A realistic house cleaning cost cannot be worked out from floor area alone. A 150 m² house may take six labour hours to maintain, or it may take ten. The extra time usually hides in the second bathroom, the stairs, dog hair, a crowded kitchen and all the small items that must be moved before a surface can be wiped. For a first budget, think in labour hours and define the job. The model homes below put regular cleaning at roughly CZK 1,600 to 6,500 per visit, while a first deep clean may land between CZK 3,000 and 11,000.
The examples use a planning rate of CZK 400 to 500 per labour hour in Prague and its near surroundings. Independent cleaners may charge less; some companies charge more. A public Prague price list from Úklid domova, updated in October 2026, quotes CZK 420 for regular cleaning, CZK 480 for a one-off visit and CZK 520 for demanding work. These are budgeting models, not a universal rate card or a binding ČistýKout quote. For a wider baseline, see ČistýKout's guide to home cleaning prices in 2026.
Why a house is not priced by square metres alone
One hundred square metres of open flooring is a different job from the same area divided into small rooms, two bathrooms, a separate toilet and a staircase. Bathrooms are the obvious time sink. Floor size tells you little about limescale around taps, shower glass, grout, mirrors, toiletries and the toilet. A second bathroom can add 30 to 60 minutes even if it covers only six square metres.
Stairs behave in much the same way. Vacuuming edges and individual treads, then wiping the handrail, can add 20 to 45 minutes compared with a similar patch of open floor. A large, clear kitchen may be quicker than a smaller one with appliances and jars across every worktop. Two outside entrances bring in grit, leaves and winter road salt from both ends of the house.
I often see enquiries that say, "The house is 140 m². How much will it cost?" It is a fair starting point, but not enough for a house cleaning estimate. A one-bathroom home with clear floors and fortnightly visits may be quicker than a 90 m² flat with two dogs and a shower screen that has not been descaled for months.
The first deep clean and a regular visit are different jobs
The first visit catches up on old residue: grease on top of kitchen units, dust along skirting boards, marks around switches, limescale and hair behind furniture. The cleaner is also learning the property. Which surface dislikes acidic products? Where are the sockets? Which rooms should be left alone? A first visit taking 30 to 70 percent longer than maintenance is perfectly plausible in a home that has gone without detailed cleaning.
Regular cleaning runs on repetition. Bathrooms, toilets, the outside of the kitchen, accessible dust and floors are covered weekly or fortnightly. Doors, high shelves, skirting boards and the guest room can move into a rotating schedule. The oven, inside of the fridge, windows and ironing remain separate tasks.
Trouble starts when the introductory clean is sold as an ordinary visit. Either the list is left unfinished or the invoice feels like a surprise. A better arrangement gives the first clean its own time range, then adjusts the regular house cleaning price using what actually happened on site.
Three model budgets: a small house, two floors and a busy family home
These models use labour hours. If two cleaners attend, six labour hours may mean about three hours on site. The price still reflects their combined time. The base covers accessible dust, the outside of kitchen units, bathrooms and toilets, vacuuming and mopping. It excludes windows, appliance interiors, ironing, the garage and the terrace.
Model A: compact single-storey house, 95 m²
This 3+kk home has one bathroom, a separate toilet, no pets and mostly clear surfaces. Cleaning takes place every two weeks.
| Scope | Labour time | Model cost | |---|---:|---:| | Regular base | 4-5 hours | CZK 1,600-2,500 | | First deep clean | 7-9 hours | CZK 3,000-4,500 | | Oven or fridge interior | +0.5-1.5 hours | +CZK 200-750 |
Floor area is reasonably useful here because there are no stairs and no second bathroom. Clearing the kitchen worktop and bathroom shelves before the visit usually keeps the job near the lower end.
Model B: two-storey house, 150 m²
This 5+kk home has two bathrooms, two toilets, one staircase, wood and tiled floors, plus a cat. The family wants a fortnightly visit.
| Scope | Labour time | Model cost | |---|---:|---:| | Regular base | 6-8 hours | CZK 2,400-4,000 | | First deep clean | 10-14 hours | CZK 4,500-7,000 | | Sofa hair and extra stair detail | +0.5-1.5 hours | +CZK 200-750 |
The extra bathroom and staircase matter more than another 30 m² of easy floor. If the upstairs study sees little use, it can be cleaned on alternate visits and the regular job may stay closer to six hours.
Model C: large family home, 220 m²
This 7+kk house has three bathrooms, two staircases, two outdoor entrances, children and a dog. It is busy, and the cleaners come weekly.
| Scope | Labour time | Model cost | |---|---:|---:| | Regular base | 9-13 hours | CZK 3,800-6,500 | | First deep clean | 16-22 hours | CZK 7,000-11,000 | | Muddy entrances in bad weather | +0.5-2 hours | +CZK 200-1,000 |
Trying to force every detail into one short visit will not help. Keep a fixed base, then rotate the detail work: doors and skirting one week, children's rooms more thoroughly the next. That is more predictable than buying a full deep clean every time.
What raises the price, and what keeps it steady
An irregular schedule often adds 15 to 35 percent to the time compared with weekly or fortnightly maintenance. Heavy soil can make the first visit 30 to 70 percent longer. Pets may add half an hour to an hour and a half depending on textiles, hair and muddy paws. Travel beyond the normal service area may appear as a CZK 300 to 800 call-out charge, a minimum booking or a custom rate. Ask how it is calculated before confirming.
Clear floors and easy access bring the estimate down. You do not need to clean before the cleaner arrives. Just avoid paying for mail sorting, toy collection or a search for the back-door key. Priorities help too: bathrooms, kitchen and floors first; the study and guest room only if time remains.
Windows, the oven, fridge interior, ironing, garage, terrace and conservatory belong in a separate part of the quote. Windows alone may add half a day or a full day depending on the number of panes, frames and access. Outdoor paving needs different tools from an indoor floor. The phrase "complete cleaning" is too vague to make two quotes comparable.
How to request a quote that can actually be estimated
A useful enquiry can be short. It should describe how the house is cleaned, rather than just how it appears on a property plan.
- layout and approximate floor area;
- number of floors, staircases, bathrooms, toilets and outside entrances;
- floor types and sensitive materials;
- children, pets and the usual level of hair or mud;
- desired frequency and date of the last thorough clean;
- fixed base tasks and optional work such as windows or the oven;
- location, parking and likely travel time.
Only send photographs that explain the work, such as a scaled shower screen, an awkward staircase or a large glazed wall. Family paperwork, children's names and valuables do not belong in a cleaning enquiry. Protecting privacy matters more than squeezing another few minutes of accuracy from an early estimate.
Ask the provider to confirm whether travel, products and VAT are included, how many people will attend, and whether the quoted time means time on site or combined labour hours.
How to compare two quotes without a price surprise
Do not compare the final number in isolation. A CZK 3,200 quote might include six hours from one cleaner, products and travel. Another quote at CZK 2,700 may add a call-out charge, enforce a minimum booking and exclude windows. Either can be fair. They are not the same service. It also helps to understand when an hourly rate or fixed cleaning price works better.
Put the same questions to both providers. What is included in the regular base? How is the first visit charged? Is the estimate capped, or will actual time be billed? What happens if the list does not fit the booking? Who brings the vacuum and products?
My favourite safeguard is simple: put three priorities in the booking. Bathrooms, kitchen and all floors, for example. Doors and skirting come next if time allows. The cleaner does not have to guess, and you know what will be finished in a difficult week.
If you want a budget based on the actual shape of your home, Prague-based ČistýKout accepts a no-obligation cleaning enquiry through its contact form. Include the floors, bathrooms, frequency and your three main priorities. It will produce a more useful starting point than any price per square metre.
