A clean church is an important sign to your entire church community. Cleanliness tells church guests and prospective members that you truly do care about your place of worship. But church cleaning and maintenance are not always easy to fit into the schedule or budget. On top of that, many churches might have sensitive or delicate items that require special care and attention.
Cleaning a church yourself is often a lot of work. Hiring a cleaning service to do it for you removes the physical burden, but replaces it with a financial one. So, how much does it cost to clean a church professionally? That depends on several different factors. Keep reading to understand church cleaning costs.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Cleaning a Church
No two churches are exactly the same. The average cost of church cleaning services has a great deal of variation across the country. However, you can narrow down the rough cost of church cleaning by focusing on the following key factors.
Size of the Church
The most obvious factor in determining the cost of church cleaning services is the size of the church. Larger churches cost more simply because there is more space to be cleaned.
Most commercial cleaning companies charge either by square footage or a flat rate. Exact rates will vary across different regions and companies. But the usual price range of church cleaning services is between $0.05 and $0.20 per square foot.
Frequency of Cleaning
How often you pay for cleaning services also affects how much you pay. More frequent cleanings mean you will be charged more often, but each cleaning will cost less. Infrequent cleanings charge a higher flat rate, but you are charged less often.
Weekly
Weekly church cleanings take less work, staff, and resources. As such, cleaning rates will be considerably lower than less frequent cleanings. Costs will vary based on job specifics and the size of your church. But on average, you should expect to pay around $75-$150 for weekly church cleanings.
Biweekly
Biweekly church cleanings might involve slightly more work than weekly cleanings. As such, you should expect to pay a bit more. Biweekly church cleanings should typically cost between $150-$200.
Monthly
Monthly church cleanings often require considerably more work than weekly cleanings. This means your cleaners will need to spend more time at work in the church. The monthly church cleaning cost can vary. You should expect to pay at least $250, if not more, for monthly church cleanings.
Condition of the Church
The condition of your church will also affect the average cost. Cleaning frequency will play a role in church conditions, but this is not the only factor. A generally well-maintained church is easier to clean. Routine maintenance tasks like vacuuming and dusting can cut down on cleaning costs considerably.
Well-maintained churches should cost around $100 to clean, depending on other factors. A poorly maintained church can add to that price tag to varying degrees, ranging from $150 to $250.
Type of Cleaning Required
How much you pay for church cleaning also depends on what you ask for. Basic cleaning covers a lot of the basic essentials. On the other hand, deep cleaning is much more extensive and cleans many things beneath the surface. You can also pay for specialized cleaning to handle unique tasks around the church. Here’s a breakdown of each of these services and their expected costs.
| Type of Cleaning | Average Cost | Frequency |
| Basic Cleaning | $50-$100 | 1-2 times per month |
| Deep Cleaning | $150-$200 | 1-2 times per year |
| Specialized Cleaning | Varies by task | As needed |
Basic Cleaning
Basic cleaning involves routine tasks like vacuuming, dusting, and polishing surfaces. Basic church cleanings are not too labor-intensive for most churches, and as such, are the most affordable.
Deep Cleaning
Deep cleaning a church involves tasks like scrubbing floors and windows and sanitizing surfaces. Deep cleaning takes more effort than basic cleaning but is not needed as frequently. You should pay for church deep cleaning once or twice per year to keep the church in good condition.
Specialized Cleaning
Specialized cleaning is performed upon request. Specialized cleaning can entail any tasks that are not covered by standard cleaning service packages. Examples include carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, or power washing the church exterior. Specialized cleaning services are not regularly scheduled, but should be performed as needed.
What is the Average Cost of Cleaning a Church?
Relative to other commercial cleaning services, church cleaning services are fairly affordable. But, as we have covered, the exact costs vary depending on a range of factors. To better understand how these factors impact cleaning costs, refer to the table below.
| Cleaning Frequency | Relative Church Size | Church Condition | Type of Cleaning | Estimated Cost |
| Weekly | Small | Well-maintained | Basic | $50-100 |
| Deep | $150-250 | |||
| Specialized | $300+ | |||
| Medium | Well-maintained | Basic | $100-$250 | |
| Deep | $200-$350 | |||
| Specialized | $350-$500 | |||
| Large | Well-maintained | Basic | $175-$300 | |
| Deep | $300-$500 | |||
| Specialized | $400-$750 | |||
| Biweekly | Small | Well-maintained | Basic | $75-$200 |
| Deep | $200-$350 | |||
| Specialized | $250-$500 | |||
| Medium | Well-maintained | Basic | $175-$325 | |
| Deep | $250-$450 | |||
| Specialized | $400-$650 | |||
| Large | Well-maintained | Basic | $250-$350 | |
| Deep | $375-$600 | |||
| Specialized | $500-$800 | |||
| Monthly | Small | Well-maintained | Basic | $100-$300 |
| Deep | $250-$500 | |||
| Specialized | $400-$750 | |||
| Medium | Well-maintained | Basic | $250-$500 | |
| Deep | $500-$900 | |||
| Specialized | $750-$1000 | |||
| Large | Basic | $300-$500 | ||
| Deep | $500-$1000 | |||
| Specialized | $750-$1200+ |
As you can see, there is a considerable range in the estimated costs of church cleaning. Other factors like average regional rates and task specificity can also cause greater variation in costs. But, generally speaking, the size of the church, depth of cleaning, and frequency of cleaning services are the most influential factors in determining average cleaning costs.
Commercial Church Cleaning Rates in Dallas
Rates for professional cleaners vary across different regions and companies depending on cleaning frequency, church size, and condition.
Weekly rates may range from $50-$100 for the smallest, well-maintained facilities to $750 for a large church in need of specialized services.
Biweekly cleaning rates for churches cost more, up to about $800 for the biggest jobs. Monthly church cleaning is pricier, since there is more work to do, starting at a minimum of $100-$300 and potentially maxing out at over $1,200 for the biggest, most complex cleaning jobs.
You can learn more about cleaning service costs by reading Dallas Janitorial’s guide on janitorial service costs.
4 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Cleaning a Church
If fitting cleaning services into your church budget seems difficult, don’t worry. There are steps you can take to cut down on the costs of church cleaning. Here are some tips for potential ways to save on church cleaning.
| Tip | Pros | Cons |
| DIY Cleaning | More cost-effective than hiring commercial cleaning companies | Time-consuming and physically demanding |
| Good opportunity for fellowship and including the entire church community | May require specialized equipment you don’t have access to. | |
| Hiring a professional cleaning company | More efficient and thorough than DIY cleaning | More expensive than DIY cleaning |
| Saves you time to work on other church-related tasks | May not give you as much control over the cleaning process | |
| Better access to specialized tools and equipment | May not be as cost-effective as DIY cleaning | |
| Negotiating a lower rate with cleaning service provider | All the benefits of hiring a professional cleaner, with reduced costs | Must be comfortable and skilled in negotiations |
| Provides more flexibility in terms of cleaning services available | May be unsuccessful if the cleaning company is unwilling to lower their rates | |
| Recruit volunteers to help clean the church | Great way to include the entire church community | May struggle to find enough volunteers |
| Very cost-effective | May not be as thorough as professional cleaning | |
| Establishes a sense of teamwork and community | The church may be liable if a volunteer is injured during cleaning |
DIY Church Cleaning
Some DIY church cleaning tasks are easy enough to perform on your own. Vacuuming, dusting, and basic landscaping work can all be done without professional help. This can be a great way to save if you do pay for cleaning services. By handling the basic cleaning yourself, you can reserve your cleaning budget for deep cleaning and specialized tasks.
Hiring a Professional Cleaning Company
Prices may vary, but affordable church cleaning services are available. Small churches can probably negotiate a small flat rate for regular cleaning services. Medium and larger churches might have more difficulty performing DIY cleaning and often rely more heavily on professional cleaners. If there is room in the church budget for commercial cleaning services, they are almost always worth it.
Negotiating a Lower Rate with a Cleaning Service
You may not need to negotiate a lower rate if you find the initial rate agreeable. However, if you’re comfortable negotiating, it may be worthwhile. Some professional cleaning companies are willing to offer discounts to churches and other community pillars.
Recruiting Volunteers to Assist With Cleaning
Organizing a church clean-up day is a great way to include the entire church community and build relationships among members while saving valuable financial resources for other resources and ministries. Recruiting volunteers is very cost-effective and can make your church members feel like they are part of a team. However, this may be difficult if you do not have enough capable volunteers to clean your church to a high standard.
FAQs About the Cost of Cleaning a Church
How many square feet can one person clean?
On average, a person can efficiently clean about 2,000 to 2,500 square feet by themselves. However, this varies based on the condition of the area, the type of cleaning, and the individual’s skill.
What do cleaners do at church?
Church cleaners perform a wide range of tasks. These range from basic cleaning (vacuuming, dusting, cleaning pews), to more advanced tasks like scrubbing floors and windows.
How often does the church need to be cleaned, and what is included in the cleaning service?
Cleaning frequency varies from one church to another. Basic cleaning tasks like vacuuming should be performed weekly. Additionally, more thorough cleaning tasks can be performed monthly or annually. Cleaning services can include both deep and basic cleaning tasks, depending on what is requested.
Are there any discounts or promotions available for regular or long-term church cleaning services?
Yes, many commercial cleaning companies will offer a long-term discount for regular customers. Churches, in particular, are often subject to lower or discounted cleaning rates.
Is it more cost-effective to outsource church cleaning instead of hiring a full-time custodian?
Outsourcing to a cleaning agency is often more cost-efficient than employing a full-time cleaner. This is because professional cleaning companies handle their own staffing, often charge a flat rate, and deliver consistent, reliable performance.
Want to Improve Your Church Cleanliness at Little Cost?
If you’re looking for affordable church cleaning services in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Dallas Janitorial Services can help. Our expert team understands and appreciates the importance of having a clean church. We offer great rates for professional cleaning services, along with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Contact us for a free quote today.
