The Carpet Cleaning Franchise Industry
Carpet cleaning franchises specialize in cleaning carpets, rugs, upholstery, and other floor surfaces for residential and commercial clients. Some companies in the industry may also provide other cleaning services such as restoration services, textile cleaning, and ventilation duct cleaning.
Though the pandemic caused a decrease in revenue for the short-term, prospects are looking good for the medium- and long-term. Workers are expected to return to offices, returning demand levels back in the commercial space. In addition, increased awareness and concern surrounding cleanliness and warding off infectious diseases will likely create greater demand for disinfection and sanitization of high-touch surfaces.
Well-known companies in the carpet cleaning franchise industry include: Chem-Dry, Heaven's Best Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Kwik Dry Carpet & Air Duct Cleaning, milliCare Floor & Textile Care, Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning, Stanley Steemer, Zerorez, and more.
Eco-Friendly Processes Are a Force
Green cleaning is no longer a trend, but a way of business. Using greener cleaning methods, “helps reduce pollution to our waterways and the air and it minimizes your impact on ozone depletion and global climate change with fewer smog-producing chemicals,” says fresh living expert Sara Snow.
In addition, the benefits of green cleaning don’t just extend themselves to the environment.
Studies had found the average American spends about 90% of their time indoors—and that was before the pandemic. Thus, having safely cleaned surfaces and upholstery is essential to maintaining health, especially considering 1 in 5 Americans suffer from allergies and over a billion colds alone are annually reported in the United States. In addition, some cleaning sprays have been linked to an increased risk of asthma, the most common chronic illness and the leading cause of school absences due to chronic illness in the country.
In response, cleaning franchises have been diligent to accommodate the desires of customers when it comes to clean and green cleaning—and are quite apt to boast. For instance, the following examples:
- Researchers found Chem-Dry’s Hot Carbonating Extraction (HCE) cleaning method removed an average of 98.1% of common household allergens from carpets and upholstery. When the HCE process was combined with their sanitizer, it was also found to remove an average of 89% of the airborne bacteria in the test home.
- Kwik Dry uses a proprietary “Green Sealed” cleaning formula, which “is 100% natural, environmentally friendly, fast drying and extremely effective at cleaning even the toughest stains.”
- It’s in the name for Oxi Fresh, which uses the power of oxygen to naturally clean carpets. According to the company, “the green cleaning solution we use here at Oxi Fresh is part of a powerful, fast-drying and residue-free oxygenated carpet cleaning system.”
- Stanley Steemer touts its EPA Safer Choice certified solutions, including a proprietary hot water extraction cleaning method.
A Couple of Items to Consider When Buying a Carpet Cleaning Franchise
Who's In Charge?
Although franchisees must supervise their franchise operation directly, many cleaning franchises do explicitly allow franchisees to share responsibility with a manager or a management team due to work occurring at different remote locations. In this case, selected manager(s) would be subject to the approval of the franchisor by completing the same training as the franchisee, as well as signing the same non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements. In some cases, like with Jani-King, the franchisor may want the additional supervisor(s) to have business equity in the franchise so there is a stake in the success of the business, thus encouraging high performance.
Special Regulations
Laws and regulations vary widely depending on where the individual franchisee will do business. In addition to common business laws, sanitation laws and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) regulations are a couple of rules cleaning franchisees must make sure they abide by. A large component of these laws concern chemicals and waste disposal. Franchisees are strongly recommended to consult a local advisor to determine all laws and regulations that are applicable to their situation.
Initial Investment and Opening Costs for Carpet Cleaning Franchises
The opening costs for prospective carpet cleaning franchisees can depend on many factors, including but not limited to: the business system and execution requirements, particularly if the franchisee has a physical office location outside of the franchisee’s home.
The initial investment typically includes expenses such as the initial franchise fee, lodging during training, the purchase of tools and equipment, insurance and licensing, grand opening advertising material and, perhaps, payments towards a company vehicle.
Franchisors offer estimates in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) based upon their experience establishing, and in some cases operating, units. However, prospective franchisees should keep in mind these estimates are just that—an estimate. Prospective franchisees should review the figures presented with a business advisor, taking into consideration their unique circumstances, before making the decision to enter into a franchise agreement.
Top Benefits of Being a Carpet Cleaning Franchisee
Independent operators make up a large portion of the cleaning population, especially when it comes to house cleaners. But despite the low barriers of entry to the industry as an independent business—and possibly because of that fact, there are several advantages cleaning industry franchisees have over their independent counterparts.
Name Recognition: When it comes to finding a service provider, people tend to deal with someone they have a familiarity with. Franchises tend to have established brand names that, in many instances, have been around for years. If you buy a carpet cleaning franchise, you will be given the right to associate your business with that franchise company's name, trademarks, and logo.
Advertising: Getting your name out there can be expensive and sometimes it can be hard to know where to spend your advertising and marketing budget. With a franchise, national advertising is typically done by the franchisor. In addition, though local advertising is generally up to you, you’ll have guidelines in place to help guide you.
Training & Support: A popular feature with all franchises is the training provided. While in business, franchisees will have access to the franchisor’s operations manual, computer systems, and other items designed to help you successfully manage your carpet cleaning franchise. Customer scheduling assistance, which a number of franchisors offer, is of particular help for many franchisees.
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