Green & eco cleaning · updated August 2026
Is Green Cleaning Actually More Expensive?
No, or barely — and the reason is arithmetic rather than opinion. Labour is roughly 85% of a janitorial contract, and labour does not change when you change products. Certified products carry a higher jug price but are usually sold as dilution-controlled concentrates, so cost per ready-to-use gallon is often lower. The realistic impact on a total contract is low single-digit percent.
The Argument in One Line
If products are around 3–5% of a cleaning contract and green products cost 20% more, your total contract moves by well under one percent. Anyone quoting a 10–15% green surcharge on the whole contract is applying a product premium to a labour bill.
Where the Cost Structure Sits
| Component | Share of contract | Changes with green products? |
|---|---|---|
| Labour, including burden and supervision | ~85% | No |
| Chemicals and consumables | ~3–5% | Yes — the only line that moves |
| Equipment and maintenance | ~3–5% | Marginally, on first purchase |
| Insurance, overhead, margin | Remainder | No |
Why Concentrates Often Cost Less in Use
Certified products are typically sold as concentrates with dilution control — commonly 1:64 or 1:128. A jug that costs more on the shelf yields many more gallons of ready-to-use solution than a conventional ready-to-use product bought by the bottle. Dilution control also eliminates the over-concentration that wastes product and leaves residue. In practice the switch is frequently cost neutral or slightly favourable.
The Value Side Nobody Prices In
If your building maintains LEED for Existing Buildings, the green cleaning credits — policy, products and materials, equipment, and custodial effectiveness assessment — run through your cleaning programme. Your vendor is a credit contributor, and the documentation is a service most cannot perform. CIMS-GB aligns with LEED EB:O+M for exactly this reason.
Add employee wellbeing: quaternary ammonium compounds and bleach are recognised asthmagens, and in an office with staff reporting respiratory symptoms the product decision has a cost that never appears on the cleaning invoice. Fragrance-free programmes.
Last reviewed August 2026. Figures for prevailing wage and regulatory schedules change on 1 January and 1 July — we re-verify this page each cycle.
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