Start a The Cleaning Authority Franchise in 2025

2025 Franchise 500 Rank: #226 Ranked #263 last year

Initial investment: $82K - $173K

Units as of 2024: 238 7.7% over 3 years

Founded in 1977 and franchising since 1996, The Cleaning Authority is part of Authority Brands LLC, one of the leading providers of in-home services. Supporting the growth of franchisees, The Cleaning Authority’s goal is to better their employees and the homeowners they serve while offering environmentally-friendly residential cleaning.

Customers may continue coming back to The Cleaning Authority because of their superior cleaning services. It offers house or apartment cleaning and sanitizing, one-time cleaning, and cleaning during moving-ins or move-outs. The home cleaning industry is a major one and may continue to be in the future.

Why You May Want to Start The Cleaning Authority Franchise

The Cleaning Authority is an established brand with more than 25 years of experience in franchising. The marketing activities are executed for you so you can focus on your business. You can also get support and advice from fellow franchisees when needed.

By joining The Cleaning Authority, you could become your community’s authority in home cleaning service. You may be a top choice when a client searches for 'private housekeeping jobs near me."

The Cleaning Authority business model may help you maximize your potential, and it has been known to have stood the test of time. Cleaning services tend to be in demand often since the client base is broad and located across the United States. So long as you stick to the clean home satisfaction guarantee, you may enjoy a relatively steady clientele and customers that continually schedule to have their homes cleaned.

What Might Make a Cleaning Authority Franchise a Good Choice?

If you want a unique business model that works, you may want to think about opening a The Cleaning Authority franchise. To be part of The Cleaning Authority team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. You should also prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising fees and royalty fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

By opening a The Cleaning Authority franchise, you could enjoy freedom that comes with the brand. You may not have to clean properties yourself, but you can hire and manage your various crews. While cleanings are taking place, you may network for your franchise or spend quality time with the ones that you love.

How To Open a Cleaning Authority Franchise

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, make sure this is the right opportunity for you. Speak to existing franchisees and ask The Cleaning Authority team questions. If your net worth and available liquid capital match the brand’s requirements, you may qualify to open The Cleaning Authority franchise, and you can get started with an initial investment and relevant training.

Potential franchisees are usually invited to attend a discovery day at company headquarters in Columbia, Maryland to learn more about the business' operations, marketing, and technology. You'll usually have an opportunity to meet corporate team members, as well. After signing the franchise agreement and paying your fees, you should be able to officially join The Cleaning Authority as the brand's newest franchisee.

Company Overview

About The Cleaning Authority

Industry	Maintenance
Related Categories	Residential Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning, Miscellaneous Maintenance Businesses, Cleaning/Restoration
Founded	1977
Parent Company	Authority Brands
Leadership	Katie Dills , Brand President
Corporate Address	7120 Samuel Morse Dr., #300 Columbia, MD 21046
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1996 (29 years)
# of employees at HQ	15
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	238 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a The Cleaning Authority 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.	$15,000 - $20,000
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.	$82,462 - $172,654
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.	$225,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$50,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	30% off first-unit franchise and territory fees
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%-6%
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.	9%-13%
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.	15 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	The Cleaning Authority 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.

On-The-Job Training	45.5 hours
Classroom Training	37 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection 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?	Yes
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.	Yes
# of employees required to run	20
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