The Maids Franchise

The Maids International was incorporated in Nebraska on October 9, 1979 and began offering franchises in November 1980. The company converted to The Maids International, LLC on February 27, 2020. On March 4, 2020, it was acquired by The Maids Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of Gladstone Management Corp.

The January 18, 2026 FDD, amended May 12, 2026, describes a household maintenance and home services business focused on residential cleaning. As of September 30, 2025, the U.S. system operated across 369 territories: 338 licensed to 106 franchisees and 31 company-operated territories. These are dated territory counts, rather than a count of individual owners or a statement of current availability.

Learn more through The Maids’ official franchise overview.

Preparing to open. SMART Start Set-Up coaches owners through business preparation, including insurance, vehicles, office and computer equipment, recruiting, the cleaning system and initial marketing. Instruction uses telephone calls and online lessons, with hands-on training at the corporate headquarters in Irving, Texas, a designated training facility or another location selected by the franchisor. Owners must complete the preparation and SMART Start Training successfully before opening. The FDD estimates approximately five to seven weeks for the combined preparation and training, depending on the time the owner devotes to it.

Initial curriculum. The disclosed program includes a minimum of 80 hours of webinar and classroom instruction and a minimum of 20 hours of on-the-job training. Topics include management, sales and marketing, employee and customer recruiting and retention, pricing, operations, safety, cleaning methods and software. Resources include operating manuals, training guides, job aids, e-learning videos and webinars. The franchisor recommends keeping at least two people in the business who have completed SMART Start, with at least one trained within the preceding five years.

Costs and responsibilities. The $19,900 SMART Start Package includes specified training, support, supplies and equipment and is separate from the initial franchise fee. The agreement provides attendance without a separate charge for the franchisee and the first two selected participants, while reserving charges for further attendees. Owners pay their own and their participants’ wages, employment costs, travel, lodging, meals, vehicle rental and other attendance expenses. Owners recruit, supervise and train their local staff; the agreement requires a manager on duty and a team leader for each cleaning team.

Continuing support. The franchisor provides performance consulting by telephone or other communication, operating manuals, supplier information and business and marketing recommendations. Additional requested on-site training may cost up to $250 per day plus trainer expenses. Requested on-site business consulting carries its own then-current charge and consultant travel and lodging expenses. Management webinars may be offered without charge at the franchisor’s discretion; other optional courses and self-paced courses can carry fees.

Conventions and operating resources. The owner or an approved team member must attend national conventions when held, no more frequently than annually. Registration, travel and lodging are paid by the owner, with additional charges for nonattendance. Required software assists with scheduling, customer records and operating reports; its disclosed support fee is $140 per month plus $85 for each additional office, subject to the disclosed change terms. Hardware and internet maintenance remain the owner’s responsibility. The paid National Sales Center is required during the first year and becomes optional afterward. National, local and opening marketing obligations are separate from training expenses.

The official training and support page provides additional franchise information.

The Maids offers owners a way to build a residential cleaning business using an established franchise operating system. Its appeal includes structured business preparation, instruction in cleaning and management, required tools for scheduling and reporting, and continuing business guidance. The model can fit an owner who wants to lead local teams and develop customer relationships, or an owner who appoints a trained manager and maintains oversight of the business.

Local success depends on the owner’s hiring, service delivery, marketing and management. Territory rights and support services are subject to the franchise agreement, including reserved franchisor rights and separate operating fees.

Our cleaning business planning guide provides questions about service scope, job costs, staffing and franchise support. Apply the comparison to the specific services and location you intend to operate.