Eric Lyon
Scorpion Agency LLCTop Member
- Impact
- 29,242
Today, I'll be analyzing the .cleaning gTLD to see if I can find any helpful data points to stack with someone elses research into the .cleaning extension.
Note: At the time of this analysis there was a 1-character minimum to register a .cleaning domain. There were also several 1-character .cleaning domains available to register, but with a mid-3-figure premium registration cost.
With the above in mind, lets dive right in...
Note: NameBio.com shows 4 .cleaning domain sales reports ranging from $132 to $5,101.
Notable .cleaning domain sales:
Based on data from DNS.Coffee, the .cleaning gTLD has experienced an overall decline of approximately 13.7% over the last five years. After reaching a peak in early 2022, the extension has seen a steady annual decrease in total registrations.
Yearly Registration Totals (Jan 2021 – Jan 2026)
Analysis of Growth Trends
The Verb-Object Hack
This is the most effective use of the extension, where the word before the dot describes what is being cleaned.
This hack uses the domain to describe the result of the service or the state of the object.
With the rise of automation, combining a tech prefix with the extension creates a "functional" hack that describes the method of cleaning.
This turns the entire URL into a sentence or a command, which is highly effective for marketing materials.
This targets one of the top 8 niche markets by using the dot as a separator between the industry and the action.
When creating a hack with .cleaning, keep in mind that the extension is 8 characters long. To keep the domain effective:
Using English words before the dot is essential for maintaining linguistic consistency and cognitive ease, as .cleaning is a specific, high-intent English gerund. When the prefix and suffix share the same language, the domain functions as a cohesive "domain hack" or phrase, such as house.cleaning or carpet.cleaning, which users can intuitively read, remember, and type. This alignment is particularly important for the 2,542 registered .cleaning domains recorded by DNS.Coffee, as mismatched languages (e.g., a Spanish prefix with an English suffix) can create "linguistic friction" that confuses global users and diminishes the brand's professional authority. Given that notable sales on NameBio like ai.cleaning ($5,101) and crystal.cleaning ($2,950) rely on clear English descriptors, staying within one language ensures the URL remains a powerful marketing tool that resonates with the primary English-speaking markets driving the cleaning industry’s projected $330 billion value in 2026.
Key Legal Frameworks
Courts and arbitration panels often view the following actions as evidence of bad faith:
To minimize risk, consider these legal best practices:
The "Quality over Quantity" Approach
With only 2,542 registered domains according to DNS.Coffee, the market is not expanding, but rather consolidating around high-utility names.
The cleaning industry is undergoing a massive shift toward automation and "smart" services, projected to be a major driver of the industry’s $330B+ value in 2026.
Because the secondary market for .cleaning is relatively illiquid, "buy and hold" is a risky strategy.
Helpful Outbound articles and tools
What works for one may not work for another and vice versa.
have a great domain investing adventure!
Source
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Note: At the time of this analysis there was a 1-character minimum to register a .cleaning domain. There were also several 1-character .cleaning domains available to register, but with a mid-3-figure premium registration cost.
With the above in mind, lets dive right in...
.cleaning domain registration costs
According to Tldes.com the .cleaning domain registration cost ranges from $30.08 to $61.19+..cleaning domains registered today
According to DNS.Coffee there are 2,542 .cleaning domains registered today.Public .cleaning domain sales reports
It's hard to find any .cleaning domain sales reports online, indicating most are private sales.Note: NameBio.com shows 4 .cleaning domain sales reports ranging from $132 to $5,101.
Notable .cleaning domain sales:
| Domain Name | Price (USD) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AI.cleaning | $5,101 | ||
| Crystal.cleaning | $2,950 | ||
| BTC.cleaning | $132 |
5-year .cleaning domain growth summary
Based on data from DNS.Coffee, the .cleaning gTLD has experienced an overall decline of approximately 13.7% over the last five years. After reaching a peak in early 2022, the extension has seen a steady annual decrease in total registrations.
Yearly Registration Totals (Jan 2021 – Jan 2026)
| Date | Total Registrations | Annual Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2021 | 2,946 | -- |
| Jan 2022 | 3,527 | +19.7% |
| Jan 2023 | 2,937 | -16.7% |
| Jan 2024 | 2,797 | -4.8% |
| Jan 2025 | 2,749 | -1.7% |
| Jan 2026 | 2,542 | -7.5% |
Analysis of Growth Trends
- 2021–2022 Peak: The extension saw significant growth of nearly 20% between January 2021 and January 2022. This spike likely aligned with the global increase in professional cleaning and sanitation services demand.
- The 2023 Correction: Following the 2022 peak, there was a sharp 16.7% decline. This "correction" is common in new gTLDs as speculative registrations expire and businesses consolidate their online presence.
- Continued Decline (2024–2026): Over the last three years, the registration count has consistently dropped, reaching a five-year low of 2,542 today. This suggests that while there is a niche market for the extension, evidenced by notable sales on NameBio.com like ai.cleaning ($5,101) and crystal.cleaning ($2,950), it is not currently seeing mass-market expansion.
- Market Position: With 2,542 registrations, .cleaning remains a highly specialized gTLD. Its primary value is concentrated in high-intent industry keywords rather than sheer volume. Individuals or businesses looking for affordable entry can still find registrations starting at ~$30.08 at Spaceship
8 niches for .cleaning domains
- Medical and Healthcare Facilities: Businesses specializing in medical-grade sterilization, hospital operating rooms, clinics, dental offices, and labs, where strict sanitation standards and compliance with health regulations are critical.
- Post-Construction Cleanup: Companies that offer specialized debris removal and detailed final cleaning services after building projects or renovations are complete.
- Commercial Kitchen & Restaurant Cleaning: Services that handle the intensive degreasing, sanitizing, and maintenance of restaurant kitchens and food service areas to meet health code standards.
- Disaster Restoration (Fire, Water, Smoke): Specialists in cleaning and restoring properties contaminated by fire, water damage, or smoke, often working in conjunction with insurance adjusters.
- Eco-Friendly and Green Cleaning: Businesses targeting environmentally conscious individuals and companies by using sustainable, non-toxic products and methods for residential or commercial spaces.
- High-Rise Window Cleaning: Specialty services requiring specific equipment, training, and safety standards to clean windows on multi-story commercial and residential buildings.
- Industrial/Heavy Equipment Cleaning: Companies focused on cleaning large-scale industrial facilities, warehouses, manufacturing machinery, and heavy equipment, which requires specialized tools and chemicals.
- Niche Vehicle Cleaning: Beyond standard car washes, this includes highly specific services like auto detailing, fleet washing, and cleaning large transport vehicles.
What a playful .cleaning domain hack looks like
A "domain hack" uses the characters before and after the dot to spell a complete word, phrase, or sentence. While .cleaning is a long extension, it can be used creatively to form intuitive and memorable calls to action or descriptions. Based on current registration data from DNS.Coffee, which shows 2,542 domains registered as of 2026, many creative combinations are still available for registration at competitive rates through registrars like Spaceship.The Verb-Object Hack
This is the most effective use of the extension, where the word before the dot describes what is being cleaned.
- Window.cleaning (High-value niche)
- Carpet.cleaning (Sold for $132 according to NameBio)
- Data.cleaning (Tech-focused hack for AI and database management)
- House.cleaning (The most straightforward industry hack)
This hack uses the domain to describe the result of the service or the state of the object.
- Deep.cleaning
- Ultra.cleaning
- Expert.cleaning
- Crystal.cleaning (Sold for $2,950 according to NameBio)
With the rise of automation, combining a tech prefix with the extension creates a "functional" hack that describes the method of cleaning.
- AI.cleaning (Sold for $5,101, the highest reported sale on NameBio)
- Robot.cleaning
- Smart.cleaning
- BTC.cleaning (A niche hack for crypto-related services, sold for $132)
This turns the entire URL into a sentence or a command, which is highly effective for marketing materials.
- Start.cleaning
- Love.cleaning
- Need.cleaning
- Stop.cleaning (Often used for "stop-smoking" or "decluttering" services)
This targets one of the top 8 niche markets by using the dot as a separator between the industry and the action.
- Biohazard.cleaning (Forensic/Medical niche)
- PostConstruction.cleaning (Industrial niche)
- Solar.cleaning (Renewable energy maintenance niche)
When creating a hack with .cleaning, keep in mind that the extension is 8 characters long. To keep the domain effective:
- Keep the prefix short: Since ".cleaning" is long, a short word before the dot (2–5 characters) prevents the URL from becoming cumbersome.
- Check availability: With only 2,542 domains registered (per DNS.Coffee), many high-quality prefix combinations are likely still available for initial registration prices ($30.08) rather than high secondary market prices.
Using English words before the dot is essential for maintaining linguistic consistency and cognitive ease, as .cleaning is a specific, high-intent English gerund. When the prefix and suffix share the same language, the domain functions as a cohesive "domain hack" or phrase, such as house.cleaning or carpet.cleaning, which users can intuitively read, remember, and type. This alignment is particularly important for the 2,542 registered .cleaning domains recorded by DNS.Coffee, as mismatched languages (e.g., a Spanish prefix with an English suffix) can create "linguistic friction" that confuses global users and diminishes the brand's professional authority. Given that notable sales on NameBio like ai.cleaning ($5,101) and crystal.cleaning ($2,950) rely on clear English descriptors, staying within one language ensures the URL remains a powerful marketing tool that resonates with the primary English-speaking markets driving the cleaning industry’s projected $330 billion value in 2026.
10 lead sources for .cleaning domain outbound campaigns
- Local Business Directories (Google Maps, Yelp, Angi):
- These platforms are gold mines for local cleaning services. You can search by niche (e.g., "window cleaning Houston") and find businesses actively seeking local visibility, complete with contact information.
- LinkedIn:
- The premier B2B platform for connecting with decision-makers. You can filter searches for specific job titles like "Facility Manager," "Property Manager," "Operations Director," or "Business Owner" at companies that require cleaning services.
- Industry-Specific Job Boards/RFP Platforms (CleanBid, JaniJobs):
- Companies looking to hire cleaning staff or solicit bids for large contracts often post on specialized boards. This indicates active business operations and a potential need for a professional, industry-specific domain name.
- B2B Sales Intelligence Tools (ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, Lusha):
- These paid services provide detailed contact lists, including verified emails and phone numbers for decision-makers at target companies, which is highly valuable for direct outreach.
- Local Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations:
- Membership directories for local business groups often list property managers, real estate agents, and construction companies—businesses that frequently partner with cleaning services and may need a branded domain.
- Social Media (Facebook & Instagram Business Pages):
- Many smaller cleaning businesses use a Facebook page as their primary web presence. These are prime targets for an outbound pitch offering a professional domain name like [TheirBusiness].cleaning.
- Government and Public Sector Bidding Websites (BidSync, BidNet Direct):
- These sites list requests for proposals (RFPs) for large-scale cleaning contracts for schools, government buildings, etc. The companies bidding on these contracts are professional operations that could use an upgraded domain.
- Real Estate & Property Management Company Websites:
- These companies often partner with cleaning services for move-in/move-out or post-construction cleanups. Their contact pages list the property managers you need to reach.
- Google Search (Targeted Queries):
- Use advanced search operators to find companies using generic email addresses (e.g., gmail.com or yahoo.com) for their business, indicating an opportunity to sell them a more professional [email protected] address.
- Cleaning Industry Trade Shows and Events:
- Attending or researching attendees of industry events is a great way to network and identify key players who may be open to enhancing their business's online presence.
- How to leverage an Ai Assistant to find domain leads
- eMail Marketing Best Practices for Domain Outreach
- List of FREE tools for outbound domain sales
- Outbound Domain sales Tips
Legal considerations when selling a domain to an existing business
Approaching a business to sell a domain that matches their existing trademark carries significant legal risks, primarily centered on accusations of cybersquatting. Under U.S. and international law, if a trademark owner can prove you registered or are using a domain in "bad faith," they may be able to seize the domain without payment.Key Legal Frameworks
- Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA): This U.S. federal law allows trademark owners to sue for damages (ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 per domain) if they can prove a registrant has a "bad faith intent to profit" from their mark.
- Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP):A faster, administrative process used worldwide. A trademark owner can win a UDRP case and have your domain transferred if they prove three elements:
- The domain is identical or confusingly similar to their trademark.
- The registrant has no rights or legitimate interests in the domain name.
- The domain was registered and is being used in bad faith.
Courts and arbitration panels often view the following actions as evidence of bad faith:
- High Asking Prices: Directly offering to sell a domain to a trademark owner for an amount that significantly exceeds your out-of-pocket costs can be used as evidence of an intent to "ransom" the name.
- Intent to Disrupt: Registering a domain primarily to prevent a competitor from using it or to divert their web traffic.
- Pattern of Registration: Having a portfolio of numerous domains that correspond to well-known or distinctive third-party trademarks.
- Lack of Active Site: Holding a domain without a legitimate business purpose or "parking" it with ads related to the trademarked industry.
To minimize risk, consider these legal best practices:
- Perform Trademark Clearance: Before registering or approaching a buyer, use the USPTO Trademark Search (TESS) to see if the name is already protected in the relevant industry.
- Avoid "Ransom" Language: When conducting outreach, focus on the branding value of the gTLD (e.g., "This would be a great shorter URL for your marketing") rather than making high-pressure demands based on their trademark.
- Establish Legitimate Use: If you are using the domain for an active, non-infringing business (e.g., using sparkle.cleaning for a generic cleaning blog), you have a stronger defense against bad faith claims.
- Consult Legal Counsel: Because these disputes are highly fact-intensive, it is recommended to speak with an intellectual property attorney before engaging with a trademark owner
Potential .cleaning domain investing strategy
Based on the current market data for 2026, a successful investment strategy for .cleaning domains must account for the TLD's specialized nature, its declining registration volume, and its high-value "unicorn" sales.The "Quality over Quantity" Approach
With only 2,542 registered domains according to DNS.Coffee, the market is not expanding, but rather consolidating around high-utility names.
- Strategy: Do not "bulk register" generic terms. Instead, focus on acquiring Category Killers, one-word English prefixes that define a multi-billion dollar sub-sector (e.g., Office.cleaning, Medical.cleaning, or Pressure.cleaning).
- Reasoning: High-value sales on NameBio like ai.cleaning ($5,101) and crystal.cleaning ($2,950) prove that end-users are willing to pay a premium for "exact-match" brandability that shortens their URL.
The cleaning industry is undergoing a massive shift toward automation and "smart" services, projected to be a major driver of the industry’s $330B+ value in 2026.
- Strategy: Register or acquire domains that bridge the gap between cleaning and technology.
- Target Keywords: Robot.cleaning, Sensor.cleaning, Autonomous.cleaning, or Data.cleaning.
- Reasoning: The $5,101 sale of ai.cleaning highlights a specific "tech-premium" within this niche. As companies launch automated cleaning fleets, they will seek these high-authority domains.
Because the secondary market for .cleaning is relatively illiquid, "buy and hold" is a risky strategy.
- Strategy: Active Outbound Prospecting. Identify companies currently using long, hyphenated, or .com URLs (e.g., best-houston-carpet-cleaners.com) and pitch them a "hack" or shorter alternative like HoustonCarpet.cleaning.
- Reasoning: With registration costs as low as $30.08 at Spaceship, the ROI on a single $1,500 sale to a local business owner is massive.
- Strategy: Avoid any domain that mirrors a specific brand name to prevent UDRP or ACPA legal action.
- Tactics: Stick to generic, descriptive English words. Ensure you have a non-infringing "legitimate interest" in the domain (like a landing page for the industry) before approaching potential buyers.
- Strategy: Focus on "at-cost" registrars for renewals.
- Tactics: Move your portfolio to Cloudflare or Dotology where renewal prices stay closer to $30–$42. Avoid high-markup registrars like GoDaddy for long-term holding.
Helpful Outbound articles and tools
- How to leverage an Ai Assistant to find domain leads
- eMail Marketing Best Practices for Domain Outreach
- List of FREE tools for outbound domain sales
- Outbound Domain sales Tips
Questions for you
- Do you own any .cleaning domains?
- If so, how are they doing for you?
- Thinking about investing into .cleaning domains?
- If so, what niche will you target and why?
What works for one may not work for another and vice versa.
have a great domain investing adventure!
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