Deep cleaning is an intensive, top-to-bottom clean that resets a building beyond what routine cleaning maintains. Optus Glean UK delivers commercial deep cleans nationwide - as a one-off or on a periodic schedule - reaching kitchens, washrooms, high-level surfaces and floors, using COSHH-assessed products and DBS-checked, PAYE-employed operatives working to a written scope.
What a deep clean covers
A deep clean tackles the build-up that daily cleaning does not reach: descaling and sanitising washrooms, degreasing kitchens and breakout areas, high-level dusting, cleaning behind and beneath furniture, internal glass and partitions, vents and skirtings, and a full floor treatment. It is scoped area-by-area in writing so you know exactly what is included before we start.
Deep cleaning is one of the four divisions within our wider commercial cleaning offer, and it complements a routine contract rather than replacing it - many clients run a scheduled deep clean quarterly on top of their daily office cleaning. Where carpets or hard floors need specialist attention we bring in carpet and upholstery cleaning and hard-floor treatment.
Deep clean vs routine clean vs spring clean
Routine cleaning keeps a building presentable day to day; a deep clean periodically resets it to a baseline; a spring clean is a seasonal deep clean, often before a busy period or an audit. If a property is being handed back or re-let, the closely related job is an end-of-tenancy clean - the difference is explained in our guide to deep clean vs end of tenancy.
How much does a commercial deep clean cost?
Commercial deep cleaning is usually quoted per project or per hour rather than on a rolling monthly fee. UK guide rates run around £20-£35 per hour per cleaner, with office deep cleans commonly £30-£45 per hour and roughly £2-£4 per square metre for a one-off reset; London sits at the top of the band. As with all cleaning, the wage floor drives the price - the National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from April 2026 and the voluntary Real Living Wage is £13.45 (£14.80 in London) - and deep cleaning is standard-rated for VAT at 20%. See our commercial cleaning prices guide or use the cleaning cost calculator.
Safety, chemicals and access
Deep cleaning uses stronger products and often work at height, so it carries more risk than a routine clean. Every product is COSHH-assessed, equipment is BICSc colour-coded to prevent cross-contamination, and any high-level work follows the Work at Height Regulations 2005 hierarchy - see working at height for cleaners. Each job runs to a documented method statement and risk assessment.
Directly-employed, background-checked teams
Deep cleans often happen out of hours and with keyholder access, so who is on site matters. Every Optus Glean UK operative is PAYE-employed on guaranteed hours and DBS-checked (Disclosure Scotland / AccessNI in Scotland and Northern Ireland) before assignment - we do not use gig or self-employed labour. One national contract means the same standard and the same vetting whether we deep-clean one site or fifty.
Indicative commercial deep-cleaning costs (UK, guide only)
| Basis | Typical rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| One-off deep clean (hourly) | £20 - £35 / hour | Per cleaner; varies by scope and access |
| Office deep clean (hourly) | £30 - £45 / hour | Higher for kitchens, washrooms, high-level |
| London office deep clean | £30 - £50 / hour | London premium of ~20-30% |
| Per square metre (one-off reset) | £2 - £4 / sq m | Whole-floor or whole-site resets |