CleanNet USAFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A CleanNet USA franchise requires a total initial investment of $20K – $85K, including a $16K franchise fee and an ongoing 10.0% royalty[2]. The 2023 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: B. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2023 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $20K – $85K
- 4th pct Cleaning & Ma…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 56th pct Cleaning & Ma…
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- 50th pct Cleaning & Ma…
- Units
- 1,296
- 82nd pct Cleaning & Ma…
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Cleaning & Maintenance · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Cleaning & Maintenance avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Franchising since 2000. Systems this mature have refined operations and brand recognition.
Franchised units fell from 1455 to 1296 over 3 years. Investigate why operators are leaving.
13 legal cases disclosed in the FDD. Read Item 3 before signing.
Large franchise systems benefit from brand recognition, supply chain leverage, and proven operations.
Bottom line
- Total investment $20K – $85K including a $16K franchise fee, 10.0% ongoing royalty.
- Item 19 discloses "Actual average monthly volume" rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
- Verdict B (Above Average) with a risk score of 59/100.
- 13 litigation matters disclosed in Item 3, higher than typical. Review the summary for patterns (franchisor-initiated vs. franchisee-initiated).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- CleanNet of Baltimore/Washington, Inc.
- Incorporated in
- VA
- HQ
- 8300 Boone Blvd., Suite 500, Vienna, Virginia 22182
- Auditor
- Yount, Hyde & Barbour P.C.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $93.4M
- vs $96.4M prior year
Overview
About
CleanNet USA franchisees operate commercial cleaning businesses, managing janitorial services for office buildings, retail spaces, and other commercial facilities. Franchisees typically hire and supervise cleaning crews to perform nightly or periodic cleaning, handle customer relationships, and manage billing. The business model relies on volume contracts and recurring revenue from multiple client accounts.
- CEO
- Mark F. Salek
- Headquarters
- VA
- Founded
- 2000
- FDD year
- 2023
- States available
- 18
FDD Item 7 · 2023 filing · 11 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $16K | $70K | |
| Initial Cleaning Equipment and Supplies | $1K | $3K | |
| Cellular Phone (for 3 months) | $120 | $450 | |
| Computer System and Internet | $2K | $2K | |
| Great Plains Software Package and Software Support | $0 | $5K | |
| Business Licenses and Permits | $40 | $125 | |
| Insurance | $22 | $600 | |
| Office Supplies, Stationery | $25 | $600 | |
| Business Entity Formation and other Legal & Accounting | $100 | $1K | |
| Initial Certification Expenses | $125 | $250 | |
| Additional Funds (1st 3 Months) | $2K | $3K | |
| Total initial investment | $20K | $85K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $20K – $85K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $2K – $3K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $16K – $70K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 10.0%
- Gross Billings · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 11.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 10.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $0 |
| Total fee load | 11.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This brand's FDD disclosed "Actual average monthly volume" in Item 19 rather than annual gross sales. This metric cannot be directly compared across brands, so we omit it from rankings.
vs Cleaning & Maintenance averages
How CleanNet USA Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 1,296
- Opened
- 23
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 113
- Turnover rate
- 8.7%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- -6.5%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- -10.9%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 2
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 18 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
18
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $150K
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into CleanNet USA's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
CleanNet USA presents HIGH RISK due to a shrinking 6.5% declining unit base, multiple active misclassification and wage-hour lawsuits, prior regulatory violations, complete lack of profitability disclosures, and unprotected territories—indicating a deteriorating franchise system with serious legal and operational red flags.
Litigation (Item 3)
12 case reference(s): 2 pending, 4 settled.
Largest disclosed settlement: $70,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Yount, Hyde & Barbour P.C.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 59 / 100 rating
- 01MINORSystem declining 6.5% YoY (1296 to ~1211 units) indicates shrinking franchise base and potential saturation or dissatisfaction
- 02HIGHMultiple active litigation cases involving misclassification of franchisees as independent contractors raise legal/classification risk and suggest potential reclassification liability
- 03MINORMaryland Securities Division consent order regarding earnings representations and disclosure documentation indicates prior regulatory violations and credibility concerns
- 04MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosed in FDD Item 19—impossible to assess actual unit economics or franchisee profitability
- 05MINORUnprotected territory creates direct competition risk; franchisees can be undercut by other CleanNet franchisees in same geographic area
- 06MINOR10% royalty on gross billings (not net profit) is aggressive; royalties paid regardless of profitability, increasing franchisee financial stress
- 07HIGHWage and hour litigation suggests operational model may pressure franchisees to misclassify their own employees or violate labor laws
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Territory type | Fulfillment Area |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Virginia |
| Litigation count | 13 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
12 case reference(s): 2 pending, 4 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 15 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 8 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and corporate
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Microsoft's Great Plains Accounting
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Microsoft's Great Plains Accounting
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
99 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
CleanNet USA · FDD (2023) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a CleanNet USA franchise?
The total investment to open a CleanNet USA franchise ranges from $20K – $85K, with an initial franchise fee of $16K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do CleanNet USA franchise owners earn?
CleanNet USA does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is CleanNet USA's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for CleanNet USA (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many CleanNet USA franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, CleanNet USA has 1,296 total units in the United States, including 1,455 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 23 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is CleanNet USA a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates CleanNet USA as a B-grade franchise with a risk score of 59 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.