Franchise opportunities compared
Chem-Dry vs Mr. Duct Cleaner
Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Chem-Dry discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Chem-Dry: 1, Mr. Duct Cleaner: 5). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Chem-Dry |  Mr. Duct Cleaner |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $74,150 – $249,500 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $96,600 – $141,055 TOTALS 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $36,000 Item 5 also requires an Initial Package costing $44,000 to $78,000, including equipment, supplies, inventory, and other items. 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15 | $59,500 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 4%–7% of gross sales Royalty 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 | 6% · percent of Gross Volume; payable weekly; subject to minimum royalty fees Royalty Fees 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 3% of percentage of gross sales; minimum monthly payment of $150 for standard territory and $75 for small territory Marketing Fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17 | 2% of gross volume; payable weekly Marketing Fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 963 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65 | 13 Outlets at end of 2024 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44 |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | −320 Calculated: 1,283 at end of 2023 → 963 at end of 2025 | +4 Calculated: 9 at end of 2022 → 13 at end of 2024 |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 1994 under the Chem-Dry name and trademarks; predecessors began in 1978 2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8 | 2021 2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 7 |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | 1977 2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8 | 2020 2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 7 |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Franchised locations — other measures and revenue $350 per job other Projected Average Income Per Job · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65 | Franchised (11 locations) — other measures — eleven (11) franchise territories that operated for the full fiscal year and re… $187,314 mean Franchise Territory Gross Volume · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43 Franchised (11 locations) — other measures — “eleven (11) franchise territories that operated for the full fiscal year and r… $504,790 other Franchise Territory Gross Volume · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — "Mr. Duct Cleaner’s Affiliate has operated one of the franchise territories, Co… $595,869 other Affiliate Annual Gross Sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 41 +2 more groups in the full report |
Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.
Chem-Dry vs Mr. Duct Cleaner: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Chem-Dry or Mr. Duct Cleaner?
- Chem-Dry: $74,150 – $249,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Mr. Duct Cleaner: $96,600 – $141,055 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Chem-Dry. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Chem-Dry and Mr. Duct Cleaner royalties compare?
- Chem-Dry: 4%–7% of gross sales (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); Mr. Duct Cleaner: 6% · percent of Gross Volume; payable weekly; subject to minimum royalty fees (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Chem-Dry or Mr. Duct Cleaner?
- Chem-Dry: 963 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Mr. Duct Cleaner: 13 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Chem-Dry and Mr. Duct Cleaner disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Chem-Dry has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group; Mr. Duct Cleaner has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.