Basis Of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]
Basis Of Presentation	Note 1. Basis of Presentation ServiceMaster is a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services. Our services include residential termite and pest control, commercial termite and pest control, national accounts pest control services, restoration, commercial cleaning, residential cleaning, cabinet and furniture repair and home inspection. We provide these services through an extensive service network of company-owned, franchised and licensed locations operating primarily under the following leading brands: AmeriSpec, Copesan, Furniture Medic, McCloud Services, Merry Maids, Nomor, ServiceMaster Clean, ServiceMaster Restore, Terminix and Terminix Commercial. All of our consolidated subsidiaries are wholly-owned. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Exploration of Strategic Alternatives for ServiceMaster Brands On January 21, 2020, we announced we are exploring strategic alternatives relating to ServiceMaster Brands, including the potential sale of the business. The ServiceMaster Brands segment is reported in this Annual Report on Form 10-K in continuing operations. Beginning with our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2020, the ServiceMaster Brands segment will be classified as held for sale and reported in discontinued operations. American Home Shield Spin-off On October 1, 2018, we completed the previously announced separation of our American Home Shield business (the “Separation”). The Separation was effectuated through a pro rata dividend (the “Distribution”) to our stockholders of approximately 80.2% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Frontdoor, which was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company to hold its American Home Shield business. As a result of the Distribution, Frontdoor is an independent public company that trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “FTDR.” The Distribution was made to our stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 14, 2018 (the “Record Date”), and such stockholders received one share of Frontdoor common stock for every two shares of ServiceMaster common stock held as of the close of business on the Record Date. We distributed 67,781,527 shares of common stock of Frontdoor in the Distribution and retained 16,734,092 shares, or approximately 19.8 percent, of the common stock of Frontdoor immediately following the Distribution. These investments are accounted for as available for sale securities. In March 2019, we exchanged all of the 19.8 percent of the outstanding shares of common stock of Frontdoor we retained for certain of our outstanding indebtedness, which obligations were subsequently cancelled and discharged upon delivery to us. Included in the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the year ended December 31, 2019, is an adjustment to the Net assets distributed to frontdoor, inc. to reflect the actual current and deferred taxes related to the Frontdoor distribution. See Note 6 for further discussion of the adjustment made in the year ended December 31, 2019 and Note 12 for further discussion regarding the debt-for-equity exchange transaction. As a result of the Separation, we now have two reportable segments: Terminix and ServiceMaster Brands. The historical results of the American Home Shield business, including the results of operations, cash flows and related assets and liabilities are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented herein.

Basis Of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Note 1. Basis of Presentation

ServiceMaster is a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services. Our services include residential termite and pest control, commercial termite and pest control, national accounts pest control services, restoration, commercial cleaning, residential cleaning, cabinet and furniture repair and home inspection. We provide these services through an extensive service network of company-owned, franchised and licensed locations operating primarily under the following leading brands: AmeriSpec, Copesan, Furniture Medic, McCloud Services, Merry Maids, Nomor, ServiceMaster Clean, ServiceMaster Restore, Terminix and Terminix Commercial. All of our consolidated subsidiaries are wholly-owned. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Exploration of Strategic Alternatives for ServiceMaster Brands

On January 21, 2020, we announced we are exploring strategic alternatives relating to ServiceMaster Brands, including the potential sale of the business. The ServiceMaster Brands segment is reported in this Annual Report on Form 10-K in continuing operations. Beginning with our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2020, the ServiceMaster Brands segment will be classified as held for sale and reported in discontinued operations.

American Home Shield Spin-off

On October 1, 2018, we completed the previously announced separation of our American Home Shield business (the “Separation”). The Separation was effectuated through a pro rata dividend (the “Distribution”) to our stockholders of approximately 80.2% of the outstanding shares of common stock of Frontdoor, which was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company to hold its American Home Shield business. As a result of the Distribution, Frontdoor is an independent public company that trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “FTDR.”

The Distribution was made to our stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 14, 2018 (the “Record Date”), and such stockholders received one share of Frontdoor common stock for every two shares of ServiceMaster common stock held as of the close of business on the Record Date. We distributed 67,781,527 shares of common stock of Frontdoor in the Distribution and retained 16,734,092 shares, or approximately 19.8 percent, of the common stock of Frontdoor immediately following the Distribution. These investments are accounted for as available for sale securities. In March 2019, we exchanged all of the 19.8 percent of the outstanding shares of common stock of Frontdoor we retained for certain of our outstanding indebtedness, which obligations were subsequently cancelled and discharged upon delivery to us. Included in the Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the year ended December 31, 2019, is an adjustment to the Net assets distributed to frontdoor, inc. to reflect the actual current and deferred taxes related to the Frontdoor distribution. See Note 6 for further discussion of the adjustment made in the year ended December 31, 2019 and Note 12 for further discussion regarding the debt-for-equity exchange transaction.

As a result of the Separation, we now have two reportable segments: Terminix and ServiceMaster Brands. The historical results of the American Home Shield business, including the results of operations, cash flows and related assets and liabilities are reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented herein.