11 min read
How much does house cleaning cost in Ontario?
What a standard, deep and move-out clean costs in Ontario in 2026, by city and home size, what a year of cleaning costs, company or independent, and how to get a fair quote.
UbaFounder, Zulma
A standard house cleaning in Ontario usually costs $100 to $350 a visit. For a home of about 1,500 square feet, expect $140 to $280, depending on the city. A deep clean runs $200 to $500, and a move-out clean $200 to $600. All prices are before HST and come from two Ontario price guides and government wage data, which we checked on 20 October 2026.
Key points
- Home size moves the price most, and bathrooms take longer than other rooms.
- In the city estimates below, Toronto and Oakville cost the most; St. Catharines and Niagara Falls cost the least.
- Companies often quote per cleaner per hour, from about $25 to $60.
- A standard clean of a 1,500 sq ft home takes one cleaner about 2 to 3 hours.
- Weekly or every-two-weeks cleaning costs less per visit than a one-time clean. Every two weeks in Toronto adds up to roughly $4,200 to $6,550 a year.
- Companies usually bring supplies and carry insurance; independent cleaners cost less, so ask about both.
Prices at a glance
| Kind of clean | Castio Cleaning, all home sizes (Jan 2026) | Green Building Canada, 2,000 sq ft home (Jul 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (regular) clean | $120 to $350 | $100 to $250 |
| Deep clean | $200 to $500 | $200 to $400 |
| Move-in or move-out clean | $250 to $600 | $200 to $500 |
| After a renovation | $300 to $700 | $250 to $600 |
Prices are before HST. The two guides measure slightly differently: one covers every home size, the other a typical 2,000 square foot home.
Price by home size
Castio Cleaning's estimates by home size, before HST (January 2026):
| Home size | Typical bedrooms and bathrooms | Standard clean | Deep clean | Move-out clean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1,000 sq ft | 1 to 2 bed, 1 bath | $120 to $150 | $200 to $250 | $250 to $300 |
| 1,000 to 1,500 sq ft | 2 to 3 bed, 1 to 2 bath | $150 to $200 | $250 to $320 | $300 to $380 |
| 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft | 3 to 4 bed, 2 to 2.5 bath | $200 to $260 | $320 to $400 | $380 to $480 |
| 2,000 to 2,500 sq ft | 4 to 5 bed, 2.5 to 3 bath | $260 to $320 | $400 to $480 | $480 to $560 |
| 2,500 to 3,000 sq ft | 5 to 6 bed, 3 to 4 bath | $320 to $380 | $480 to $560 | $560 to $650 |
By the same estimate, each extra bathroom adds about $25 to $50, and a home on several levels can cost about 10 to 15% more because of the stairs.
Price by city
The same company publishes an estimate for each city. A standard clean of a 1,500 square foot home (January 2026):
| Area | Standard clean, 1,500 sq ft | Per cleaner, per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | $180 to $280 | $35 to $60 |
| Oakville | $175 to $270 | $35 to $58 |
| Mississauga | $170 to $260 | $32 to $55 |
| Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill | $170 to $260 | $32 to $55 |
| Brampton | $165 to $250 | $32 to $55 |
| Burlington | $165 to $255 | $32 to $55 |
| Hamilton | $155 to $240 | $30 to $52 |
| Pickering, Whitby, Ajax | $155 to $240 | $30 to $52 |
| Oshawa | $150 to $230 | $28 to $50 |
| St. Catharines, Niagara Falls | $140 to $215 | $28 to $48 |
These are one company's estimates, so use them to compare areas, not as a quote. Government wage data points the same way: the median wage for cleaners in the Toronto region is $19.23 an hour, against $18.00 in the Hamilton and Niagara region (Job Bank, November 2025).
What each kind of clean includes
What is included varies by company, so check your quote. A typical split, from Castio Cleaning's guide:
| Task | Standard | Deep | Move-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dusting, vacuuming, mopping | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bathrooms: toilet, sink, shower, tub, mirrors | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kitchen: counters, stovetop, sink, outside of appliances | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Emptying the garbage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Baseboards | No | Yes | Yes |
| Inside the oven and fridge | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cabinet fronts, light fixtures, ceiling fans | No | Yes | Yes |
| Behind and under furniture that can be moved | No | Yes | Yes |
| Inside every cabinet, drawer and closet | No | No | Yes |
| Inside the dishwasher and microwave | No | No | Yes |
Other companies draw the lines a little differently. Green Building Canada, for example, puts inside the cabinets in a deep clean. If a home has not been cleaned professionally before, Castio suggests starting with a deep clean.
How long a house cleaning takes
- Standard clean, 1,500 sq ft: about 2 to 3 hours with one cleaner, or 1 to 1.5 hours with a team of two.
- Deep clean: about 2 to 3 times as long as a standard clean, which is why it costs 50 to 80% more.
- A 2,000 sq ft home takes longer than the 1,500 sq ft figure above, and more so with extra bathrooms or levels.
So what does a cleaner do in 3 hours? By the same estimate, about enough for one cleaner to finish a standard clean of a 1,500 square foot home. A deep clean of the same home would take longer.
iSource: Castio Cleaning's estimates.
How much you save with a regular schedule
| How often | Typical discount (Castio Cleaning) |
|---|---|
| Weekly | 15 to 20% |
| Every two weeks | 10 to 15% |
| Monthly | 0 to 5% |
| One time | None |
A home cleaned often stays easier to clean, so each visit takes less time. That is where the discount comes from.
What a year of cleaning costs
Using the Toronto and Niagara estimates for a 1,500 square foot home, with the low end of each schedule discount, before HST:
| How often | Visits a year | Toronto | St. Catharines, Niagara Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly (15% off) | 52 | about $7,960 to $12,380 | about $6,190 to $9,500 |
| Every two weeks (10% off) | 26 | about $4,210 to $6,550 | about $3,280 to $5,030 |
| Monthly (no discount) | 12 | about $2,160 to $3,360 | about $1,680 to $2,580 |
This is our arithmetic on Castio Cleaning's published estimates, not a quote. Add one or two deep cleans a year on top if you book them.
How often to book a deep clean
Most guides suggest a deep clean a few times a year, and Squeaky Cleaning, a Toronto company, says every three to six months. Book one before you start regular visits if the home hasn't been cleaned professionally in a while, and before you move in or out.
Who brings the supplies
Cleaning companies usually bring their own supplies and equipment, and their price includes them. Independent cleaners vary, so ask. Eco-friendly products can add to the price (Green Building Canada). If you want a particular product used, for allergies or pets, say so when you book.
Extras and what they cost
Add-ons usually cost extra on top of a standard clean. Typical Ontario prices from Castio Cleaning (January 2026):
| Extra | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Inside the oven | $35 to $60 |
| Inside the fridge | $30 to $50 |
| Interior windows | $5 to $10 per window |
| Baseboards | $20 to $40 per room |
| Finished basement | $75 to $150 |
| Laundry | $25 to $45 per load |
Cleaning company or independent cleaner?
| Cleaning company | Independent cleaner | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Higher, sometimes about double | Lower |
| Hourly rate in the Toronto area | About $45 to $75 | About $25 to $45 |
| Who comes | Often a team of two or more | One person |
| If they are sick | Someone else is sent | The visit may be cancelled |
| Supplies | Usually brought and included | Ask |
| Insurance | Usually bonded and insured | Ask |
For scale, the median wage for cleaners in Ontario is $19 an hour (Job Bank, November 2025). A company's rate also pays for insurance, supplies, travel and the business itself.
iSources: Green Building Canada (comparison) and Squeaky Cleaning (Toronto hourly rates).
Insured and bonded: liability insurance pays if something in your home is damaged, and a bond covers theft. Ask any cleaner, company or independent, whether they have both, and ask to see proof.
What moves the price
The size of your home
Size has the biggest effect on price, because more rooms take more time. Bathrooms add the most, since they take longer to clean than other rooms.
The kind of clean
A deep or move-out clean covers far more than a standard one (see the table above), so it takes longer and costs more.
How often
Regular visits cost less each time (see the schedule table).
Where you live
In the city estimates, a standard clean in Toronto costs about $40 to $65 more than in St. Catharines or Niagara Falls.
Pets, clutter and condition
Pet hair, clutter and a home that has not been cleaned in a while all add time, and so add to the price.
Before the cleaner arrives
A standard clean usually doesn't include dishes, laundry or washing walls (Green Building Canada), so ask first if you want them. Picking up clothes, toys and papers before the visit lets the cleaner spend the time on cleaning, not tidying. Tell them about pets, fragile items and any rooms to skip.
How to get a fair quote
- Ask for the price as a total for the visit, not only an hourly rate.
- If it is hourly, ask how many cleaners will come and for how long.
- Ask what is included and what costs extra, using the table above.
- Ask whether HST is included. Ontario's HST is 13%.
- Ask whether they carry liability insurance.
- Get two or three quotes, and compare them on the same list of rooms and tasks.
Questions people ask
How much does a cleaner charge per hour in Ontario? Cleaning companies commonly charge about $25 to $60 per cleaner per hour, depending on the area and the company. Toronto sits at the top of that range.
What is a reasonable rate for a cleaner? For a company, about $25 to $55 per cleaner per hour across Ontario, and up to about $60 in Toronto. For a whole visit, $140 to $280 is typical for a standard clean of a 1,500 square foot home, depending on the city.
How much should I pay a cleaner per hour? About $25 to $45 an hour for an independent cleaner in the Toronto area, and about $45 to $75 per cleaner for a company, which brings supplies and carries insurance. Outside Toronto, rates sit lower.
What is the minimum hourly rate for a cleaner? Ontario's general minimum wage is $17.95 an hour since 1 October 2026. That is the legal floor for a cleaner who is an employee. What you pay a company or a self-employed cleaner is higher, because it covers their travel, supplies, insurance and time between jobs.
What is the 20 minute rule in cleaning? It's a cleaning habit: set a timer for 20 minutes, clean one area with full focus, and stop when it goes off. Done most days, it keeps a home tidy between professional visits, so the cleaner spends less time catching up.
What will a cleaner do in 3 hours? About enough for one cleaner to finish a standard clean of a 1,500 square foot home: dusting, floors, bathrooms and the kitchen. A deep clean of the same home takes longer.
How long does it take to clean a 2,000 square foot house? Longer than the 2 to 3 hours one cleaner needs for 1,500 square feet. A team of two finishes much faster. Ask the company how many cleaners it will send and for how long.
How much does a deep clean cost in Ontario? Usually $200 to $500, depending on size. For a 1,500 to 2,000 square foot home, about $320 to $400.
How much does a move-out clean cost in Ontario? Usually $200 to $600. For a 1,500 to 2,000 square foot home, about $380 to $480.
Is house cleaning cheaper outside Toronto? Yes. In the published estimates, a standard clean in St. Catharines or Niagara Falls costs about $40 to $65 less than in Toronto.
Is a deep clean worth it? Usually, when a home hasn't been cleaned professionally in a while, before regular visits start, and when you move. After that, one every three to six months keeps regular visits shorter.
How much does house cleaning cost a year? Every two weeks, a 1,500 square foot home costs roughly $4,200 to $6,550 a year in Toronto and $3,300 to $5,000 in St. Catharines or Niagara Falls, before HST, by our arithmetic on published estimates.
Find a cleaner near you
Zulma Atlas lists cleaning businesses across 39 towns, from Niagara to Toronto, York and Durham, with the services each one publishes. Find cleaners in your town
Sources (checked 20 October 2026)
- Castio Cleaning Services, "House Cleaning Prices in Ontario 2026" (prices as of January 2026).
- Green Building Canada, "Average House Cleaning Rates in Ontario" (updated 3 July 2025).
- Squeaky Cleaning, "How Much Does House Cleaning in Toronto Cost? 2026" (February 2026).
- Government of Ontario, "Your guide to the Employment Standards Act: Minimum wage" (updated 28 September 2026).
- Job Bank, Government of Canada, "Wages for Light duty cleaners" (updated 19 November 2025).
Written by Uba, founder of Zulma. Last checked 20 October 2026. We re-check these prices every six months.
