The two terms get swapped constantly — including by cleaning companies. They describe different scopes, different schedules and different pricing, so ordering the wrong one is the fastest route to disappointment.
Janitorial: the daily rhythm
Janitorial work is routine and recurring: nightly trash, restrooms, kitchens, dusting and floors. It keeps a lived-in building at baseline, usually after hours, on a fixed route. If your need is 'keep this office reset every day,' that is janitorial.
Commercial: the project layer
Commercial cleaning covers periodic, intensive work: carpet extraction, hard-floor strip and wax, high-level dusting, pressure washing, post-construction resets. It restores rather than maintains, and it is quoted per project, not per month.
- Daily upkeep and hygiene — janitorial.
- Deep restorative or seasonal work — commercial.
- Most buildings need both: a janitorial route plus two to four commercial projects a year.
Which should you order?
Start with the rhythm — a janitorial plan matched to footfall — then layer commercial projects where wear shows: entries, carpets, restrooms. Our walkthroughs score both in one visit, so book a free assessment and get a single plan covering each layer.