house-cleaning

How Much Does House Cleaning Cost in Washington DC? (2026 Price Guide) Rates by Apartment, Condo, and Rowhouse

House cleaning in Washington DC costs $150 to $380 per visit and $350 to $700 for a deep clean in 2026. See rates by apartment, condo, and rowhouse, plus fees.

How Much Does House Cleaning Cost in Washington DC? (2026 Price Guide) Rates by Apartment, Condo, and Rowhouse

House cleaning in Washington DC costs about $150 to $260 for a standard visit to a two-bedroom apartment or condo this year, $220 to $380 for a three-bedroom rowhouse, and $350 to $700 for a deep clean of either. Hourly rates run $40 to $55 for independent cleaners and $60 to $85 per cleaner-hour at companies, which puts the District among the most expensive cleaning markets in the country alongside New York, San Francisco, and Boston. All figures here are approximate.

The reason is labor. DC's minimum wage is one of the highest in the nation, and cleaning companies pay $20 to $28 an hour to hold staff who could work anywhere in the metro. Parking in Dupont, Capitol Hill, or Columbia Heights costs money and time.

High-rise buildings in Navy Yard, NoMa, and the West End add front desk check-ins and service elevator scheduling. Every one of those costs shows up in the quote.

Because the District's housing is so varied, this guide is organized by dwelling type rather than by neighborhood. A 600 square foot studio in a Logan Circle high-rise and a 2,400 square foot rowhouse in Petworth are different jobs, and the price gap between them is wider here than in most cities.

Studios and One-Bedroom Apartments

A studio or one-bedroom apartment in a DC high-rise runs $110 to $180 for a standard clean and $220 to $350 for a deep clean. Most companies have a minimum charge of $110 to $140, so very small units pay a premium per square foot. Independent cleaners often charge a flat $90 to $140 for a small apartment and are the most economical option in this category.

Buildings shape the price. Newer high-rises in Navy Yard, NoMa, the Wharf, and Mount Vernon Triangle require cleaners to check in at the front desk, sometimes to be pre-registered by the resident, and to use a service elevator during set hours.

Companies that work these buildings regularly know the process. Some add a $10 to $25 building access fee, and cleaners who cannot get in because the resident forgot to register them still charge for the visit.

Move-out cleans for apartments run $200 to $350 and are in heavy demand around the first of each month, with spikes in May, June, August, and September when leases turn over and interns and Hill staff arrive and leave. Landlords in DC can deduct cleaning beyond normal wear from a security deposit, and the District's tenant protections make a receipt for a professional clean useful evidence.

Group Houses and Shared Apartments

Shared houses in Columbia Heights, Mount Pleasant, and Shaw with four or five bedrooms and multiple tenants are a DC staple, and cleaning companies price them by bedroom and bathroom count like any other home. A standard clean of a five-bedroom group house runs $250 to $400, and housemates often split a biweekly service. Ask whether the company will clean common areas only, which brings the price down.

Two-Bedroom Condos and Apartments

The two-bedroom condo is the most common cleaning job in the District. A standard clean runs $150 to $260 depending on square footage, bathroom count, and building, and a deep clean $300 to $480. Condos in Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Adams Morgan, and Cleveland Park are often in converted rowhouses or older mid-rises without doormen, which simplifies access but sometimes means walking up three flights with equipment.

Frequency matters here. Biweekly is the most common schedule for DC condos and costs 10% to 15% more per visit than weekly but half as much per year.

Monthly service runs 20% to 30% more per visit. Most companies require a deep clean as the first visit, at roughly double the standard rate.

Pets add $20 to $45 per visit at many companies, and DC's dog population makes that a common line item. Hardwood floors, which most condos have, take slightly longer than carpet to clean properly.

Rowhouses and Larger Homes

A three-bedroom rowhouse in Capitol Hill, Petworth, Brookland, Bloomingdale, or Shaw runs $220 to $380 for a standard clean and $420 to $700 for a deep clean. Rowhouses are tall and narrow, often three or four levels including a basement, and stairs add time. Original wood floors, radiators, built-ins, and the tight bathrooms common in homes from the 1900s to 1930s all take longer than open-plan construction.

Finished basements, which many DC rowhouses have and often rent out as separate units, are usually excluded from the base quote and add $40 to $80 per visit. Ask whether the company will clean an English basement apartment as a separate job for a tenant.

Larger detached homes in Chevy Chase DC, Spring Valley, the Palisades, Forest Hills, and Wesley Heights run $300 to $500 for a standard clean and $600 to $1,000 or more for a deep clean. These homes often have four or more bathrooms, and companies price accordingly. Weekly service is more common in this category than elsewhere in the District.

Parking and Access on Rowhouse Blocks

Street parking on Capitol Hill, in Petworth, and across Ward 1 is zoned and metered, and cleaning crews either pay meters, risk tickets, or park blocks away. Some companies add a $15 to $30 parking fee for neighborhoods without a driveway or alley access. Homeowners with an alley parking pad or a visitor parking pass can save that fee by offering it.

DC vs. the Maryland and Virginia Suburbs

Prices drop the moment you cross the line. A standard three-bedroom clean that costs $280 in Capitol Hill runs $200 to $260 in Silver Spring or Takoma Park, $210 to $280 in Bethesda and Arlington, and $180 to $240 in Alexandria and Hyattsville. Many companies serve both the District and the suburbs and charge a premium inside DC for parking, access, and time.

Some District residents hire companies based in Prince George's County or Northern Virginia to save 10% to 20%. It works for rowhouses with easy parking and does not work as well for high-rises with strict access rules, where a company unfamiliar with the building loses time at the front desk.

What Each Service Includes

A standard clean covers dusting, vacuuming, mopping, kitchen surfaces and appliance exteriors, bathroom fixtures, and trash. A deep clean adds baseboards, door frames, light fixtures, inside cabinets, inside the oven and refrigerator, window sills and tracks, and detailed grout work. Move-in and move-out cleans are deep cleans in an empty unit.

Add-ons run higher in DC than elsewhere. Interior windows cost $150 to $350 for a rowhouse, inside the oven or fridge $35 to $65 each, and laundry or dishes $25 to $50 per task. Post-construction cleaning after a renovation, which is a large business in a city where rowhouses are constantly being gutted, runs $0.30 to $0.55 per square foot.

Choosing a Cleaner in the District

Independent cleaners in DC charge $40 to $55 per hour and often have full client lists that take new customers only by referral. Companies charge $60 to $85 per cleaner-hour and provide insurance, workers' compensation, which the District requires for nearly all employers, background checks, and backup crews. The premium is 30% to 50%, and for a home with valuables or a building with access rules, it usually earns its keep.

Ask for a certificate of insurance, confirm whether staff are employees or contractors, and ask about bonding. Get the checklist in writing, since a standard clean at one company includes baseboards and at another does not. You can compare providers through the house cleaning companies in our Washington DC directory and read related home service guides for the District on our blog.

Tipping is more common in DC than in most of the country. Many clients tip $15 to $25 per cleaner for a first deep clean and give a holiday bonus equal to one visit in December. Independents are tipped more often than company crews.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does house cleaning cost in DC per hour?

Independent cleaners charge $40 to $55 per hour, and companies charge $60 to $85 per cleaner-hour. A two-person company crew for two hours runs $240 to $340.

How much is a deep clean for a DC rowhouse?

A three-bedroom rowhouse deep clean runs $420 to $700, and larger homes in Chevy Chase DC or Spring Valley run $600 to $1,000 or more. Finished basements are usually extra.

Is house cleaning cheaper in the suburbs than in DC?

Yes, by 10% to 25%. The same three-bedroom clean costs less in Silver Spring, Arlington, or Alexandria because of lower labor costs, easier parking, and simpler building access.

Do I need to register my cleaner with my building?

In most DC high-rises, yes. Front desks require residents to pre-register visitors or vendors, and cleaners who are not on the list may be turned away and still charge for the visit.

Should I tip house cleaners in Washington DC?

Tipping is customary in the District. Fifteen to twenty-five dollars per cleaner after a deep clean and a holiday bonus equal to one visit are common, and independents are tipped more often than company crews.

For more home service pricing guides across the District, browse the latest posts on our blog.