Pricing makes or breaks cleaning businesses. Too low and you work hard for nothing. Too high and you lose clients. Understanding how to price a cleaning business properly means finding the sweet spot that attracts clients while generating sustainable profit.
This guide teaches you how to price your cleaning business for success.
The Pricing Fundamentals
Before setting specific prices, understand what pricing must accomplish.
Your prices must cover all costs including supplies, transportation, insurance, and your time. They must generate profit beyond just covering costs. They must remain competitive enough to attract clients. And they must reflect the value you provide.
Many cleaning businesses fail because they price based on what competitors charge without understanding their own costs. Don’t make this mistake.
Calculating Your True Costs
Start by understanding what each cleaning actually costs you.
| Cost Category | Typical Range | How to Calculate |
|---|---|---|
| Labor (your time) | $25-50/hour | Your target hourly wage |
| Supplies | $5-15/job | Track actual usage |
| Transportation | $5-20/job | Miles × $0.67 IRS rate |
| Insurance | $2-5/job | Annual premium ÷ jobs per year |
| Marketing | $5-15/job | Monthly spend ÷ jobs per month |
| Admin time | $5-10/job | Time spent × hourly rate |
Add these costs for your typical job. This is your break-even point—the minimum you must charge to not lose money.
Setting Your Target Hourly Rate
Your hourly rate determines your income potential.
Calculate what you need to earn annually. Divide by realistic working hours (typically 1,500-2,000 billable hours for full-time). This gives your minimum hourly rate.
For example, if you want to earn $60,000 and can bill 1,500 hours annually, you need $40 per hour minimum. Add costs for supplies, transportation, and overhead, and your effective rate needs to be $50-60 per hour.
Most successful residential cleaners charge $40-75 per hour effectively. Commercial cleaners often work at $25-45 per hour but with larger, more consistent jobs.
Pricing Models
Different pricing approaches work for different situations.
Hourly pricing charges by time spent. It’s fair and simple but unpredictable for clients. Best for initial cleanings or unusual jobs where time is hard to estimate.
Flat-rate pricing charges a fixed amount per cleaning. Clients love the predictability. You benefit when you work efficiently—faster completion means higher hourly earnings. Best for recurring residential clients.
Per-room pricing charges based on number of rooms. Easy to quote and adjust. Doesn’t account for room sizes or conditions.
Square footage pricing works well for commercial and large residential. Calculate rate per square foot (typically $0.05-0.20) and multiply by space size.
Most residential cleaners use flat-rate pricing for recurring clients and hourly or custom quotes for one-time jobs.
Residential Pricing Guidelines
Standard recurring cleaning typically runs $120-200 for average homes, with prices varying by size, condition, and frequency. Weekly cleanings can be priced 10-15% lower than bi-weekly since less buildup occurs between visits.
Deep cleaning commands premium rates of 1.5-2 times your standard cleaning price. The extra time and effort justify the higher rate.
Move-in/move-out cleaning also earns premium pricing due to the thoroughness required for empty properties.
Add-on services like interior refrigerator cleaning, oven cleaning, interior windows, and laundry should be priced separately at $20-50 per add-on.
Commercial Pricing Guidelines
Commercial pricing differs from residential in important ways.
Calculate cleaning time by walking through the space and estimating time for each area. Be thorough—underestimating kills profitability.
Apply your commercial hourly rate. Commercial work often accepts lower hourly rates because jobs are larger, more consistent, and often occur during off-hours.
Factor in frequency discounts. Daily cleaning costs less per visit than weekly. The reduced buildup justifies lower per-visit rates while total monthly revenue remains strong.
The Quoting Process
How you present prices affects whether clients hire you.
Always see the space before giving a firm quote. Photos and descriptions are unreliable. Surprises after quoting destroy profitability.
Ask questions during walkthroughs about expectations, problem areas, pets, and special requirements. This information affects your pricing.
Present quotes clearly and professionally. Detail what’s included, specify the price and payment terms, and note any exclusions.
Provide context for your pricing. Explain the value you deliver—reliability, quality, insurance, professionalism. Price alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
Raising Prices
Your prices should increase over time.
Raise prices for new clients immediately whenever you decide to increase rates. Quote your new price to all inquiries.
For existing clients, give 30-60 days notice of increases. Frame changes around rising costs and maintained quality. Expect some clients to leave—this is normal and often beneficial.
Annual increases of 3-5% maintain your margins against inflation. Larger increases may be needed if you’ve been underpricing.
Common Pricing Mistakes
Avoid these errors when pricing your services:
- Underpricing to win clients creates unsustainable business and attracts price-sensitive customers
- Not knowing your costs leads to accidental losses
- Matching competitor prices without understanding their situation
- Inconsistent pricing confuses clients and damages trust
- Discounting without strategy trains clients to expect deals
- Failing to raise prices allows inflation to erode your income
Your Pricing Strategy Starts Here
You now understand how to price a cleaning business—the cost calculations, pricing models, and strategies that create profitable pricing.
Pricing is a skill that improves with experience. Track your results, understand your market, and adjust your approach as you learn.
At the Cleaning Business Institute, our courses cover pricing strategy in depth. We teach cost analysis, quote presentation, price increases, and market positioning.
Master your pricing. Take our free Cleaning Business Quiz. We’ll analyze your situation and recommend the right training. Complete the quiz and unlock a limited-time offer saving you over 50%.
Price your cleaning business for profit.