6 Cleaning & Maintenance Business Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 1st, 2023
Start A Cleaning & Maintenance Business

A Cleaning & Maintenance business is a service-based business in which you are the owner, operator, and lone employee. In a cleaning and maintenance business, you provide a specific service such as carpet servicing or pest control. It's important to note that although it seems straightforward, this business type can grow very quickly if done properly.

Cleaning and maintenance can be a real hassle, especially if you have a lot of employees or just your own staff. The cleaning and maintenance industry generates over $40B a year in the US alone. This makes it one of the largest, most competitive industries in the USA.

Starting a cleaning and maintenance business is pretty easy. You can start small with residential clients or businesses. Just make sure you check with your local government to ensure licensing (or certification) requirements.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a cleaning & maintenance business:

1. MaidThis Franchise ($1.2M/year)

Neel Parekh started MaidThis as a side hustle while working at a private equity investment firm. After stumbling across a post on Reddit from someone who started a cleaning company, he decided to give it a shot and specialize in Airbnb and residential cleanings. MaidThis has since generated over $10 million in revenue and is now launching MaidThis Franchise, the first cleaning franchise specializing in vacation rental cleanings.

How much they make: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $800
Current team size: 9

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How I Started A $100K+/Month Home Cleaning Service For Busy Individuals And Airbnb Hosts

MaidThis®, launched by Neel Parekh in Los Angeles with just one cleaner in 2013, has achieved over $10 million in total revenue by focusing on cleaning Airbnbs and vacation rentals, thanks to its successful remote business model and new-age marketing tactics, and has now launched MaidThis Franchise to expand the business further.

About
Neel started MaidThis Franchise over 10 years ago
Revenue
Neel grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Neel $800 to start the business
Read by 20,578 founders

2. Mrs Buckét ($3M/year)

How much they make: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $23
Current team size: 48

article

How I created a multi-million pound company despite A-Level failure

Discover how this founder turned a humble £20 investment in a hoover and some flyers into a multimillion-pound company winning multiple awards and servicing commercial buildings and educational institutions across south Wales and Bristol.

About
They started Mrs Buckét over 19 years ago
Revenue
They grew the business to $250K/month
Costs
It cost $23 to start the business
Read by 997 founders

Learn more about starting a cleaning & maintenance business:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a cleaning & maintenance business?
-> Pros and cons of a cleaning & maintenance business

Need inspiration?

-> Examples of established cleaning & maintenance business

Other resources

-> Cleaning & maintenance business tips

3. Go 2 Girls ($996K/year)

How much they make: $996K/year
Current team size:

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One Maid Service Owner's Journey to a $1-million dollar business - Crystal Hamm

Go 2 Girls is a woman-founded, women-operated house cleaning service in Wake County, NC that supports nonprofits, offers free cleanings to women undergoing cancer treatments, and prioritizes client and staff satisfaction.

About
They started Go 2 Girls over 6 years ago
Revenue
They grew the business to $83K/month
Read by 667 founders

4. Orange Window Cleaning ($720K/year)

How much they make: $720K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
Current team size: 5

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Building a $60k/month Business as a Full-Time College Student

Entrepreneur builds OrangeWindowCleaning.com to a $700k/year operation while still a full-time student, proving that unique business ideas aren't always necessary to make a significant impact on your life.

About
Johnny started Orange Window Cleaning about 7 years ago
Revenue
Johnny grew the business to $60K/month
Costs
It cost Johnny $50 to start the business
Read by 781 founders