Commercial Cleaning Cost Melbourne (2026): Hourly & m² Rates

Last updated: October 2026 · Reviewed by Dan Parera at Dans Building Solutions

Quick answer: Commercial cleaning in Melbourne costs about $45–$65 per hour for standard office cleaning in 2026, and $60–$85+ per hour for medical, healthcare and industrial sites. Priced by area, expect $2.00–$3.50 per m² for regular office cleaning and $5.00–$8.00 per m² for deep or medical-grade cleans. Your final price depends on floor area, visits per week, time of day and the scope of work.

The floor under every legitimate quote is the 2026 cleaning award. From 1 July 2026, a casual cleaner costs a compliant business at least $37.91 per hour in wages and super alone, before insurance, WorkCover, chemicals, equipment or supervision. That is why quotes far below $45 an hour deserve a closer look.

Melbourne commercial cleaning costs at a glance (2026)

Commercial cleaning rates per hour in Melbourne

Most Melbourne commercial cleaners quote by the hour for small and medium sites. The hourly rate changes mainly with the compliance level the site needs.

Aged care, gyms and strata common areas are usually quoted per site after a walk-through, because the scope varies so much from one building to the next. See our guide to aged care cleaning costs in Melbourne for that sector.

Commercial cleaning cost per square metre

Per-m² pricing suits larger sites with a stable, documented scope. Rates below are per clean.

Warehouses have the lowest per-m² rate because large open floors are cleaned with machines. Medical sites have the highest because every surface follows an infection-control process.

Why commercial cleaning can’t be cheap: the 2026 award-wage floor

Every employed cleaner in Australia is covered by the Cleaning Services Award. The Fair Work Commission’s 2026 Annual Wage Review lifted award rates by 4.75% from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.

Those figures are wages and super only. A compliant cleaning company must also pay for:

• WorkCover insurance and public liability insurance
• Payroll tax, once wages pass the Victorian threshold
• Chemicals, consumables and equipment (vacuums, scrubbers, PPE)
• Supervision, quality audits and replacement staff for sick leave
• Travel, CBD parking, police checks, inductions and admin

That is why the realistic Melbourne range starts around $45 per hour. A quote of $35 per hour, a figure still common on forums and older price guides, is below what a legally employed casual cleaner costs. It usually means one of three things: cash payment, underpaid staff, or fewer hours on site than the quote implies. Each is a risk to your building and your business.

Worked examples: what Melbourne businesses actually pay

Use this formula to check any quote:

Weekly cost = hours per visit × visits per week × hourly rate
Monthly cost = weekly cost × 52 ÷ 12

The examples below use typical market rates. Hours per visit are illustrative; a site walk-through sets the real number.

As a broader guide, a 100–500 m² office cleaned three times a week typically costs $300–$700 per week ($1,300–$3,000 per month). Five visits a week typically runs $450–$1,200 per week ($1,950–$5,200 per month).

What affects the price of commercial cleaning in Melbourne?

1. Frequency. Regular contracts (three to five visits a week) attract a lower hourly rate than one-off cleans, because the cleaner’s time is predictable.
2. Time of day and day of week. After-hours work is standard for offices, but weekend and public holiday cleans cost more because award penalty rates apply (150–250% of the base rate).
3. Facility type and compliance. Medical, aged care and food areas need specific chemicals, procedures and training. Industrial sites need inductions and machinery.
4. Floor surfaces and fit-out. Carpet, hard floors, glass partitions and high-touch fit-outs change how long each visit takes.
5. Traffic. A 20-person office and a 120-person office of the same size create very different workloads in kitchens and bathrooms.
6. Consumables. Toilet paper, hand towels, soap and bin liners may be bundled in or charged separately.
7. Access and location. Security inductions, after-hours keys, loading docks and CBD parking all add time or cost.
8. Contract length. A 12-month agreement often secures a better rate than month-to-month.

What’s included in a standard commercial cleaning quote?

A standard Melbourne office quote usually covers:

• Vacuuming carpets and mopping hard floors
• Wiping desks, benches, door handles and other high-touch surfaces
• Emptying bins and recycling
• Cleaning kitchens and breakout areas, including sinks and appliance exteriors
• Cleaning and sanitising bathrooms
• Spot-cleaning glass doors and partitions

Often quoted as extras: external window cleaning, carpet steam cleaning, hard-floor strip and seal, high-level dusting, consumables restocking and one-off deep cleans.

Hourly, per-m² or fixed monthly: which pricing should you choose?

Whichever model you choose, ask for the hours on site per visit. It is the single best way to compare quotes like for like.

How to compare commercial cleaning quotes

Before you sign, check that every quote includes:

• ✔ Hours on site per visit, and the number of cleaners
• ✔ A written scope of work, area by area
• ✔ Whether cleaners are employees paid under the award, or subcontractors
• ✔ Current public liability insurance and WorkCover certificates
• ✔ Police checks and site inductions for your building
• ✔ Who supplies consumables, and at what cost
• ✔ How quality is checked (inspections, reporting, a single contact)
• ✔ GST treatment, contract length and notice period

How to reduce your cleaning costs without lowering standards

• Clean high-traffic areas daily and low-traffic areas weekly. A zoned scope cuts hours without cutting hygiene.
• Combine services with one provider. Cleaning, bin management and minor building maintenance under one contract reduces call-outs and admin.
• Commit to a longer term. Twelve months gives the provider certainty and usually earns a better rate.
• Keep surfaces clear. Clear desks and kitchen benches let cleaners work faster.
• Review the scope every six months. Staff numbers and floor use change; your cleaning should change with them.

What does Dans Building Solutions charge?

[CLIENT TO CONFIRM: DBS ‘from’ rates or pricing approach. If DBS prefers not to publish rates, use: “Every site is different, so we quote after a free walk-through. You get a written scope, the hours per visit and a fixed weekly or monthly price.”]

Dans Building Solutions provides commercial cleaning services in Melbourne for offices, medical and allied health sites, aged care facilities, gyms, strata common areas, warehouses and post-construction projects.

For a fast, accurate quote, tell us three things:

1. Your approximate floor area in m²
2. Your facility type (office, medical, retail, warehouse, strata, aged care)
3. How many visits per week you need

Frequently asked questions

How much do commercial cleaners charge per hour in Australia?

In 2026, commercial cleaners in Australia typically charge $45–$65 per hour for standard office cleaning and $60–$85 or more for medical, healthcare and industrial work. Rates are higher on weekends and public holidays because award penalty rates apply.

How much do cleaners charge in Melbourne?

Commercial cleaners in Melbourne charge about $45–$65 per hour for offices, or $2.00–$3.50 per m² for regular cleaning. Residential cleaners price differently, usually per home or per visit, so their rates aren’t a fair comparison for a workplace.

How much is a commercial cleaner for 3 hours?

At $45–$65 per hour, three hours of standard commercial cleaning costs about $135–$195, usually plus GST. Many providers set a minimum booking of two to four hours for one-off jobs.

What is the minimum a commercial cleaner can legally be paid in 2026?

From 1 July 2026, the Cleaning Services Award minimum for a Level 1 adult cleaner is $27.08 per hour, or $33.85 per hour for casuals including the 25% loading. Employers must also pay 12% superannuation.

What margin is built into a commercial cleaning quote?

A casual cleaner costs about $37.91 per hour in wages and super in 2026. The gap between that and a $45–$65 quote covers insurance, WorkCover, chemicals, equipment, supervision, travel and the provider’s profit. A rate too close to the wage cost leaves no room to do the job properly.

Is weekend commercial cleaning more expensive?

Yes. Under the Cleaning Services Award, Saturday work is paid at 150% (175% for casuals) and Sunday work at 200% for permanent staff, so weekend cleans cost more than weekday evening cleans.

Do commercial cleaning prices include GST?

Most commercial cleaning quotes in Melbourne are given excluding GST. Always confirm whether a price is ex-GST or inc-GST before comparing quotes.

About the author: Dan Perera,Manager overseeing commercial cleaning contracts across Melbourne

Sources: Fair Work Ombudsman, Cleaning Services Award [MA000022] and pay guides; Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2025–26. Market rate ranges compiled from published Melbourne commercial cleaning price guides, October 2026.