The Future of the Cleaning Industry

The cleaning industry has grown and matured a lot over the past 20 years. What about the future? What will the industry look like 20 years from now? In this article we give some thought to the future of the cleaning industry in the US.

By all accounts the industry is expected to keep up the phenomenal growth rate that it has seen over the past 20 or 30 years. Most cleaning industry sectors are expected to grow by around 20% per year over the next few decades.

Many cleaners continue to worry about low cost competitors who operate illegally and unprofessionally. These operators damage the industry and make it more difficult to make a profit. Others believe that these fears are unfounded, that the industry will clean itself up and that improved regulations will force out non-professional operators.

Many of the more respectable cleaning firms support licensing and increased regulation and would be prepared to pay the compliance costs involved. Profit margins would definitely rise due to the weeding out of some of the cheaper illegal services.

The movement towards environmentally friendly cleaning business practices will definitely be picking up speed. People are happy to point the finger at any business using significant volumes of chemicals. Businesses will have to slowly change to meet this emerging customer demand for 'green services'. However, customers are often not prepared to pay a higher price for a 'green' service so any major improvements in this area may have to come through regulation.

It is not just the natural environment that is becoming more of a concern. People are also demanding a chemical free, 'non toxic' environment for themselves and their pets and are looking for cleaning solutions that don't aggravate asthma or dust allergies.

Productivity is set to improve as equipment and cleaning product manufacturers continue to innovate, producing better tools and solutions to the way that common cleaning tasks are performed. The trend is moving in the direction of better quality equipment with longer lifecycles and more ergonomically minded designs.

Most market players are still unsure whether there will be a trend towards consolidation with the large chains and franchises gobbling up smaller players and strengthening their positions. No matter what, there will be a steady stream of independent cleaning operators coming into the market. It looks certain that the cleaning business will always provide good opportunities for small businesses.

Overall the future of the cleaning industry looks positive and it is difficult to see any threats to the business that may slow down growth rates. If you are looking for a great business with a solid future and little risk going forward, don't hesitate to give the cleaning business a try.