Free Cleaning Estimate Template
Built for house cleaners, maid services, and commercial janitorial companies who need to price a job on the spot. Fill in your rooms, rates, and frequency, then send a polished estimate before you leave the walkthrough.
Works as a house cleaning estimate form, a deep cleaning quote, or a recurring commercial cleaning proposal — download it as a PDF or keep editing in Word or Excel.
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What to Include in a Cleaning Estimate
Square footage and room counts
Square footage drives your base price, but rooms tell the real story — three bathrooms take far longer than three bedrooms of the same size. List both on the estimate so the client sees exactly what was measured. It also protects you when a "3-bedroom house" turns out to have a finished basement.
Initial deep clean vs. recurring rate
The first visit almost always takes 2-3x longer than maintenance visits, so price it separately. Show the one-time deep clean as its own line, then the recurring rate below it. Clients accept the higher first-visit price when they can see the ongoing rate is lower.
Frequency and any frequency discounts
State whether the price is for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly service, and spell out the discount tiers — weekly clients typically pay 15-25% less per visit than monthly ones. Putting the tiers on paper nudges clients toward more frequent service.
Scope of each visit
List exactly which tasks are included: dusting, vacuuming, mopping, bathrooms, kitchen surfaces. Then list what costs extra — inside the oven, inside the fridge, interior windows, laundry. Scope creep is the number one profit killer in cleaning, and a written task list is your defense.
Supplies and equipment
Note whether you bring your own supplies and equipment or use the client's, and whether green or hypoallergenic products cost extra. Supply costs run roughly 4-6% of revenue, so if a client wants specialty products, that belongs on the estimate as a line item.
Access, pets, and condition notes
Record how you'll get in (key, code, someone home), whether pets will be present, and the current condition of the space. A home that hasn't been cleaned in a year is not a standard job, and noting condition on the estimate justifies the deep-clean pricing.
Sample Cleaning Estimate Line Items
| Description | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial deep clean — 2,100 sq ft home (3 bed / 2.5 bath) | $385.00 |
| Recurring bi-weekly clean (after initial visit) | $165.00 |
| Interior oven cleaning | $45.00 |
| Inside refrigerator cleaning | $40.00 |
| Interior window cleaning — 14 windows | $84.00 |
| Baseboards and blinds detail | $60.00 |
| Green cleaning product upgrade | $15.00 |
Example pricing for illustration — your rates will vary by market and scope.
What cleaning jobs cost in 2025-2026
Residential cleaning in the US currently averages $0.10 to $0.20 per square foot for a standard maintenance clean, which puts a typical 2,000 sq ft home at $150-$260 per visit. Hourly pricing runs $30-$50 per cleaner per hour in most markets, higher in major metros. Many established companies quote flat per-visit rates instead: roughly $120-$180 for a small home, $200-$300 for a large one.
Deep cleans and move-out cleans command a premium — usually $0.15 to $0.30 per square foot, or $200-$450 for an average home. That premium is justified: baseboards, blinds, inside appliances, and built-up soap scum can double the labor hours. Move-out cleans often add carpet cleaning ($120-$230) and interior windows as separate line items.
Commercial and janitorial work is priced differently: $0.05 to $0.25 per square foot per visit depending on facility type and frequency, with medical and food-service spaces at the top of the range. Recurring contracts are usually quoted monthly. Whatever unit you use, keep it consistent on the estimate so the client can verify the math.
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Estimate vs. Quote: What's the Difference?
In cleaning, an estimate is your best read of the job after a walkthrough or a phone screen — and it should stay flexible, because you won't know the true condition of a home until you're standing in it. A quote is a committed price, which makes sense for recurring service where the scope repeats every visit. A common approach: give an estimate range for the initial deep clean, complete that first visit, then issue a firm quote for the recurring rate once you know exactly how long the home takes your crew.
Cleaning Estimate FAQs
Should I charge by the hour or by the job?
Flat per-job pricing almost always earns more once you're efficient, because you keep the gains from working faster. Hourly makes sense for first-time deep cleans and hoarding or post-construction situations where hours are unpredictable. Many cleaners use hourly for visit one, then convert to a flat recurring rate.
How much more should the initial deep clean cost?
Typically 1.5x to 3x the recurring rate. The first visit clears months of buildup so that maintenance visits stay fast. If a client balks, explain that skipping the deep clean means every recurring visit runs long — and would have to be priced higher.
Do I need to do an in-person walkthrough before estimating?
For recurring residential work, yes if you can — photos hide clutter, pet hair, and soap scum. For small one-time jobs, a phone estimate with a stated range and a condition clause ("final price confirmed on arrival") is standard practice and keeps your calendar full.
How do frequency discounts usually work?
Weekly service is commonly discounted 15-25% off the one-time rate, bi-weekly 10-15%, and monthly 0-10%. The logic is real: a home cleaned weekly genuinely takes less time per visit. Show the tiers on your estimate — it upsells frequency without a sales pitch.
Should supplies be a separate line item?
For standard products, build them into your rate — itemizing $6 of all-purpose cleaner looks petty. Break supplies out only when the client requests something specific, like all-green products, HEPA vacuuming for allergies, or specialty stone care, where the upcharge needs an explanation.
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