Church Cleaning is a Big Job: Cost to Outsource Your Church Cleaning Duties

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 12th, 2024

Quick Summary: Church Cleaning Services Prices:

Church cleaning companies will charge between $25 and $75 per hour to clean a church. Or they will charge $0.05 and $0.20 per square foot. The rate will be on the higher end if the cleaning company provides the cleaning supplies.

Table of Contents

1. Average Costs to Outsource
2. Church Cleaning Cost Examples
3. Benefits of Outsourcing Church Cleaning
4. Firsthand Experience: A Dirty Church Turnoff
5. Questions to Ask before Signing a Contract
6. Requesting a Quote
7. Free Commercial Cleaning Estimates

Average Costs to Outsource Cleaning

As already stated, these costs vary widely, but we provide some ranges to give you an idea.

A small church requiring light cleaning probably will receive a flat rate of $75 to $125 per visit. In this instance, light cleaning refers to emptying trash, dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping. Adding duties such as bathroom cleaning raises the rate.

Charges for cleaning larger facilities - both in terms of size and amount of traffic - usually appear as either hourly or per square foot. Hourly rates range between $25 and $75 per hour. Square footage rates range between $0.05 and $0.20 per square foot.

In addition to their regular rates, cleaning companies often charge extra for non-standard tasks, such as cleaning carpets or polishing floors. Ask about these tasks when obtaining a quote.

Customer Perspectives: Church Cleaning Cost Examples

• "Our small Minnesota church pays $150 monthly for a cleaning service to come once a week. They vacuum, mop, and sanitize our 1,500 square foot sanctuary and classrooms."
• "For our 5,000 square foot Florida church, we pay $850 per month to have cleaners come 3 times a week. They clean the sanctuary, offices, restrooms, and hallways."
• "Our Texas megachurch budget is $7,200 a month for daily cleaning service for our huge 75,000 square foot campus including sanctuary."
• "We signed a contract for $2,100 monthly to have cleaners at our Oregon Catholic church 5 days a week tidying the main sanctuary, chapel, hall and bathrooms."
• "Our historic South Carolina church pays $500 monthly for a cleaning team to come twice a week and care for our 3,000 square foot sanctuary and lobby."
• "The New York synagogue hired cleaners for $600 a month to tidy up weekly after events and deep clean the 4,000 square foot building monthly."

The examples show church cleaning costs range widely from $150 for basic cleaning of a small building up to several thousand for large facilities cleaned multiple times per week.

Benefits of Outsourcing Church Cleaning

Thanks to the convenience and cost effectiveness of outsourcing cleaning services, it has rapidly grown in popularity.

An in-house cleaning staff comes with a variety of expenses. This includes:

• Cleaning supplies
• Cleaning equipment
• Employee benefits (if you compensate your staff)
• Workers' compensation

When you outsource, these costs are not your responsibility; they all belong to the cleaning company. You must also consider sick days and vacation time, neither of which concerns you if you hire a commercial cleaning company.

Another consideration is the effectiveness of professional cleaners. Not only are they trained in their work, but their employer outfits them with professional-grade cleaning supplies and equipment.

Outsourcing also lets your staff focus on those tasks you cannot outsource, making them more effective and efficient in performing their duties.

Firsthand Experience: A Dirty Church Turnoff

I attended a new church for the first time last Sunday. As I walked in, I was immediately struck by how dim and dusty it felt inside. The floors looked like they hadn't been swept in weeks, covered in dirt and scuff marks. The pews were sticky and cluttered with crumpled bulletins and hymnals.

When I used the bathroom, it was even worse. The sink was grimy and the mirror was so smeared I could barely see my reflection. The toilet clearly hadn't been scrubbed in awhile. I cringed as I turned the messy faucet handle to wash my hands.

During the sermon, I was distracted by cobwebs in the ceiling corners and fingerprints on the glass light fixtures. With sunlight streaming through the dusty windows, it just accentuated how unclean it was.

After the service, I chatted with a church member. When I delicately brought up the cleanliness issue, she sighed and said they had been unsuccessful finding reliable cleaning help.

I felt bad for the church, but the unhygienic conditions definitely made me hesitant to return. It's unfortunate they've struggled to keep their building clean - it detracted from my experience there as a new visitor. A good first impression shouldn't depend on whether the floors are swept.

- P. Angel | Manchester, NH

10 Questions to Ask before Signing a Church Cleaning Contract

Negotiation time can feel daunting for many people. Remember: this is a professional transaction. It is important to know what you get out of the deal. To make it easier, consider asking the following questions:

1. Are your employees bonded?
2. Do I have any authority over your employees when they're on my property?
3. Do you expect the customer to provide any of the cleaning supplies?
4. Do you have a list of references?
5. How do you handle employee absences?
6. How do you screen and train your workers?
7. How long have you been in business?
8. Is there a cancellation clause in the contract in the event I am unhappy with your services?
9. Who opens the church for cleaning, and locks it after completion?
10. Will a supervisor monitor the cleaning crew?

Getting answers to these questions also helps you compare two or more commercial cleaning companies, and you definitely want to obtain quotes from multiple companies when determining whether to make the move from in-house cleaning.

Finding a Commercial Cleaning Company for Your Church

After you get the answers to your 10 questions, compare the costs of in-house cleaning to those of outsourced cleaning. Factor in items beyond salary, such as benefits, supplies, and equipment. Don't forget to also look at the quality of professional cleaning versus using your staff. Between improved quality and the full cost of an in-house team, you may decide outsourcing is the more logical option.

Requesting a Quote

Rates to hire a professional cleaning company vary widely, based on factors such as campus size, your cleaning needs, and even in what part of the country you're located.

The company you contact for a quote will likely tell you that they can't give an exact price without an in-person visit. However, if you can answer the five following questions, they should be able to provide a fairly accurate estimate:

1. How often do you want them to clean?
2. What is the square footage of your campus?
3. What is the age and condition of your building?
4. What kind of traffic does your campus receive?
5. Do you have any specific cleaning requests? Providing a cleaning checklist is helpful (Sample church cleaning checklist)

Certain tasks, often referred to as deep cleaning, increase the price. Bathrooms, in particular, fall under this category, especially if you want them mopped and disinfected daily.

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