated Initial Investment): The FDD section that itemizes every cost you're expected to incur to open and operate the franchise for the first three months. This is where total investment ranges come from.
Royalty fee: An ongoing payment to the franchisor, typically a percentage of your gross revenue or a flat monthly fee. Separate from the one-time initial franchise fee.
Initial franchise fee: A one-time payment when you sign the franchise agreement. It grants you the right to operate under the brand. This is one component of the total investment — not the whole cost.
Master franchise: A model where you buy rights to a territory and recruit, sell to, and support individual unit franchisees within it. You earn royalties from those units rather than doing the cleaning yourself. Anago uses this model.
Unit franchise: The traditional model — you operate a single territory, delivering the service directly to customers.
Territory: The geographic area or population base assigned exclusively to your franchise. Some protect by zip code, others by population count. Understanding exactly what you're buying is critical before signing.
Gross revenue / Gross sales: Total amount billed or collected before any expenses, royalties, or deductions. Item 19 figures are almost always gross — not net income or profit.
EBITDA: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization — a proxy for operating profitability. When Bio-One discloses an average adjusted EBITDA margin of 16.1%, roughly 16 cents of every revenue dollar remains after operating costs, before taxes and financing.
Most cleaning franchise articles list brands and describe their services. This one goes further. Using 2025–2026 Franchise Disclosure Documents, we've pulled actual Item 19 financial performance data — the section of the FDD where franchisors report what their franchisees actually earned. Franchisors are not required to disclose this data, so this guide intentionally covers only the brands that do. For a few brands, the FDD presents performance in detailed multi-table formats; where a figure can't be cited cleanly in a summary, we say so and point you to the original document rather than estimate.
Use this guide to understand which brands generate the most revenue, which have the best royalty structures, and which type of cleaning franchise aligns with your investment capacity and lifestyle goals.
All investment and fee data sourced directly from the most recent Franchise Disclosure Documents. Item 19 data represents reported gross sales or revenues from franchisees who reported for the full prior fiscal year.
| Brand | Type | Initial Fee | Royalty | Total Investment | FPR? | Item 19 Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merry Maids | Residential | $55,000 | 7% (may reduce to 6%) | $126,880–$170,110 | Yes | 249 franchise groups avg $1,047,237 (median $767,299); top 10% avg $3,225,072; bottom 10% $183,059 |
| Two Maids | Residential | $19,950 + $40,000 territory fee | Tiered: 6% then 5% (min $500–$1,500/mo) | $93,440–$149,890 | Yes | 94 territories 2+ yrs: top quintile avg $1,085,621 (median $935,441); bottom quintile avg $229,897 |
| Maid Brigade | Residential | $49,900 | 6.9% | $120,616–$136,366 | Yes | Single-territory median $410,782; multi-territory median $1,097,909; top third avg $2,141,565 |
| Molly Maid | Residential | $14,900 + $1.10/household territory fee | Tiered ~6.5% → 3% of Gross Sales | $144,150–$203,950 | Yes | Reports Gross Sales per Target Household by quartile; ~89% of reporting franchisees grew sales year over year |
| Anago Cleaning Systems | Commercial (Master) | $98,000 (master) | 5% | $219,000–$339,000 | Yes | Master franchisees avg $3,453,102 in 2025 (median $3,531,399); top performer $8,243,733 |
| Enviro-Master International | Commercial | $60,000 | 6% | $112,450–$286,850 | Yes | Single-territory avg $964,568 (median $829,614); top quartile avg $1,985,488 |
| Aire-Master of America | Commercial (Odor/Air) | $30,000–$100,000 | 5% | $46,234–$171,400 | Yes | Single-unit avg $29,723/mo (~$357K/yr); top 25% avg $81,686/mo |
| Zerorez | Carpet/Specialty | $30,000 ($15,000 Hometown Market) | 6% | $218,718–$410,698 | Yes | Avg gross revenue $1,428,301 (median $890,136); ~57.5% gross margin |
| Oxi Fresh | Carpet Cleaning | $47,900 | $475/mo flat | $50,700–$87,304 | Yes | All operators avg $156,833 (median $110,981); top fifth avg $412,663 |
| Stanley Steemer | Carpet/Multi-Service | ~$20,000–$100,000 | 7% core / 3% related + 10% ad spend | $175,685–$509,745 | Yes | Regional median annual sales $465,939 (Great Plains) to $2,252,511 (Mid-Atlantic) |
| Bio-One | Specialty/Biohazard | $60,000 | 7.5% (or minimum) | $134,645–$221,095 | Yes | Top-tier avg revenue $802,263; avg adjusted EBITDA 16.1% (79 P&L reports) |
| Dryer Vent Wizard | Specialty (Vents) | $49,900 (+$0.40/household) | 10% of Gross Sales | $84,900–$163,400 | Yes | Single-unit avg $236,672 (median $165,307); top 25% avg $532,924; multi-unit avg $747,054 |
| Paul Davis Restoration | Restoration | Population-based ($0.26/person; ~$130K typical) | 4% | $298,800–$804,900 | Yes | 2+ yrs avg $4,837,325 (median $3,008,596); under 2 yrs avg $1,318,117 |
| PuroClean | Restoration | $25,000–$59,000 | Graduated 10% → 3% (mitigation); 3% reconstruction | $108,503–$152,618 | Yes | 393 reporting franchisees avg $941,644 (median $500,496) |
| Restoration 1 | Restoration | $59,900–$64,400 | 7% (3.5% conversion, first 6 mo) | $126,525–$309,500 | Yes | Avg collected revenue $1,427,586 (median $760,111); largest multi-territory avg $4,977,002 (n=9) |
| ServiceMaster Restore | Restoration | $20,000–$72,500 | 10% of Gross Sales ($750/mo floor) | $266,600–$442,890 | Yes | Ownership groups avg $2,706,896 (median $1,261,049); top quartile avg $7,674,101 |
Notes: Two Maids' consumer "pay-for-performance" pricing is a billing model, not the royalty — the franchisor charges a tiered percentage of revenue. Molly Maid's "license fee" is the royalty and is tiered by sales volume. Stanley Steemer's 10% is a required advertising spend (a national ad fund of up to 4% counts toward it), separate from its 7% core royalty. ServiceMaster Restore's royalty is effectively 10% of gross service sales with a $750 monthly minimum. Paul Davis's initial fee is population-based; the ~$130K figure illustrates a 500,000-person territory.
The Franchise Disclosure Document's Item 19 is the most important section most franchise buyers never read carefully. Franchisors are not required to make a Financial Performance Representation — every brand in this guide does, because brands that don't disclose are outside its scope. Here's what the numbers actually tell us.
Merry Maids' 2025 FDD is one of the most transparent in the residential category. Across 249 Franchise Ownership Groups that reported for the full year, the average gross sales were $1,047,237 and the median was $767,299. The top 10% of operators averaged $3,225,072 — but the bottom 10% averaged just $183,059.
Two Maids' 2026 FDD covers 94 territories open two or more years. The top quintile averaged $1,085,621 in gross revenues (median $935,441); the middle quintile averaged $457,030; and the bottom quintile averaged $229,897. Note that Two Maids' well-known "pay-for-performance" feature governs how customers are billed — the franchisee still pays a tiered royalty (6% then 5% of revenue, subject to a monthly minimum).
Maid Brigade's data shows a clear multi-territory advantage. Single-territory operators posted a median of $410,782 annually, while multi-territory operators posted a median of $1,097,909. Their top-performing third (19 franchisees) averaged $2,141,565 — a strong signal for buyers who plan to scale.
Molly Maid reports Gross Sales per Target Household by performance group rather than a single revenue average, so a simple "typical revenue" figure isn't stated in a form we can cite here. What the FDD does show cleanly: of the franchisees reporting in both 2024 and 2025, roughly 89% grew their gross sales year over year.
Anago Cleaning Systems' 2026 FDD shows average annual sales of $3,453,102 across 37 qualifying franchisees in 2025, up from $2,739,828 in 2022. The median was $3,531,399 — meaning more than half of Anago's franchisees exceeded the average. The top performer hit $8,243,733 in 2025. Anago sells master franchises, not unit cleaning contracts.
Enviro-Master International's 2026 FDD reports single-territory units averaging $964,568 (median $829,614), with a top quartile averaging $1,985,488; multi-territory operators averaged $1,038,224. Aire-Master reports monthly: single units averaged $29,723 per month (about $357,000 a year), and the top 25% averaged $81,686 per month.
ServiceMaster Restore is often cited as the highest-revenue brand in the category, but the number matters. Its ownership groups averaged $2,706,896 in gross service sales (median $1,261,049) — and many groups operate multiple franchises. The frequently-quoted $7.67M figure is the average of the top quartile of ownership groups, not a typical result, and the $66.8M high is a single group running dozens of units. A single-franchise group's median is closer to $525,000.
Paul Davis Restoration shows the tenure effect starkly: operators open at least two years (N=231) averaged $4,837,325 (median $3,008,596), while those under two years (N=54) averaged $1,318,117 (median $695,361).
PuroClean's 393 reporting franchisees averaged $941,644, with a median of $500,496. Restoration 1 franchisees averaged $1,427,586 in collected revenue (median $760,111); its largest multi-territory operators averaged $4,977,002, though that segment is only nine franchisees.
Zerorez reported average gross revenues of $1,428,301, with a median of $890,136 and a roughly 57.5% gross margin. Oxi Fresh's active operators averaged $156,833 (median $110,981), with the top fifth averaging $412,663. Dryer Vent Wizard single-unit operators averaged $236,672 (median $165,307), with the top 25% at $532,924 and multi-unit franchisees at $747,054. Bio-One's 79 P&L reports showed average total costs of 76.39% of revenue and average adjusted EBITDA of 16.11% (median 30.43%).
Best for: Owner-operators who want recurring revenue, manageable startup costs, and a people-focused business. FDD data shows established-operator medians from roughly $411K for single territories to $1.1M for multi-territory owners.
Best for: Buyers who prefer B2B contracts and consistent recurring revenue. Anago's FDD shows median revenues of $3.53M for master operators — but this includes revenue that flows through to unit franchisees.
Best for: Buyers who want a differentiated service with higher per-job pricing. Zerorez's ~57.5% gross margin stands out. The tradeoff is lower absolute volume.
Best for: Well-capitalized buyers who want a scalable, high-revenue business and can handle 24/7 emergency response. Paul Davis's jump from $1.3M (under 2 years) to $4.8M (2+ years) illustrates the upside.
Royalty structures vary more than most buyers realize. Merry Maids (7%, sometimes reduced to 6%) and Bio-One (7.5%) are conventional. Molly Maid's license fee is tiered, starting near 6.5% and stepping down as volume grows. Oxi Fresh charges a flat $475/month — on $400K of revenue that's an effective rate near 1.4%. At the other end, PuroClean's mitigation royalty starts at 10% and declines with volume; Dryer Vent Wizard charges 10% of gross sales; and ServiceMaster Restore charges 10% of gross service sales with a $750 monthly floor. Stanley Steemer layers a 10% advertising-spend requirement on top of a 7% core royalty. Always add royalty, brand/marketing fund, and technology fees together as a share of projected revenue before comparing brands.
Under $100,000: Unit and mobile models — Aire-Master ($46K–$171K), Oxi Fresh ($51K–$87K), and Two Maids ($93K–$150K).
$100,000–$225,000: Most residential and specialty brands — Merry Maids ($127K–$170K), Maid Brigade ($121K–$136K), Molly Maid ($144K–$204K), Bio-One ($135K–$221K), PuroClean ($109K–$153K).
$225,000–$525,000: Commercial masters and mid-tier restoration — Anago ($219K–$339K), Zerorez ($219K–$411K), Restoration 1 ($127K–$310K), ServiceMaster Restore ($267K–$443K).
$525,000+: Full-service restoration such as Paul Davis ($299K–$805K), typically requiring SBA financing.
Tenure is the strongest predictor. Paul Davis operators jump from about $1.3M (under two years) to $4.8M (two-plus years), and the residential brands show the same ramp. Build your model around a realistic 2–3 year climb.
Multi-unit operation dramatically improves returns. Maid Brigade single-territory medians ($411K) more than double for multi-territory operators ($1.1M); Dryer Vent Wizard multi-unit franchisees ($747K) far outrun single units ($237K).
Bio-One's disclosure is a useful profitability proxy: average total costs of 76.4% of revenue and average adjusted EBITDA of 16.1% (median 30.4%) across 79 franchisee P&L reports.
Gross margin varies by model. Zerorez reports roughly 57.5%; restoration carries heavier equipment and subcontractor costs but far larger tickets.
By reported revenue, restoration leads — ServiceMaster Restore ownership groups average about $2.7M (median $1.26M) and established Paul Davis operators average roughly $4.8M — but those figures reflect multi-unit ownership groups and mature operators, not typical first-year results. Among residential brands, Merry Maids' top ownership groups averaged $3.2M. Bio-One is the only brand disclosing actual profit margins, averaging 16.1% adjusted EBITDA.
Residential franchises under $150K with recurring revenue can reach break-even within 12–24 months. Restoration franchises typically take longer, given the two-plus-year revenue ramp the FDDs show.
Commercial master franchises like Anago are designed around a management model. Residential brands require more hands-on involvement, especially early on. Restoration franchises generally require active owner involvement due to emergency response requirements.
Item 19 is where franchisors voluntarily disclose how existing franchisees have actually performed financially, typically showing average and median gross revenues. All 16 brands in this guide make a Financial Performance Representation — this guide covers only brands that do. The exact basis (per unit, per territory, or per ownership group) is noted brand-by-brand above.
The FDD data shows wide variance. Merry Maids' top 10% averaged $3.2M while the bottom 10% averaged $183K — a 17x gap within the same system. Established operators consistently outperform newer ones — Paul Davis franchisees open two-plus years average more than three times the revenue of those under two years.
What was your revenue in year one, two, and three? Compare franchisee answers to the Item 19 data in the FDD.
How does the franchisor support customer acquisition? Some brands guarantee initial customers; most don't.
What is the actual total fee burden? Add royalty + marketing fund + technology fees as a percentage of projected revenue.
What does territory protection actually mean? Geographic, population-based, and account-based protection are meaningfully different.
For restoration brands: what is your dispatch model? How jobs are routed to your territory affects staffing and lifestyle directly.
Residential cleaning and restoration are fundamentally different businesses. The right choice depends on your capital, risk tolerance, preference for B2B vs. B2C, and long-term goal. Our franchise advisors can help you assess which opportunity fits your budget and goals at no cost to you.
Javier is an experienced franchise industry professional with a focus on development, operations, and performance. With almost a decade of experience in the industry, he has witnessed both the successes and failures of franchise owners. Javier strongly believes that buying a franchise is not just an investment, but a life-changing event that presents a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth. He enjoys helping aspiring franchise owners navigate the decision-making process and increase their chances of success.
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