Running a successful cleaning business takes more than just showing up and doing a great job. To grow a cleaning business sustainably and stay competitive, you need to track the right cleaning business KPIs—the cleaning metrics that reveal how your business is performing and where there's room to improve.
Whether you're focused on improving client retention, reducing operating costs, or optimizing service delivery, these 10 commercial cleaning metrics will help you make smarter, data-driven decisions that lead to long-term success.
At a Glance: 10 Must-Track Cleaning Business KPIs
- Employee Retention Rate
- Client Retention Rate
- Client Acquisition Cost (CAC)
- Profit Margin
- Revenue per Employee
- Sales Conversion Rate
- Churn Rate
- Operating Efficiency
- Average Job Size
- Lead-to-Contract Ratio
1. Employee Retention Rate
If your best cleaners keep leaving, you’re constantly rebuilding your team—and that makes it hard to deliver consistent service.
Formula:
((CE – CN) / CS) * 100
- CE = Employees at end of period
- CN = New hires during period
- CS = Employees at start of period
Why track it:
Knowing how often you’re replacing team members helps you improve retention, reduce training costs, and build a stronger culture.
Use it to:
Identify when and why cleaners are leaving, so you can create a better experience that keeps them around longer.
For a strong start, try using our Employee Handbook Template to get new hires up to speed faster.
2. Client Retention Rate
Every lost client means more time and money spent filling the gap. Tracking this shows how well you’re delivering on expectations.
Formula:
((CE – CN) / CS) * 100
- CE = Clients at end of period
- CN = New clients during period
- CS = Clients at start of period
Why track it:
Client retention is one of the most important ways to grow a cleaning business without increasing your sales budget.
Use it to:
Understand how to improve customer retention in cleaning business contracts by fixing service gaps and improving client relationships.
For insights into what your clients really think, use our client satisfaction survey template to gather feedback.
3. Client Acquisition Cost (CAC)
If you don’t know what it costs to get a new client, it’s hard to know whether your marketing is paying off.
Formula:
CAC = Total marketing + sales costs / New clients acquired
Why track it:
Lower CAC = more efficient growth. You can scale without draining your budget.
Use it to:
Focus on the channels that bring in your best clients at the lowest cost—and use our Cleaning Company Marketing Template to build a strategy that defines your audience, sharpens your message, and improves ROI across digital and traditional tactics.
4. Profit Margin
This tells you how much of your revenue turns into actual profit. Without it, you’re flying blind financially.
Formula:
(Revenue - Costs) / Revenue * 100
Why track it:
Profit margin shows how sustainable your business really is. It helps you price better and spot waste.
Use it to:
Cut costs without cutting quality and ensure your pricing covers more than just the basics. Use our Janitorial Job Costing Template to analyze service profitability and our Cleaning Supply Inventory System Template to reduce waste and track spending on supplies.
5. Revenue per Employee
This helps you understand how productive your team is—and whether you’re getting the most from your labor costs.
Formula:
Total Revenue / Number of Employees
Why track it:
When revenue per employee goes up, you’re likely running a more efficient operation.
Use it to:
Find opportunities to train staff better, adjust workloads, or streamline processes. Use our Cleaning Staff Performance Evaluation Template to track individual productivity and uncover where additional support or training may be needed.
6. Sales Conversion Rate
If you’re getting leads but not landing contracts, something’s broken in your sales process.
Formula:
(Deals Closed / Leads) * 100
Why track it:
This metric helps you close more deals by showing how well you’re qualifying and converting leads.
Use it to:
Adjust your pitch, improve follow-up, and win more contracts from the leads you already have.
Use our Cleaning/Janitorial Bid Proposal Template to present your services professionally and help prospects understand your value from the start.
7. Churn Rate
Losing clients can quietly drain your revenue if you’re not watching closely.
Formula:
(Clients Lost / Total Clients at Start of Period) * 100
Why track it:
Churn is one of the most important cleaning industry metrics because it reflects satisfaction and service quality.
Use it to:
Catch and fix problems before clients leave by sending regular check-ins and using a client satisfaction survey to uncover what's working—and what’s not.
8. Operating Efficiency
Are you spending too much to deliver your services?
Formula:
Operating Efficiency = Revenue / Operational Costs
Why track it:
This shows how lean your operation is. It’s key to scaling without adding waste.
Use it to:
Automate where you can and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks.
9. Average Job Size
Are your contracts big enough to hit your revenue goals?
Formula:
Total Revenue from Cleaning Jobs / Number of Jobs
Why track it:
Larger average job sizes mean you can earn more without increasing your workload.
Use it to:
Bundle services or add upsells that increase contract value.
10. Lead-to-Contract Ratio
If you need too many leads to win one contract, your sales process might need refining.
Formula:
Number of Leads / Number of Signed Contracts
Why track it:
It helps you focus on better-qualified leads and spend less time chasing the wrong ones.
Let Cleaning Metrics Guide Your Growth
You can’t fix what you don’t measure. These 10 cleaning business KPIs give you a roadmap to better decisions, stronger teams, and more profitable operations.
Start by picking one or two that align with your biggest goals—whether that’s how to improve customer retention in cleaning business accounts, manage labour costs, or win more contracts.
Swept helps cleaning businesses get visibility into the numbers that matter—from job performance to client communication and supply tracking.
Ready to stop guessing and start growing?
