WITH VACUUM AND MOP, JOHN MCCAIN READY TO CLEAN UP WASHINGTON

Posted on November 03, 2008 by Pete Kosowski

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. – John McCain is no stranger to the White House. He has been there four times to clean the upholstery.

This John McCain is the new owner of the ServiceMaster Clean franchise in Capitol Heights, Maryland. McCain has 30 years of experience in professional cleaning and disaster restoration. Sounds like the perfect man to clean up the mess in Washington, D.C.

Having the same name as the Republican nominee for president can be something of a blessing and a curse, according to this McCain. "I have a good sense of humor, so I don’t mind being teased about my name," said McCain, a 30-year veteran of the cleaning business. "A lot of people comment about it. I would have to say that (my name) is good for business. It’s certainly easy to remember."

For the past several years McCain has operated as an independent businessman– a "maverick" you might say. Recently he became a ServiceMaster Clean franchisee. What prompted the switch? "It’s all about the future," said McCain, sounding somewhat like a politician. "In tough economic times, people want a name they can depend on. ServiceMaster is rock solid and proven reliable. It’s the kind of company I want my business to associate with as we move forward."

McCain, who has seven employees, said a financial stimulus plan helped him make the decision to align his business with ServiceMaster.

"A franchise expansion representative from ServiceMaster Clean came to Capitol Heights to meet with us and explain how we could finance the cost of the franchise through ServiceMaster Acceptance Corporation. (Visit this website to learn about franchise financing opportunities that are available.) They offered a long-term financing solution that fit our business plan. It was a good fit for ServiceMaster and a good fit for us, as well."

When asked if he had anything in common with the senator from Arizona, McCain replied that they both had visited the White House.

"I’ve been to the White House four times. They hired my previous cleaning company to come in and clean the fabrics and upholstery," he said. "We also cleaned Air Force One three times. The security was extremely tight. We had to undergo background checks and all of that, but it was a great experience."

ServiceMaster Clean is no stranger to the politics and security scrutiny involved when cleaning government buildings. ServiceMaster Clean of Alexandria and Washington, D.C. was the lead disaster restoration company at the Pentagon after September 11. In addition, they have a contract to clean the carpet inside the White House Visitor’s Center and were hired to remediate smoke damage last December following a fire in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

McCain did not indicate whom he would vote for in the upcoming election, but regardless of who wins, there will definitely be a McCain cleaning up around Washington.

About ServiceMaster Clean

With more than 4,500 franchise locations around the world, ServiceMaster Clean serves customers through a global network of franchises that provide janitorial services, commercial carpet cleaning, hard surface floor care, residential carpet cleaning and upholstery, and disaster restoration services. The company has more than 70 years of history as a market leader. ServiceMaster Clean is committed to its franchise owners. Our ability to offer qualified prospects up to 80 percent financing to start their cleaning business is only one of the benefits of our program. Visit our franchise website to learn more about the opportunities available with ServiceMaster Clean. ServiceMaster Clean is part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, one of the world’s largest and most versatile service networks. The company’s brands include TruGreen, TruGreen LandCare, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic, and AmeriSpec.