Deep cleaning is one of the highest-margin services a cleaning business can offer — if it's priced correctly. Charge too little and you'll burn out your team on a job that takes twice as long as a standard clean. Charge too much without justifying it and you'll lose the booking. This guide breaks down real deep cleaning prices by home size, region, and add-ons, so you can quote with confidence.
What counts as a "deep clean"?
A deep clean goes beyond a standard recurring clean. It typically includes:
- Baseboards, door frames, and window sills wiped down
- Inside microwave, oven exterior, and fridge exterior (interior often an add-on)
- Grout scrubbing in bathrooms and kitchens
- Behind and under furniture (where movable)
- Light fixtures, ceiling fans, and vents dusted
- Detailed cabinet fronts, switch plates, and door handles disinfected
Because it's labor-intensive, deep cleaning usually runs 1.5x–2.5x the price of a standard clean for the same square footage.
Average deep cleaning prices in the US (2024)
Prices vary by market, but here's a realistic national range based on typical crew rates and job scope:
| Home size | Standard clean | Deep clean | Estimated hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bed / 1 bath (600–800 sq ft) | $90–$130 | $150–$220 | 2–3 hrs |
| 2 bed / 1–2 bath (900–1,200 sq ft) | $120–$170 | $220–$320 | 3–4.5 hrs |
| 3 bed / 2 bath (1,300–1,800 sq ft) | $160–$220 | $300–$450 | 4.5–6.5 hrs |
| 4 bed / 2–3 bath (2,000–2,800 sq ft) | $220–$300 | $420–$650 | 6–9 hrs |
| 5+ bed (3,000+ sq ft) | $300+ | $650–$950+ | 9+ hrs |
In the UK, equivalent deep cleans commonly run £80–£140 for a one-bed flat, £180–£280 for a 3-bed house, and £350+ for larger 4–5 bed properties, often priced per job rather than strictly hourly.
Hourly vs flat rate for deep cleaning
Most cleaning businesses charge deep cleans one of two ways:
- Hourly: $35–$55 per cleaner per hour (US average), $18–£28/hour (UK). Works well for first-time clients or homes with unknown condition.
- Flat rate: Based on square footage and room count, quoted after a phone walkthrough or photos. Preferred by clients who want price certainty, and easier to scale once you've done a few similar jobs.
Many companies quote hourly for the first visit, then switch to flat rate once they know how long the home actually takes. For a deeper comparison of these two models — including when each makes more sense for your business — see our full guide on how much to charge for house cleaning (hourly vs flat).
What drives the price up (or down)
Home condition
A home that hasn't been professionally cleaned in 6+ months, has pets, or has heavy grease buildup in the kitchen can add 30–50% to the base deep clean price. Always ask about last professional clean date and pets before quoting.
Move-in / move-out jobs
These are typically priced 10–20% higher than a standard deep clean because they involve empty cabinets, closets, inside appliances, and often window tracks — all detail work with no furniture in the way to speed things up (which actually cuts both ways).
Add-ons that should be itemized separately
- Inside oven: $25–$45
- Inside fridge: $25–$40
- Interior windows: $5–$8 per window
- Garage or basement: $40–$100 depending on size
- Laundry (wash/fold): $20–$35 per load
- Wall washing / baseboards detail (beyond standard): $30–$60
Itemizing add-ons instead of bundling them into one number builds trust and lets clients customize their quote — which usually raises your average ticket.
Sample deep cleaning quote breakdown
| Line item | Price |
|---|---|
| Base deep clean (3 bed / 2 bath, 1,500 sq ft) | $340 |
| Inside oven | $35 |
| Inside fridge | $30 |
| Interior windows (8 windows) | $56 |
| Subtotal | $461 |
| Sales tax (varies by state — many states tax cleaning services) | varies |
| Total | $461 + tax |
Note: whether cleaning services are taxable depends on your state. States like Texas, Ohio, and Hawaii tax cleaning services; others like California generally do not for residential cleaning. Check your state's Department of Revenue guidance, and consult a tax professional if you're unsure how sales tax applies to your LLC or sole proprietorship.
Pricing for profit, not just for the job
A deep clean quote needs to cover more than the two hours a cleaner spends in the home. Build in:
- Labor cost (including payroll taxes if you have W-2 employees)
- Supplies and equipment wear (deep cleans use more product per hour than standard cleans)
- Drive time and gas
- Insurance and bonding costs
- Your margin — most healthy cleaning businesses target 40–55% gross margin on a job
If you're consistently quoting deep cleans and not seeing that margin, the base price is too low, not the client's fault.
Keeping deep cleaning pricing consistent
The biggest pricing mistake small cleaning businesses make isn't undercharging on one job — it's inconsistency across jobs, which erodes trust with repeat clients and makes it hard to forecast revenue. Using a rate card or automated quoting tool tied to square footage and add-ons keeps every estimator or booking page giving the same number for the same size home.
Quote fast, book faster
Once you've settled on your deep cleaning rate card, the next bottleneck is usually admin — quoting by text, chasing invoices, forgetting reminders. CleanWhale handles online booking, scheduling, invoicing, and automatic reminders in one place, so your deep cleaning quotes turn into booked, paid jobs without extra spreadsheets. Check out plans & pricing or see everything the platform does on the features page.