How much do cleaning services cost?
Regular domestic cleaning commonly costs about £15–£30 per cleaner per hour in the UK. One-off and specialist jobs are usually priced by the property, room or item: a deep clean may be around £150–£450, while end-of-tenancy cleaning often falls between £150 and £350. Your location, property size, condition and list of extras determine where your quote lands.
Cleaning service prices at a glance
These are indicative 2026 UK market ranges gathered from published cost guides and supplier price lists. They are not VereLocal transaction averages.
| Service or item | Typical price | What to know |
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| Regular domestic cleaning | £15–£30per cleaner, per hour | Weekly or fortnightly bookings tend to offer the clearest hourly comparison; minimum visits may apply. |
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| One-off cleaning | £18–£35per cleaner, per hour | Often longer and more intensive than a maintenance visit, with products or equipment sometimes included. |
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| Deep cleaning | £150–£450per property | Property size, condition and the room-by-room checklist matter more than the label “deep clean”. |
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| End-of-tenancy cleaning | £150–£350per property | Ovens, carpets, exterior windows and guarantees may be excluded or charged separately. |
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| After-builders cleaning | £130–£450per property outside London | Heavy dust, paint or adhesive removal and unfinished building work can increase the quote. |
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| Carpet cleaning | £60–£250per job or property | Number of rooms, stairs, fibre type, stains and minimum call-out charges affect the total. |
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| Oven cleaning | £50–£100per appliance | Range size, single or double cavity and removable hob or extractor parts can change the price. |
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| Window cleaning | £15–£45per domestic visit | Access, number of windows, height, frames and whether interior glass is included all matter. |
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| Upholstery cleaning | £40–£150per item or suite | Fabric, size, stains and protective treatments should be specified before booking. |
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| Office or commercial cleaning | £18–£35per cleaner, per hour | Contracts are commonly quoted from a specification, frequency and floor area; VAT may be additional. |
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Published prices use different inclusions and units. Check minimum charges, VAT, products, equipment, parking and specialist treatments before comparing totals.
Is your job lower-cost, typical or higher-cost?
A lower-cost job is usually a compact, reasonably tidy home, cleaned regularly during normal hours with the customer supplying products. The cleaner can work through an agreed maintenance checklist without moving clutter or treating specialist surfaces.
A typical job might be a two- or three-bedroom home needing a one-off clean, or a regular visit from an insured independent cleaner or company. The quote allows enough time for kitchens, bathrooms, floors and dusting, with a clear minimum booking.
A higher-cost job may involve a large property, London or another high-cost area, severe grease or limescale, pet hair, difficult access, weekend work, several cleaners, specialist machinery or a deadline such as a tenancy handover. After-builders work and biohazard, mould or hoarding situations require an accurate description and may need a specialist provider.
What can different cleaning budgets cover?
These scenarios demonstrate scope, not national averages.
Around £40–£70
A routine visit to a typical home.
- Roughly two to three cleaner-hours at common domestic rates
- Maintenance cleaning rather than restoration
- May use the customer’s products and equipment
Around £180–£300
A substantial one-off project.
- A deep clean or end-of-tenancy clean for a smaller or mid-sized property
- A written checklist is essential
- Oven, carpet and exterior-window work may still be extras
£350 and above
A larger, time-sensitive or specialist clean.
- Large property, heavy soiling or post-renovation dust
- Several workers or specialist equipment
- A site visit or detailed photographs can improve quote accuracy
How cleaning companies work out the price
Hourly pricing is common for regular domestic cleaning and some office work. Compare the rate per cleaner, not simply the advertised hourly total, and ask whether travel, products and VAT are included.
Fixed-price jobs are common for deep cleaning, end-of-tenancy work, ovens, carpets and after-builders cleaning. A fixed price is only comparable when the checklist, property size and exclusions match.
Per-room or per-item prices are useful for carpet, upholstery, oven and internal-window cleaning. Commercial contracts may instead use a site specification, monthly fee or floor-area measure. Ask how periodic work such as high-level dusting or carpet extraction is treated.
What changes the cost of cleaning?
Property size and layout affect both labour time and access. A sparsely furnished two-bedroom flat is a different job from a full two-bedroom house with stairs, conservatory and several bathrooms.
Condition is just as important as size. Grease, limescale, pet hair, smoke residue, clutter and long gaps between cleans add time. Tell providers about these before they quote.
Location, parking, key collection and congestion charges can affect travel costs. Evening, weekend or urgent work can command a premium.
Finally, check who supplies products and machinery. Carpet extraction, reach-and-wash window systems and specialist chemicals cost more than a standard domestic kit, but may be necessary for the requested result.
What is usually included—and what may cost extra?
Often included in a standard domestic clean
Confirm the exact checklist with the provider.
- Dusting accessible surfaces
- Vacuuming and mopping floors
- Cleaning bathroom fixtures
- Wiping kitchen worktops and cupboard fronts
- Emptying ordinary household bins
Common extras or exclusions
These tasks often require more time, equipment or risk.
- Inside ovens, fridges, cupboards and windows
- Carpet and upholstery extraction
- Exterior windows or work at height
- Laundry, ironing and bed changes
- Mould, biohazards, pest waste or sharps
- Heavy rubbish, rubble or builders’ waste removal
Compare the type of cleaner you actually need
How to compare cleaning quotes
Send every provider the same information: your postcode, property type, bedrooms and bathrooms, approximate floor area if known, current condition, required date and a room-by-room task list. Add photographs for heavy soiling or after-builders work.
Ask whether the quote includes VAT, travel, parking, products, equipment and a minimum number of hours. For fixed-price work, ask what happens if the job takes longer and which tasks are excluded.
Insurance, experience and a clear process matter alongside price. For access to your home, discuss keys and alarm codes securely. For commercial premises, include opening hours, security requirements, washroom consumables and the desired cleaning frequency.
Cleaning cost FAQs
How much does a cleaner cost per hour in the UK?
A practical 2026 benchmark for regular domestic cleaning is about £15–£30 per cleaner per hour. Independent cleaners, companies, regions and included products differ, and minimum bookings are common.
How long should a cleaner take?
It depends on the size, condition and checklist. Rather than relying on a bedroom count alone, agree which rooms and tasks have priority and whether the advertised time is for one cleaner or a team.
Is a deep clean the same as an end-of-tenancy clean?
Not necessarily. Both are intensive, but an end-of-tenancy service should follow a handover checklist and may include interiors of cupboards and appliances. Ask for the written scope; the service name alone is not enough.
Do cleaners bring their own products?
Some do and some use the customer’s products. Companies and specialist cleaners are more likely to bring equipment, but this should be confirmed because it affects both price and suitability for your surfaces.
Should I pay by the hour or choose a fixed price?
Hourly pricing works well for regular maintenance when you can agree priorities. A fixed price can be clearer for one-off or deadline-driven work, provided the written checklist and exclusions are detailed.
Does end-of-tenancy cleaning guarantee my deposit?
No cleaning service can guarantee the whole deposit because deductions may concern damage, rent or other tenancy issues. Compare the checkout inventory with the cleaning scope and keep the invoice and completion evidence.
Methodology and sources
Research reviewed 21 August 2026. The ranges on this page synthesise currently published UK supplier price lists and market guides, including Housekeep’s March 2026 after-builders cost guide, Star Domestic Cleaners’ published service prices, AllSorted’s 2026 cleaner-rate guide, CleanTender’s 2026 commercial-cleaning benchmarks and CPure Cleaning’s published price list.
Sources:
https://housekeep.com/cost-guide/cleaner/after-builders-cleaning/
https://domesticcleaners.co.uk/prices/
https://allsorted.pro/blog/cleaner-cost-uk-hourly-rates
https://cleantender.co.uk/resources/guides/commercial-cleaning-contracts-uk-guide
https://cpurecleaning.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/CPure-Cleaning-Price-List.pdf
Published figures use different regions, scopes, tax treatment and minimum charges. VereLocal does not yet have enough completed cleaning transactions to claim a proprietary national average. We will review this guide as first-party quote and transaction evidence becomes available.
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