A mate of mine spent about three weeks ringing round cleaners last year, and every single quote came back different. £12 here, £22 there, one bloke wanted £30 an hour for what turned out to be a fairly standard two bed flat. So no, you’re not going mad if the pricing feels chaotic. UK cleaners generally charge somewhere between £12 and £25 an hour, and where you land on that scale depends mostly on your location, the type of job, and whether you’re booking someone directly or through a company. Domestic work sits lower. Commercial and specialist cleaning costs more. Let’s actually break it down properly.
Key Takeaways
If you only read one section, make it this one.
Domestic cleaning across the UK typically costs £12 to £18 per hour.
Commercial cleaning sits higher, usually £15 to £25, sometimes more for specialist work like carpets or industrial floors.
Where you live changes the price more than almost anything else.
Agencies cost more than private cleaners, but that extra money buys insurance and reliability.
One off jobs, deep cleans, end of tenancy work, all cost more per hour than a regular weekly booking.
What Do Cleaners Actually Charge in the UK?
Most people I’ve spoken to end up paying somewhere close to £15 an hour for standard house cleaning. That’s your hoovering, dusting, kitchen, bathroom, the usual weekly stuff.
Book through an agency and the number climbs, usually to £18 or £22. That’s not the company being greedy either. Vetting, insurance, and having a backup cleaner ready if yours calls in sick all cost money somewhere along the line.
Here’s something worth knowing though. A cleaner who’s been doing this for a decade and has a full client list booked out months in advance is going to charge more than someone who just started. That’s not unfair, it’s just experience.
Property size affects your total bill too, even though it rarely changes the hourly rate itself. A five bedroom house obviously takes longer to clean than a studio flat, so the total cost goes up while the rate per hour might stay exactly the same.
One thing people don’t expect? Weekly bookings often work out cheaper per hour than a single one off clean. Cleaners like the certainty of regular work, so some will knock the price down slightly for it.
Why the huge price gap between cleaners?
Honestly, it comes down to supply, demand, and reputation. A cleaner with strong reviews and a full diary can name their price and people will still book them. Meanwhile someone new to the trade might charge less just to build up a client base.
Commercial Cleaning Costs a Different Story Entirely
Businesses aren’t paying for the same thing homeowners are, so naturally the numbers shift. Professional cleaning services for offices, retail units, and commercial buildings typically run £15 to £25 an hour, and specialist jobs like carpet shampooing or industrial floor cleaning can go well past that.
Office cleaning tends to be the most requested job in this category. Price depends on floor space, how often you need visits, and whether cleaning happens outside business hours (which usually costs a bit more).
I’ll use a real example here. Commercial cleaning Blackburn rates tend to run noticeably cheaper than what you’d pay in London or even Manchester. That makes it a genuinely solid option if you’re running a smaller business and trying to keep overheads under control without letting standards slip.
Schools, medical practices, that sort of premises, usually come with extra compliance rules attached too. Even if the hourly rate looks the same as a normal office job, those added requirements can push the total cost up.
What’s included in a commercial cleaning quote?
Not always what you’d assume, which is why it’s worth asking before signing anything.
Standard packages generally cover floors, dusting, emptying bins, and sanitising shared spaces like kitchens and toilets.
Anything beyond that, window cleaning, carpet work, deep sanitising, usually gets billed separately since it takes extra time and different equipment. A proper professional cleaning services provider should lay all this out clearly from the start. If they’re vague about it, that’s a bit of a red flag honestly.
The Real Reasons Prices Vary So Much
Location
This is probably the single biggest factor. London cleaners often charge £18 to £25 an hour. Move up to Yorkshire, the North West, or Scotland and you’re more commonly looking at £12 to £16.
Nothing complicated about why. Cities have higher living costs and more competition for cleaners’ time, so rates climb naturally.
Type of Cleaning
Regular maintenance cleaning is your cheapest option per hour because it’s predictable, no heavy scrubbing needed each visit since the last one wasn’t long ago.
Deep cleans, end of tenancy jobs, post construction cleanup, these cost more because they simply take longer and need more physical effort. If you’re moving out of a rental, budget for a premium. Letting agents rarely settle for anything less than spotless, and fair enough, that’s their job.
Experience and Reputation
A cleaner who’s built up years of good reviews can charge above the average and stay fully booked regardless. You’re not just paying for their time at that point, you’re paying for the peace of mind that they’ll turn up, do the job properly, and not leave your bathroom half finished.
Private Hire vs Agency
Private cleaners tend to be cheaper simply because there’s no company taking a cut. Agencies cost more but bring insurance, background checks, and cover if your usual cleaner is off. For businesses especially, going with an established professional cleaning services company usually makes more sense over time. Consistency matters more than saving a few pounds an hour when it’s your premises on the line.
How Do You Actually Get Value for Money?
Cheapest quote isn’t always the smartest choice, and chasing it can genuinely backfire.
Get three or four quotes before deciding on anyone. Make sure they’re all covering the same scope of work though, because comparing a basic clean against a full deep clean tells you nothing useful.
Check reviews properly. Ask for references if it’s for a business, since a poorly cleaned office reflects on you, not just the cleaner.
If you need ongoing help, ask specifically about contract pricing. Loads of companies drop their rate for weekly or fortnightly clients compared to one off bookings.
And be clear from day one about exactly what you want done. Most complaints about cleaning services I’ve come across trace back to mixed expectations, not actually bad pricing.
Conclusion
Cleaning costs across the UK vary a fair bit, and it mostly comes down to three things: where you live, what kind of job it is, and who you’re hiring. As a rough guide, domestic cleaning runs £12 to £18 an hour, commercial cleaning £15 to £25.
Your best bet is simple enough. Collect a few quotes, understand exactly what’s included in each one, and pick whoever matches both your budget and your standards. Whether that’s weekly help at home or a proper commercial cleaning contract for your business, spending a bit of time comparing options upfront saves you money and frustration down the line.
If you’re based around Lancashire and looking into commercial cleaning Blackburn specifically, it’s worth ringing a few local providers directly. Regional pricing there tends to be a lot more reasonable than what a bigger city company would quote you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I pay a cleaner per hour in the UK?
Most domestic cleaners charge £12 to £18 an hour. Commercial cleaning costs more, typically £15 to £25 depending on the job and location.
Is hiring privately cheaper than going through an agency?
Usually yes. Private cleaners skip the agency fee, so they tend to cost less. Agencies charge more but include vetting, insurance, and backup cover.
Why is cleaning more expensive in London?
Higher living costs and stronger demand push rates up. Expect £18 to £25 an hour in London compared to £12 to £16 in regions like the North West.
Does end of tenancy cleaning cost more than a normal clean?
Yes, quite a bit more. It requires a full deep clean of the property to satisfy landlord or letting agent standards, which takes far longer than a routine visit.
What’s usually included in a commercial cleaning package?
Most standard packages cover floors, dusting, bins, and sanitising shared spaces like kitchens and toilets. Extras such as window or carpet cleaning are billed separately.
