A deep clean is not a more thorough regular clean. It’s a different job, reaching everything a regular schedule can’t get to because the building is in use.
When you need one
- Annually, at minimum, for most offices
- Before or after a fit-out or renovation
- After a lease change, in or out
- Following an illness outbreak
- When moving into a new premises
- When a regular schedule has lapsed for a period
What a deep clean covers
Everything moves
The defining difference. In a regular clean, nothing moves. In a deep clean:
- Desks and pedestals moved, floor cleaned beneath
- Filing cabinets and shelving moved where practical
- Sofas and soft furnishings moved
- Fridges and appliances pulled out, cleaned behind and underneath
- Floor-standing equipment moved
Floors
- Carpet steam cleaned or extracted
- Carpet edges hand-detailed
- Hard floors stripped and re-sealed, or machine scrubbed
- Grout scrubbed and, where needed, re-sealed
- Skirtings washed, not just dusted
High level
- Ceiling vents removed where possible and cleaned
- Light diffusers removed, washed and refitted
- Tops of cabinets, partitions, door frames
- Cobwebs at ceiling junctions
- Ceiling tiles spot-cleaned or flagged for replacement
- Sprinkler heads and smoke detector housings dusted
Kitchen
- Fridge fully emptied, shelves removed and washed, seals cleaned
- Oven interior, racks and trays
- Rangehood filter degreased or replaced
- Behind and under all appliances
- Cupboard interiors emptied and wiped
- Dishwasher filter and spray arms
- Drains treated
Bathrooms
- Tiles and grout deep-scrubbed
- Silicone assessed, replaced if mould is embedded
- Behind and around toilet pans and cisterns
- Extractor fans removed and cleaned
- Partitions cleaned both sides including feet
- Descaling of tapware and shower heads
Detail
- Internal windows including tracks, frames and sills
- Blinds cleaned or ultrasonically cleaned
- Upholstered chairs and sofas extracted
- Wall washing in high-contact areas
- Doors and frames washed
- Switch plates and outlets
- Skirting boards washed
- Air conditioning unit faces and filters
What it costs
Deep cleans are quoted per site, not per hour, because condition varies enormously. Rough guide:
| Office size | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Up to 150 m² | $600 – $1,200 |
| 150 – 300 m² | $1,200 – $2,200 |
| 300 – 600 m² | $2,200 – $4,000 |
| 600 m² + | Priced per site |
Carpet steam cleaning and hard floor strip-and-seal are usually quoted separately on top ($4–$8/m² and $12–$22/m² respectively).
Timing it
Deep cleans need the building empty. Options:
- Long weekend. Most common. Friday evening through Sunday.
- Christmas shutdown. Ideal if you have one, the whole job in one uninterrupted run.
- Staged by floor or zone. For buildings that can’t close, done over several weekends.
Floor sealing needs cure time. Budget overnight minimum, and confirm the cure window before booking.
What to do beforehand
- Ask staff to clear desks completely
- Empty personal items from fridges
- Archive or dispose of anything in storage you don’t need
- Flag anything fragile or not to be moved
- Confirm access, alarm and parking arrangements
The clearing is the part that determines the result. A deep clean of a building where every desk is covered in paper is a regular clean with a bigger invoice.