How long does it take to clean a flat: what affects the time for regular and deep cleaning

Cleaning a flat does not have one fixed duration. The time depends mainly on what exactly is being cleaned (regular or deep cleaning), the condition of the flat, how many bathrooms it has and how large the kitchen is, whether pets live there and how many people are cleaning at the same time. You can get a reliable estimate by listing the scope of work room by room and adding time for drying and for products to take effect.

Why square metres are not enough

Two flats of the same size can take very different amounts of time to clean. An empty living room with a smooth floor can be vacuumed and mopped quickly, whereas a kitchen of the same size, with a kitchen unit, extractor hood and oven, involves much more work.

The floor area is therefore only a starting point. What matters is the number and type of surfaces to be cleaned and how dirty they are.

The main factors that lengthen or shorten cleaning

Scope of cleaning

Regular cleaning keeps the flat tidy: dusting open surfaces, vacuuming and mopping floors, the bathroom, the WC and the outside of the kitchen unit. Deep cleaning adds windows, frames, doors, switches, the insides of cupboards, appliances, chandeliers, radiators and the areas behind furniture. The difference between them is described in detail in the room-by-room deep cleaning checklist.

Condition of the flat and time since the last cleaning

The longer it has been since the last cleaning, the more time each surface takes. Built-up grease in the kitchen or limescale in the bathroom cannot be removed with a single wipe. If you clean regularly, individual visits are shorter. For guidance on how often to clean what, see the article how often to clean a flat.

Kitchen and bathroom

These two rooms have the greatest variety of surfaces and the most stubborn dirt. Each additional bathroom or separate WC adds noticeably more work than another room. In the kitchen, it depends on the size of the kitchen unit, the amount of items on the worktop and whether the inside of the oven, fridge or microwave is also cleaned.

Appliances

Cleaning the inside of an oven, fridge, dishwasher or washing machine is a separate task, which is usually not included in regular cleaning. Some steps cannot be rushed: the fridge has to be emptied and possibly defrosted, and an oven with a self-cleaning function needs time for the programme and for cooling down. How long such a programme takes is stated in the manual for your appliance.

Pets and allergies

Fur clings to upholstery, carpets and corners, and vacuuming takes longer. If an allergy sufferer lives in the household, cleaning is often more thorough and more frequent, which also affects the time.

Amount of items on surfaces

When there are items on the table, shelves and worktop, they have to be moved before wiping and then put back. Clear surfaces significantly shorten the time of the cleaning itself.

Number of people cleaning

Two people in one flat share the work, so the cleaning finishes sooner. However, the total working time does not decrease, and some steps, such as products taking effect or the floor drying, cannot be sped up.

Time that cannot be shortened: contact time and drying

When planning, people often forget the periods when "nothing is happening". The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in its guidance When and How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home, states that a disinfectant must stay on the surface long enough to kill germs. This period is called the contact time; you will find it in the instructions on the label, and the surface should remain wet throughout.

The same source recommends first washing the surface with soap and water, and disinfecting mainly when someone in the household is ill or has a weakened immune system. In regular cleaning, therefore, disinfecting every surface is not necessary, and you can save time.

Descaling or degreasing works in a similar way: the product is applied, left to work according to the label and only then wiped off. Work in parallel, therefore. While a product is working in the bathroom, clean another room.

Safety when working with cleaning products

• Always read the label and follow the contact time and dilution given by the manufacturer.
• Ventilate. The CDC recommends ensuring good ventilation when using products indoors, for example by opening windows.
• Wear gloves and, if necessary, eye protection against splashes.
• Do not mix products. The Toxicology Information Centre warns that products containing sodium hypochlorite must not be mixed with acids, because chlorine gas may be released (Commercial products – TIS). Do not combine them with products containing ammonia either.
• Test a new product first in an inconspicuous spot.

How to estimate the cleaning time roughly

The most accurate estimate is one based on your own flat. Proceed as follows:

1. List the rooms and, for each, the tasks you want to do (e.g. kitchen: outside of the kitchen unit, worktop, sink, hob, floor).
2. Distinguish what is regular cleaning and what is extra: windows, oven, fridge, insides of cupboards, grout, radiators.
3. At your next cleaning, note down how long each room took you. One timed room is a better guide than any general estimate.
4. For each task involving a product, add the contact time from the label, unless you use it for other work.
5. Add time for preparation (clearing items, getting your equipment ready) and for floors to dry before anyone walks on them.
6. If nobody has cleaned the flat properly for a long time, allow a margin. Ingrained dirt is removed more slowly.

When several people are cleaning, divide the rooms so that they do not get in each other's way. One starts in the bathroom, where the product needs time to work, while another dusts in the rooms in the meantime.

An order of work that saves time

1. Ventilate and clear items from surfaces.
2. Apply products where they need time to work (bathroom, WC, kitchen degreasing).
3. Dust from top to bottom: chandeliers, tops of wardrobes, shelves, then tables and windowsills.
4. Finish the bathroom and kitchen, where the product has already worked.
5. Vacuum and finally mop the floors, from the furthest point towards the door.

This method saves you doing the work twice: dust from the upper surfaces will not fall onto an already mopped floor.

Equipment that speeds up cleaning

• Several microfibre cloths, ideally colour-coded for the kitchen, bathroom and WC.
• A vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool and an upholstery attachment.
• A mop and bucket from which the mop can be wrung out well, so that the floor dries faster.
• A squeegee for windows and shower glass.
• A bucket or caddy in which you carry products from room to room.
• Gloves and products suitable for your surfaces according to the manufacturer's label.

Planning the day the cleaning company comes

With a booked cleaning, the duration depends on the same factors, except that the company needs to know the flat in advance. The more precisely you describe it, the more accurate the time estimate will be:

• the size of the flat and the number of rooms, bathrooms and WCs,
• whether it is regular or deep cleaning, and which appliances are to be cleaned inside,
• the number of windows and whether frames and windowsills are also washed,
• pets in the household and the approximate time since the last cleaning,
• access to the building, parking and whether you will be present.

Before the team arrives, clear the surfaces and put away valuables and documents. If you will not be at home, arrange the handover of keys in advance. You will find answers to common organisational questions in the frequently asked questions section.

If you would like to order cleaning, you will find a description of the scope under the services home cleaning and deep cleaning. The duration of the work also affects the price, so it is worth looking at the page how much does it cost to clean a flat in Prague as well.