Office Cleaning Cost

Businesses in the UK will typically pay between £15 and £30 per cleaner, per hour, for regular office cleaning, with most quotes falling in the region of £18-£25 per hour. However, in London, it’s quite common to find rates between £20 and £35.

It is important to note that not every cleaning company will quote per hour, and instead, you could be quoted per visit, per square metre or as a fixed monthly or weekly price. For example, a small office on a light schedule may cost as little as £150 per month, while a larger office cleaned each weekday could cost as much as several thousand pounds per month.

The main factors that impact the cost of cleaning are the size of the office, which also impacts the number of cleaners required, and how often they visit. The tasks required during the clean will also impact the cost, such as the number of toilets and kitchens.

Opening hours will impact the cost in some cases, with evening and weekend cleans costing more than weekday cleans. Additionally, the location of your office in the UK will impact the cost of cleaning, as the rates differ in different areas.

How Much Does Office Cleaning Cost?

Regular office cleaning in the UK costs between £18 and £25 per cleaner, per hour, with a wider range of £15 to £30 in some areas. Monthly contracts will usually run between £150 and £6,500+ per month, a wide range which depends on the size of the office and the frequency of cleaning.

The table below shows typical prices for commercial office cleaning. These are not domestic cleaner rates, which follow a different pricing structure.

Office Cleaning Cost per Hour

The typical rate per hour for an office cleaner in the UK is between £18-£30 per cleaner in 2026. A good reference point for this is the National Living Wage, which is stated here as £12.71 from 1 April 2026. A cleaning company must also cover National Insurance, pension, holiday pay and insurance, not to mention travel and cleaning supplies.

Regular daytime contract cleaning will typically cost between £18 and £25 per cleaner, per hour, while early morning and evening rates will change to between £18 and £30 per hour. Similarly, one-off office cleans will fall between £22 and £35 per hour, and a deep clean, which requires more labour and supplies, will be around £30 to £45 per hour. In London, where cleaning rates are the highest in the UK, the range is between £20 and £35 per hour.

These hourly rates will vary based on a variety of reasons. Regular contracts will have a lower hourly rate than one-off cleans, mainly due to the more stable work and setup spread across visits. Often, companies will charge an additional fee for evening and weekend cleans, while others will treat evening cleaning as standard, though weekend and bank holidays are still charged extra.

Large offices may need a team of cleaners, which multiplies the cost per hour, but agreeing to longer contracts can drive the rate down. The location is important too, with rates in London and the South East typically being 10-20% above the UK average. Also consider the types of tasks required, as washrooms, kitchens and internal windows all add time to the clean, which in turn raises the overall cost.

Hourly rates usually apply to each cleaner, so the total you pay is based on labour hours, not time spent on site. For example, two cleaners working for two hours equals four labour hours. At £20 per hour, that visit would cost £80, not £40.

Many cleaning companies also set a minimum visit length, usually around 1 to 2 hours, because travel and setup cost the same, regardless of how small the job is.

Office Cleaning Cost Per Square Metre

For regular contract cleaning, the cost is usually around £0.10 to £0.50 per m² per visit. This rate will fall for larger offices and more frequent visits. Cost per m² is more common for larger offices and for one-off and deep cleans. Small offices are usually quoted per hour or simply at a fixed cost.

Here is a helpful table to break down the cost per m²:

The table below shows how costs change with scale. Rather than applying one flat rate, the per-m² price drops as floor area increases.

Office Cleaning Prices by Office Size

A small office will typically cost between £115 and £650 per month to clean, whereas a larger office that is cleaned each weekday will be much more, in the region of £1,500 to £3,250. The frequency of cleans will make the biggest difference within each size band.

The area of the floor is a good starting point, but not the only factor to consider. Two offices of the same size can cost very different amounts, mainly down to facilities, layout and headcount. Layout plays a big part, as an open-plan office floor is generally quicker to clean than a series of smaller rooms.

Facilities are another big factor, as every toilet, kitchen and break area adds more time to every visit. Headcount is a lesser-considered factor, but still important due to the amount of waste and wear caused by more employees. Lastly, the type of floors impacts the price, with hard floors that need mopping, scrubbing or waxing taking far more time than a carpeted floor that simply needs vacuuming.

Weekly Office Cleaning Costs

Weekly office cleaning will usually cost between £36 and £1,000 depending on how many hours a week you will need. To give you an idea of how much the typical weekly cost would be based on the cleaning schedule, the table below breaks it down:

Monthly Cleaning Costs

Monthly office cleaning contracts will typically range quite a bit between £155 and £1,100 for small to medium offices and in excess of £3,000 for larger offices cleaned daily. The table below illustrates the differing costs:

One-off visits, explained in more detail in the next section, are typically more expensive because the contractor cannot spread travel, setup and administration costs across repeat visits.

A regular contract means an understanding before the work begins of how long the job will take, problem areas and what products are required. One-off visits often take much longer due to the unfamiliarity, and are therefore more expensive.

One-Off Office Cleaning Cost

A one-off office clean will usually cost around £22 to £35 per cleaner, per hour, with most jobs starting at around £150 as the minimum. Larger offices, or spaces that require much more attention, are often quoted per m² or as a fixed price as opposed to time-based.

One-off cleans are most common for moving into new offices or moving out at the end of a lease. They are also popular for offices post-refurbishment or when preparing for an event. A lot of businesses will also have their spaces deep cleaned periodically, maybe once a quarter or twice yearly.

One-off hourly rates tend to be higher than contract rates for a few key reasons. Firstly, the company cannot spread costs like travel and set-up across repeat visits, and there is no ongoing work to plan around. They also tend to be more thorough due to the sporadic nature, which means more time is spent per m².

Office Deep Cleaning Cost

An office deep clean will cost between £30 and £45 per cleaner, per hour, or around £1 to £3.50 per m². The table below lays out some likely costs:

A deep clean will go far beyond the routine nature of a regular cleaning visit. Depending on what is included within the quote, it will often include detailed floor cleaning, skirting boards, doors and frames and any other nook and cranny. Extra attention will also be applied to high-touch areas like handles and switches.

For areas like kitchens, deep cleans will also include appliances like microwaves and fridges, as well as the insides and tops of cupboards. Washrooms and toilets will be descaled and cleaned in a great degree of detail.

Any internal glazing and glass partitions will often be included, and all desks and furniture will be cleaned thoroughly, including legs and undersides. However, you shouldn't assume that deep clean covers absolutely everything, and you should pay attention to everything included within the quote.

What's Included in Office Cleaning?

A routine office clean will cover the everyday tasks required to maintain a workplace and keep it clean and hygienic for the inhabitants. Floors will usually be the main focus, with carpets vacuumed and hard floors mopped. Bins will be emptied and rebagged, and desk surfaces will be wiped down.

All communal areas like reception and meeting areas will be cleaned on each visit, and basic tasks will be completed in the kitchen, such as the wiping of worktops and appliance exteriors. Toilets and washrooms will have the same attention paid to them, including toilets, sinks and urinals.

Most routine cleans will also include the dusting of shelves and sills, and high-touch areas like handles and switches will be wiped down. Internal glass, when pre-agreed, will be cleaned and wiped down. Again, you should ensure all of this information is captured within the quote, as every contract is different.

What's Not Usually Included?

Not all services are included within a typical clean, and would instead fall under a deeper or more specific cleaning. External window cleaning and upholstery are separate services that require separate booking and pricing, along with things like oven cleaning and high ledges.

Outdoor work in general is rarely covered within a cleaning quote, so for things like pressure washing of entrances and car parks, you would need a specific quote from a different company. Waste disposal, beyond the emptying of bins, is also excluded and would need to be organised separately.

Consumables are another common extra. Items such as toilet rolls, hand towels, soap and bin liners may be charged separately or included as an additional monthly supply cost. Services such as sanitary bin maintenance are also normally priced separately.

Two quotes that look similar on price may cover very different tasks, so checking what's excluded is just as important as checking what's included.

What Affects Office Cleaning Costs?

There are several factors that can impact the price of office cleaning, and most of the time it comes down to the number of hours required on the job.

Office Size

A simple factor: the more floor area generally means more cleaning time. Larger offices will cost more overall, but will attract a better price per m² as the cost of travel and set up is spread across the larger job.

Number of Employees

As a general rule of thumb, busier workplaces will generate more waste and dirtier floors, meaning a higher cost to clean. An office with a higher density of staff will require more frequent cleaning than a quieter office of the same size.

Number of Toilets

Washrooms and toilets will impact the cost of the cleaning job quite significantly, as every toilet, sink and urinal will need cleaning on every visit, regardless of the office size.

Kitchen Facilities

Larger kitchens and break rooms will increase the work required, especially when it comes to the cleaning of appliances and whether there are dishwashers to load and unload.

Cleaning Frequency

Regular contracts will often have lower hourly rates than one-off cleans. This means that while it can cost more per month, you get a better rate and standard of cleanliness due to the increased frequency.

Office Layout

Open-plan offices are quicker to clean than heavily partitioned spaces with lots of small rooms, doors and corridors, and multiple floors without a lift will also add time.

Flooring

Carpet, vinyl, tiles and other surfaces have different cleaning requirements. Hard floors need mopping and drying, and some finishes need specific products or periodic polishing.

Working Hours

Evening, night or weekend cleaning may affect labour costs, as some cleaning companies pay their staff more for unsociable hours. Access arrangements, such as key holding and alarm codes, can also add admin. Largely, evenings are considered standard rates, but weekends and bank holidays will be more.

Location in the UK

Commercial cleaning rates vary across the country. London and the South East are typically 10 to 20% above the UK average, while many parts of the Midlands and the North sit below it.

Additional Office Cleaning Costs

On top of routine cleaning, many offices need extra services from time to time. Here's a guide to typical costs:

Office Carpet Cleaning Costs

Office carpet cleaning will typically cost between £2.50 and £4.50 per m², with larger areas at the lower end of the scale.

Routine vacuuming is part of almost every office cleaning contract, whereas extraction or deep carpet cleaning, which uses hot water and dedicated extraction machines to lift embedded dirt, is normally a separate service booked once or twice a year.

Carpet cleaning companies usually charge in one of three ways:

• Per m²: Most common for open-plan offices and larger areas.
• Per room or area: Common for individual offices, meeting rooms and reception areas.
• Minimum charge: Many carpet cleaners set a minimum job price, so very small areas can cost more per m².

Office Window Cleaning Costs

Commercial window cleaning for a larger office will range from around £100 to £500 or slightly more per visit, while a small ground floor shopfront will cost much less.

Internal windows and glass partitions are often included within the quote of a regular office clean, whereas external windows are almost always a separate service from a window cleaning company.

External window cleaning can cost significantly more where access equipment is needed, which means upper floors may require water-fed poles, mobile access platforms, or in some cases cherry pickers or rope access, all of which add time and cost.

The main factors that affect office window cleaning costs are:

• Number of windows: More panes mean more time on site.
• Building height: Work above ground level usually needs extra equipment and safety measures.
• Access: Awkward access, busy pavements or restricted parking can increase costs.
• Internal vs external cleaning: Cleaning both sides takes longer and costs more.
• Cleaning frequency: Regular contracts are usually cheaper per visit than one-off cleans.

For more detail, see our window cleaning cost guide. If your building's gutters also need attention, our gutter cleaning cost guide covers typical prices.

Office Cleaning Costs Outside Normal Working Hours

Many businesses schedule their cleans outside of office hours in order to avoid disruption to work activities and staff. The most common periods are:

• Early morning: Before staff arrive, often from around 5 am to 8 am.
• Evening: After the office closes, often from around 5 pm to 9 pm.
• Overnight: Common for large offices and buildings with 24-hour access.
• Weekends: Useful for deep cleans or offices that are busy all week.
• Bank holidays: Usually for one-off or deep cleaning work.

Out-of-hours cleaning doesn't always cost more. Early morning and evening cleaning is standard practice for many office cleaning companies, so it's often priced at their normal rate.

However, premiums will apply for late-night, weekend and bank holiday work due to the unsociable hours. Daytime cleaning can sometimes be cheaper, and some offices use a daytime cleaner to keep kitchens, washrooms and reception tidy throughout the day. It's worth asking for prices for more than one time slot to see what suits your budget.

Office Cleaning Contract Costs

Most office cleaning will be sold as a contract, costing somewhere in the region of £150 to £6,500 or more depending on the size and frequency.

Commercial cleaning contracts are usually set up in one of these ways:

• Fixed monthly fee: A set price for an agreed schedule and list of tasks. This is the most common arrangement and makes budgeting simple.
• Hourly contract: You pay an agreed hourly rate for the hours worked each week or month.
• Price per visit: A fixed price for each clean, useful for offices cleaned once or twice a week.
• Price per m²: Used mainly for larger offices and multi-floor buildings.
• Minimum weekly hours: Some cleaning companies only take on contracts above a set number of hours a week, such as 5 or 10 hours.

Before signing a cleaning contract, it's worth checking the following:

• Labour: How many cleaners, how many hours, and on which days.
• Cleaning products: Whether they're supplied by the contractor or by you.
• Equipment: Who provides vacuums, mops and other equipment.
• Consumables: Whether toilet roll, soap, hand towels and bin liners are included.
• Holiday and sickness cover: Whether a replacement cleaner is provided when your usual cleaner is off.
• Additional cleans: How extra visits or one-off jobs are priced.
• Contract length: The minimum term, often 12 months for larger contracts.
• Notice periods: How much notice either side must give to end the contract.
• VAT: Whether prices include or exclude VAT.

Many cleaning contracts include regular reviews to adjust things like schedules or the included jobs.

How Many Hours of Cleaning Does an Office Need?

There is no fixed rule for how long it should take to clean an office, as it all depends on the size, complexity and the number of cleaners conducting the clean.

For a rough guide, a smaller office may only require between 2 and 6 hours of cleaning, whereas a busier office with more toilet and washroom areas may require much more cleaning. Here is a helpful table:

Ultimately, the number of hours it takes depends on:

• Floor area: The larger the space, the more vacuuming, mopping and dusting there is to do.
• Employee numbers: More staff means more bins, more dishes and more wear.
• Toilets: Each cubicle and washroom adds a fixed amount of time to every visit.
• Kitchen: Busy kitchens and break rooms can take 20 to 40 minutes on their own.
• Meeting rooms: Rooms used for client meetings may need attention after every use.
• Visitor numbers: Receptions and customer-facing areas need to be kept presentable.
• Cleaning frequency: Offices cleaned daily need less time per visit than offices cleaned once a week.

A good way to work out what your office needs is to ask a cleaning company to come out and provide an estimate for the work, talking through what you know you need and what you may have overlooked.

How Often Should an Office Be Cleaned?

The frequency for an office clean depends on how busy it is and who uses it. Toilets, kitchens and other high-traffic areas will likely require more frequent attention than low-use areas like meeting rooms and storerooms. Here is a breakdown of the suggested frequencies:

Most offices will mix the frequencies slightly. For example, toilets and kitchens may be cleaned daily, while office spaces may only be cleaned twice a week. Deep cleans will then be conducted a few times a year.

Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, employers must keep workplaces, furniture and fittings sufficiently clean. Whatever schedule you choose, it should keep toilets, kitchens and walkways hygienic and safe.

Office Cleaning Health and Safety Considerations

Whether you have an in-house cleaner or outsource to a cleaning company, health and safety should be adhered to. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance for the cleaning industry covering the most common risks.

• COSHH: Many cleaning products count as hazardous substances under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations. Employers of cleaners must assess the risks and put controls in place. HSE's cleaning guidance covers working with cleaning chemicals, diluting concentrates and storing products.
• Safe storage and use of cleaning products: Products should be kept in labelled containers, stored securely and never mixed. Your cleaning company should agree where products and equipment will be kept on site.
• Slips and trips: Slips and trips are the most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces. Wet floors should be signed and dried, and cleaning is often scheduled when fewer people are around.
• Electrical equipment: Vacuums, floor machines and other electrical cleaning equipment should be maintained and checked to ensure they remain safe to use.
• Working at height: High-level dusting and window cleaning above ground level need suitable equipment and planning under the Work at Height Regulations.
• Manual handling: Moving heavy bins, furniture or floor machines can cause injuries if not done safely.

In-House Cleaner vs Contract Cleaning Company

Employing your own in-house cleaner can be cheaper on paper, but the true cost can be much higher once employer costs, equipment and management time are included.

Outsourcing may look more expensive, but recruitment, staffing, cleaning equipment and day-to-day management are typically handled by the cleaning company.

An in-house cleaner or cleaning team can make sense for very large business spaces that need someone on site day in and day out, provided they have the time and capability to manage the additional staff.

A cleaning company may suit businesses that don't want to recruit and manage cleaning staff directly, particularly smaller sites.

How Can I Reduce Office Cleaning Costs?

There are a few ways to reduce the costs of cleaning without it having an impact on workplace hygiene:

• Identify exactly which areas need daily cleaning: Washrooms and kitchens may need daily attention, but storerooms and occasional meeting rooms may not.
• Use a suitable cleaning schedule: Longer visits on fewer days can cost less than short daily visits, as long as hygiene isn't affected.
• Separate routine and periodic deep cleaning: Booking a deep clean once or twice a year can be cheaper than paying for deep-clean tasks on every visit.
• Keep desks reasonably clear: Cleaners can wipe clear desks much faster, and time spent moving paperwork adds to your bill.
• Compare like-for-like quotes: Give each cleaning company the same list of tasks and frequencies so you can compare prices fairly.
• Combine relevant cleaning services: Booking carpet cleaning, window cleaning and deep cleaning together or through one contractor may reduce call-out and minimum charges.
• Review cleaning requirements as staff numbers change: If your team grows, shrinks or moves to hybrid working, your schedule should be updated to match.

Avoid cutting cleaning frequency so far that washrooms, kitchens or floors become unhygienic or unsafe.

Poorly maintained floors and washrooms can create slip hazards and health risks, which usually cost more in the long run.

What Does an Office Cleaning Quote Include?

Before you accept a quote, you should be completely sure of what the price offers as a service.

Here is a list of what you should expect to see covered within the price:

• Labour: The total labour hours per visit, week or month
• Number of cleaners: How many people will be on site
• Cleaning hours: The days and times of each visit
• Equipment: Vacuums, mops, buckets and any floor machines
• Cleaning products: Who supplies them
• Bins: Emptying, relining and taking waste to your bin store
• Kitchen: Worktops, sinks, appliances and dishes
• Washrooms: Toilets, urinals, sinks, mirrors and floors
• Desks: Whether desks are wiped, and whether they need to be clear
• Floors: Vacuuming, mopping, and how often
• Internal windows: Glass doors, partitions and internal panes
• External windows: Usually excluded unless stated
• Consumables: Toilet roll, soap, hand towels and bin liners
• Deep cleaning: Whether any periodic deep cleans are included
• Travel: Whether travel or parking costs are added
• VAT: Whether the price includes or excludes VAT

It’s also important to clarify whether the quoted price is per cleaner or per visit. This could make the final price twice as large, so double-check this item.

Hiring an Office Cleaner

Whenever hiring or booking any service, it's good practice to obtain at least 3 quotes before selecting one, which you can do through MyJobQuote. Pay attention to the following points:

1. Obtain 3 or more written quotes that include everything covered in the cleaning, including a schedule. This will make it easier to compare value across the quotes.
2. Take a look at reviews and references to ensure that feedback from other businesses is positive.
3. Check whether the company regularly cleans offices of a similar size and type to yours, as this can help them assess the labour and cleaning requirements involved.
4. Double-check for public liability insurance to ensure there are no problems in the event of an incident down the line.
5. Ensure the company has something in place to cover things like sickness and holiday - some companies assign the same cleaner every time, so ensure you don’t miss out when they’re off.
6. Contract terms are key. Ensure that minimum terms, notice period and price increases are handled to your satisfaction.

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