Cleaning Jobs - Start Your Own Franchise

If you’re considering starting your own cleaning business, make sure you don’t miss out on any franchising opportunities. Here, we take a look at the current state of the cleaning sector and provide a brief introduction to five of the most reputable franchises on the market.

Cleaning industry in the UK

In the UK, the cleaning industry can be divided into two broad groups, the general building (household) cleaning sector and the industrial cleaning sector. The first of these two groups is worth around £6 billion a year and employs 378,000 people across the country. The second of these two groups is worth about £850 million and employs just over 20,000 people. Though the industrial sector is smaller, it's growing at a much faster rate. Much of this growth has been stimulated by higher demand from the healthcare sector, as more and more cleaning operations are outsourced.

Cleaning jobs in London

London constitutes the biggest market for cleaning services in the UK and is where the most cleaning jobs can be found. However, competition is fierce within the capital, and prospective franchisees will need to be able to differentiate themselves from other cleaning services if they're to grow their business and succeed. London is also an incredibly diverse city, that's often divided along stark socio-economic lines. This means that demand for cleaning services can vary drastically from neighbourhood to neighbourhood and location is an important consideration when it comes to setting up a cleaning franchise in the city.

Part-time cleaning jobs

Cleaning franchises are often able to offer franchisees a great deal of flexibility when it comes to work structure and scheduling. Many organisations have special franchisee programmes for those who would rather work part-time. While this type of part-time arrangement is likely to prove less profitable than a full-time role, it does allow franchisees to structure their professional life around their personal arrangements. This makes it particularly well suited to those with a family or those who prioritise flexibility over profit.

Top 5 cleaning franchises

There are numerous cleaning franchise opportunities in the UK, so we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at five of the most popular and explore why they make for such an enticing investment.

1. Nationwide Cleaners

Nationwide Cleaners are possibly the biggest name in the cleaning sector and definitely a franchising superstar. The business provides high-quality cleaning services to households across the UK at extremely affordable rates. They have earned themselves a reputation for excellent marketing campaigns and effective franchisee support systems.

To become a franchisee, you'll need to raise a total investment of approximately £8,000. On the back of this investment, the franchise anticipates franchisees will generate an expected revenue of £60,000 over two years. The initial investment covers everything you need to get the business off the ground, including comprehensive training, operations manuals, assistance attracting clients, and help marketing the business.

2. Molly Maid

With over 30 years of experience in the cleaning industry, Molly Maid is one of the country's longest running franchises. The knowledge they've accumulated over the last three decades has allowed them to refine and fine-tune their franchise model to perfection and they now boast 75 franchise units around the UK. Molly Maid also focuses on providing domestic cleaning services, putting them in direct competition with many of the other franchises on this list.

A total investment of around £16,975 is necessary if you’re to become a Molly Maid franchisee. At least £6,000 of this amount must come from your personal assets, though the rest can be borrowed. In return for your investment, franchisees receive a place on a 5-day training course, access to bespoke digital software and systems, and permission to utilise the extensive Molly Maid network.

3. Diamond Home Support

Diamond Home Support takes the traditional domestic cleaning model and shakes it up a little, adding two extra aspects to the service. The result is a three-in-one franchise that offers cleaning, home help, and gardening services in a single, handy package. As a management franchise, you won't actually provide the services yourself. Instead, you'll build a tried, tested, and trusted team who'll deliver them for you.

To become a Diamond Home Support franchisee, you’ll need £2,495 +VAT. This makes the franchise one of the most affordable around and an incredibly attractive investment opportunity. As usual, you’ll receive training and on-going support from a dedicated franchisor team.

4. Merry Maids

A US import, Merry Maids has developed an extensive UK network of franchisees and can consider itself one of the most successful cleaning franchises of the last few decades. As part of the ServiceMaster family, it's able to provide high-quality franchisee support and excellent training opportunities.

A Merry Maids franchise will set you back £20,000 +VAT. Although this is more than some of the other franchises on this list, franchisees are paying for access to a proven business model and a brand with global reach and a loyal following.

5. Minister Cleaning Services

Minister Cleaning Services differs from our other franchises because it's predominately a commercial cleaning business. Franchisees will be responsible for managing a roster of cleaning teams and attracting and keeping clients that operate in a wide range of industries. The franchise advertises the fact that its top branches are achieving sales of more than £2 million a year and that half of its franchisees exceed sales of £1 million.

To become a Minister franchisee, you’ll need an investment of £62,225. This will buy access to the franchise’s training programme, operating manuals, ongoing support systems, and digital systems, amongst other things.

Conclusion

The cleaning industry is often thought of as a "recession-proof" industry. Though this isn't strictly true, the sector is less prone to economic instability, and business has a good chance of turning a profit during both the good times and the bad. The franchises listed above represent five of the most popular cleaning business and some of the best investment opportunities around.