How do you price a cleaning service?

Most cleaning businesses price using one of four models: hourly rate (typically $25–60/hour per cleaner), flat rate per visit (based on home size and condition), square footage rate ($0.05–0.25 per sq ft), or package pricing (bundles of services at a set price). The right model depends on your market, client type, and service scope. Hourly works well for irregular or first-time clients. Flat rates work well for recurring clients with predictable homes. Square footage works well for commercial clients. Packages work well for marketing clarity and upselling.

What should a cleaning service price list include?

Your price list should include: your service categories (standard clean, deep clean, move-in/move-out, commercial), pricing model and rates for each, what's included and excluded in each service, any add-on services with individual pricing, your service area, minimum job requirements, and your booking or contact process. Keep it to one page if possible. Clients should be able to find the number they need and understand what it covers without having to ask follow-up questions.

Should I charge more for the first cleaning?

Yes, and most cleaning professionals do. First cleanings typically take 50–100% longer than recurring maintenance cleanings because you're addressing buildup a regular client wouldn't have. Common approaches: charge your standard hourly rate and let the first visit run longer (transparent but unpredictable for the client), charge a flat 'initial clean' premium (e.g., 1.5x or 2x your recurring price), or quote the first visit separately after an in-person or virtual walkthrough. Set the expectation upfront so clients understand why the first clean costs more.

How often should I update my cleaning service price list?

Review your pricing at least annually. Raise prices when your costs increase (supplies, fuel, labor), when your booking rate exceeds 80% of capacity (demand is outstripping supply), when you've added experience or certifications, or when your market rates have shifted. Most cleaning businesses are underpriced relative to the value they deliver. A 10–15% price increase per year is defensible with good service quality, and most long-term clients accept it with appropriate notice (4–6 weeks).

How to Create a Cleaning Service Price List (Template Included)

A well-built cleaning service price list does two things at once: it helps clients self-select (the ones who fit your pricing reach out; the ones who don’t move on without wasting your time) and it signals that you run a professional operation. Here’s how to build one that does both.

A price list isn’t just a menu — it’s a sales tool. The way you structure and present your pricing shapes how clients perceive your value before they’ve ever spoken to you. Vague pricing (“call for a quote on everything”) signals uncertainty. Clear, organized pricing signals confidence.

This guide walks through how to choose the right pricing model, what to include, sample rates by service type, and how to format the list so it converts.

Step 1: Choose your pricing model

Four models dominate the residential and commercial cleaning industry. Each has strengths depending on your client type and service style.

Hourly rate

You charge a set rate per cleaner per hour. The final price depends on how long the job takes.

Typical rates: $25–60/hour per cleaner (varies significantly by market — major metros run higher)

Pros:

Fair for unpredictable first-time or irregular clients
You’re always compensated for time actually spent
Easy to explain and adjust

Cons:

Clients don’t know their final cost upfront — causes hesitation
Incentivizes slower work (whether you intend it or not)
Harder to book and manage at scale

Best for: First-time clients, deep cleans, irregular or variable-scope jobs

Flat rate by home size

You set a fixed price based on the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and overall condition of the home.

Sample flat rates:

Studio/1BR, 1BA: $80–120
2BR, 1–2BA: $100–160
3BR, 2BA: $130–200
4BR, 2–3BA: $160–250
5BR, 3+BA: $200–300+

These are ballpark ranges. Your rates will vary based on your market, labor costs, and service level.

Pros:

Clients know what they’re paying upfront
Predictable revenue for you
Easier to schedule and staff

Cons:

Undercharging on messy homes until you can assess condition
Needs a first-clean premium for homes you haven’t seen

Best for: Recurring residential clients with predictable homes

Per square foot

You charge based on the total square footage of the space, typically used more in commercial settings.

Typical rates: $0.05–$0.25 per square foot (commercial); residential rates are usually higher on a per-sq-ft basis because of detail work

Example: A 3,000 sq ft office at $0.08/sq ft = $240 per clean

Pros:

Scales logically with space size
Easy to quote without a walkthrough for standard commercial spaces
Professional and familiar to commercial buyers

Cons:

Doesn’t account for condition, clutter, or difficulty
Less intuitive for residential clients

Best for: Commercial cleaning, office cleaning, retail spaces

Package pricing

You create defined service bundles — Standard, Premium, and Deep Clean, for example — each with a set price and explicit inclusions.

Pros:

Clarity for clients: they pick a package, they know what they get
Encourages upselling from standard to premium
Simpler for marketing and advertising
Faster quoting

Cons:

Requires you to define inclusions precisely (what’s in, what’s out)
Less flexible for unusual situations

Best for: Businesses with stable, repeatable service offerings

Most successful cleaning businesses use a hybrid: flat rates or packages for recurring clients (predictable, easy to schedule), and an hourly or project rate for first-time clients and specialty jobs (flexible, protects you from undercharging on unknowns). Start with one model and add flexibility as you understand your client mix.

Step 2: Define your service categories

Your price list needs clear categories. Clients should be able to find themselves in your menu quickly.

Standard cleaning (maintenance clean) The regular recurring clean for a home or office already in decent condition.

Dusting surfaces, vacuuming, mopping floors
Cleaning bathrooms (toilets, sinks, mirrors, tubs)
Cleaning kitchen (counters, stovetop, appliances exterior, sink)
Trash removal
Making beds

Deep cleaning A thorough clean that reaches areas skipped in standard cleans. First-time cleans often require this.

Everything in standard cleaning
Inside oven, inside refrigerator
Baseboards, window sills, door frames
Light fixtures and ceiling fans
Inside cabinets (if requested)

Move-in / Move-out cleaning Empty property cleaning before new occupants arrive or after previous ones leave.

Everything in deep cleaning
Inside all cabinets and drawers
Window cleaning (interior)
Garage or storage area (if applicable)

Add-on services (priced individually)

Interior window cleaning: $5–10 per window
Inside oven: $25–50
Inside refrigerator: $25–45
Laundry: $15–30/load
Organization/decluttering: $40–75/hour
Garage cleaning: $100–250
Wall washing: $0.10–0.15/sq ft
Carpet cleaning: priced separately or by room

Step 3: Set your first-clean premium

First cleanings take longer — often 1.5 to 2x longer than a recurring maintenance clean. Price accordingly.

Options:

Option A: Separate first-clean rate List a distinct price for “initial cleaning” based on home size. Make it clearly higher than the recurring rate and explain why.

“Initial Clean (3BR/2BA): $240 | Recurring Clean (3BR/2BA): $140”

Option B: Hourly for first visit Quote the first visit at your hourly rate and let it run to completion. Then quote a flat recurring rate once you know the home.

Option C: Virtual or in-person walkthrough Don’t publish a first-clean price. Instead, quote first cleans after seeing the space. This is most accurate but adds friction.

Most businesses choose Option A or B for marketing simplicity.

Step 4: Format the price list

Your price list is a sales document. Format matters.

One page or less. Long price lists create decision paralysis. Cover your core offerings concisely. Add-ons can appear as a secondary list or footnote.

Lead with outcomes, not features. Not “we clean baseboards” but “your home will be move-in ready.” One sentence of positioning at the top.

Make inclusions and exclusions explicit. “Standard cleaning includes X. Does not include Y.” Ambiguity creates disputes.

List a starting-from price for packages. If prices vary by home size, show “starting from $90” with a link to request a custom quote. Avoids sticker shock while still providing a reference point.

Add a clear CTA. What should they do next? Book online, call, fill out a form? Make it one obvious action.

Sample price list structure

[Your Business Name] — Cleaning Services

Standard Cleaning | Starting from $90

1BR/1BA: $90 | 2BR/2BA: $120 | 3BR/2BA: $150 | 4BR+: from $190
Includes: dusting, vacuuming, mopping, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, trash

Deep Cleaning | Starting from $180

1BR/1BA: $180 | 2BR/2BA: $240 | 3BR/2BA: $300 | 4BR+: from $360
Includes everything in Standard + inside oven/fridge, baseboards, window sills, cabinets

Move-In / Move-Out | Starting from $220

Quoted individually based on property size and condition

Add-Ons: Inside oven $35 | Inside fridge $30 | Laundry $20/load | Windows $8/each

First-time clients: Initial clean priced at deep-clean rate for your home size.

Recurring discounts: Weekly 20% off | Biweekly 10% off

Service area: [Your city/radius]. [Book here / Call / Email]

Step 5: Deliver it professionally

How you present your price list matters as much as what’s on it.

PDF via email — Works for clients who ask for pricing. Clean, branded, printable.
Dedicated pricing page on your website — Searchable, always available, no back-and-forth.
Quoting software — Tools like Waco let you send an interactive price list where clients can select services and request a custom quote. Adds professionalism and captures the lead automatically.

Avoid: pricing in the body of an email with no structure, prices buried inside a long paragraph, or “call us for all pricing” with no reference point.