Average Cost for House Cleaning Service: What to Look Out for and Expect

Hiring a house cleaning service undoubtedly saves effort and time, which you can dedicate to completing other tasks. Since you are spending a cost on a house cleaning service, it’s best to do thorough research to ensure the value of money spent and the quality of house cleaning jobs.

Lucky for you, the following guide evaluates the average cost of house cleaning services based on your area, the size of the home, etc.

Generally speaking, the home cleaning services set the prices on an hourly basis, ranging from AU$30 to AU$50, depending on the factors discussed below.

Average Cost for House Cleaning Service: What to Look Out For

Criteria Determining House Cleaning Cost

Before proceeding to the costing, let’s briefly discuss the factors that determine the house cleaning prices:

  • Cleaning expectation - The rates vary based on regular versus deep house cleaning jobs.
  • Size of home - The rule of thumb is that the cost of cleaning is higher for big homes and vice versa since the cleaners require more time to clean. That’s why professional house cleaning services have hourly rates based on the square feet area of the home or apartment to avoid confusion.
  • Type of job - Cleaning the kitchen or toilet requires more effort than cleaning the living and bedrooms.
  • Single vs multiple jobs - Many home cleaning services bundle different services and offer discounts. 
  • Area or location - The house cleaning rates vary whether you live near the city centre or suburbs. Similarly, professional house cleaning services have different rates in Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.
  • Parking Fee - Most house cleaners have to pay a per-hour fee to park a van carrying cleaning supplies and equipment in certain areas.
  • Experience - A well-reputed commercial cleaning service with years of experience and well-trained staff certainly charges more than a newly established cleaning service. A relatively newer company is looking to expand its business by charging less to the customers.
  • Cleaning products - If the house cleaning service uses its own cleaning supplies, it certainly charges more. But on the other hand, if the house owner supplies their cleaning products, the hourly house cleaning prices are significantly reduced.
  • Condition of property - A newly constructed house requires basic cleaning, while an overlooked or old house demands deeper in addition to regular house cleaning in Australia.
  • The total number of cleaners - The hourly average cleaning rates are generally higher if more cleaners come to clean your home since the home cleaning services have to pay the employees.

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What Is the Average Price of a Home Cleaning Service?

Considering the influencing factors discussed above, the hourly rates range from $25 to $60. As a homeowner, you should do due diligence by hiring registered and insured house cleaning services.

Similarly, if you are a small business owner operating from home, you can ask for a receipt which you can later use for tax purposes.

On the contrary, some house cleaning companies offer flat service charges to complete a cleaning job, such as basements, windows, doors, or carpets.

Apartment Cleaning Service Cost

If you live in a studio or a one-bedroom unit, the professional cleaning service charges start from $30 per hour. Conversely, the costs are higher for a two-bedroom unit, ranging from $60 to $150.

When you hire a domestic house cleaner or a maid, the overall estimate of the cleaning charges depends on the following factors:

  • Punctuality
  • Basic cleaning
  • Post-build cleaning

The process of agreeing on house cleaning costs is straightforward. First, the homeowners can schedule an initial inspection by the cleaning service.

Next, the cleaners evaluate your home based on the size, total number of rooms, and whether daily or weekly cleaning is required.

Regular House Cleaning Prices

If you have a three-bedroom house, the cleaning cost ranges from $70 to $180. However, as the number of rooms increases to four, the cleaner price jumps from $150 to $250. Finally, the hourly cost of cleaning a five-bedroom house usually begins at $250.

It’s worth noting that if a domestic cleaner or a maid brings their own cleaning supplies with which they are comfortable, it adds to the total house cleaning prices.

Individual Vs Professional Cleaning Charges

It’s known that house cleaners hired by a company or an agency charge more than individual cleaners. It’s because the individuals work for themselves to make a living.

However, the downside of hiring an individual cleaner or maid is poor communication and no replacement in case of leaves.

On the other hand, the companies cost additional charges as they need to pay salaries to the employed cleaners. However, the good thing about hiring a professional cleaner from an agency is proper communication, contract, and quick replacement.

There are some other differences between professional and individual cleaners. For instance, the owners have to pay only cash to the particular cleaners; however, some home cleaning services also accept online payments.

Similarly, professional cleaners usually bring their own cleaning equipment. However, the homeowners are responsible for either supplying the equipment or paying additional to the maid to bring the cleaning supplies.

Per Room Rate

Let’s dive further into the house cleaning cost per room to gain more perspective about the effort required to clean a particular room.

It costs around $40 to clean a large room, while a bathroom can be cleaned for $20. So, depending upon the company, the house cleaning costs of the room range from $20 to $100.

Per Square Foot House Cleaning Charges

The average house cleaning cost of one square foot area varies from $0.05 to $0.15. It means it takes around $50 to $60 per hour to clean a two-bedroom house of 1000 or fewer square feet.

House Cleaners Average Per Hour Rate in Different States

The average house cleaning rate per hour in the Australian capital territory and New South Wales varies from $38 to $40. Furthermore, in Victoria, the changes range from $31 to $33, while the house cleaners charge from $35 to $38 in South Australia.

Cost of Different Types of Cleaning Services

Besides regular cleaning services, there are several types of cleaning services the homeowners require, such as:

  • Spring-clean
  • Bond clean
  • Deep clean
  • Builder clean
  • Standard clean

Cost of Bond Cleaning

As the name suggests, bond or lease cleaning services include an elaborate list of tasks usually shared by the real estate agent. One of the essential parts of lease cleaning is the inspection report provided by the cleaning services.

Due to the extent of the bond cleaning, the cost of cleaning vacant homes ranges from $500 to $1000. However, the bond cleaning cost is lesser for the apartment.

Alternatively, some cleaning services charge an amount equivalent to a week’s rent for bond cleaning. But, in-depth cleaning requires more professional house cleaners and days.

On average, it takes around two cleaners for each of the following end-of-lease cleaning tasks in around four hours.

  • Inside cabinet
  • Balcony
  • Oven
  • Spot wall
  • Carpet steam cleaning

Deep House Cleaning Cost Estimate

Homeowners opt for deep cleaning of the following things on special occasions, such as the Christmas holidays or in between the seasons:

  • Fans
  • Windows
  • Cabinets
  • Pantry
  • Toilets
  • Shelves
  • Kitchen cupboards
  • Carpet and couches
  • Ceiling
  • Basement
  • Lawn or backyard

In the case of deep cleaning, the cleaning businesses have a flat fee based on the nature of the job, irrespective of the work hours put in.

For instance, the exterior and interior window cleaning cost ranges from $30 to $150, depending upon the total number of windows and required cleaning. The house cleaners use special cleaning supplies to clean the windows, glass, sills, frames, and tracks.

Another reason that makes the window cleaning task a bit costly is the type of chemical cleaner since the house cleaners can’t use detergents that leave streaks or residue on the window glass.

Similarly, the homeowners need to pay $60 to $200 for carpet cleaning and $80 to $420 for spring cleaning. The carpet and upholstery cleaning comes with a higher average home cleaning cost estimate since it includes the following tasks:

  • Steam or dry cleaning
  • Stain treatment
  • pH testing of stain
  • Deodorising the carpet

Lastly, oven cleaning costs around $270, while occasional deep cleaning costs an average price of $160. Like carpet, oven cleaning is a labour-intensive task in which the house cleaners not only clean the interior and exterior surfaces; but also remove the stubborn stains from trays, racks, and doors.

Most cleaning companies charge extra to clean on weekends than on weekdays which the homeowners should research before scheduling a cleaning appointment.

Similarly, you should also confirm the refund policy and cancellation charges before paying the cleaning fee upfront. Generally, the cleaning businesses have a policy of no cancellation charges if the homeowners inform us 24 hours prior.

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What to Look Out For While Hiring House Cleaners

Homeowners need to evaluate their cleaning expectations before hiring a house cleaner. Basic house cleaning varies from one cleaner to another. However, you can ask the cleaner for occasional thorough cleaning of the flooring, corners, mirror, kitchen cabinets, showers, and faucets.

Generally, the cleaners are experienced enough to understand the cleaning requirements and modify the cleaning routing accordingly. They can clean the exterior glass of the windows once every two weeks or wash the deck if it’s dirty.

A typical house cleaner takes around two hours in an average-sized apartment or entire house to complete the following tasks:

  • Washing the dishes
  • Vacuum the carpeted area
  • Mopping of floors
  • Toilet, basin, and bathtub cleaning
  • The dusting of furniture and surfaces
  • Emptying rubbish bins
  • Cleaning stove tops and kitchen counter
  • Wiping microwave and other large appliances
  • Vacuum the couch and chairs in the living room

Besides the above general cleaning task, certain homeowners assign the following duties to the cleaners by increasing the hourly house cleaning rates:

  • Removing spiderwebs
  • Dusting walls and corners
  • Changing sheets and making beds
  • Organising nursery and toys
  • Laundry folding

However, it’s essential to note that a professional cleaner doesn’t perform maintenance or garden tasks. Following are the tasks or services not included in the contract signed with a cleaning business:

  • Roof cleaning
  • Paint job
  • Lawn mowing
  • Cleaning or dusting fragile and glass decorative items and chandeliers
  • Carpet Cleaning
  • Repairing house fixtures
  • Pressure washing
  • Construction cleaning

Instead, it’s best to call a professional handyman for plumbing and electrical wiring.

Types of Cleaning Services In Demand

In Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney, house owners mostly opt for regular house cleaning. However, they also opt for one-time deep cleaning on different occasions, such as holidays, the new year, or other celebrations.

Moreover, families with busy working people also schedule an appointment for upholstery and carpet cleaning after regular intervals to keep the home tidy and dust-free.

Whether housewives or working women, they opt for window, oven, and kitchen cleaning to ensure the family’s health and hygiene.

The landlords opt for bond cleaning to prepare the home or apartment for the next tenants.

Obtaining the Best Price From Cleaning Services

Following are some tips for house owners to get the best house cleaning quote:

  • First, research different cleaning companies and compare the offered pricing.
  • It’s best to choose a cleaning package or bundle at a discount price. You can also search for cleaning companies offering loyalty discounts.
  • The homeowners should provide a complete list of cleaning tasks to the cleaners evaluating the house to set the cleaning expectations right.
  • Many cleaning services offer seasonal and occasional discounts, which homeowners should ask for.
  • It’s best to keep the house neat by opting for regular cleaning sessions. This way, you don’t have to spend too much on deep cleaning.
  • If applicable, you can negotiate with the professional cleaner by offering your cleaning supplies and equipment to reduce the cleaner cost estimates.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning isn’t a one-size-fits-all task. Instead, several factors, from home size to property type, determine the cleaning charges. A professional house cleaner is an incredible facility for Australian homeowners that saves sufficient time and effort.


The key takeaway of the above guide is to present you with all the possible cleaning tasks and their average charges to guide the home wonders before scheduling a cleaning appointment.

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