Adelaide cost guide
End of Lease Cleaning Cost in Adelaide (2026)
If you have a locked-in vacate date and you are quietly worried the clean will cost nearly as much as the bond itself, this is the page that tells you what an Adelaide end of lease clean actually runs in 2026. No 'from $X' bait, no 'call for a quote' games, no padded sales copy. You get the real fixed-price ranges, the factors that move the number up or down, the quote traps to avoid, and a clear framing of when the standard under section 69(3) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) is reasonably within reach for a DIY clean and when it pays to bring in independent Adelaide cleaners. The goal: give yourself the best chance of getting your full bond back, with no nasty surprises on the day of the clean.
TL;DR
- 1-bedroom unit $200-$350, 2-bedroom unit $250-$400, 3-bedroom house $350-$600, 4-bedroom house $500-$800, 5+ bedroom $700-$1,200+.
- Carpets, windows, walls and garage are almost always quoted as separate add-ons, not bundled into the base bond clean price.
- Fixed written price is the Adelaide standard. Anyone refusing to put it in writing, or pricing hourly with no cap, is a quote trap.
- The standard under s 69(3) RTA SA is 'reasonably clean', not 'spotless'. That standard, not a sales pitch, is what your quote should be built around.
Real ranges
What this actually costs in Adelaide (2026)
Fixed-price ranges from research into local Adelaide operators and renter forums. Pair the range with the factors below it - that is how you sanity-check any quote you receive.
| Item | Adelaide range |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom unit / apartment | $200 - $350 |
| 2-bedroom unit / apartment | $250 - $400 |
| 3-bedroom house | $350 - $600 |
| 4-bedroom house | $500 - $800 |
| 5+ bedroom / large house | $700 - $1200 |
| Carpet steam clean (per room) | $30 - $50 |
| Carpet steam clean (whole 3-bed house) | $130 - $250 |
| Oven deep clean (standalone) | $50 - $120 |
| Window clean (interior + exterior) | $60 - $150 |
| Wall washing / spot cleaning | $60 - $150 |
| Garage clean-out / sweep | $50 - $120 |
| Hourly rate (where quoted hourly) | $45/hr - $65/hr |
Sanity-check any quote
Use the cost calculator to plug in your bedrooms, bathrooms and add-ons, then compare with quotes from up to 3 independent Adelaide cleaners. No obligation.
What's in scope
What a fixed-price quote should cover
Independent cleaners in our network quote on this scope. If a quote excludes any of these items, ask why - and get the exclusion in writing before booking.
- Kitchen deep clean: inside the oven (racks, trays, glass door), cooktop and rangehood degreased, splashback, all benches, cupboards inside and out, sink and tapware polished.
- Bathroom(s): shower screen and tiles descaled, grout scrubbed, toilet inside, outside and behind, vanity, mirror, exhaust fan, tapware polished.
- Laundry: tub, taps, dryer lint filter, behind and under appliances where accessible, cupboards.
- Bedrooms and living areas: skirting boards, light switches, power points, door frames, tops of doors, wardrobes vacuumed inside and out.
- Windows: interior glass, sills, tracks and frames wiped. Exterior glass is a separate add-on for most operators.
- Floors: vacuum throughout, mop all hard floors. Carpet steam clean is a separate add-on.
- Walls: spot clean of obvious marks and scuffs. A full top-to-bottom wash is a separate add-on.
- Light fittings, ceiling fans, exhaust fans dusted and wiped.
- Cobwebs removed from accessible ceilings, cornices and eaves.
- Garbage and recycling bins rinsed, lids wiped.
- A final walk-through against the agreed scope before the cleaner leaves.
What moves the price
The factors that push a quote up or down
Properties with the same bedroom count almost never quote the same. These are the factors that drive the gap.
- Bedroom and bathroom count - the single biggest driver. A second bathroom adds more time than a second bedroom.
- Property condition at handover. A property kept tidy throughout the tenancy quotes at the low end of the range. A long tenancy with smokers, pets or neglected wet areas can push it 20-40% higher.
- Oven condition. A heavily-used oven with baked-on grease can add 1-2 hours by itself. Some operators flag this on arrival and price it as an add-on - confirm in writing before they start.
- Carpet count and condition. Carpets are usually quoted as a separate line item, not bundled. Heavy soiling, pet stains or extra-large rooms push the per-room price higher.
- Add-ons selected. Windows (exterior glass), wall washing, garage clean-out, blinds and balconies all sit outside the base bond clean scope.
- Urgency. A same-week clean, or a same-day fit-in, may carry a small premium (typically 10-15%).
- Suburb access. Inner suburbs with easy parking quote standard. Hills fringe and outer northern or southern suburbs may carry a small travel loading from some operators.
- GST. Some operators quote ex-GST. Ask whether the price you are quoted includes GST so you are comparing like with like.
Avoid quote traps
The traps that turn a $300 quote into a $450 bill
Every item below is a real pattern seen in the Adelaide market. Insist on a fixed written quote that names the property and the scope.
- 'From $X' or 'starting at $X' with no ceiling. Insist on a fixed written quote that names the property, bedrooms, bathrooms and inclusions. 'From' prices almost always finish higher than the conversation on the phone.
- Hourly rates with no cap. An hourly quote without a maximum is an open chequebook. If hourly is the only option, demand a written cap (for example, '$55/hr capped at 6 hours').
- Price quoted by phone with no questions about bedrooms, bathrooms or oven condition. A real fixed quote needs information about your specific property. A number pulled out of thin air on the phone is a number that gets renegotiated on the day.
- 'Carpet cleaning included' that is not actually a steam clean. Some operators include vacuuming and call it 'carpet cleaning'. A bond-grade carpet clean is hot water extraction (steam) by a separate machine. Confirm the method in writing.
- Ex-GST quotes presented next to GST-inclusive ones. The comparison should be apples to apples - confirm whether each operator's number includes GST.
- A loud outcome promise on bond return that, in the fine print, is actually a 48-72 hour re-clean. A re-clean is genuinely useful; an outcome promise on bond return is not something any cleaner or lead-gen platform can give - bond return is decided between you, the agent, and (if disputed) SACAT. Read what any cleaner's guarantee covers in writing before relying on it.
- Vague scope. If 'inside the oven', 'inside cupboards', 'shower screen descaled', 'exhaust fan' and 'skirting boards' are not on the scope sheet, they are not in the quote. A bond clean is defined by what is on the list.
- Cash-only requests, no invoice, no business name. You need a written invoice with the scope on it. The invoice is your evidence under s 69(3) if the agent disputes the clean.
DIY or pay a cleaner?
The honest call against the s 69(3) standard
DIY is genuinely on the table for some tenants in Adelaide. The standard under s 69(3) RTA SA is 'reasonably clean', having regard to fair wear and tear - not 'spotless' and not 'as new'. If you have kept on top of cleaning through the tenancy, the property is small, the oven is not a disaster, and you have 12-16 free hours plus a working partner to help, DIY can save you $300-$700. Where DIY usually loses money is on 3 things: the oven (a heavily-used oven can take a beginner 4+ hours to do properly), wet area descaling (shower screens, grout, silicone seals) and carpets (a steam clean rented from a hardware store rarely matches what a commercial truck-mount delivers). The split many Adelaide renters land on: DIY the easy rooms, pay independent cleaners for the kitchen, bathrooms and any carpets. Match the quote to the scope - get matched with up to 3 independent Adelaide cleaners and ask for a fixed written price on just the rooms you want done. The cost calculator at /tools/cost-calculator will give you a closer estimate based on your bedrooms, bathrooms and add-ons.
Frequently asked questions
How much does end of lease cleaning cost in Adelaide in 2026?
Real Adelaide ranges in 2026: 1-bedroom unit or apartment $200-$350, 2-bedroom unit $250-$400, 3-bedroom house $350-$600, 4-bedroom house $500-$800, 5+ bedroom or large house $700-$1,200+. Carpets, windows, walls and garage are quoted as separate add-ons, not bundled into the base price. If a quote sits well below the bottom of these ranges with no explanation of what is being excluded, that is usually a quote trap.
Why are the ranges so wide?
There are 3 big drivers. First, bedroom and bathroom count (a 3-bed 2-bath has more wet area than a 3-bed 1-bath). Second, property condition at handover - a tidy property quotes at the bottom of the range, a neglected property closer to the top. Third, oven condition - a heavily-used oven can add 1-2 hours on its own. The cost calculator at /tools/cost-calculator runs through those factors and gives you a closer estimate.
Is the cleaner allowed to add charges on the day?
Not if you have a fixed written quote with a clear scope. The whole point of a fixed price is that the number on the quote is the number you pay. If the cleaner finds something genuinely outside scope on arrival (for example, a very dirty oven that was not flagged in your booking), the right thing is to call you, agree a written add-on price, and only proceed if you say yes. If a cleaner just adds charges without that conversation, you have grounds to refuse them.
Does the price include GST?
Some Adelaide operators quote GST-inclusive, others quote ex-GST. Ask up front. The difference is 10%, which is enough to flip which quote actually costs less. When you compare quotes, compare GST-inclusive to GST-inclusive.
Is a fixed price better than an hourly rate?
For a bond clean, almost always yes. An hourly rate without a cap is an open chequebook - the cleaner has no incentive to be efficient and you have no certainty about the final bill. A fixed written price puts the risk on the cleaner to scope the job correctly. Hourly rates are reasonable for small partial jobs (a single-room top-up or a standalone oven), where the work genuinely sits in a 1-2 hour window.
Will the cleaner guarantee my bond back?
No. No cleaner and no lead-gen platform can guarantee the return of your bond. Bond return is determined by you, your landlord or agent, and (if disputed) by SACAT under the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA). What a good fixed-price bond clean does is meet the standard your agent expects under s 69(3) and give you a written scope as evidence if the clean is disputed. Some independent cleaners offer their own re-clean guarantee (a free return visit within 48-72 hours if the agent flags the clean) - that is an arrangement between you and the cleaner. Confirm it in writing before you book.
How long does it take to get my bond back in SA after the clean?
If the bond claim is undisputed, the refund is generally processed through Residential Bonds Online (RBO) within about 5 working days, with EFT typically landing in your account 24-48 hours after that. If there is a dispute, CBS gives the other party 14 days to respond, then attempts conciliation, and may refer the matter to SACAT if it cannot be resolved. A scoped invoice from your cleaner is among the strongest pieces of evidence you can bring to that process. This is general information - confirm your situation with CBS on 131 882 or a tenancy advice service.
Other cost guides
Compare across services
Get a fixed written quote on your specific property
Up to 3 independent Adelaide cleaners quote on the same clear scope. Compare fixed written prices within 24 hours. No obligation.