Cleaning Cost per Square Foot (2026 Rate Table)
House cleaning costs about $0.10–$0.20 per square foot for a standard clean, $0.18–$0.25 for a deep clean, and $0.15–$0.25 for a move-out clean. A 2,000 sq ft home lands around $200–$400 standard — but use per-sqft rates as a sanity check, not the price: your quote should still be built from labor, burden, overhead and margin.
2026 per-square-foot rate table
| Cleaning type | Rate per sq ft | 2,000 sq ft home |
|---|---|---|
| Standard / recurring | $0.10 – $0.20 | $200 – $400 |
| Deep clean | $0.18 – $0.25 | $360 – $500 |
| Move-out / move-in | $0.15 – $0.25 | $300 – $500 |
| First-time (unknown condition) | standard × 1.5–2 | $300 – $800 |
Rates cluster toward the low end for easy, recurring homes and toward the high end for first visits, pets, clutter, and high-cost metro areas.
Worked examples by home size
| Home size | Standard clean | Deep clean |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft (small apartment) | $100 – $200 | $180 – $250 |
| 1,500 sq ft (2–3 bed) | $150 – $300 | $270 – $375 |
| 2,000 sq ft (3 bed) | $200 – $400 | $360 – $500 |
| 2,500 sq ft (4 bed) | $250 – $500 | $450 – $625 |
| 3,000 sq ft (large home) | $300 – $600 | $540 – $750 |
Cross-check these against a flat 3-bed benchmark: most 3-bed, 2-bath standard cleans land between $120 and $260 depending on region and rates — if your per-sqft math says $450 for a standard 3-bed, recheck the rate you used.
Why per-sqft is a check, not a price
A per-square-foot rate hides the thing that decides whether you make money: your cost. Two 2,000 sq ft homes can take wildly different hours (layout, condition, pets, add-ons), and your crew, wage and overhead aren't the market average's.
The reliable sequence: estimate hours from the square footage and condition, cost those hours at your fully-loaded rate (wage × 1.30 labor burden), add overhead and supplies, then divide by (1 − your target margin). Then compare the result to the per-sqft table — if you're far outside the range, you either mis-estimated hours or you've found a home that deserves a surcharge.
Turn square footage into a quote in seconds
BidCalc does the whole sequence for you: enter the square footage (or beds/baths), the cleaning type and frequency, and it prices the job from your own rates with the margin protected — plus a per-sqft readout so you can sanity-check against the table above. Free to start, no card.
Frequently asked questions
- How much should I charge per square foot for house cleaning?
- About $0.10–$0.20/sq ft for standard cleaning, $0.18–$0.25 for deep cleaning, and $0.15–$0.25 for move-out cleaning. Charge the higher end in high-cost metros and for homes in rough condition.
- Is per-square-foot or hourly pricing better for cleaning?
- Per-sqft is a fast sanity check and works well for quoting sight-unseen, but the profitable approach is to estimate hours from the square footage, cost them at your fully-loaded rate (wage × 1.30 burden + overhead), add your margin, then present one flat price.
- How many square feet can one cleaner clean per hour?
- A typical production rate for residential standard cleaning is roughly 500–700 sq ft per cleaner-hour; deep cleaning drops that to about 200–350. Use your own timed jobs to calibrate — production rate is the biggest driver of your true cost.
Price your next job in under a minute
BidCalc runs this math on your own rates and turns it into a branded quote — margin protected, costs private.