As worry mounts about the safety and health of homes and workplaces amid the pandemic – coupled with the start of the peak cold and flu season – residential and commercial cleaning service brands are experiencing unprecedented demand.

To serve this growing need, Chem-Dry, the world's leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service with a network serving over 11,000 locations a day across 55 countries, has signed agreements to expand its footprint with 64 new franchises nationwide thus far this year.

One of the driving factors for this growth is that Chem-Dry has continued to innovate with new products and services since the start of the pandemic, including the launch of its new MicroPro Shield^TM Service. This new service first disinfects hard surfaces and sanitizes soft surfaces using a hospital-grade disinfectant that is approved by the EPA for use against SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of COVID-19), and then applies a protective antimicrobial coating that kills bacteria and algae on contact for up to 90 days. System-wide sales of Chem-Dry's overall sanitizing services are up over 300% thus far this year compared to last year.

These franchise agreements will expand Chem-Dry's presence and allow it to offer its wide array of services to more consumers in the following regions:

• 30 franchises across the central region in markets including Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas and Austin
• 18 franchises across the western region in markets including Salt Lake City, Oakland, Santa Barbara, San Jose, Tucson and Spokane
• 16 franchises across the eastern region in markets including Atlanta, Miami and Boston

"New franchisee prospects are telling us they're inspired to join our mission of creating safer, healthier homes and businesses and providing peace of mind for families, business operators and employees," said Ed Quinlan, President of Chem-Dry, part of the BELFOR Franchise Group family of brands. "Another common theme among interested Chem-Dry franchisee candidates is innovation. They feel confident and excited about being part of a worldwide network that has a history of and ongoing commitment to developing new technologies and products that protect homes and businesses from harmful germs and bacteria, such as MicroPro Shield."

Over its 43-year history, Chem-Dry has become the recognized market leader by building a network of over 2,000 locations across the U.S that cover roughly 93% of the country's population. To meet the growing demand for its innovative services, the company is actively seeking community-minded entrepreneurs to join the mission of delivering safer, healthier spaces across the country. With prime territories available nationwide, Chem-Dry is an industry-leading brand in a large and growing category, that offers its franchise network world-class training and support.

Founded in 1977, Chem-Dry is the world's leading carpet and upholstery cleaning service with a network spanning over 55 countries and serving over 11,000 homes and businesses a day worldwide. Its green-certified core cleaning solution and proprietary Hot Carbonating Extraction cleaning process provide a deeper clean, allow surfaces to dry faster, and leave homes and workplaces healthier. In addition to being ranked the number one carpet cleaning franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 32 consecutive years and ranked among the top 10 concepts in the magazine's list of Top Home-Based Franchises for 19 consecutive years, Chem-Dry has been ranked as the world's Best House & Office Franchise in the 2018 Global Franchise Awards. Chem-Dry is part of the BELFOR Franchise Group family of residential and commercial services brands. For more information about Chem-Dry and to find a local operator, visit www.chemdry.com, or for more information on franchise opportunities, visit www.chemdryfranchise.com.