NAICS Code for Cleaning Businesses (How to Choose Janitorial vs Specialty Cleaning)
Cleaning businesses are most commonly classified under NAICS 561720 (Janitorial Services) when the primary activity is cleaning buildings/interiors for clients (residential or commercial). The correct code depends on what you primarily clean and how you earn revenue: recurring janitorial, one-time deep cleaning, carpet/upholstery cleaning, exterior/pressure washing, or specialty services.
If you are trying to classify “house cleaning,” “office cleaning,” “janitorial,” or “commercial cleaning,” start with NAICS 561720 and compare the specialty options below.
How to choose the correct NAICS code for a cleaning business
Quick rule: classify the establishment by its primary cleaning service (what you sell most): (1) recurring janitorial/house cleaning, (2) carpet/upholstery, (3) exterior/pressure washing & other building services, or (4) a different industry entirely (laundry, restoration, waste, etc.).
- Recurring building or home cleaning (interior janitorial): usually 561720 – Janitorial Services.
- Carpet and upholstery cleaning as the main service: often 561740 – Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services.
- Exterior cleaning / pressure washing / other building services: often 561790 – Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings.
- If you mainly do restoration after fire/flood/mold: that can fall outside routine cleaning (different primary activity).
⚠️ Common mistake: picking a “cleaning” NAICS code when the main business is laundry, restoration, or waste hauling.
NAICS is about the primary economic activity. “Cleaning” is a broad word—drycleaning, laundry services, remediation/restoration, and waste collection are typically classified under different categories than routine building janitorial.
Most common NAICS codes for cleaning businesses
General house cleaning & janitorial (most common)
Use this when your main service is recurring interior cleaning for homes, offices, retail, schools, clinics, or facilities.
Examples: office cleaning contracts, nightly janitorial, move-in/move-out cleaning when it’s part of janitorial operations, routine disinfection/cleaning services.
Specialty & add-on cleaning services
Choose a specialty code when the specialty service is what you primarily sell (not just an add-on).
Examples: carpet-only operations, pressure washing as a primary service line, exterior building cleaning, or other non-janitorial building services.
Residential vs commercial cleaning (does it change the NAICS code?)
Many cleaning companies serve both homes and businesses. In many cases, you still use 561720 because the activity is “janitorial/building cleaning.” What matters most is the type of service (janitorial vs carpet vs exterior) and the primary revenue driver at the establishment.
| Service model | Often mapped to | Typical indicators |
|---|---|---|
| House cleaning / maid service | 561720 | Recurring residential cleans, deep cleans as part of recurring program, standard supplies, route scheduling |
| Commercial janitorial | 561720 | Contracts, nightly cleaning, multi-tenant offices, floor care as part of janitorial scope |
| Carpet/upholstery as the main business | 561740 | Truck-mounted equipment, carpet-focused marketing, most invoices are carpet/upholstery jobs |
| Pressure washing / exterior cleaning as primary | 561790 | Exterior washing, driveways, siding, building exteriors, primary revenue from exterior work |
Practical tip: if you had to describe your business in 5 words to a buyer, pick the code that matches that description.
Specialty cleaning services (when you should NOT use 561720)
Carpet & upholstery cleaning companies
If most of your revenue comes from carpet and upholstery jobs (not general janitorial), use the carpet-specific code.
Pressure washing & exterior building cleaning
Many “cleaning businesses” are primarily exterior services. If exterior work dominates, 561790 is often a better fit than janitorial.
Examples: pressure washing, exterior building cleaning, certain building services that are not routine interior janitorial.
Offices, crews, and mixed operations (establishment-level examples)
NAICS is assigned at the establishment level. A cleaning company may have a small office that dispatches crews, a supply/storage location, and client sites where work is performed. Choose the code that matches what the establishment primarily does.
| Location type | Often classified as | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning business office / dispatch location | Often aligns with the primary service (e.g., 561720) | Scheduling, payroll, supplies management for cleaning operations |
| Carpet-cleaning shop / staging | 561740 (often) | Specialty equipment and primary service is carpet/upholstery |
| Pressure washing staging location | 561790 (often) | Primary service is exterior cleaning |
| Storefront that mainly sells cleaning supplies | Often Retail Trade (Sector 44–45) | Primary activity is product sales, not cleaning services |
NAICS hierarchy for cleaning businesses (reference)
| Category | NAICS | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services |
| Industry group | 5617 | Services to Buildings and Dwellings |
| Most common cleaning services | 561720, 561740, 561790 | Janitorial, carpet/upholstery, and other building/dwelling services (including many exterior cleaning services) |
Common “cleaning” businesses outside routine building cleaning
Laundry & drycleaning businesses
If the primary activity is washing garments/textiles (not cleaning buildings), classification is typically outside janitorial services (often in personal and laundry services categories).
Restoration / remediation focus
Fire/flood/mold remediation may fall under different classifications than routine cleaning if remediation/restoration is the primary activity. Use the “primary activity” test and confirm against the closest code detail page.
Retail cleaning supply shops
Selling cleaning products is usually classified as Retail Trade, not a cleaning service code.
Waste collection / junk removal
If the primary service is hauling waste or debris rather than cleaning buildings, it can fall under waste management categories instead of 5617.
Applied uses of cleaning business NAICS codes
- Vendor onboarding, facilities procurement, and subcontractor qualification
- Insurance and bonding classifications (business profile consistency)
- B2B targeting for property managers, offices, medical facilities, and schools
- Territory planning (ZIP/county/metro) for route density and sales coverage
- Compliance fields in RFPs, portals, and supplier diversity documentation
Cleaning industry data and business lists
Need a cleaning business list by NAICS code?
SICCODE.com provides business lists aligned to janitorial and building service categories. Lists can be filtered by NAICS, geography (state, county, ZIP), company size, and other firmographic fields, with delivery options including CSV, Excel, and structured formats for integration workflows.
FAQ
- What is the NAICS code for a cleaning business?
Many cleaning businesses are classified under 561720 – Janitorial Services. The correct code depends on whether your primary service is general janitorial/house cleaning, carpet/upholstery cleaning, or exterior/other building services. - What NAICS code is used for house cleaning or maid services?
House cleaning/maid services are commonly mapped to NAICS 561720 when the primary activity is routine cleaning of homes/interiors for clients. - What NAICS code is used for commercial cleaning?
Commercial janitorial and office cleaning contracts are commonly classified under 561720. - What NAICS code is used for carpet cleaning?
Carpet-focused businesses are often classified under 561740 – Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services, especially when carpet/upholstery work is the primary service. - Is pressure washing considered a cleaning business NAICS code?
Many pressure washing and exterior cleaning services are often mapped to 561790 – Other Services to Buildings and Dwellings when exterior work is the primary activity.
Next steps
Start with Sector 56 and NAICS 5617. For most cleaning businesses, confirm the code detail page for NAICS 561720. If your primary service is carpet/upholstery, review 561740. If your primary service is exterior cleaning/pressure washing or other building services, review 561790.
Related resources
- NAICS 561720 Code Detail Page
- NAICS 561740 Code Detail Page
- NAICS 561790 Code Detail Page
- NAICS Code Lookup Directory
- What Is a NAICS Code?
- NAICS Included vs. Excluded Activities
- SIC Codes vs NAICS Codes
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