How to Start a Cleaning Franchise Business

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The UK cleaning industry

Cleaning companies provide a vital service to the UK, ensuring that businesses, homes, schools and public spaces are clean and safe to use. According to recent data from the BCC (British Cleaning Council), the cleaning industry contributes £55.5 billion to the UK economy every year. The sector employs approximately 5% of the UK workforce and is considered a top 10 employment industry in the UK for 2021!

Is a cleaning franchise a good investment?

Cleaning franchises are growing in popularity in the UK and for good reason. These low cost, high yield investments can be lucrative business opportunities. A cleaning franchise is a cost-effective alternative to starting your own cleaning business.  

The benefit of buying into a cleaning franchise is that you’re investing in a turnkey business. It’s likely the business will have an established brand and a good reputation that you can capitalise on. Plus, unlike some businesses, cleaning franchises thrive all year round, making this type of business a good investment opportunity.  

Husband and wife team Adam and Andrea from St Albans started the Cleanhome business in 2020 during the pandemic. They’ve been extremely successful, reaching an incredible £73,000 turnover in their first year- of which over £65,000 is pure profit.

How do cleaning Franchises work?

A cleaning franchise is a cleaning business that is franchised by the business owner (known as the franchisor). The owner grants the franchisee permission to use their established brand for an investment fee. The Franchisee then runs their own branch of the business under the guidelines and principles of the franchise agreement. Read our Franchising 101 Guide to learn more about how franchises operate. We’re going to look at the types of cleaning franchises in more detail below. 

Commercial cleaning franchises

Commercial cleaning franchises service clients such as offices, schools, hotels, factories and other similar businesses. If your brand is well known, you’re more likely to win business from these prospective clients. Companies may require you to have the necessary insurance and protocols in place to work in the commercial environment. That’s where an established franchise brand will help you win clients. 

To succeed in this sector, a lot of your time will be spent managing the business aspect of your company. Tasks include marketing your services and winning new clients. You will visit the client’s premises to establish their needs and agree on the services to provide. Once your clients are on board, your time will be spent managing operations and ensuring that you meet your contractual requirements. This is crucial to keeping the client happy and securing repeat business. 

It’s likely that you’ll need to hire and manage a large team of staff for your business. Your team will be responsible for carrying out all the work and fulfilling the contracts. Good people management skills will come in handy here. If you have experience of managing a team, then this type of opportunity could be perfect for you. 

Finally, you’re likely to need large premises to store your cleaning products and items of equipment to carry out the work. This may also include a fleet of vehicles that your staff use to move between locations. 

With more people returning to the office post-Covid, this could be a good time to invest in a commercial cleaning business!  

Domestic cleaning franchises

Domestic cleaning franchises offer services to residential clients such as homeowners and landlords. As our lives become busier, more of us are looking for some extra help to keep on top of our daily chores. Domestic cleaning is in demand and busy households are on the lookout for companies that offer flexible services for a good price. 

One of the key aspects of winning new clients in this sector is how reliable and trustworthy your staff are. Often the cleaner will hold a key to the home so building trust between you and your client is important. 

For this type of franchise, it’s likely you will need to employ a small team of people. Make sure you build a great team of reliable staff to represent your brand. If you’re looking for a home working opportunity, this could be for you, as the size of the business means it can usually be managed remotely or from home. 

Most of your time will be spent marketing your services within your allocated area and you may also carry out some of the cleaning work yourself. 

Don’t forget that you will have the reputation of the brand behind you to help you win new business! 

Specialised cleaning franchises

Specialised (or customised) cleaning franchises often combine commercial and domestic tasks, offering niche services to clients. This is great if you want to hone your skills and become an expert in your field. 

The size and scale of your operation may vary depending on the business model you choose, but the same principles of marketing and people management apply. 

After acquiring the specialist oven cleaning business Oven Bracknell, John Ariss has seen his business soar to success and is expanding his team to meet the growing demand for oven cleaning in his local community!

Who can start a cleaning franchise?

The skills you need to start a cleaning franchise vary, but on the whole, anyone can start and succeed in this type of business. 

The franchisor will provide you with a programme of support to get your business up and running. You’ll receive training on how to run the business and all of your branding and marketing will be set up and ready to go.

As we touched on above, having management experience could be an advantage. You’ll be responsible for employing and managing a team of staff so being a people person is an advantage! Having a rapport with your clients will help you to build that all-important reputation.

How much does it cost to start a cleaning franchise?

Initial franchise fees vary depending on the business model but it’s possible to start a cleaning franchise business for under £10,000. You’re likely to recoup your investment quickly once your business is up and running. Don’t forget that you’re investing in a ready-made business and all the benefits that come with it!

How much can I expect to earn from a cleaning franchise?

A 2018 report by the British Franchise Association (BFA) and NatWest discovered that 93% of franchisees claimed profitability while 60% of franchised units turned over more than £250,000. Positively, failure rates for franchises remain very low, with fewer than 1% per year closing due to commercial failure. According to the report, the future of franchising is looking bright!

How to get started

Franchise Local offers you the best cleaning franchises in the UK. With over 30 opportunities to choose from in a range of sectors. It’s easy to get started, just browse and discover your perfect opportunity then complete an enquiry form and the franchisor will contact you!

References

1. British Cleaning Council, The The Cleaning, Hygiene And Waste Industry Research Report 2021
2. 2018 British Franchise Association NatWest Franchise Survey