How Much Does Deep House Cleaning Cost?

$195 – $600 for Homes 1,200 to 2,500 Square Feet (.23-.25 Cents/Sq Ft)

National Average: $230, For a 1,700 Sq ft Home

Updated: January 4, 2024. Written by: Steve Hansen

To ensure we provide the most precise and current cost estimates to you, we compile costs from industry data, licensed contractors, our users completed projects, and home improvement industry experts. We may earn commission from our partners when you utilize the services through our website. Our editorial integrity and quality remains our top priority, and recommendations do not affect our opinion or evaluations. Learn more about us and our editorial process, and read our advertiser disclosures.

Cost to Hire a Housekeeper for Deep Cleaning

The average cost to clean a house “from top to bottom” is .14 to .24 cents per square foot. This works out to $140 to $240 for a 1,000 square foot home, though many services have a minimum fee for deep cleaning of $125 to $200.  The average cost for a larger home is closer to $525 for a 3,000 square foot house. Remember, these house maid prices aren’t for a weekly touch-up or monthly visit, but something like an annual cleaning into all the dark places, behind appliances, on top of wall cabinets, etc.

Deep cleaning price includes a long checklist of tasks. It starts with dusting and removing cobwebs from all surfaces including walls, cabinets, baseboard and fixtures. Flooring is vacuumed or mopped. Dirt spots and stains are treated and removed, if possible. Bathrooms are cleaned and sanitized. Window cleaning, using a carpet machine, scrubbing smoke-stained walls, cleaning out a refrigerator and similar non-standard tasks are not included in most estimates.

Average Costs

Average Cost for 1000 – 1400 Sq. Ft House
$235, or .25 Cents / Sq. Ft
Average 1400 – 2000 Sq. Ft House
$415, or .24 Cents / Square Foot
Average Cost for 2000 – 3000 Sq. Ft House
$620, or .23 Cents / Square Foot
Average for 3000 – 4000 Sq. Ft Home
$840, or .23 Cents / Square Foot

housecleaners with gloves and cleaning tools

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Overview of Home Deep Cleaning

Every home needs a periodic deep cleaning. And having the home fully cleaned before moving out – or prior to moving in when the last owner didn’t do the job – is common.

Cleaning an empty home may sound easier, but there is generally much more to clean since everything is away from walls and baseboards, so the cost is not lower in pricing and may actually take the cleaning crew longer than a furnished home. But house cleaning services are quite used to working in both an empty and a fully furnished household and all that goes with it.

Most cleaning services have a minimum fee for small apartments or areas of the home.

Larger homes are priced by size, condition of the home and what services the homeowner or property owner/manager requests.

What does 14 to 24 cents per square foot look like when applied to your home? As a rule, cost per square foot drops slightly as house size goes up. See the full Cost Factors section below for all considerations that affect the price of deep cleaning a house.

Did you know? Deep cleaning a home is one of the essential steps in getting it ready to sell!

man deep cleaning a bathroom toilet

Cost Factors for Deep House Cleaning

Evaluate your home’s condition using these factors to estimate what a thorough house cleaning will cost.

  • Home Size – Most services have a minimum fee to cover their travel time, transportation cost and cleaning. Otherwise, the bigger the home, the more it will cost to clean, though price might drop a little per square foot in larger homes.
  • How Dirty the Home Is – Some companies will send a representative to your home to give a deep cleaning estimate. The person will look around and make a mental note of the condition of walls, flooring, bathrooms, etc. The dirtier the home, the higher the quote. Others quote over the phone or by using an online questionnaire/form you fill out. These services typically charge near the high end for all services.
  • Whether it is Empty – An empty home sounds far easier to clean, but with everything exposed, empty cabinets, etc – it takes quite a bit longer and therefore may add to your cost.
  • How Picked Up your Home Is – The cost to deep clean a house doesn’t include moving dishes out of the sink, picking up clothing and toys so the floors can be done, etc. You might incur additional costs when clutter slows down the work.
  • Extra Services – Basic deep cleaning doesn’t usually include windows, taking blinds outside to dust/vacuum them, scrubbing smoke residue off walls (wiping down walls, yes, but not scrubbing), cleaning the inside of the fridge/stove/cabinets. See the price list below for a la carte costs for these services.
  • Who Provides the Supplies & Equipment – You might get a small discount for providing the cleaning supplies, vacuum, mop, and other items needed to do the job. Cleaning companies can give you a list of what they need to do the job. This also gives you the opportunity to choose supplies that you prefer.
  • Travel Distance – Travel time and fuel costs will be considered when house cleaning estimates are prepared.
Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

steam cleaning induction range stove top

Cost of House Cleaning and Supplies

We’ll cover two sets of costs here. The first is for supplies and equipment you might provide in order to get a discount on cleaning – vs the cleaners using their own items.

The second is a price list for specific cleaning jobs not usually included in the cost of deep cleaning a house.

Equipment and Supplies

  • $150 – $500+ | Quality Vacuum with a tool set including upholstery brush, crevice too, extension for reaching under furniture, etc. If you have central vacuum, let the service know, and you might receive a discount because it means they don’t have to lug in their own vacuum and take up/down the stairs.
  • $125 – $300+ | Brushless Vacuum for hardwood flooring, laminate, luxury vinyl and other TLC floors.
  • $135 – $200 | Steam Mop for ceramic tile, stone or concrete (and if you have hardwood or other flooring that must not be steam mopped, it is your responsibility to let the cleaners know where and where not to use steam)
  • $15 – $50 | Mop – Be sure to have a type appropriate for your floors. Some laminate, for example, shouldn’t be wet-mopped, but a lightly damp mop (spin mop) or Swiffer is OK.
  • $12 – $30 | Floor Cleaner – Have a versatile cleaner on hand like Bona Multi-Surface or a cleaner formulated for your flooring type.
  • $15 – $50 | Multi-purpose Cleaning Solutions, cleaning cloths, mops, bucket, sponges, etc.

Cleaning Price List for Extras

  • $5 per Window Side | Cleaning the inside of the window – and the outside too when the outside is easily reached.
  • $10 per Sliding Glass Door Panel |Cleaning both sides of the door.
  • $25 – $50 per Room | Wall Scrubbing
  • $30 – $75 per Room or Stairs | Carpet Cleaning
  • $30 – $75 | Cleaning the inside of empty kitchen cabinets
  • $20 – $40 | Cleaning the inside of a fridge or stove
  • $30 – $60 | Thorough Stove Cleaning
  • $10 – $20 each | Cleaning Blinds
  • $10 – $30 per location | Removing heavy mineral scaling from tubs, shower enclosures and sink areas
  • $60 – $125 | Adding the Garage to the estimate

Deep Cleaning Cost for Various Home and Apartment Sizes

These apartments and homes are priced with the common number of bathrooms for each.

  • Up to 800 square feet: $125 – $195
  • 801 – 1,000 square feet: $125 – $240
  • 1,001 – 1,200 square feet: $140 – $285
  • 1,201 – 1,400 square feet: $170 – $335
  • 1,401 – 1,600 square feet: $195 – $380
  • 1,601 – 1,800 square feet: $225 – $425
  • 1,801 – 2,000 square feet: $250 – $470
  • 2,001 – 2,200 square feet: $280 – $515
  • 2,201 – 2,500 square feet: $315 – $580
  • 2,501 – 2,800 square feet: $350 – $650
  • 2,801 – 3,200 square feet: $395 – $725
  • 3,201 – 3,600 square feet: $450 – $825
  • 3,601 – 4,000 square feet: $500 – $950
  • 4,001 – 4,500 square feet: $560 – $1,025
  • 4,501 – 5,000 square feet: $630 – $1,100
  • 5,001 – 6,000 square feet: $700 – $1,325

Estimated Cost By House Type

  • 1-bedroom apartment: $125 – $260
  • 2-bedroom apartment: $150 – $295
  • 2-bedroom home: $175 – $350
  • 3-bedroom home: $265 – $525
  • 4-bedroom home: $335 – $700
  • 5-bedroom home: $425 – $895+

Is there another cleaning project you’d like the cleaners to do? Just ask, and if it isn’t part of a standard estimate, they will likely price it for you separately. Some services will even fill a dumpster for you. Rent and have the roll-off container delivered, set aside the items to be disposed of, and they will take them out and place them in the container.

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Permits, Inspection, and Related Costs

Permits and Inspection Cost

  • $0 | You don’t need a permit for house cleaning.

Labor and Installation Time

Labor rates are currently high, and that will affect your estimate for deep cleaning a house.

Most employees are being paid $15 to $25 per hour to house clean. Company owners who clean houses factor in $30 to $60 per hour for their time.

Depending on the size of your home and the work required, the cleaning crew is usually two, but sometimes larger. On occasion, a single cleaner will handle the work, though some companies have a policy of sending at least two for security and liability purposes.

Time

Two cleaners can clean an average of 500 square feet per hour depending on the condition of the house and the list of tasks to be accomplished.

  • 1,000 square feet | 2-3 hours
  • 1,500 square feet | 3-4 hours
  • 2,000 square feet | 4-5 hours
  • 2,500 square feet |5-6 hours
  • 3,000 square feet | 5-7 hours
  • 4,000 square feet | 7-9 hours
  • 5,000 square feet | 8-10 hours

Specific factors related to the time it takes to deep clean a house are the level of dirt in the home, how well it is picked up prior to the crew’s arrival and what items are on your to-do list. Travel costs play a role too, since fuel costs are currently quite high.

We’ve found the projects listed below to be commonly related to having your house deep cleaned.

Are You a Pro House Cleaner?

If so, head over to our Costimates Pro’s page, and help us make this page better and more accurate for both our visitors and your future customers.

DIY or Hire a Pro

We all know that house cleaning is a DIY project for those able to handle the tasks. But it takes time and effort, and life is busy. The real question here is how much you can save by deep cleaning your own home – or your rental or a relative’s home that needs to be cleaned out and prepared for sale.

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Get Quotes from House Cleaning Pros Nearby

Reviewed and edited by Steve Hansen of Costimates

steve hansen of costimates-sm Steve Hansen, that's me, the Senior Editor of Costimates. (Learn more about myself and our team) I'm an avid home improvement professional with more than 37 years experience working on all types of residential new home building, upfits, repairs and remodeling.

"Like most homeowners, I was frustrated with the lack of quality information available on specific home improvement repairs and renovations. In 2015, Costimates was formed to help homeowners learn as much as possible about various projects and their costs so they could make better financial decisions."