Commercial Cleaning Business Valuation
Commercial Cleaning Business Valuation Calculator & Exit Planning Built for Business Owners
We built one platform that tracks your commercial cleaning business's value monthly, identifies exit gaps early, and ensures your personal finances align with your exit timeline.
1,000+ Businesses have joined YourExitValue.com
Most Commercial Cleaning Owners Have No Idea What Their Business is Actually Worth
Current Commercial Cleaning Valuation Multiples (2026)
Commercial Cleaning values are strong due to increased buyer demand from janitorial consolidators and facility services. Here's what companies sell for:
Every business is different. That's why you need to track your value.
Included in Your Exit Value is a complete Exit Planning Assessment where you track your progress quarterly against your results from the previous quarter.
Know your number and watch it grow
Most business owners guess at their value. You'll know it with precision.
Our platform uses six proven valuation methodologies to give you a complete picture of what your business is worth today—and tracks how that number changes month over month. No more waiting for annual appraisals or paying $15K+ for outdated reports.
See your trends. Spot opportunities. Make informed decisions
What Actually Drives Commercial Cleaning Business Value
Revenue and earnings are the two most influential factors in your commercial cleaning business's valuation. But not all companies are valued equally. Here are the factors that move your number up—or down:
Contract Revenue
95%+ Contracted
Monthly contracts are the core value—90%+ recurring gets top multiples. Commercial cleaning is valued based on monthly recurring revenue. Project or one-time cleaning revenue is worth significantly less.
On-call = volatile revenue
Contract Length
Annual+ Terms
Multi-year contracts with built-in increases are gold. Contracts with 3%+ annual escalators and 2-3 year terms create locked-in, growing revenue streams buyers pay premiums for.
No terms = at-will
Client Mix
Diversified Base
Diversified client base with no client over 10% reduces risk. Cleaning companies dependent on one big account face devastating risk if that account changes—diversification is critical.
One big client = dangerous
Supervisor Layer
Area Supervisors
Specialized services like floor care, window cleaning, and post-construction command higher margins. Specialty services create upsell opportunities and differentiation beyond basic janitorial.
Owner-managed = can't scale
Service Frequency
Daily/Nightly
Owner not on a mop shows the business runs without you. Supervisors handling quality control and crews doing the work proves the operation is scalable and transferable.
Infrequent = easy to switch
Systems & Training
Documented SOPs
Scheduling software and quality tracking demonstrate professional operations. Systems for routing, time tracking, and inspection documentation show a manageable, scalable operation.
No docs = inconsistent quality
How to Value a Commercial Cleaning Business
The U.S. commercial cleaning industry includes over 100,000 janitorial service companies generating approximately $80 billion in annual revenue. Commercial cleaning businesses are attractive to buyers because of their contract-based recurring revenue and relatively low capital requirements.
Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is the primary valuation method. Commercial cleaning businesses typically sell for 1.5x to 3.5x SDE. Companies at the higher end have long-term contracts with commercial clients, reliable cleaning crews, and operations that run without the owner performing nightly cleaning shifts.
Revenue multiples for commercial cleaning businesses generally range from 0.25x to 0.50x annual revenue. Companies with multi-year contracts, quality management systems, and commercial accounts in sectors like healthcare, education, or government that require specialized cleaning achieve the upper end.
The unique valuation driver in commercial cleaning is the contract base and labor model. Buyers pay premiums for companies with long-term service agreements (2-3 years with auto-renewal), stable crews, and low employee turnover. A company with 50 commercial accounts on annual contracts produces far more predictable cash flow than one rebidding accounts monthly. The type of cleaning also matters — specialized services like post-construction, medical facility cleaning, or floor care carry higher margins and face less price competition than basic janitorial.
The commercial cleaning industry has grown steadily as businesses increasingly outsource facility maintenance. The COVID-era emphasis on sanitation and disinfection protocols elevated the perceived value of professional cleaning services. Use our free calculator above to get your instant estimate, then track your value monthly with YourExitValue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What multiple do commercial cleaning businesses sell for?
Most commercial cleaning businesses sell for 2.0x – 3.0x SDE or 0.4x – 0.7x annual revenue. However, the range is wide. Companies with strong contract revenue can command significantly higher multiples. YourExitValue tracks exactly where you fall on each value driver.
How does contract revenue affect my company's value?
Contract Revenue is one of the biggest value drivers for commercial cleaning businesses. Janitorial consolidators and facility services specifically look for companies with strong performance here. Improving this metric can significantly increase your multiple.
How long before selling should I start tracking my commercial cleaning business value?
Ideally 1 to 5 years before your target exit. This gives you time to improve your contract revenue, reduce owner dependence, strengthen your team, and document growth trends buyers pay premium prices for.
Who buys commercial cleaning businesses?
Common buyers include janitorial consolidators and facility services, as well as individual buyers looking to own a business and strategic acquirers. Each buyer type values different aspects. YourExitValue helps you understand what each looks for.
What valuation method is used for commercial cleaning businesses?
Most commercial cleaning businesses are valued using SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) multiples for smaller companies under $1M in earnings, and EBITDA multiples for larger companies. Revenue multiples (0.4x – 0.7x) are sometimes used as quick reference.
What's the fastest way to increase my commercial cleaning business value?
The fastest improvements typically come from: 1) Improving your contract revenue to hit the target, 2) Reducing owner dependence, 3) Documenting your systems and processes, and 4) Cleaning up financials. Most owners add 20-40% in 12-24 months.