Hiring a cleaning company: define the right service
Cleaning can mean regular help, a single visit or thorough restorative work. A useful quote starts with your situation. You do not need to know professional methods: identify the property, areas involved and the result you want.
Start with the reason for cleaning
Routine cleaning maintains a property that is already regularly cared for. A one-off visit can cover the same tasks without a recurring arrangement. Deep cleaning tackles heavier or accumulated residues, with the precise scope still to be agreed.
After building work, before a tenancy handover or with unusual contamination, requirements change. Building dust, paint residue and handover cleaning should not simply be ordered as ordinary housekeeping. Business premises may also need different working hours and specialist experience.
| Your need | What matters |
|---|---|
| Regular upkeep | Tasks, frequency and changing priorities |
| One-off help | Desired result and starting condition |
| Deep cleaning | Materials and residues to tackle |
| Handover or completion of works | Deadline, service boundaries and any follow-up cleaning |
| Unusual contamination | Clarify its nature and extent with a suitable specialist |
A task list prevents mismatched expectations
Accessible surfaces and floors are often part of routine cleaning. Windows, blinds, appliance interiors, cupboards and intensive textile cleaning may be separate services. ‘Clean everything’ is therefore too vague as a brief.
Tidying, laundry, disposal and moving heavy furniture are not automatically included. Define the areas to clean and exclusions. A limited task can be requested without including the entire property.
For windows or blinds, the number of affected windows gives an initial indication. Large panes, conservatories, difficult access and work at height need clarification before a firm quote.
How much does cleaning cost?
Swiss offers checked in October 2026 illustrate different scopes: one home-cleaning offer starts at CHF 42.90 an hour including VAT, with a 2.5-hour minimum and cleaning supplies provided by the customer. A regional routine-cleaning example lists CHF 55 per person per hour including VAT, materials and travel within its service area.
These are individual offers, not a general market range. At the first starting rate, 2.5 hours calculate to CHF 107.25; three staff hours at the second rate calculate to CHF 165. These examples explain billing, not how long your rooms will take. Specialist work and other regions may use different pricing.
- Hourly quote. Clarify the rate per person, expected time, minimum duration and approval for extra hours.
- Fixed quote. Agree a precise task list and conditions of the fixed price. Confirm scope changes before additional work.
- Area price. Establish whether the rate applies per visit or period, with which frequency and tasks.
- Extra costs. Compare travel, equipment, products, disposal, surcharges and tax in the full total.
Condition and materials affect the method
A clear, regularly maintained surface needs different work from the same area with heavy deposits or dense furniture. Floor area alone therefore does not describe the full workload. An honest rough assessment is enough to start.
Natural stone, wood, coated surfaces and delicate textiles need suitable products and methods. Share care instructions and show existing damage beforehand. The company should check compatibility; the customer need not select cleaning chemicals.
For mould, unknown residues or potentially hazardous substances, first establish the specialist’s suitability. Cleaning over a problem does not automatically remove its cause. Such work should not silently become part of an ordinary cleaning brief.
Make the visit easier to organise
Clear access, available work surfaces and a short priority list help the team start. Agree who supplies equipment and products, and whether water and electricity are available. If tidying is part of the job, state that explicitly.
Discuss hours, keys, pets and sensitive areas directly with the selected company. Private or business access codes do not belong in the public request. At work, also coordinate activities and restricted rooms.
Recurring arrangements need clear cover, rescheduling and damage reporting. Agree completion checks and any remedial work for specialist tasks. Ordinary cleaning does not automatically include an acceptance guarantee for a tenancy handover.
Compare quotes for the same work
Matching scope is more useful than the lowest hourly rate alone. Check that price, date, supplies and the expected result fit together. Comparable experience and clear arrangements for damage help with selection.
- Narrow the brief. Choose the property, occasion and areas. Count only the surfaces or windows involved.
- Confirm the tasks. Clarify condition, extras and special features, with a site visit for complex work.
- Record the agreement. Set out total price, inclusions and changes in writing. The final contact step has room for optional notes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have just certain areas cleaned?
Yes, such as windows, the kitchen and bathroom, or selected business rooms. The price covers the agreed scope, although minimum time and travel may still matter.
Do I have to estimate the working hours?
No. Describe the scope and condition. The company can estimate the work and inspect it if needed.
Does the company bring cleaning products?
This varies. Some offers include products and equipment; others require the customer to provide them. Agree this before the visit.
Is deep cleaning the same as end-of-tenancy cleaning?
Not necessarily. Deep cleaning describes intensive work; end-of-tenancy cleaning has a handover purpose. The occasion, tasks and agreed result determine the service.
Can a business also request cleaning?
Yes. Select the relevant property and tasks. Operating hours, special hygiene requirements and sensitive areas are agreed before work starts.
