Cleaning Service Pricing Calculator
Pricing a cleaning job correctly ensures you cover your labour, supplies, transport, and insurance costs while leaving a reasonable profit. Charge too little and you work below your cost of doing business; charge too much without the reputation to back it up and you lose bids. This cleaning service pricing calculator helps you build a quote from the ground up: enter the home or space square footage, the service type, your hourly labour rate, estimated time, supply cost, and desired profit margin. The tool outputs a suggested price per job and an effective hourly rate so you can check that each booking is financially worthwhile before you confirm it.
Cleaning price formula
Labour = Cleaners x Hours x Hourly Rate
Job Cost = Labour + Supplies + Travel
Suggested Price = Job Cost / (1 - Profit Margin / 100)
Effective Hourly Rate = Suggested Price / (Cleaners x Hours)
Deep and move-out cleans typically need 50-100% more time than a standard clean for the same space.
Frequently asked questions
How do cleaning services typically charge?
Cleaning services charge by the hour ($25-80 per cleaner per hour), by the job (flat rate based on home size and service type), or by square footage ($0.05-0.20 per sq ft for commercial, $0.10-0.25 for residential deep cleans). Flat-rate and square-footage pricing is preferred by most clients because they know the cost upfront. Experienced cleaners often charge more per hour but finish faster, making hourly billing less competitive.
What should a cleaning service charge for a 2,000 sq ft home?
A standard clean of a 2,000 sq ft home typically takes 2-4 hours for two cleaners and costs $120-250. A deep clean or move-in/move-out clean takes 4-8 hours and costs $200-450. Prices vary by region - urban US markets command premium rates. Always inspect or get photos before quoting a flat rate to avoid undercharging for unusually dirty homes.
What costs must a cleaning business account for in its pricing?
Include: cleaning supplies and equipment (mops, vacuums, chemicals), labour (your time at a fair hourly rate plus any employee wages and payroll taxes), transport (fuel, vehicle wear), insurance (general liability is essential), marketing and booking software, business taxes (self-employment tax for sole proprietors), and a profit margin. Underpricing to win clients means you cannot cover these costs long-term.
Should I charge extra for deep cleans or move-out cleans?
Yes. Deep cleans and move-out cleans take 2-3x longer than standard maintenance cleans and require more chemicals and equipment. Standard practice is to charge 50-100% more than a regular clean for first-time deep cleans and move-in/move-out services. Clearly define what is and is not included in each service tier to avoid scope creep.
Do cleaning businesses need to collect sales tax?
Sales tax rules for cleaning services vary by state. Some states exempt residential cleaning services while taxing commercial cleaning, others tax both, and a few tax neither. Check your state's department of revenue website for the current rules. You may also need a business license, and employees must be covered by workers' compensation insurance in most states.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Maids and housekeeping cleaners occupational outlook.
- IRS: Self-employed individuals tax center.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.