UK Cleaning Wages: What Cleaners Really Earn Across the Country

When you think about UK cleaning wages, the hourly or weekly pay cleaners receive for residential and commercial work in the United Kingdom. Also known as cleaning industry pay, it varies wildly depending on where you are, what you clean, and who you work for. This isn’t just about minimum wage—it’s about skill, demand, and the hidden costs of doing a job most people take for granted.

Think about the difference between a cleaner working for a small family in Manchester and one cleaning offices in London. In London, hourly rates can hit £15–£20 for commercial jobs, especially if the cleaner is experienced or works for a reputable company like Fortis Cleaning Solutions. But in rural areas, you might see £10–£12 as the norm, even for the same tasks. Why? It’s not just inflation—it’s overhead. Travel time, equipment, insurance, and the fact that many cleaners are self-employed and pay their own taxes all eat into take-home pay. And while some companies offer benefits like sick pay or holiday allowance, most cleaners are hired as contractors, meaning they get paid for the hours they work, nothing more.

Domestic cleaner salary, the typical earnings for someone cleaning homes, apartments, or rental properties. Also known as house cleaning pay, it’s often lower than commercial roles because clients expect lower rates—but that doesn’t mean the work is easier. A cleaner who spends four hours scrubbing a five-bedroom house after a family moves out is doing more than just vacuuming. They’re handling biohazards, deep-cleaning grout, removing stubborn stains, and sometimes even dealing with emotional stress from clients who are overwhelmed. Meanwhile, commercial cleaning rates, the pay structure for cleaning offices, schools, hospitals, and retail spaces. Also known as business cleaning pay, it’s usually higher because these jobs require scheduled shifts, specialized tools, and often involve working overnight when the building is empty. Many commercial cleaners are on fixed contracts, which means steady work—but also less flexibility. And while some companies pay overtime or bonuses for weekend work, most don’t. The truth? Cleaners in the UK are often underpaid for the physical and mental toll of their job. You won’t find many cleaners getting rich off this work, but you will find people who take pride in it—people who show up early, bring their own supplies, and make sure every surface sparkles, even when no one’s watching.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just a list of cleaning tips. It’s a look at the real world behind the mop and bucket: how to handle end-of-tenancy cleaning without losing your deposit, why professionals avoid Windex, how to disinfect safely without toxic chemicals, and even how to claim cleaning costs on your taxes. These aren’t random articles—they’re all connected by one thing: the people who make our spaces clean, and the systems that pay (or underpay) them. Whether you’re hiring a cleaner, becoming one, or just wondering why your windows still streak, the answers are here.