Your cleaning vendor's liability should never become yours.

Across the US commercial cleaning market, recurring janitorial is typically quoted between $0.05 and $0.25 per square foot per visit, and roughly $0.10 to $0.30 per square foot per month for a standard office cleaned three to five times per week. Hourly rates commonly run $25 to $50 per cleaner per hour. The range is wide because price is driven by frequency, square footage, restroom count, floor type, and how much of the work is detail cleaning versus basic trash and vacuum. Larger buildings almost always cost less per square foot than small ones because fixed travel and setup time is spread across more area. These are industry reference ranges, not a Wexley quote. Accurate pricing requires a walkthrough and a written scope.

At minimum, a commercial cleaning vendor should carry commercial general liability, commonly written at $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, and workers' compensation at statutory limits for the state where the work is performed. Most facility managers also require commercial auto liability if the vendor drives to the site, and a janitorial bond or crime coverage, often $10,000 to $100,000, to cover theft by cleaning staff who hold keys. Larger accounts frequently require an umbrella or excess liability policy. Beyond the policies themselves, the important details are the endorsements: additional insured status naming the property owner and manager, a waiver of subrogation, and primary and non-contributory wording. Without those endorsements, a certificate proves the vendor has insurance but does not extend that protection to you.

A COI, or certificate of insurance, is a one-page document issued by a vendor's insurance broker that summarizes the policies in force: carrier, policy numbers, coverage types, limits, effective and expiration dates, and any endorsements. It is most often issued on an ACORD form. Facility managers require it because if an uninsured or underinsured vendor's worker is injured on the property, or damages the building, the claim can land on the property owner's policy instead. Requesting a COI that names the owner and manager as additional insured moves that exposure to the vendor's carrier. A COI is a snapshot, not a guarantee, which is why coverage should be re-verified when policies renew rather than filed once and forgotten.

Frequency is driven by occupancy and use rather than square footage. Medical and clinical space is generally cleaned daily, with disinfection of high-touch surfaces and exam areas after each business day. Standard office space is typically serviced three to five times per week, with restrooms cleaned daily regardless of the overall schedule. Retail is usually daily, timed before opening or after close. Schools are cleaned daily while in session. Warehouse and industrial space varies most: office areas inside the building follow an office schedule, while large floor areas are scrubbed anywhere from daily to weekly depending on traffic and dust load. Common areas in managed properties are typically serviced daily to three times weekly, often with day porter coverage layered on during business hours.

Janitorial service is scheduled cleaning performed to a task list, usually after hours, on a set frequency. A day porter is staffed coverage during business hours who handles restrooms, spills, lobby presentation, trash, and event turnovers as they happen. The distinction is timing and purpose: janitorial resets the building on a cycle, while a day porter keeps it presentable continuously while it is occupied. They are priced differently as well. Janitorial is typically priced per visit or per square foot, and a day porter is priced as staffed hours. Buildings with heavy daytime traffic, such as class A offices, medical waiting rooms, and shopping centers, frequently use both.