Indicative hourly rates by cleaning type
Every figure on this page is an indicative UK market range from the published sources listed at the foot of the page, not a quotation. Your own price depends on floor area, service mix, hours of cover and asset condition.
| Cleaning type | Indicative hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard office cleaning, UK-wide | £15 – £30[1] | Core band where most quotes land: £18 – £25 |
| London office cleaning | £20.50 – £26.80[1] | April 2026 average; London runs 10–20% above regional cities |
| Regional cities | £11 – £20[1] | Manchester, Leeds and comparable markets |
| Industrial and factory cleaning | £33 – £45[2] | PPE, access equipment and specialist waste |
| Deep cleaning | £30 – £45[1] | Periodic, usually priced as a project |
| Medical and CQC-standard cleaning | £45 and above[2] | Audited method statements and infection control |
| Out-of-hours premium | add £5 – £10[1] | Evenings, early mornings and weekends |
Per square foot and per month
£0.10 – £0.30 per sq ft
Per-clean rate for offices, and the model most providers use for London premises above 5,000 sq ft.[2]
£300 – £5,000+ per month
Typical monthly commercial cleaning contract value, depending on size, frequency and specification.[3]
Why a rate below about £16 an hour should worry you
£12.71 an hour
National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026, a 4.1% rise.[4]
Add employer National Insurance, pension, holiday cover, insurance, supervision and materials to that wage floor and a legitimate charge-out rate has very little room below roughly £15–£16 an hour. Quotes under that level are usually funded by under-hours, unpaid travel or missing insurance, and the cost surfaces later as failed audits and staff churn on your site.
Frequently asked questions
How much does commercial cleaning cost per hour in the UK?
Indicatively £15–£30 an hour, with £18–£25 the band most office quotes land in. London averages £20.50–£26.80 and regional cities roughly £11–£20 (SME Brief, 2026).
Is it cheaper to price cleaning per square foot?
For larger premises, yes — above about 5,000 sq ft most providers move to £0.10–£0.30 per square foot per clean, which is easier to compare between bids than an hourly rate.
What makes a cleaning quote go up?
Out-of-hours working, higher frequency, washroom consumables, specialist or medical standards, access equipment and single-site visits with no route density nearby.
Sources
- [1] SME Brief, 2026. Commercial cleaning prices UK
- [2] Benchmark Cleaning, 2026. London commercial cleaning rates 2026
- [3] Priority First, 2026. Cost of outsourced FM and environmental cleaning in Great Britain
- [4] GOV.UK, 2026. National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates