Commercial janitorial services

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.

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.

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.

A janitorial contract should include a written scope of work that lists tasks by area and frequency rather than a general description of cleaning, the service schedule and hours of access, and a defined process for adding or removing work. It should specify insurance requirements with limits and required endorsements, name who supplies consumables such as paper and liners, and set out a quality process with inspection frequency and a defined window to correct deficiencies. Term, renewal, and termination notice should be explicit, including whether the agreement auto-renews. For occupied buildings, add background check requirements, key and access control procedures, and a named account contact with escalation. The scope is the part that most disputes turn on, so vague scopes are the most expensive thing to accept.

Green cleaning means using products and methods that reduce health and environmental impact, most commonly products certified by Green Seal or EPA Safer Choice, microfiber systems that cut chemical and water use, and equipment with lower particulate emissions. Product cost is generally comparable to conventional chemicals today, so green programs usually price close to standard programs. Where cost does rise is in certification-driven programs, such as cleaning specified to support a LEED operations and maintenance credit, because those require documentation, tracking, and specific product and equipment standards rather than just a product swap.