What Is the 30/3 Rule for Cleaning?

The systematic approach to cleaning task duration and surface coverage in commercial environments

What Is the 30/3 Rule for Cleaning?

The 30/3 rule for office cleaning is a productivity and quality management principle stating that a cleaner should clean 30 square metres of standard office space in 3 minutes when working at industry-standard productivity rates with appropriate equipment. This translates to approximately 10 square metres per minute or 600 square metres per hour under normal conditions. The rule provides a baseline for estimating cleaning time requirements, scheduling cleaners, pricing cleaning contracts, and evaluating cleaner productivity in commercial cleaning operations.

The 30/3 rule applies to standard office cleaning tasks including vacuuming, mopping, and surface wiping under typical conditions. It does not apply to intensive tasks (carpet extraction, floor stripping), high-soil conditions, or spaces with complex layouts or obstacles that slow productivity.

Origin and Application

The 30/3 rule originates from time-and-motion studies conducted in commercial cleaning operations to establish productivity benchmarks for labor estimation and operational planning. The Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA) and international equivalents use variations of this rule to develop cleaning time calculators and industry productivity standards.

Facility managers use the 30/3 rule to verify that quoted cleaning hours align with office size and to identify when cleaners may be working inefficiently or when unrealistic time allocations have been made.

Detailed Breakdown by Task

Factors That Slow the 30/3 Rate

• Complex layouts with many partitioned rooms, corridors, and enclosed spaces requiring door navigation
• High furniture density reducing accessible floor area and requiring maneuvering around obstacles
• Heavy soil conditions requiring multiple passes or extended dwell time for chemicals
• Equipment malfunctions or inadequate equipment (underpowered vacuums, worn mop heads)
• Distraction or interruption by building occupants during business-hours cleaning
• Lack of consumables or chemicals requiring the cleaner to retrieve supplies mid-task

Using the 30/3 Rule for Time Estimation

To estimate cleaning time for an office: Step 1 — Measure cleanable floor area (exclude storage, server rooms, areas not requiring cleaning). Step 2 — Apply 30/3 baseline (divide square metres by 10 to get minutes). Step 3 — Add time for bathrooms (5–10 minutes each), kitchens (10–15 minutes), and other specialist tasks. Step 4 — Add 10–20% contingency for access delays, equipment setup, and waste disposal.

Example: 200m² office with 2 bathrooms, 1 kitchen. Base cleaning time = 200÷10 = 20 minutes. Bathrooms = 2×7 minutes = 14 minutes. Kitchen = 12 minutes. Total = 46 minutes + 10% contingency = approximately 50 minutes per clean.

Summary

The 30/3 rule states that 30 square metres of standard office space should be cleaned in 3 minutes (10m² per minute). This rule provides a baseline for estimating cleaning time, scheduling cleaners, and evaluating productivity. It applies to routine vacuuming, mopping, and surface cleaning under typical conditions. Complex layouts, heavy soil, and equipment issues slow the rate. Use the rule for time estimation by dividing floor area by 10, then adding time for bathrooms, kitchens, and specialist tasks plus 10–20% contingency.

This guide is provided for informational purposes. Workplace standards vary by organization, industry, and location.