How to Maximize Your Janitorial Budget

When facility maintenance budgets need to be adjusted, janitorial service costs are one of the first areas that need to be evaluated. With the right vendor, you can adjust the scope of your cleaning plan without losing quality and ensure all your facility’s needs are still being met.

Your janitorial partner should be a strategic ally in evaluating areas for improvement in efficiency. Smart adjustments to areas like task execution, frequency, and cleaning workflow efficiency can make sure labor hours are being used effectively while preserving high standards in the areas that matter most. This means evaluating your entire scope of work with your vendor is the crucial first step.

How to Optimize Your Janitorial Scope of Work

Because janitorial services are labor-intensive, even the smallest adjustments in a scope of work can result in major operational efficiency improvements. But these changes must be well thought out, based on how each area is used, and what level of cleanliness is truly required. Avoiding broad, overarching changes is key to making sure you maintain service quality when adjusting how labor hours are distributed.

DID YOU KNOW? Labor accounts for up to 90% of total janitorial service costs. — ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association)

Increasing janitorial labor efficiency can look different depending on the facility, but can unanimously make a big impact.

Example 1: Manufacturing Floor Efficiency

When a prospective manufacturing client shared details about their janitorial program with their current provider, one inefficiency stood out. Trash was being removed nightly from every individual station in their production area. The cleaning crew was spending hours walking from workstation to workstation, which inflated labor time and monthly billing significantly.

We recommended a simple shift: have employees pull their trash cans to a central aisle at the end of each shift. The janitorial team could then make one efficient pass with a brute barrel, and employees would return their bins to their workstations the following morning.

The result?

A more than 70% reduction in trash collection labor time, directly improving efficiency and reducing the client’s monthly spend without compromising cleanliness.  

Example 2: Cleaning Task Prioritization Based on Traffic and Need

In another case, a client approached us, their current vendor, seeking to adjust their janitorial service cost. After reviewing their current cleaning scope, we identified an opportunity for improvement in their office areas.

At the time, cubicle zones were receiving nightly spot floor cleaning and trash removal. We recommended shifting floor care in these low-traffic, non-public spaces to a once-weekly detail clean, while retaining nightly trash removal.

The result?

A 30% reduction in cubicle cleaning spend was achieved by adjusting task frequency without sacrificing quality where it mattered. These are the kinds of thoughtful scope refinements that turn a static janitorial budget into a dynamic, customized solution that works for your current needs.

Why Labor Efficiency Matters More Than Line-Item Cuts

These examples reinforce a key principle: adjusting scope of work to any budget isn’t about doing less—it’s about doing better. With the right partner, your janitorial program becomes a custom, responsive operation aligned with actual facility use and hygiene priorities. Whether it’s changing floor care frequency in office spaces or rethinking trash collection workflows in manufacturing areas, the goal is the same: preserve standards where they matter most, and adjust the service plan where it makes sense.

These small, thoughtful shifts are what turn janitorial plans into strategic tools for building an efficient budget. You can then achieve measurable changes without compromising the cleanliness or professionalism of your facility.

Improve Efficiency and Protect Quality

Adjusting your budget doesn’t have to mean cutting essential services or sacrificing cleanliness standards. A strategic janitorial partner will tailor your scope with precision, ensuring pricing is a tool that’s working for you while maintaining a clean, productive environment.

Request a Free Scope Review

Ready to customize your cleaning scope of work while preserving your standards? Start with a no-obligation scope review from our experts here at iNX.

We’ll help uncover where strategic adjustments can unlock new opportunities for your budget while keeping your most important spaces clean, safe, and professional.

Contact sales@teaminx.com for your free scope of work review and begin maximizing your janitorial budget today.