What a bond clean costs in 2026
Updated October 2026
Bond cleaning cost comes down to three things: the size of the property, its condition and what your lease adds on top, carpets being the usual one. The figures below are guide pricing only, drawn from published Australian cost guides for 2026. The cleaner who calls you back will give a firm price for your actual property before any work starts.
Typical bond clean prices by property size
Guide ranges for 2026, for an unfurnished property in reasonable condition:
| Property size | Typical range |
| --- | --- |
| 1 bedroom unit | $250 to $400 |
| 2 bedroom unit or house | $300 to $500 |
| 3 bedroom house | $400 to $700 |
| 4 bedroom house | $500 to $900+ |
These cover the standard end of lease clean scope: kitchen and oven, bathrooms, windows and tracks inside, skirting boards, wardrobes, walls spot cleaned, and floors throughout.
The carpet steam cleaning add-on
Carpet steam cleaning is priced per room, typically around $30 to $60 per room, so a fully carpeted three bedroom house usually adds somewhere between $150 and $350 to the bond clean. Stairs, heavy soiling, pet treatment and deodorising add more. Booking carpets with the bond clean in one visit usually works out cheaper than two separate bookings, and you get one receipt for the agent.
What moves the price
- Condition. The biggest variable by far. A well-kept home sits at the bottom of the range, a year of baked-on oven grime and mouldy grout sits at the top.
- Furnished or unfurnished. Furnished bond cleans cost more because every item has to be cleaned around or under, and cupboards full of belongings cannot be done properly.
- Bathrooms. A second or third bathroom adds real time, which is why two homes with the same bedrooms can be quoted differently.
- Balconies, garages and extras. Balcony glass and floors, garage sweep-outs, blinds and exterior windows are commonly quoted as add-ons, so say upfront what you want included.
- Where the property sits. A beachside unit with salt-filmed screens and sandy tracks takes longer than an inland flat of the same size, and a split-level house takes longer than a flat one.
Why cheap quotes rebound at inspection
A bond clean quoted far below the ranges above is usually buying fewer hours, and the hours come off the slow jobs: the oven, grout, window tracks and skirting boards. Those are exactly the items agents check, so the saving often rebounds as a failed inspection, a scramble to re-clean and sometimes a cleaning charge against the bond that costs more than the difference between quotes. No cleaner can honestly promise your bond back, since the bond also covers damage and rent, but a properly scoped clean gives you the best chance of keeping cleaning out of the inspection argument. Some cleaners offer a re-clean of items the agent flags, so ask about this when they call. Inspection already booked and time short? See the last minute bond clean page.
Frequently asked questions
Is carpet steam cleaning required when moving out?
Not automatically. Under NSW tenancy law you must leave the place reasonably clean, and your lease sets out any cleaning conditions, so read it before you book. In practice it is usually required where the carpets were professionally cleaned at the start of your tenancy or your lease includes a carpet cleaning condition. Where it applies, keep the receipt for the agent.
Do I legally have to hire a professional bond cleaner?
No. The law asks for reasonably clean, allowing for fair wear and tear, and you can do the work yourself. Most tenants hire professionals because the agent's checklist is long, moving week is chaotic and a failed inspection is expensive in time and stress.
Why do quotes for the same property differ so much?
Different inclusions. One quote covers the oven, tracks, walls and carpets, another quietly excludes them. Compare what is in the quote, not just the number, and ask specifically about the oven, window tracks and carpets.
Are these prices ex GST?
Published cost guides mix GST treatment, which is one more reason to treat them as guides. The cleaner who calls will confirm a full price for your property before you commit to anything.