Why the type of clean matters
Asking for "a cleaner" can mean very different things. A weekly two-hour visit to keep a flat tidy, a team spending a day on an empty house at the end of a tenancy and a specialist with an extraction machine for the carpets are all professional cleaning, but they're priced, planned and carried out differently.
Knowing which service you need helps you request the right quotes and compare them fairly. Every cleaner and company sets its own task lists, so treat the descriptions below as typical rather than universal.
Cleaning for homes
Most household cleaning falls into one of these categories.
Domestic and regular cleaning
A cleaner visits on a schedule – usually weekly or fortnightly – to keep kitchens, bathrooms, floors and living areas clean. It's maintenance rather than restoration, and it's usually charged by the hour. See domestic cleaning.
One-off cleaning
A single standard clean, booked before guests arrive, after an illness or a busy period, or ahead of a viewing. It covers the same tasks as a regular clean but may take longer if the home hasn't been cleaned for a while.
Deep cleaning
A thorough top-to-bottom clean that deals with the build-up regular cleaning doesn't reach: limescale, grease, skirting boards, door frames, behind and under furniture. Usually quoted as a fixed price. See deep cleaning.
End of tenancy, move-out and move-in cleaning
A detailed clean of an empty rental property at the end or start of a tenancy, usually to a checklist based on what letting agents inspect. See end of tenancy cleaning.
After builders cleaning
A post-construction or post-renovation clean that removes fine dust, film and residue after building work. See after builders cleaning.
Specialist cleaning
Some jobs need dedicated equipment or experience, and are often done by specialists rather than general cleaners.
Carpet and upholstery cleaning
Hot water extraction or low-moisture cleaning for carpets, rugs, sofas, chairs and mattresses, priced per room or per item. See carpet and upholstery cleaning.
Oven cleaning
Racks, trays and removable parts cleaned separately while the oven interior and door are degreased by hand. See oven cleaning.
Window cleaning
Regular exterior rounds or one-off cleans, often using water-fed poles for upstairs windows. See window cleaning.
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Cleaning for businesses and lets
Business and short-let cleaning is usually arranged differently from household cleaning.
Commercial and office cleaning
Regular cleaning of shops, workplaces, communal areas and offices to a written specification, often outside opening hours, priced per cleaner-hour as a contract. See commercial cleaning and office cleaning.
Airbnb and holiday let cleaning
Changeover cleans between guests, usually including bed changes and towels within a fixed window between check-out and check-in. See our guide to Airbnb and holiday let cleaning.
Quick comparison
How the main services typically compare. Pricing units are explained in more detail in our cleaning prices guide.
| Service | When it's used | Usually priced |
|---|---|---|
| Regular domestic cleaning | Ongoing upkeep | Per hour |
| One-off clean | A single standard visit | Per hour or fixed |
| Deep clean | Occasional thorough reset | Per property |
| End of tenancy clean | Empty rental, start or end of tenancy | Per property |
| After builders clean | After building or renovation work | Per job |
| Carpet and upholstery | Ingrained dirt, stains, odours | Per room or item |
| Oven cleaning | Baked-on grease | Per appliance |
| Window cleaning | Regular rounds or one-off | Per visit |
| Commercial and office | Business premises | Per cleaner-hour |
Typical scope and pricing unit by type of cleaning service
