Average Commercial Cleaning Rates per Square Foot (2026 Guide)

You're mid-estimate on a 10,000 square foot office. Your spreadsheet is open. Your fingers hover over the keyboard. And you're doing that thing cleaners do—second-guessing every number you punch in.

"Is $0.12 per square foot too low? Will they laugh at $0.18? What about that one job where I undercut myself so badly, I practically paid them to leave the place spotless?"

The truth nobody wants to admit. Underbidding leads to bankruptcy. Overbidding leads to rejection. Finding that elusive "Goldilocks" price is the hardest part of running a cleaning business.

But here's what separates cleaners who thrive from those who just survive: they know the numbers. They understand how ISSA production rates work. They have a formula—not a gut feeling.

In this guide, we break down the national averages for 2026 across the USA, UK, and Canada. We explain the logic behind pricing by square foot versus by labor hours. And most importantly, we show you a simple, repeatable system that stops you from leaving money on the table (or worse, going broke on a contract).

Let's start with the question everyone asks first.

What is the Average Rate per Square Foot?

Google "commercial cleaning rates" and you'll find wildly different answers. That's because there is no one-size-fits-all number—but there are patterns.

Here's what the market actually pays in 2026:

2026 Commercial Cleaning Rates (Per Sq Ft)

*Prices typically decrease as square footage increases due to economies of scale.

Why does the price drop as size increases? Economies of scale. A 2,000 sq ft office doesn't require double the time of a 1,000 sq ft office—it requires maybe 1.7x. Your truck is already parked. Your cleaner is already on-site.

Hourly Rates by Region

Some cleaners prefer hourly pricing, especially for variable scopes. Here's what the market supports:

Average Hourly Commercial Cleaning Rates (2026)

The variance reflects geographic demand, labor costs, and competition. A boutique cleaning company in Toronto charges differently than one in rural Manitoba.

Real-World Example: 5,000 sq ft Office

Let's make this concrete. A typical mid-sized office, 5,000 sq ft, cleaned three times per week:

• USA: $1,160/month (roughly $0.05–$0.08 per sq ft per visit)

• UK: £455–£520/month (roughly £0.80–£1.20 per sq meter)

• Canada: $800–$1,200/month (averaging $50/hour)

These aren't theoretical numbers. They're what cleaning companies are actually bidding and winning at right now.

The 3 Methods of Pricing: Which Is Best?

If you're in a bidding war, you need to choose your pricing model early. Each has strengths and fatal weaknesses.

Pricing by Square Foot: Good for Rough Estimates, Dangerous for Final Bids

This is the easiest method—and that's exactly why it's risky.

You multiply square footage by a rate ($0.12/sq ft, for example), and boom—you have an estimate. Fast. Presentable. Wrong half the time.

Why? A 5,000 sq ft office with carpet, open floor plans, and two bathrooms is completely different from a 5,000 sq ft office with private cubicles, 15 bathrooms, and a kitchen.

Use this method for:

• Initial phone quotes to set expectations

• First-pass estimates to test market demand

Avoid this method for:

• Competitive bids where profit margins matter

Pricing by Room or Fixture: Good for Medical/Restroom-Heavy Facilities

Here, you estimate each room separately. "Restrooms: 45 minutes. Breakroom: 30 minutes. Open office: 90 minutes."

This works beautifully when bathrooms and specialized spaces drive the workload.

Use this method for:

• Facilities with variable room types (clinics, gyms, hospitality venues)

Pricing by Labor Hours: The Professional Way

Now that you understand the limitations of square foot and room pricing, let's look at what pros actually use.

The industry standard is labor-hour-based pricing. Here's the formula:

Labor Hours = (Square Feet ÷ Production Rate) × Number of Visits

Bid Price = Labor Hours × Hourly Labor Cost × Overhead Multiplier

This method forces you to think clearly about:

• How long the actual work takes

• What you're actually paying your staff (including taxes, insurance)

• Whether you're making a profit or just spinning your wheels

Understanding ISSA Production Rates

Now that you know pricing methods, let's look at the data that makes labor-hour pricing work: ISSA production rates.

The ISSA (Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association) is the gold standard—used by facility managers and enterprise contractors.

Key ISSA Rate: It takes approximately 30 minutes to clean 1,000 sq ft of standard office space (with furniture, carpet, standard fixtures).

Here's what they've documented:

Task Production Rate Vacuuming carpet 14 minutes per 1,000 sq ft Dusting surfaces6–8 minutes per 1,000 sq ft Restroom cleaning (9 fixtures)14–27 minutes Trash removal18 minutes per 1,000 sq ft Mopping hard floors16–17 minutes per 1,000 sq ft

The problem? Memorizing these rates is impossible. You're trying to win bids before 5 PM, not study cleaning science.

How to Calculate Your Bid (Step-by-Step Example)

You've got a prospect: 5,000 sq ft office, cleaned 3 times per week. Here's exactly how pros calculate it.

Step 1: Calculate Labor Hours Using ISSA Rates

1. Divide square footage by 1,000: 5,000 sq ft ÷ 1,000 = 5 units

2. Apply ISSA standard rate: 35 minutes per 1,000 sq ft (average density)

3. Calculate per visit: 5 units × 35 minutes = 175 minutes = 2.92 hours

4. Calculate monthly hours: 2.92 × 3 visits/week × 4.3 weeks = 37.7 hours/month

Step 2: Calculate Actual Labor Cost (With Payroll Burden)

Your crew earns $18/hour. But your true labor cost includes:

• Payroll taxes: ~15%

• Workers' comp insurance: ~7–10%

• Unemployment insurance: ~3%

True hourly labor cost = $18 × 1.25 = $22.50/hour

Monthly wage cost: 37.7 hours × $22.50 = $849

Step 3: Add Supply Costs (3–5%)

Budget 4% for cleaning supplies:

$849 × 0.04 = $33.96 supplies

Total variable costs: $849 + $33.96 = $882.96

Step 4: Add Overhead & Profit Margin

Professional Bidding Formula:

Bid Price = (Labor + Supplies + Overhead) ÷ (1 – Desired Profit Margin)

Target 25% profit margin (industry standard):

$882.96 ÷ 0.75 = $1,177.28 per month

Total job cost: $1,177/month (not $500 like square foot pricing suggests).

The Manual Math Pain: Why Excel Fails

See what just happened? Six calculations. Each one is an error waiting to happen:

• Miss a zero in square footage? Lose thousands.

• Forget to multiply by visits? Underbid by 3x.

• Use last year's labor costs? Leave money on the table.

• Forget supply costs? Silent profit drain.

Excel errors cost JP Morgan $6 billion. TransAlta lost $24 million. You think you're exempt?

Stop Guessing: Use a Janitorial Bid Calculator

The math works. The rates are industry-standard. The problem isn't the formula—it's execution.

Manual bidding is slow and error prone. Here's what changes when you automate:

Traditional Excel Process:

• Open spreadsheet

• Enter square footage

• Manual calculations (or formulas you half-remember)

• Adjust labor rates by hand

• Cross fingers and send

With a bid calculator:

• Enter square footage, frequency, labor rate

• System applies ISSA rates automatically

• Instant breakdown: labor hours, supplies, overhead, final price

• Change any variable, see impact instantly

• Generate professional PDF

Difference: 10 minutes → 60 seconds. Error rate: 15–20% → 0%.

Try our free calculator now — it takes 90 seconds to get your first bid.

Expected monthly organic traffic growth for optimized blog post (conservative scenario) 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much should I charge for a 3,000 sq ft office?

For a clean, standard office:

• 1x/week: $450–$650

• 3x/week: $350–$500 per visit

• Daily: $300–$400 per visit

Prices vary by region (USA lower, UK/Canada higher), assuming $18–$25/hour labor.

What's the profit margin for commercial cleaning?

Industry standard: 20–35% net profit on recurring contracts. One-off deep cleans: 15–25%. High-end services: 35–50%.

If you're below 20%, you're underpricing or overspending.

Should I charge hourly or flat rate?

• Hourly: Variable scopes (deep cleans, unknown facilities)

• Flat rate: Recurring contracts (predictable, fewer disputes)

Most pros use flat rates for regulars, hourly for one-offs.

Pricing is an Art and a Science

You've got instinct about your market. You know your costs. You understand competition.

But pricing? That's where gut feeling fails and math wins.

The most expensive mistake isn't missing a window—it's bidding without a system. One bad contract wipes out profit from ten good ones.

ISSA production rates exist for a reason. They're validated by thousands of facilities and decades of data.

Use them. And use a system that removes human error.

Create Your First Bid for Free — your calculator is ready. Your margins are protected. Your business grows.

Stop guessing. Start calculating.

This guide is updated monthly with current market data from USA, UK, and Canadian cleaning service providers. If your region's rates differ, the math remains the same—adjust hourly rates and recalculate.