One Time Only
Daily (5 days/week)
Weekly (1 day/week)
Monthly (avg. 4.33 weeks)
Hours Per Clean
0.00
hrs
Labor Cost Per Clean
$0.00
Monthly Hours
0.00
est.
Monthly Labor Cost
$0.00
est.
function updateRateDisplay() {
var taskSelect = document.getElementById('cleaningTask');
var customRow = document.getElementById('customRateRow');
if (taskSelect.value === 'custom') {
customRow.style.display = 'block';
} else {
customRow.style.display = 'none';
}
}
function calculateProduction() {
// 1. Get Input Values
var sqFootage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('sqFootage').value);
var taskValue = document.getElementById('cleaningTask').value;
var wage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('hourlyWage').value);
var frequency = parseFloat(document.getElementById('frequency').value);
var customRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('customRateInput').value);
// 2. Validate Inputs
if (isNaN(sqFootage) || sqFootage <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid square footage.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(wage) || wage < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid hourly wage.");
return;
}
// 3. Determine Production Rate (Sq Ft per Hour)
var productionRate = 0;
if (taskValue === 'custom') {
if (isNaN(customRate) || customRate ~21.65 days/month
// Value 1 (One Time) -> Just 1
// Value 1 (Weekly) -> 4.33
// Value 4.33 (Monthly) -> 1
// Let's refine the frequency logic for display
var freqSelect = document.getElementById('frequency');
var freqText = freqSelect.options[freqSelect.selectedIndex].text;
var multiplier = 1;
if(freqText.includes("Daily")) {
multiplier = 21.65; // Approx working days in a month
} else if (freqText.includes("Weekly")) {
multiplier = 4.33; // Weeks per month
} else if (freqText.includes("Monthly")) {
multiplier = 1;
} else {
multiplier = 1; // One time
}
monthlyHours = hoursPerClean * multiplier;
monthlyCost = costPerClean * multiplier;
// 5. Display Results
document.getElementById('resHours').innerHTML = hoursPerClean.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resCost').innerHTML = "$" + costPerClean.toFixed(2);
// If it's "One Time", hide monthly stats or show same
if(freqText.includes("One Time")) {
document.getElementById('resMonthlyHours').innerHTML = "-";
document.getElementById('resMonthlyCost').innerHTML = "-";
} else {
document.getElementById('resMonthlyHours').innerHTML = monthlyHours.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resMonthlyCost').innerHTML = "$" + monthlyCost.toFixed(2);
}
document.getElementById('rateExplanation').innerHTML =
"Calculation based on a production rate of " + productionRate.toLocaleString() + " sq. ft./hr.";
document.getElementById('resultBox').style.display = 'block';
}
Understanding Production Cleaning Rates
In the commercial cleaning industry, accuracy in bidding is the difference between profit and loss. A Production Cleaning Rate defines the amount of square footage a janitor can clean in one hour for a specific task. These rates are often derived from industry standards provided by organizations like ISSA (The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association) and BSCAI.
Using a production rate chart allows facility managers and cleaning contractors to estimate staffing needs scientifically rather than guessing. By knowing the total square footage and the specific tasks required (e.g., vacuuming vs. deep scrubbing), you can calculate the exact labor hours needed to complete the job.
Pro Tip: Production rates vary heavily based on "loading" (how cluttered a room is) and the type of equipment used. A backpack vacuum is significantly faster than an upright vacuum, and an auto-scrubber is exponentially faster than a mop and bucket.
Standard Production Rate Chart (ISSA Benchmarks)
Below is a simplified chart of common commercial cleaning production rates used for estimating labor hours. These figures represent average cleaning times for standard environments.
Cleaning Task
Equipment Used
Avg. Sq. Ft. / Hour
Vacuuming
12″ Upright Vacuum
2,200 – 2,500
Vacuuming
Backpack Vacuum
7,000 – 7,500
Dusting
Hand Duster (Surfaces)
1,000 – 1,500
Restroom Cleaning
Full Clean (Toilets, Sinks, Floors)
350 – 450
Mopping
Standard Mop & Bucket
3,000 – 5,000
Floor Scrubbing
20″ Auto Scrubber
15,000 – 18,000
Trash Collection
Barrel & Dolly
5,000 – 6,000
How to Calculate Your Cleaning Bid
To calculate a commercial cleaning bid using the calculator above, follow these steps:
Measure the Cleanable Area: Do not just use the gross building size. Subtract walls, columns, and non-cleanable areas to find the net cleanable square footage.
Determine the Task: Are you just emptying trash and vacuuming (Light Duty)? or are you sanitizing restrooms and scrubbing floors (Heavy Duty)? Different tasks have drastically different speeds.
Apply the Rate: Divide your Total Sq. Ft. by the Production Rate (Sq. Ft./Hour). Formula: 10,000 sq. ft. / 2,500 rate = 4 Labor Hours.
Calculate Cost: Multiply the labor hours by your loaded hourly wage (wages + taxes + insurance).