History of the TLD

.cleaning is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) created as part of ICANN’s New gTLD Program. It was delegated into the Domain Name System root zone in early 2014 following its application and approval through the program. The extension was introduced with the purpose of serving businesses and individuals in the cleaning services and related industries.

Main Use and Industry Position

.cleaning is primarily used by companies, professionals, and organizations offering cleaning-related services or products. This includes residential and commercial cleaners, janitorial services, carpet and window cleaners, sanitation specialists, and other hygiene-focused businesses. The extension enables clear communication of industry focus directly through domain names, aiding branding and customer recognition.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared to legacy extensions like .com or .net, .cleaning is niche-specific, meaning it directly signals the nature of a business. This can improve relevance in industry search results and help with brand clarity for cleaning service providers. While .com remains more widely recognized globally, .cleaning offers targeted thematic identity.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Clearly communicates cleaning industry focus
  

• Open registration with no special restrictions
  

• Supports IDNs and industry-relevant branding
  

Cons

• Lower general public recognition than legacy TLDs
  

• Potentially higher registration and renewal costs than basic extensions
  

• May not inherently improve SEO without other optimization efforts
  
  

Registration Criteria

Registration of .cleaning domains is open to all registrants on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no specific eligibility restrictions tied to business type or geographic location. Accepted characters include alphanumeric and hyphens, with support for Internationalized Domain Names.

Summary

.cleaning is a generic top-level domain established to serve the cleaning and hygiene sectors. It offers open registration and supports a range of standard domain features such as IDNs and DNSSEC. Its targeted nature makes it suitable for cleaning services and related enterprises seeking clear industry-specific online branding.