Commercial Cleaning Services in London: What's Included, Costs and How to Choose

A clean workplace isn't just nicer to walk into. It keeps staff healthier, makes a good first impression on customers, and is part of your legal duties as a business. This guide explains what commercial cleaning services include, what they cost in London in 2026, the rules every business should know, and how to choose the right cleaners for your office, shop or café.

What are commercial cleaning services?

Commercial cleaning means cleaning places where people work or do business, rather than homes. That includes offices, shops, restaurants and cafés, gyms, studios, schools and warehouses.

The main differences from home cleaning:

• Timing. Most businesses want cleaning before opening or after closing, so it doesn't get in the way of staff and customers.
• Frequency. Busy workplaces often need cleaning every weekday, or even every day.
• Scale. Bigger spaces may need a team of cleaners at once.
• Rules. Businesses have legal duties about cleanliness, cleaning chemicals and waste (see below).

What's usually included

Most regular commercial cleans cover:

• Work areas: wiping desks, tables and surfaces, dusting shelves and displays, and cleaning door handles and light switches (the things everyone touches)
• Floors: vacuuming carpets and mopping hard floors
• Bins: emptying bins and recycling, and putting in fresh liners
• Kitchens and staff rooms: worktops, sinks, the outside of appliances, microwaves and fridges
• Toilets: toilets, urinals, sinks, mirrors and floors, and refilling soap and paper
• Entrances: reception, corridors, stairs and the inside of glass doors and windows

A deep clean goes further: limescale, grease, inside ovens and fridges, behind furniture, and the places a regular clean doesn't reach. Many businesses book a deep clean every few months, before a big event or after building work. Not sure which you need? Read deep clean vs regular clean.

Some jobs need specialist equipment and are usually booked separately: carpet shampooing, outside and high-level window cleaning, floor polishing and waste collection.

Commercial cleaning for different kinds of business

Offices. Desks, kitchens and toilets get the most use. Keyboards, phones and shared meeting rooms (and their whiteboards) need regular attention. Our office cleaning checklist shows what to clean daily, weekly and monthly.

Shops. First impressions count: clean glass, dust-free shelves and floors without muddy footprints, especially in winter. Cleaning usually happens before opening or after closing.

Restaurants, cafés and takeaways. Kitchens get greasy fast, and food hygiene officers will check how you clean. Our restaurant and café kitchen cleaning checklist covers daily, weekly and monthly tasks.

Gyms, studios and clinics. Equipment, mats, changing rooms and showers need frequent cleaning because people touch them all day.

Schools, nurseries and community spaces. Classrooms, toilets and kitchens, cleaned out of hours.

The rules: what the law says about cleaning a workplace

A few rules apply to every workplace in Great Britain. Here are the main ones.

Keep the workplace clean. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 say every workplace, and its furniture, furnishings and fittings, "shall be kept sufficiently clean". Waste shouldn't be allowed to build up except in suitable bins, and toilets and washing facilities must be kept "in a clean and orderly condition".

Use cleaning products safely. Under COSHH (the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health rules), you have to manage the risks from cleaning chemicals. The Health and Safety Executive's COSHH guidance for cleaning warns that some cleaning products can cause skin problems, allergies and asthma, and some are corrosive. It recommends storing products safely, using gloves and other protection where needed, and keeping areas well ventilated.

Get rid of business waste properly. Businesses have a legal "duty of care" for their waste. As the City of London's commercial waste guidance explains, waste must be stored securely, collected by a registered waste carrier, and every transfer needs a waste transfer note that you keep for at least two years. Your cleaners can empty bins and sort recycling, but collection is done by your waste contractor.

Food businesses: clean in two stages. The Food Standards Agency's Safer Food, Better Business guidance says to remove dirt and grease first, then disinfect, because disinfectants only work on surfaces that have been cleaned first. Disinfectants should meet BS EN 1276 or BS EN 13697, and you should keep a cleaning schedule.

This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, check with the HSE, your council or a professional adviser.

How much do commercial cleaning services cost in London?

Most cleaning companies charge per cleaner, per hour. Here's what recent UK price guides say:

What	Typical price
Commercial cleaning in London	£20–£35 per cleaner per hour (MyJobQuote, October 2026)
Commercial cleaning across the UK	£18–£25 per cleaner per hour (same source)
Small office, 5 cleans a week	£400–£800 a month (Whito, September 2026)

What changes the price:

• How often you need cleaning. More visits cost more a month, but often less per visit.
• Size and layout. More rooms, toilets and kitchens take longer.
• Time of day. Some companies charge extra for early mornings, evenings and weekends.
• Supplies. Some quotes include products and bin liners, others don't.
• How the price is worked out. Two cleaners for two hours is four cleaner hours. Always compare like with like.
• Contracts. Some companies ask for a fixed-term contract with a notice period, so check the terms before you sign.

How to choose a commercial cleaning company

Before you sign anything, ask:

1. What checks do your cleaners have? At the very least, ID and right-to-work checks.
2. Are you insured? Ask what insurance they hold, and for a copy.
3. How do I know the work was done? Checklists, photos or sign-off sheets make a big difference.
4. Who brings the products and equipment? And are they safe for your surfaces?
5. Can you clean when I need you to? Before opening, after closing or at weekends.
6. What happens if a cleaner is ill or on holiday? You don't want to come in to a dirty office.
7. How do I cancel or change the schedule? Look for clear terms and short notice periods.
8. How do I raise a problem? And how fast will they put it right?

How TidyGo does commercial cleaning in London

TidyGo is a London cleaning marketplace. You book online, choose exactly what you want cleaned, and a checked local cleaner does the job. Here's what we offer businesses:

• Offices, shops, restaurants, cafés and more. When you book, choose your type of place: office, shop, restaurant or café, or "other" for gyms, studios, schools and warehouses. You get a ready-made checklist for that type of place, and you can add your own tasks.
• Normal and deep cleans. A normal clean is £18 an hour per cleaner for offices and shops, and £20 for restaurants and cafés. A deep clean is £22 an hour (£24 for restaurants and cafés), and kitchens with greasy ovens, grills or fryers always get a deep clean. You see the full price before you pay.
• Before or after opening hours. Choose any start time from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week, at least a day ahead.
• Every weekday, every day or every week. A cleaning plan books your cleans automatically: every day, every weekday, every week, every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks. Paying monthly saves 5%, and paying yearly saves 10%. You can skip a clean up to 24 hours before it, and cancel your plan online at any time.
• Teams for bigger spaces. Book up to 6 cleaners for one job, and we choose a team for you.
• Proof the job was done. Your cleaner ticks off every task on your checklist and takes an "after" photo of each area. You see the ticks and photos on your booking page.
• Checked cleaners. Every cleaner passes an ID check and a right-to-work check before their first job.
• Easy changes. Move a one-off clean up to 24 hours before it starts, add more time if the job needs it, and message our team from your booking.

Example: an office cleaned for 1½ hours every weekday costs £27 a clean. On a weekday plan paid monthly, that's £25.65 a clean, about £556 a month. Paid yearly, it's £24.30 a clean.

Tell us in your booking notes what products and equipment are on site, and anything your cleaner needs to know, like alarm codes or where to find the keys.

We cover areas across London. Book your first clean in a couple of minutes, or contact us about a bigger or more unusual space.

Questions people ask

What's the difference between commercial and domestic cleaning?

Commercial cleaning is for businesses: offices, shops, restaurants and other workplaces. It usually happens outside opening hours, more often, sometimes with a team, and it has to meet workplace health and safety rules. Domestic cleaning is for homes.

How often should an office be cleaned?

Most offices need bins, kitchens and toilets cleaned every working day, and desks, floors and touch points at least a few times a week. Busy offices usually choose a clean every weekday, with a deep clean every few months.

Can cleaners come before or after business hours?

Yes. With TidyGo you can choose any start time from 6am to 10pm, any day of the week.

Do I have to sign a long contract?

Not with TidyGo. Book one-off cleans whenever you need them, or choose a plan that you can cancel online at any time (it stops at the end of the month or year you've already paid for).

How much does commercial cleaning cost per hour in London?

Price guides from 2026 put commercial cleaning in London at around £20–£35 per cleaner per hour. TidyGo's normal clean is £18 an hour per cleaner for offices and shops.