Pricing a commercial cleaning job comes down to two things: how much space you are cleaning, and how often you clean it. Get those right and your bids stay profitable, whether it is a one-time deep clean or a nightly office contract. This guide covers how commercial cleaners price work, typical rates, what moves the number, and how to turn it into a professional estimate in minutes.
How do commercial cleaners price a job?
Three approaches are common in commercial and janitorial work:
- Per square foot. The industry standard. You measure the floor area for each service and multiply by a rate. It is easy to measure, easy for the client to understand, and scales across buildings of any size.
- Per hour. Useful for small, one-off, or unpredictable jobs, but on a recurring contract clients usually want a fixed monthly price, and hourly can penalize an efficient crew.
- Per month or per visit. How most recurring contracts are presented, but you should still build the number by the square foot first, then divide it into a schedule.
Most companies build the bid by the square foot, present it as a monthly or per-visit price, and hold a firm minimum for small offices.
Typical commercial cleaning rates
These are common starting points in the United States. Treat them as a baseline and adjust for your market, facility type, and frequency.
| Service | Typical rate |
|---|---|
| Standard office cleaning | $0.08 to $0.20 per sq ft |
| Deep cleaning | $0.15 to $0.25 per sq ft |
| Carpet cleaning | $0.15 to $0.30 per sq ft |
| Floor strip and wax | $0.30 to $0.50 per sq ft |
| Post-construction cleanup | $0.30 to $0.50 per sq ft |
| Minimum service charge | $100 to $200 |
Recurring contracts sit at the lower end of these ranges because a maintained space cleans faster each visit. One-time and specialized jobs sit higher.
What changes the price
Two buildings of the same size can bid very differently. The biggest factors:
- Frequency. A nightly contract costs less per square foot than a weekly one, which costs less than a one-time clean. The more often you clean, the faster each visit goes.
- Facility type and traffic. A busy medical or food space needs more time and stricter sanitation than a quiet back office, so it carries a higher rate.
- Restrooms and kitchens. These take disproportionate time and supplies, so count them and price them rather than folding them into a flat square-foot rate.
- Floor types. Hard floors that need stripping, waxing, or buffing cost more than carpet you simply vacuum.
- Supplies and consumables. If you provide paper products, liners, and soap, build that into the price rather than absorbing it.
Build your estimate in minutes
Instead of doing this math by hand on every bid, use our free commercial cleaning estimate calculator. Add each area, enter the square footage, and adjust the rate to match your pricing. It shows an itemized subtotal, a suggested range, and a recommended estimate, and applies your minimum charge automatically. No signup, and everything stays in your browser. Cleaning homes instead? Use the house cleaning price calculator, which prices residential jobs by room and cleaning type.
Do not skip the minimum charge
A firm minimum protects you on small offices. Labor, travel, and supplies cost roughly the same whether the space is small or large, so a minimum of around $100 to $200 keeps a tiny job from costing you money. Set it once and let every estimate respect it.
Turn the estimate into an invoice
Once the client approves the price, keep the same line items rolling into the paperwork. Our free cleaning invoice template and cleaning quote template turn your areas and services into a clean, professional document you can send in seconds. When you are ready to send estimates and invoices, get paid online, and track who has paid, a free Billbooks account puts all of it in one place.