Should You Outsource Your Gym's Cleaning? Pricing & Tips

Written by: Ashley Smith

Ashley is an accomplished writer with a B.A. in journalism from the University of NH. She reports on major developments across business, technology, and the professional cleaning industry.

Reviewed by: Karen Lawes Maguire

Karen is the founder and CEO of CleanerMatch.com, a leading cleaning industry website. With 10+ years experience, she's an expert on new cleaning technologies, regulations, and best practices.

Last Updated: Jan 13th, 2024

Quick Summary: Gym Cleaning Service Prices

Hiring a commercial cleaning company to clean your gym will cost between $25 and $75 per hour with $60/hour being the average rate. One man hour per 1,000 feet of space is the average time it will take to effectively clean and disinfect a gym. If paying by the square foot, expect to be charged between $0.05 and $0.20 per square foot

Let's face it; sweaty bodies stink. What's more, they help create breeding grounds for bacteria and other germs. Patrons moving from machine to machine and from locker room to workout room, carry not only germs from the gym, but bacteria from outside, as well.

The cleanliness of your fitness facility goes a long way toward making your clientele feel safe and valued. It also serves as an advertisement when signing on new members.

People walking into a dark gym that smells of old sweat and body odor, and that shows signs of needing a good cleaning, are far less likely to sign on the dotted line.

Table of Contents

1. Average Commercial Cleaning Costs
2. Client Expectations
3. Types of Gym Bacteria
4. Gym Cleaning Service Cost Examples
5. Firsthand Experience: Gym Illness
6. Benefits of Outsourcing Your Gym Cleaning Duties
7. Free Gym Cleaning Service Estimates

The Average Costs of a Gym Cleaning Service

Most commercial cleaners charge by the hour or by the square foot. If the cleaner charges hourly, expect to pay between $25 and $60 per hour. If the company charges by the square foot, expect to pay between $0.05 and $0.20 per square foot. Deeper cleaning, such as carpets and rugs, windows, and floor waxing, typically costs more.

The company will likely ask you to sign at least a 12-month contract. Do not sign anything unless it includes a cancelation clause. This protects you in the event you are unhappy with the company's services.

Average Gym Cleaning Rates By Service Type

What Do Your Clients Expect?

Though hygiene is important, especially in a gym, clients look for a clean environment for other reasons.

For one thing, they say it makes them feel safer, and more confident in both your brand and your employees. It also makes them feel valued as customers. That feeling keeps them coming back to your facility. What's more, they recommend it to their friends.

What do you need to do to engender that goodwill? It doesn't take too much, actually, for your customers to feel your facility is a clean one. You need good lighting, a clean scent, and well-kept restrooms and locker rooms.

What Bacteria Lurk in Your Gym?

Of course, cleanliness is more than the gym looking good. Damp, humid conditions create an ideal breeding ground for lots of nasty things. Your customers come to you to improve their health, not ruin it.

Not to mention your staff; a clean facility cuts down on sick days.

A poorly maintained fitness center leads to a wide variety of illnesses and health issues, from the relatively mild case of athlete's foot, MRSA, to outbreaks of flu.

Don't brush off those athlete's foot cases. The fungus causing that, called dermatophyte, causes a wide variety of fungal infections, and transfers from person to person easily, through any contact with bodily fluid.

Customer Perspectives: Gym Cleaning Service Cost Examples

• "Our Oregon yoga studio pays $240 per month for daily cleaning service covering vacuuming, mopping, sanitizing, and bathrooms."
• "For nightly cleaning at our 4000 sq ft Texas CrossFit gym, we pay $750 monthly. This includes equipment and floor sanitizing, trash removal, and restocking."
• "Our California LA Fitness gym contract is $2000 per month for nightly cleaning of the entire 25,000 sq ft facility including exercise areas, locker rooms, and bathrooms."
• "Our Colorado university rec center pays $3000 monthly for daily cleaning of the 45,000 sq ft space including courts, pool, weight rooms, lobby, and offices."
• "We pay $6000 per month for nightly cleaning at our luxury 60,000 sq ft New York Equinox gym. This includes laundry, sauna cleaning, and extra staff."
• "Our small 1800 sq ft Utah climbing gym hired cleaners for $400 monthly to tidy and sanitize 3 days per week."

The examples show cleaning costs vary widely based on gym size, services required, and frequency of cleaning. Most fall in the range of $0.08 - $0.15 per square foot monthly.

Firsthand Experience: Getting Sick From a Dirty Gym

"I was excited to try out the new yoga studio that opened down the street from my apartment. I walked in and loved the beautiful studio space with wood floors and huge windows. But when I used the bathroom, I noticed the toilet looked grimy and the sink was splattered with toothpaste gunk.

During the vigorous vinyasa class, my yoga mat kept slipping on the floor which didn't seem fully cleaned. I tried to ignore it and focus on my poses. After class, my friend mentioned the studio seemed dirty and hoped I didn't get sick.

The next day, I came down with a horrible stomach bug. I was nauseous and stuck in bed for 3 days straight!

I couldn't believe I got so violently ill. Then I remembered how unclean the bathroom was at that yoga studio. Who knows how many germs were spreading around from people's hands?

I felt so angry that a fitness business would be so unsanitary. As soon as I recovered, I left them a bad review about making people sick from their dirty facility. I definitely won't be going back and plan to warn all my friends too!"

- M. Teddy | Boston, MA

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Cleaning Duties

Professional cleaners are just that: professional. They have the training and expertise to keep your gym looking great.

You can even find companies that specialize in fitness centers, and therefore have the experience to keep yours safe, healthy, and clean.

When deciding whether the cost is worth it, consider the full cost of assigning these duties to staff. First, look at the salary and benefits paid to your staff. Next, consider the cost of cleaning supplies and equipment, as well as replenishing these supplies.

Also, recognize the varying levels of efficiency between a professional cleaning crew and your staff. The professional-level equipment, cleansers, and tools a commercial company provides are a big part of what makes them so efficient and effective.

The other part is that, simply put, this is their job. They aren't trainers taking their turn with a mop, they're full-time custodial workers.

Finally, consider the flexibility in scheduling a professional team to work either during non-peak hours, or after business hours if yours is not a 24-hour facility. This way, your members get a clean facility without the interruptions and inconvenience of a cleaning crew.

You may choose to combine professional cleaning company, which would handle the more intense cleaning needs of your facility, with your in-house team performing light duties, such as wiping down machines and similar low-level cleaning tasks.

Request a Free Quote

To receive an accurate estimate, know the following:

• The square footage of the area you want cleaned
• How much traffic your facility gets
• How often you want it cleaned
• The age and condition of the building
• Any special cleaning requests

If you are interested in learning more, request a free quote today.

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