Planning apartment cleaning: scope, prices and frequency
Weekly cleaning and a thorough spring clean need different arrangements. Decide which tasks you want to hand over and what result you expect. A clear scope makes quotes comparable and helps fit the work into your daily routine.
Regular cleaning, a one-off visit or a property handover?
For ongoing help, choose a schedule that suits how you use your home. Weekly, fortnightly and monthly visits are possible arrangements, not universal recommendations. Consider what you clean between visits, how you use the kitchen and bathrooms, and which tasks you want someone else to handle.
A one-off clean addresses a particular need, such as preparing for visitors or catching up on tasks left undone. A property handover needs a clearly defined final clean and, if wanted, an agreed handover guarantee. Its scope differs from routine cleaning in an occupied home.
| Your need | The appropriate service |
|---|---|
| Help with everyday cleaning | Regular cleaning of the agreed rooms. Set the frequency, priorities and any extra tasks. |
| A more thorough one-off clean | Describe the condition and specific tasks. Distinguish deep cleaning where deposits or the work require more intensive treatment. |
| Returning a property | End-of-tenancy cleaning with a handover date and clearly defined scope; expressly agree any handover guarantee you want. |
What is included, and what needs a separate agreement?
The name apartment cleaning does not define a contractual task list. Specify the rooms involved and distinguish external surfaces from interiors that need cleaning. This table helps define the scope; it does not mean every company includes every task.
| Area | What to clarify in the quote |
|---|---|
| Rooms and floors | Dust accessible surfaces, vacuum and clean floors using a suitable method. Discuss tidying, moving heavy furniture and deep carpet cleaning separately. |
| Kitchen | Distinguish worktops, sink, hob and cabinet fronts from cleaning inside the oven, fridge and cupboards. |
| Bathrooms and toilets | Define the sanitary fittings, taps, mirrors and accessible surfaces. Multiple bathrooms and heavy deposits change the workload. |
| Windows and blinds | Specify glass, frames, blinds and hard-to-reach external surfaces separately. These tasks need not happen at every routine visit. |
| Other tasks | Explicitly agree ironing, laundry, changing bed linen, balconies or utility rooms. Repairs and the causes of mould are not ordinary housekeeping tasks. |
How much does apartment cleaning cost?
The two regional price examples below were checked on 22 October 2026. They illustrate different conditions for regular cleaning. They are neither Swiss national averages nor Quoti rates; a one-off visit requires a separate quote.
| Regional example | Published price and conditions |
|---|---|
| Hallwilersee, Aarau and Lucerne area | CHF 35 per hour for at least three hours per regular visit, giving a minimum of CHF 105. Weekly visits; the offer also allows visits every two weeks. No additional travel costs or expenses are stated. VAT is not explicitly specified. |
| Zurich and surrounding area | From CHF 41.90 per hour for weekly or fortnightly cleaning; CHF 47.50 per hour for monthly cleaning. Both include VAT. A temporary first-booking promotion is excluded from these examples. |
Turn an hourly rate into a realistic monthly budget
Calculation example, not a quote: assume a rate of CHF 45 including VAT per worker-hour and an agreed visit requiring three worker-hours. That visit costs CHF 135 before any additional charges. Three hours is simply an arithmetic assumption, not a recommended duration for a particular number of rooms.
Clarify what an hour means: two people working for 90 minutes each provide three worker-hours in total. Where the rate is per person, the team's time on site therefore differs from the number of hours charged.
- Distinguish an average from an invoice. Your bill depends on the visits actually charged. Every two weeks does not mean exactly twice per calendar month. These annual examples allow for no holidays, cancellations or extra tasks.
- Assess the first visit separately. If work has built up, ask for a separate estimate for the initial effort and subsequent routine. A thorough first visit need not determine the length of every future appointment.
| Agreed frequency | Example at CHF 135 per visit |
|---|---|
| One visit | CHF 135 |
| Every two weeks | 26 visits a year: CHF 3,510; approximately CHF 293 a month on average |
| Every week | 52 visits a year: CHF 7,020; CHF 585 a month on average |
Which details help a company prepare a useful quote?
Room count gives an initial indication of size. Bathroom numbers and fittings, requested window cleaning, soiling and selected extras explain further differences. An open-plan home can have more floor area despite the same room count; add a known floor area or unusual layout in your notes.
You do not have to calculate professional labour time yourself. Describe the work you want and ask the company to estimate the hours needed. A fixed square-metres-per-hour rule cannot account for furniture, different materials and levels of soiling.
Example of an initial request: “We need cleaning every two weeks for an occupied 3.5-room apartment with one bathroom. Our priorities are floors, surfaces, the kitchen and the bathroom. Please quote for windows and the oven separately, state who supplies products and equipment, and estimate the total cost per visit.” Adapt the scope to your home; you do not need to specify professional working hours or provide an exact floor-area measurement yourself.
- Set practical priorities. If time is limited, agree what should be done first and what can wait. For example, the kitchen and bathrooms might be included at each visit, with windows scheduled separately.
- Agree extra work in advance. Specify whether the company must contact you before exceeding the expected time. Agree a spending limit or a fixed price with a precise scope, and how additional requests will be handled.
Compare quotes for the same work
Compare scope first, then total cost. A quote including materials, cover for absences and a defined task plan may be priced differently from a simple hourly assignment. The lowest hourly rate alone therefore does not identify the cheapest suitable arrangement.
Check the final price including applicable VAT, travel, materials and any extra charges. A low hourly rate may require a minimum booking. It also does not tell you how long your home will take. For an intensive one-off or handover clean, compare the total price for the agreed scope rather than a routine cleaning rate.
- Scope and charging basis. Which rooms, which extras and how many worker-hours are included? Is the rate per person or for the whole team? Is there a minimum booking?
- Products and equipment. Who provides the vacuum, floor-cleaning equipment, cloths and suitable products? At what cost? Do not assume equipment is included without checking.
- Appointments and changes. Agree regular time slots, holidays, cover, cancellations and changes to scope before commissioning the work. Conditions vary between companies.
- Quality and responsibility. Establish a contact person and the process for damage or unsatisfactory work. For a property handover, specify the guarantee and included remedial cleaning separately.
Prepare for the first cleaning visit
Remove personal belongings from the agreed surfaces and make the relevant areas accessible. You do not need to clean beforehand: clear worktops help avoid spending the booked time mainly on moving things. If appliances or cupboards will be cleaned inside, agree who will empty them.
Point out delicate surfaces and their care instructions. Discuss any particular product requirements directly with the company. If you are supplying equipment, have it ready and working. Arrange access, keys and pets personally; access codes do not belong in a public request.
After the first visit, review the agreed tasks. Be specific about what worked and what needs adjusting. This helps establish a realistic plan for subsequent appointments without describing the whole home again each time.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request just the kitchen and bathroom?
Yes, you can request a partial clean. Specify the areas and check any minimum booking time. For a kitchen-and-bathroom-only assignment, the condition and requested work matter more than the total room count of the home.
Are windows and the oven always included?
No. Glass and appliance interiors should be expressly agreed. They can be extra tasks or follow a different schedule from routine cleaning. Check the quote rather than assuming apartment cleaning means an all-inclusive package.
Do I have to be home during cleaning?
Agree this with the company. An introduction is useful for the first visit; different access can be arranged later. Clarify key handling, availability for questions and locking up afterwards.
How many hours will my home need?
That depends on scope, condition, furniture and extras. Room count or floor area alone cannot give a reliable duration. Ask for an estimate and agree priorities or a spending limit if the time is uncertain.
Do I need a handover guarantee?
For regular cleaning without a property handover, this is generally not the relevant criterion. An agreed guarantee can be useful when returning a property. Its written conditions and included remedial cleaning matter.
