Starter kit: what the first paid job needs
Commercial cleaning runs on routes of offices and workplaces, cleaned at night. The equipment scales with the square footage you take on.
| Item | Why you need it | Price on the maker's site |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial upright vacuum | Carpeted offices | $230 (Oreck Commercial XL upright vacuum (XL2100RHS), Oreck) |
| Backpack vacuum | Faster on large floors | Varies by brand |
| Mop buckets with wringers and microfiber mops | Hard floors | Varies by brand |
| Janitorial cart | Carrying supplies room to room | Varies by brand |
| Color-coded microfiber cloths | Separating restroom and kitchen cloths | Varies by brand |
| Wet floor signs | Safety | Varies by brand |
| Gloves and eye protection | Chemicals | Varies by brand |
| Key and alarm code log | Building access | Varies by brand |
Pro kit: what a busy shop adds
Add these when the calendar is full and the starter kit is slowing you down. Most commercial cleaning companies buy them one at a time, when a job pays for one.
| Item | Why it pays | Price on the maker's site |
|---|---|---|
| Auto scrubber | Large hard floors | Varies by brand |
| Floor burnisher | Shine on hard floors | Varies by brand |
| Carpet extractor | Periodic carpet cleaning | Varies by brand |
| Window cleaning kit | Glass add-ons | $33 (Ettore Pro+ squeegee, 14 in, Ettore) |
Van stock: what you restock every week
Parts and supplies that let you finish on the first visit. Keep a short list on your phone and restock on the same day each week.
- Neutral floor cleaner and disinfectant. Daily cleaning.
- Restroom cleaner and paper products. Restrooms.
- Trash liners in common sizes. Every visit.
- Glass cleaner. Entrances and partitions.
What a commercial cleaning kit costs
The 1 starter kit items we could price add up to $230 at the maker's listed price, out of 8 on the list. The rest vary too much by brand and size to give one honest number, so price them with your supplier.
The 1 pro kit items we could price add up to $33 at the maker's listed price, out of 4 on the list. The rest vary too much by brand and size to give one honest number, so price them with your supplier.
Floor machines swing the total most. Some contracts include supplies, so price them into the bid.
Prices are the ones shown on each maker's own site on the date in the sources. Dealers and sales change them, so treat them as a starting point.
Where to buy it
Most commercial cleaning companies buy hand tools and small parts wherever is closest, and set up a trade account for the items they buy every week. Our commercial cleaning suppliers list names the distributors and pro programs for this trade, and the Home Depot Pro vs Lowe's Pro page compares the two big-box programs row by row.
With Koira: the office side of the kit
The kit gets you to the job. Koira runs the rest: estimates with signing and deposits, invoices and card payments and your day plan, all on the free Office plan. Start with the commercial cleaning services list to set your prices.
Sources
- Oreck: Oreck Commercial XL upright vacuum (XL2100RHS), checked October 9, 2026
- Ettore: Ettore Pro+ squeegee, 14 in, checked October 9, 2026
Last checked October 9, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.