It is the first question almost every Canberra renter asks, and most cleaning websites answer it by asking for your phone number instead. Here is a straight answer.
End of lease cleaning in Canberra generally runs from around the low $200s for a small apartment to $600 or more for a large family home, with carpet steam cleaning quoted separately. The range is wide because two properties of the same size can take very different amounts of time depending on their condition (Read more about End of Lease Cleaning Checklist in Canberra).
Below is what actually drives the number, so you can judge whether a quote you have been given is reasonable.
Explore Clendo’s Premium End of Lease cleaning services.
Typical price ranges by property size
Treat these as a starting guide for a property in reasonable condition, not a fixed price list. Every reputable Canberra cleaner will want details before committing.
Studio or one bedroom apartment. The lower end of the market. Compact kitchens and a single bathroom keep the work contained.
Two bedroom apartment or unit. The most common bond clean in Canberra, particularly across Braddon, Kingston, Belconnen and Gungahlin. Usually a step up from a one bedroom, driven mainly by the second bathroom if there is one.
Three bedroom house. More floor area, more windows, often two bathrooms and usually carpet through the bedrooms.
Four bedroom or larger. Commonly seen in Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and the outer Gungahlin suburbs. These are full day jobs and often need a team.
Add-ons quoted separately. Carpet steam cleaning, exterior windows, garage clean-outs, balcony and courtyard work, wall spot cleaning, fridge and BBQ cleaning.
What actually changes the price
Condition, not just size. This is the biggest variable and the one most people underestimate. A two bedroom unit cleaned regularly for two years and a two bedroom unit that has not been deep cleaned since the tenant moved in are different jobs. Ovens are the usual culprit. A neglected oven can take an hour on its own.
Number of bathrooms. Bathrooms are labour intensive. Grout, shower screens and exhaust fans all take time. A second bathroom adds meaningfully more than a second bedroom does.
Carpet. Whether carpet steam cleaning is needed, how many rooms, and whether pets lived in the property. (Find out about Clendo’s premium carpet cleaning services)
Ovens and rangehoods. Older ovens without any self-cleaning function, and rangehood filters that have never been degreased, add real time. (Explore Clendo’s Premium oven cleaning services)
Windows. The number of windows, whether exterior glass is included, and whether upper storey access is needed.
Outdoor areas. Balconies, courtyards, garages and paved areas, where the lease includes them.
Access and timing. Same day or next day bookings, and jobs where access has to be coordinated around removalists or building management.
Fixed price or hourly rate?
You will see both in Canberra. The difference matters more than the headline number.
Hourly rates look cheap in an advertisement. A rate of “$40 per hour” tells you nothing about your total cost unless it comes with an estimate of hours, and an estimate of hours from someone who has not asked about your property is a guess. This is where the mid-job phone call comes from: the job is taking longer than expected and the price is going up.
Fixed pricing shifts that risk to the cleaner. You describe the property honestly, the cleaner quotes a price, and that is what you pay. If the cleaner underestimates, that is their problem rather than yours.
The catch with fixed pricing is that it only holds if the description was accurate. If you book a clean for an empty property and the cleaners arrive to find furniture still in place, or a property in materially worse condition than described, the quote will need revising. Be honest at quote time and fixed pricing works exactly as intended.
At Clendo we quote fixed prices on every end of lease clean. You get the number before we start.
Is a cheap bond clean worth it?
Sometimes. Price alone does not tell you much. What matters is what happens if the agent is not satisfied.
Ask any quote you receive three questions:
Is there a guarantee, and what exactly does it cover? A guarantee that promises “satisfaction” without specifics is not a guarantee. Ask what happens if the agent flags something, how long you have to report it, and whether the return visit is free.
Are the cleaners insured and police checked? They will be alone in a property you are still legally responsible for.
What is included and what is extra? Some cheap quotes exclude the oven, or exclude window tracks, or exclude anything above shoulder height. Those are exactly the items agents check.
The cheapest quote that results in a re-clean, or a bond deduction, was not the cheapest quote.
How to get an accurate quote quickly
Have these details ready and any Canberra cleaner can quote you properly in one conversation:
- Suburb and property type, whether apartment, townhouse or house
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Whether there is carpet, and in which rooms
- Whether pets lived in the property
- Rough condition of the oven, honestly assessed
- Whether the property will be completely empty
- Your handover date
- Whether your lease requires professional carpet cleaning
Every one of those changes the price, and providing them upfront is how you get a quote that will not move.
Frequently asked questions
Is end of lease cleaning cheaper than losing part of my bond?
Usually, yes. Agents charging a tenant for cleaning generally engage a cleaner at commercial rates and deduct the cost, and the tenant has no control over the price. Booking it yourself is almost always the cheaper path.
Does the price include carpet steam cleaning?
Typically not. Carpet cleaning is usually quoted as a separate item because not every property needs it. Bundling it with your bond clean is generally cheaper than booking a carpet cleaner separately, and gives your agent one invoice.
Can I get a same day bond clean in Canberra?
Often, depending on availability and the size of the job. It is easier to arrange outside peak moving periods.
Do I pay before or after?
This varies. Ask at quote time. Where a bond back guarantee applies, make sure you know how to invoke it before you pay.
What is the cheapest way to handle a bond clean?
Do it yourself, thoroughly, over several days, with your condition report in hand. That is genuinely the lowest cost option. Whether it is the best use of your time during a move is a separate question.