How long does home cleaning take? A time guide by m² and rooms

“How many hours does home cleaning take?” has no single answer; but knowing the right time is necessary for both budget and calendar planning. Below you will find realistic time ranges by m², number of rooms and cleaning type, and the factors that extend the time.

The basic rule: person-hours

Cleaning times are expressed in “person-hours”: if a team of two works 4 hours the total labour is 8 person-hours. The times below show the labour a single person needs; as the team grows, the time shortens.

Time table (for one person)

• 2+1, 80–100 m², upkeep: 3.5–4 hours
• 3+1, 120–150 m², upkeep: 5–6 hours
• 3+1, deep clean: 8–10 hours
• 4+1 / villa, 200 m², deep: 14–16 hours (2 people, 7–8 hours)
• Move cleaning, 100 m²: 8 hours

Factors that extend the time

• More than one bathroom or toilet (30–40 minutes each)
• Heavy limescale and grease build-up, oven interior, grill
• Many decorative items, bookcases, display cabinets
• Pet hair and carpets
• Large glass surfaces and balconies

What can you do to shorten it?

Gathering personal items, toys and papers from surfaces before the team arrives lets the team focus on cleaning. State fragile and valuable items separately. Having the dishes finished in the machine and laundry put away shortens the time by 30–45 minutes.

How often?

In a family of four weekly upkeep cleaning reduces the frequency of deep cleaning to once a year. A fortnightly visit controls dirt build-up but requires interim cleaning in the bathroom and kitchen.

The Cleaning Price Calculator on our site shows the estimated time, team size and price together for your area.

Example scenarios

Scenario 1: A working couple in a 90 m² 2+1 flat takes a 4-hour upkeep clean every two weeks; bathroom and kitchen soiling stays low. Scenario 2: The 140 m² 3+1 flat of a family with three children is cleaned in about 5.5 hours with weekly upkeep, with a 9-hour deep clean once a year. Scenario 3: In a 100 m² home with a long-haired cat, pet-hair cleaning of carpets and sofas extends the time by an average of 1 hour.

The relation between time and price

Since the hourly price is fixed, cost rises linearly as the time lengthens. So if the home is really dirty on the first visit, a deep clean first and an upkeep subscription afterwards is the economical choice; otherwise every upkeep visit takes long.