The True Cost of DIY Cleaning vs Professional Cleaning in Sydney

Cleaning your own house has always seemed like a more economical option than paying a professional to do it for you. It’s certainly the more convenient thing to do, isn’t it? But is DIY cleaning really saving you money, or is it costing you more than you realise?

Well, when you start factoring in the cost of cleaning products, your time, and how frequently you need to clean your house, you start to see things from an entirely different perspective. While this article isn’t intended to persuade readers in either direction, the facts speak for themselves.

Today, MaidForYou is breaking down the real cost of DIY cleaning versus hiring professional cleaners in Sydney by factoring in the value of your time, the amount of product needed to clean effectively, and the overall quality of results. Read on!

The Average Hourly Value of Your Time

They say time is money, and in Sydney, every hour counts! While many individuals may not be paid an hourly wage, it doesn’t take away from the fact that their time is valuable. To give you some perspective, let’s say you spend approximately 3 hours cleaning your house once a week; that’s 150 hours of your entire year. It’s starting to sound like a lot, isn't it? 

Now, considering the average hourly wage in Sydney which currently sits at around $39/hour, this adds up to thousands of dollars in a single year. Bear in mind that this isn’t even accounting for bigger, time-consuming tasks like oven cleaning, deep cleaning bathrooms, window washing, etc. The fact is, whether you are paid by the hour or not, your time has value, and how you choose to use it, matters.

The Average Cost of Cleaning Supplies

The list of cleaning supplies required to keep a home in tip-top shape is longer than most people realise. Although every household should have basic cleaning products and tools for regular upkeep of their home, most people stick to all-purpose cleaners or simply resort to DIY cleaning solutions. However, if you’re hoping to achieve professional-like results, you’ll need to stock up on more than just the essentials.

Some of the most necessary cleaning supplies and tools include multi-surface sprays, floor cleaners, degreasers, toilet bowl gel, glass cleaners, disinfectants, sponges, scrubbers, microfibre cloths, mops, buckets, gloves, and even masks. Then there are the bigger, yet often necessary, investments like vacuum cleaners, steam mops, and carpet/upholstery machines.

With that in mind, let’s estimate the average quarterly spend on general cleaning supplies for a home in Sydney:

Total (per quarter) = $140

Annual cost: $140 × 4 = $560

Keep in mind, these are just estimates; the actual costs vary based on how often you clean, the brands you choose, and the type of equipment you use. Moreover, this doesn’t include other equipment or tools like vacuum cleaners, brooms, cleaning brushes, etc; all of which come at very different price points.

When you get down to the numbers, it’s safe to say Sydney households spend hundreds of dollars on cleaning supplies annually. One of the benefits of hiring a professional cleaning service is that they bring their own commercial-grade supplies, which means you don’t need to spend money stocking up on a wide range of products. This also saves on storage space and reduces the chance of wastage from unused or expired items.

The Importance of Quality and Efficiency

One of the most underestimated costs of DIY cleaning is re-cleaning. Think about how often you’ve found ‘missed spots’ after cleaning a surface; or perhaps, weren’t able to achieve a desirable result the first time around. Having to re-clean areas costs you more time and effort, as well as excess product.

Professional cleaners in Sydney, especially those from reputable companies, are trained to clean efficiently and thoroughly. They follow a systematic approach, use the right tools and products for each task, and often finish the job in half the time, or even less, than it would take a homeowner.

For example, an entire 2-bedroom apartment might take the average homeowner 3-4 hours to clean, but a trained and experienced house cleaner can typically do the same job in 1.5-2 hours, and yield better results, too! Getting the job done quickly and properly really counts, especially if you are juggling work, family, or a busy schedule. That’s where a professional cleaning service really comes in handy. They don’t just clean faster, they clean better, which saves you the time and stress of having to redo tasks.

The Cost of Hiring a Professional Cleaning Service

Today, hiring a professional cleaner in Sydney can cost you around $62 per hour, which is the highest among major Australian cities. Depending on factors like experience, location, and inclusion of supplies, and the type of cleaning service, hourly rates can range approximately between $50 and $75.

Flat‑rate pricing, on the other hand, is typically charged as per the size of the house, or more specifically, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the home. Similarly, each service (such as general cleaning, carpet cleaning, end-of-lease cleaning, etc) is priced differently. For example, the rate for a standard 3‑bedroom general clean could be anywhere between $185 and $220, while a deep clean or end‑of‑lease service for a similar-sized home can fall between $150 and $400.

So, whether you choose hourly or flat‑rate pricing, you can expect to pay between $90 and $160 per session for general cleaning.

How Costs Add Up: DIY Cleaning vs Professional Cleaning in Sydney

Note: The rates mentioned below are approximate figures based on average pricing for professional cleaning across Sydney.

To really understand the cost of outsourcing your cleaning vs doing it yourself, let’s break down a hypothetical year of professional services and see how it adds up. When you compare that to the time and money spent on DIY cleaning, the difference might surprise you.

Assuming you get fortnightly cleaning for an entire year, at the rate of $125 per session, this amounts to:

$125 × 26 weeks = $3,250 annually

Even if you include the occasional deep clean, window cleaning, and other chargeable add-ons, the total annual spend would be approximately $3,500–$4,000.

When compared to the $6,000+ cost of your own time (plus around $560 in supplies), hiring professionals already looks more economical.

When you consider the value of your time, the cost of supplies, and the quality of results, hiring a professional cleaner in Sydney starts to look like the smarter choice. While DIY may seem cheaper upfront, the numbers tell a different story, one where outsourcing your cleaning could save you both time and money in the long run.