“How much does a cleaner cost in Montreal?” is the first question most people ask, and the honest answer is: it depends on your home. Two apartments with the same number of rooms can take very different amounts of time to clean. This guide explains the factors that drive the price of house cleaning in Montreal, so you can understand any quote you get and compare companies fairly.
The short answer
Cleaning is priced on time and effort. Anything that makes a clean take longer (more rooms, more bathrooms, more buildup, more detail) raises the price. Anything that makes it faster (regular upkeep, less clutter, an empty home for a move) keeps it down. The six factors below explain almost every difference between quotes.
1. Size of your home
Square footage matters, but the number of bathrooms and bedrooms matters more. Bathrooms are the most time-consuming rooms: showers, tubs, glass, toilets, sinks, mirrors and floors all need detailed work. A 4½ with two bathrooms usually takes longer than a larger 5½ with one. Stairs, finished basements and multiple levels add time too.
2. Condition of the home
A home that was professionally cleaned two weeks ago is a very different job from one that hasn’t had a thorough clean in months. Soap scum, kitchen grease and dust on high surfaces build up over time and take much longer to remove. That’s why a first clean or a deep clean generally takes longer than a regular maintenance visit.
3. Type of clean
| Type of clean | What it covers | Relative effort |
|---|---|---|
| Regular (bi-weekly) clean | Keeps a home clean between visits | Lowest per visit |
| Deep clean | Top-to-bottom: behind appliances and furniture, walls, baseboards, vents, grout, interior windows | Higher |
| Move-in / move-out | Deep clean plus inside cabinets, drawers and closets (empty home) | Higher |
| Post-renovation | Deep clean plus construction dust, residue and paint splatter | Highest |
Not sure which one you need? Read deep cleaning vs regular cleaning.
4. How often you clean
Frequency changes the work per visit. When a home is cleaned every two weeks, each visit is maintenance, not recovery, so it tends to go faster. A home cleaned once a month, or only occasionally, needs more time each visit to catch up. Compare the options in bi-weekly vs weekly vs monthly cleaning.
5. Add-ons
Some tasks are typically extras because they take real time: inside the oven, inside the fridge, inside the microwave. At Axiom, these are available as add-ons on deep cleans, and recurring clients get a free oven cleaning at their 6th clean and a free fridge cleaning at their 12th.
6. Clutter and access
Cleaners clean surfaces; they can’t clean under piles. A home where counters, floors and tables are clear gets cleaned faster and more thoroughly. Access matters too: in a condo, time spent finding parking or waiting for building access is time not spent cleaning. Our guide on preparing for your first cleaning covers the easy wins.
Hourly rate vs flat price
Cleaning companies quote in different ways. Some charge by the hour, some give a flat price per visit, and some combine the two (a time estimate with a price that adjusts to the time actually needed). Each has trade-offs:
- Hourly: you pay for actual time, but the final bill can be hard to predict.
- Flat price: predictable, but the company has to guess, so it may pad the price or rush the job.
- Estimate that adjusts: you get a clear estimate up front, and the price moves up or down if the job takes more or less time. This is how Axiom prices deep cleans.
How to compare cleaning quotes in Montreal
The cheapest quote isn’t always the cheapest clean. Before you compare numbers, check that you’re comparing the same thing:
- What’s included and excluded? Ask for the list. Baseboards, interior windows and behind appliances are often deep-clean-only.
- Will it be the same cleaner each time? Rotating cleaners means re-explaining your home and uneven results.
- Who brings the supplies? If you have to buy products and equipment, add that to the cost.
- Is the company insured? Ask which insurer.
- Is there a contract or minimum commitment? And what’s the policy to pause or cancel?
- Are taxes included? Check whether the quoted price is before or after taxes.
- What happens if the job takes longer? Is the price fixed, or does it change?
How Axiom prices cleaning
- Bi-weekly cleaning: personalized quote online in a few minutes, based on your home. Same cleaner every visit, all supplies included, no contract.
- Deep, move-out and post-renovation cleans: quote within 24 hours with a time estimate. If the job takes more or less time on the day, the price is adjusted.
FAQ
Why don’t you publish a fixed price list?
Because the same number of rooms can mean very different amounts of work. A personalized quote based on your home is more accurate than a price grid.
Why is the first clean often longer?
Buildup from before your first visit takes extra time to remove. Once your home is on a regular schedule, visits are maintenance.
Does a bigger team cost more?
Not necessarily. A team of 2 or 3 finishes a deep clean faster; the price mainly reflects the total work, not how many people do it.
En français : combien coûte une femme de ménage à Montréal? · More guides: Cleaning Guides
Get your exact price
The fastest way to know what cleaning your home costs is a personalized quote. It takes a few minutes online, or call (438) 814-9124 (Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).