During the past five years, the janitorial services industry has expanded amid intense competitive pressure and shifting customer expectations, IBISWorld’s Janitorial Services in the U.S. report found. A surge of new entrants rushed in to capture post-pandemic demand, driving establishment growth faster than revenue and leaving providers to fight over contracts in a highly fragmented market. Clients, particularly businesses, have pushed hard on pricing and treated cleaning as a cost center even as they requested more frequent or specialized services, tightening the squeeze on providers. At the same time, higher labor costs have limited profit growth as many companies struggle to pass on rising expenses. Revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.7% during the past five years and is expected to reach US$112.4 billion in 2026, with revenue rising by an estimated 1.7%.

Some individuals have recently entered the janitorial services space to capture new revenue streams driven by heightened concerns about cleanliness among businesses and households. The growing demand has encouraged more individuals and small operators to launch janitorial businesses, even as cleaning budgets have increased modestly. Establishments and enterprises have grown at a steady rate since 2021, markedly faster than revenue growth. While clients want more frequent cleaning, they still negotiate on price and treat janitorial services as a cost to be contained. As of 2026, over 1.2 million janitorial service establishments operate in the U.S.

Stringent cleanliness demands and tech innovations are reshaping the janitorial landscape, offering new growth avenues. Janitorial companies are aligning their services with these evolving norms while leveraging internet-connected devices and robotics to enhance efficiency.

Additionally, climate concerns and shifts in consumer preferences are accelerating the push for eco-friendly cleaning products. Larger businesses are most likely to invest in green alternatives, while smaller providers may trim nonessential expenses to meet environmental standards and changing customer expectations.

Looking ahead, the industry’s trajectory will be shaped by the continued normalization of hybrid work models alongside more consistent in-office attendance. Many companies have steadier building utilization and reinforcing demand for commercial cleaning as employers prioritize visible hygiene and workplace experience. At the same time, hybrid work remains embedded in corporate strategy, leading organizations to optimize and, in some cases, reduce their real estate footprints.

Portfolio consolidation, space reconfiguration, and selective office closures continue to influence demand patterns. Janitorial providers benefit from more predictable occupancy in active spaces but must adapt to leaner office portfolios, shifting usage patterns, and a growing emphasis on flexible, demand-responsive service delivery. They stand to benefit from increased activity in occupied spaces but must adjust to variable traffic patterns and greater demand for flexible, usage-based service models. Over the next five years, revenue is forecast to grow at a 2.0% CAGR, reaching $124.1 billion in 2031.

See what the September/October issue of ISSA Today has on tap for the cleaning and facility solutions industry. The cleaning and facility solutions industry gathers plenty of attention this issue, starting with a preview of what’s ahead at ISSA Show North America 2026. Inside, we look at what the research says about cleaning products and respiratory health, and why sustainability is becoming as much a business strategy as an environmental one. Facility teams get a look at real-time data and the Internet of Things reshaping daily operations, along with how physical artificial intelligence is turning into measurable results on the floor. We also dig into a data-driven approach to cleaning success and rising costs many operations are learning to outrun rather than absorb. This issue closes with KB Building Services, a company building growth around people first. 

Here’s some of what you can find in the September/October issue of ISSA Today:

• Straight Talk!: Cleaning That Comes Full Circle
• President’s Message: The Industry We Are Becoming
• ISSA In Action!: An inside look at what ISSA is doing for its members today.
• The Intersection of Facility Innovation and Cleaning Excellence: A special preview of ISSA Show North America 2026.
• The Science Behind the Spray: What research says about cleaning products and respiratory health.
• Building Sustainable Success Through Best Practices: Where culture, quality and growth converge.
• The Business of Sustainability: A topic at the heart of ISSA Show North America 2026.
• Beyond the Line Items: Out-innovating rising costs in facility cleaning.
• Cleaning in the Age of Real-Time Data: How our industry is adapting to IoT.
• Turning Improvement into Competitive Advantage: How physical AI can be productive and profitable.
• Just in TIME Framework: Your data-driven partner in cleaning for success.
• Member Spotlight on KB Building Services: Building growth on people, not just process.

View the Table of Contents to see everything available in this issue.

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