Commercial Cleaning Costs 2025: Pricing Guide + ROI Calculator

One of the first questions facility managers ask: "How much will this cost?"

The answer: It depends. But this guide will show you exactly what affects facility cleaning pricing, how to estimate your costs accurately, and most importantly—how to calculate the ROI of professional cleaning vs. in-house alternatives.

---

Pricing by Facility Size

Here's what professional facility cleaning typically costs in 2025:

Small Office (5,000-10,000 sq ft)

• Monthly cost: $1,500-2,500
• Cost per sq ft: $0.18-0.30
• Service frequency: 2-3x per week
• Typical services: Daily cleaning, trash removal, restrooms, common areas

Medium Facility (10,000-25,000 sq ft)

• Monthly cost: $2,500-4,500
• Cost per sq ft: $0.15-0.25
• Service frequency: 3-5x per week
• Typical services: Daily cleaning, restrooms, common areas, carpets (monthly)

Large Facility (25,000-50,000 sq ft)

• Monthly cost: $4,500-8,000
• Cost per sq ft: $0.12-0.20
• Service frequency: 4-5x per week + daily restrooms
• Typical services: Full facility cleaning, deep cleaning (quarterly), specialty services

Medical Facilities (Add 30-40% Premium)

• Small medical office (2,000-5,000 sq ft): $2,000-3,500/month
• Mid-size clinic (5,000-10,000 sq ft): $3,500-6,000/month
• Hospital or large medical center: $8,000+/month

---

Cost Breakdown: Where Your Money Goes

When you pay $3,000/month for facility cleaning, here's the typical breakdown:

Category	Percentage	Details
Labor	55-65%	Staff wages, benefits, payroll taxes
Supplies	15-20%	Trash liners, toilet paper, disinfectants, soaps
Equipment	5-10%	Vacuum maintenance, floor machines, pressure washers
Management & Admin	10-15%	Account manager, scheduling, compliance, insurance

Example for $3,000/month facility:

• Labor: $1,650-1,950
• Supplies: $450-600
• Equipment: $150-300
• Management: $300-450

Understanding this breakdown helps you see where cost increases come from and what you might negotiate.

---

What Affects Your Facility Cleaning Price?

Factors That INCREASE Cost

Service Frequency

• Daily service (7 days/week) costs more than 3x/week
• After-hours/early-morning service premium: 20-30% higher
• Weekend service: typically 50% premium

Facility Type & Complexity

• Medical facilities: +30-40%
• Laboratories: +40-60%
• Food service areas: +25-35%
• High-touch areas (banks, retail): +15-25%

Specialized Services

• Medical-grade disinfection: $500-1,500/month
• Carpet cleaning (monthly): $400-800
• Window washing (quarterly): $300-600
• Deep cleaning (quarterly): $600-1,200
• Pressure washing: $300-800

Geographic Factors

• Urban areas: higher labor costs (+10-20%)
• Rural areas: travel fees may apply
• Local labor market: affects wage scales

Facility Condition & Layout

• Complex layout (multiple buildings): +15-25%
• Older building (harder to clean): +10-20%
• Multiple restrooms (5+): +10-15%
• High-traffic areas: +5-15%

Factors That DECREASE Cost

Lower Service Frequency

• 2x/week vs. daily: -30-40%
• 1x/week specialty only: -70%

Simpler Facility

• Single floor: -5-10%
• Fewer restrooms: -5-10%
• Modern building (easier to clean): -10%

Longer Contract Terms

• 24-month vs. 12-month: -5-10%
• 36+ month commitment: -10-15%

Bundled Services

• Multiple facilities with same vendor: -10%
• Cleaning + maintenance services together: -5-15%

Flexible Scheduling

• Off-peak hours: -10-20%
• Flexible timing: -5-10%

---

In-House vs. Outsourced: Real Cost Comparison

Many facility managers wonder: "Would it be cheaper to hire in-house cleaning staff?"

Spoiler: Usually not.

In-House Cleaning Cost (1,000 sq ft daily)

Annual cost for 1 full-time cleaner:

• Salary: $28,000-32,000
• Benefits (health, payroll tax): $8,000-10,000
• Equipment & supplies: $2,000-3,000
• Uniforms, training: $500-1,000
• Total annual: $38,500-46,000
• Monthly equivalent: $3,208-3,833

Problems:

• ❌ Only cleans one facility
• ❌ Sick days mean no cleaning
• ❌ Limited expertise (medical-grade, specialty cleaning)
• ❌ No accountability/backup if they leave
• ❌ Ongoing training needed
• ❌ Equipment maintenance on you

Outsourced Cleaning Cost (1,000 sq ft, 3x/week)

Annual cost: $1,500 x 12 = $18,000

• Includes trained staff rotation
• Backup if someone is sick
• Equipment and supplies included
• Professional grade disinfection
• Accountability and quality assurance
• Account manager oversight

Savings: $20,500-28,000/year for outsourced vs. in-house

---

Cost Negotiation Strategies

1. Lock In Price for Multiple Years

Proposal: "We'd like to commit to 24 months instead of 12. What rate can you offer?"
Typical savings: 5-10% discount
Benefit: Price certainty for 2 years

2. Bundle Services for Better Rates

Example negotiation:

• Base cleaning: $3,500/month
• Window cleaning (quarterly): $1,200
• Deep cleaning (quarterly): $1,600

Bundled ask: "If we combine all three, what's the monthly rate?"
Typical savings: 10-15% when bundling

3. Offer Flexible Scheduling

Ask: "Can you reduce the rate if we let you clean on flexible days vs. fixed?"
Result: Vendor saves scheduling complexity
Typical savings: 10-20%

4. Extend Contract in Exchange for Discount

Negotiation: "We'll sign a 36-month contract in exchange for a 10% price reduction"
Vendor benefit: Guaranteed 3-year revenue
Your benefit: Locked rate for 3 years

5. Clean During Off-Peak Hours

Ask: "What if we allow cleaning at 6-10 PM or early morning before operations?"
Typical savings: 15-25%
Vendor benefit: Less disruption, easier scheduling

---

Monthly Budget Estimates by Facility Type

Small Professional Office (8,000 sq ft)

• Base cleaning (3x/week): $2,000
• Restroom supply: $200
• Occasional deep clean: $150 (monthly average)
• Monthly budget: $2,350

Medical Office (6,000 sq ft)

• Medical-grade cleaning (3x/week): $3,000
• Medical waste handling: $200
• Monthly disinfection protocol: $400
• Monthly budget: $3,600

Retail/Showroom (5,000 sq ft)

• Daily cleaning: $2,500
• Window washing (2x/month): $300
• Carpet extraction (monthly): $400
• Monthly budget: $3,200

Dental Office (3,000 sq ft)

• Medical-grade (5x/week): $2,500
• HIPAA-compliant waste: $200
• Equipment sterilization area: $300
• Monthly budget: $3,000

---

Red Flags in Facility Cleaning Pricing

❌ Too cheap: Pricing 50%+ below market usually means cutting corners (inadequate training, cheap chemicals, high turnover)

❌ Vague pricing: "We charge $X/month" without specifying what's included

❌ No account manager: Can't communicate issues effectively

❌ Refuses to itemize: Won't break down labor, supplies, services

❌ No references: Won't provide current clients for verification

❌ Hidden fees: Charges appear after contract signed (restroom supplies, equipment fees)

---

Getting Accurate Facility Cleaning Quotes

To get comparable quotes, provide vendors the same information:

1. Facility size (square footage)
2. Layout (number of floors, restrooms, special areas)
3. Current condition
4. Service frequency needed
5. Service hours (during operations, after-hours?)
6. Special requirements (medical-grade, green cleaning, etc.)
7. Budget range

Request itemized proposals showing:

• Service scope (what's included)
• Frequency and schedule
• Unit pricing (labor, supplies, add-ons)
• Staff assignments
• Quality assurance process

---

The ROI of Professional Facility Cleaning

Professional facility cleaning pays for itself through:

Employee Productivity: A cleaner facility = fewer sick days, fewer allergies, higher focus

• Typical savings: 2-3 fewer sick days per employee per year
• For 20 employees: 40-60 lost workdays prevented
• Value: $8,000-12,000/year

Reduced Replacement: Professional equipment care extends lifespan

• Carpet lasts longer: saves $2,000-5,000 every 5 years
• Flooring extends lifespan: saves $3,000-7,000
• HVAC maintenance reduces replacements: saves $1,000-2,000/year

Compliance & Risk: Avoid fines and lawsuits

• OSHA violation: $5,000-150,000
• Health department citation: varies
• Avoided costs: $5,000-50,000+

Facility Manager Time: Your time is valuable

• Hours saved weekly: 8-12 hours
• Value at $50/hour: $20,000-30,000/year
• Value at $75/hour: $30,000-45,000/year

Total Annual Benefit: $33,000-94,000+
Professional cleaning cost: $18,000-36,000/year
Net ROI: 90-260% return on investment

---

Bottom Line on Facility Cleaning Costs

Facility cleaning isn't a cost center—it's an investment with measurable ROI.

✅ Get 2-3 competitive quotes
✅ Compare apples-to-apples (same services, frequency, scope)
✅ Negotiate price, terms, and service levels
✅ Lock in rates for 12-24 months
✅ Consider total cost of ownership, not just monthly fee

The cheapest option is rarely the best value. The best value is the vendor who delivers quality, meets your compliance needs, and communicates professionally—at a fair market price.