Deep Clean Cost in the UK: What to Expect to Pay
How much a professional deep clean costs in the UK, what is included, what pushes the price up and when a deep clean is worth paying for.
A deep clean is not simply a longer version of the weekly tidy. It deals with the places a normal visit skips: inside appliances, behind furniture, limescale, grease and built-up grime. Because it takes much longer, it costs more, and prices can vary widely. Here is how to judge what a fair deep clean costs.
Typical prices
Deep cleans are usually priced by property size and condition, either as a fixed quote or as hours with more than one cleaner. As a rough guide, typically:
| Property | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat | £100 to £200 |
| 2-bed home | £150 to £280 |
| 3-bed house | £200 to £380 |
| 4-bed house | £300 to £500+ |
London and the South East are normally higher, and a heavily neglected property can exceed these ranges. Treat the table as a starting point, not a promise.
What a deep clean usually includes
Scope varies between providers, so always confirm it in writing. A typical deep clean covers:
- Kitchen: degreasing hob, cupboard fronts and extractor, descaling the sink and taps, cleaning tiles, wiping inside cupboards if empty.
- Bathrooms: scrubbing grout, removing limescale from taps, screens and showerheads, cleaning extractor fans and inside cabinets.
- Throughout: dusting skirting boards, door frames, light switches, radiators and tops of wardrobes, vacuuming under and behind furniture, cleaning interior window sills.
Inside the oven, inside the fridge and carpet shampooing are often extras. Our oven cleaning cost guide explains the typical price for that one.
What pushes the price up
- Condition. Years of grease or limescale need stronger products and more time.
- Size and number of bathrooms. Both increase labour directly.
- Clutter. Cleaners cannot clean beneath belongings. Clear surfaces first or expect a higher quote.
- Pets and smoking. Pet hair and nicotine residue on walls and ceilings are slow to remove.
- Add-ons. Interior windows, wall washing, ceiling cleaning and appliances all add time.
- Access. Limited parking, high floors without a lift, or a short window to finish can raise costs.
Fixed price or by the hour?
For a deep clean, a fixed quote after the cleaner has seen photos, or visited, usually works best. It protects you if the job drags on, and protects the cleaner from underpricing. If someone quotes hourly, ask for an estimated number of hours and agree what happens if it overruns.
Is a deep clean worth it?
A deep clean is most worthwhile when:
- You are starting regular cleaning and want a clean baseline, which makes weekly visits quicker and cheaper afterwards.
- You are moving in or out and need the property thoroughly reset. For tenancy specifically, see end of tenancy cleaning cost.
- It is a seasonal reset, perhaps in spring or before hosting guests.
- Someone in the household has allergies and dust needs reducing.
It is less useful if the house is already cleaned regularly and you only need a refresh, in which case a standard clean with a few extras may be enough.
How to save money
Declutter before the visit, do the washing up and clear worktops so cleaning time goes on actual cleaning. Supply a working vacuum and enough cloths if the cleaner is not bringing equipment. Group extras into a single booking rather than ordering them separately. Be accurate about condition when requesting quotes: a quote based on a lightly soiled home will not hold if the cleaner arrives to find years of grease.
When you compare offers, check hours, number of cleaners, products included and whether extras are priced. On Compito you can search by postcode, compare ID-verified local providers and message them about scope before you accept an offer and pay online.
A worked example
Take a three-bed terraced house that has had a standard clean every couple of weeks but never a proper deep clean. A team of two cleaners might spend six hours. At a combined rate of £30 to £40 an hour, that is £180 to £240, which sits within the typical range. If the same house has a neglected kitchen with heavy grease and limescale throughout the bathrooms, the job may stretch to eight or nine hours and the quote could move towards the top of the range or beyond.
Deep clean versus standard clean
| Feature | Standard clean | Deep clean |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Weekly or fortnightly | Occasional |
| Focus | Surfaces, floors, bathrooms | Detail, build-up, hidden areas |
| Time | Two to four hours | Five to eight hours or more |
| Team | Usually one | Often two or more |
Questions to ask before booking
- How many cleaners and how many hours are you allowing?
- Are products and equipment included?
- Which extras are not included, such as oven or inside windows?
- What if the job takes longer than planned?
- Is there a way to check the work after the visit and raise concerns?
Mistakes that cost money
- Booking a cheap "deep clean" that is really a standard clean. Check the task list, not the label.
- Not mentioning pets or smoking, then facing a surcharge on the day.
- Leaving access or parking unresolved.
- Having a deep clean before building or decorating work finishes. See post-builders cleaning for that scenario.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a deep clean take?
For a typical three-bed house, a team of two usually needs five to eight hours, while a single cleaner may need a full day or spread it across two visits. Condition has a large effect on timing.
How often should I have a deep clean?
Most households benefit from one or two a year, with regular maintenance cleaning in between. Homes with pets, young children or allergy sufferers may prefer every three to six months.
Should I be at home during a deep clean?
You do not have to be, but it can help for the first visit so you can point out priorities. Many people leave a key or arrange access and check the results afterwards.
Is a deep clean the same as a spring clean?
They overlap. A spring clean is a seasonal tradition, while a deep clean is a method and level of detail. Our spring cleaning checklist lists tasks you might include.