Introduction: What Does a Well-Balanced Budget Actually Look Like?
Right—let’s not dance around it. If you’re running an office in London, there’s always one big question when it comes to maintenance: how much should you be spending on cleaning? I’ve managed enough offices over the years to know that guessing doesn’t cut it. Some budgets are far too tight—you can smell the neglect in the stairwell. Others throw money at it with no real plan, booking daily deep cleans when they barely get foot traffic. A well-balanced budget doesn’t mean splashing out or cutting corners. It means having a solid idea of what your office needs, and planning for that without stretching your accounts.
Think of it like this—if your office budget were a plate of fish and chips, you wouldn’t pile on tartar sauce just because it’s available, but you also wouldn’t skip the salt entirely. You need the right portions. It’s not just about cleanliness either. It’s about morale, safety, and long-term savings. A proper cleaning schedule can stop wear and tear on carpets, reduce sick days, and keep your workplace looking sharp for visitors.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the real-world decisions that shape a smart cleaning budget. Whether you’re running a small creative agency in Shoreditch or a multi-floor setup in Canary Wharf, these tips will help you build a cleaning plan that fits your office—and your books.
How Much Is Too Much – Or Too Little – In Office Cleaning?
The Cleaning Budget Sweet Spot
There’s no one-size-fits-all figure, but I’ve seen plenty of offices spend either way too little or far too much. If you’re only allocating a couple of hundred quid a month for a 40-person office, that’s barely going to keep the loos from turning feral. On the other hand, if you’re spending thousands on daily deep cleans when your team works hybrid, you’re flushing money down the drain—literally.
You’ve got to ask yourself: what are the bare minimums we need to meet health and safety standards? Then go one better. Daily wipe-downs in the kitchen and bathroom, bins emptied, floors mopped—these are basics. A weekly deep clean of communal spaces? Sensible. Anything more should be based on use. A studio full of muddy-booted architects? You’ll need more frequent visits. A mostly remote IT consultancy? Less so.
The Hidden Costs of Skimping
Cutting corners can backfire. I’ve seen businesses try to save money by reducing cleans, only to end up dealing with pest control or carpet replacement. Those repairs cost far more than regular cleaning ever would. Staff notice too—nobody wants to work in a place where the fridge has evolved its own lifeform. And clients definitely notice when the meeting room smells like last week’s takeaway.
In-House Staff or Professional Contractors?
Weighing Up the Options
Should you hire someone in-house or bring in a cleaning company? Both routes have their place, but it really depends on your setup.
In-house cleaners give you more control. You can tailor their hours and keep a consistent face around the office. But that also means dealing with sick pay, holidays, and performance issues. HR admin adds up, especially if your office is mid-sized and the cleaner doesn’t have much to do some days.
Professional contractors, on the other hand, bring experience, specialist equipment, and flexibility. You don’t have to manage them in the same way—you book them, they come, they clean, they leave. If someone’s off sick, the company sends someone else. Simple.
My Experience
In my last office, we switched from in-house to an external service and it was a relief. Our cleaner was great, but she had to juggle multiple tasks, and the admin started to become a real pain. The cleaning company gave us a team instead—two people working efficiently with the right gear. No more panic when she called in sick.
That said, in-house can work beautifully for smaller setups with consistent needs. Just make sure it’s a planned decision, not a default one.
Top Considerations Before You Budget
How Big Is Your Premises?
Size matters. A small open-plan office won’t take long to clean, but once you’ve got multiple floors, meeting rooms, kitchens, and toilets, the time—and cost—shoots up. Don’t underestimate how much square footage affects your cleaning needs.
It’s worth getting a walkthrough from a cleaning company rep. They can spot things you might miss—grubby corners, high-traffic zones, awkward areas that need specialist products.
How Many People Work There?
More people means more mess. That’s just reality. A team of eight won’t generate the same level of grime as a staff of 50. Factor in whether your team works hybrid or on-site full time. No point scheduling a daily clean if half your team is WFH four days a week.
Also think about visitor traffic. If you’ve got clients in and out all day, you’ll want the place looking presentable. A dusty reception area doesn’t exactly scream professionalism.
Scheduling That Makes Sense
Offices run on schedules, and your cleaning plan should slot in neatly. Some places need an early morning clean before staff arrive. Others prefer an evening visit after everyone’s gone. Lunchtime touch-ups can be useful for high-traffic spaces, especially shared kitchens or loos.
Don’t forget the one-off events—after big meetings, office parties, or those dreaded ‘bring your dog to work’ days.
Budgeting by Percentage – Not a Set Number
Why Flat Rates Don’t Work
I used to work with a finance director who insisted on a £1,000 monthly cleaning cap, no matter what. Sounds tidy, doesn’t it? Trouble is, our team doubled in size and moved into a bigger space. But the budget didn’t change. The cleaning got rushed, complaints started rolling in, and staff satisfaction dipped. All because we were tied to a flat figure instead of adapting.
A Smarter Way to Budget
Instead of fixing a number, tie your cleaning spend to your monthly income. A good rule of thumb? Aim for 1–2% of your office’s monthly turnover if you want a solid, fuss-free setup. For a £50k turnover, that gives you a cleaning budget of £500 to £1,000. It flexes with your earnings and protects you from overstretching when cash flow tightens.
That approach also helps justify the spend to finance teams—if your cleaning budget grows proportionally with your income, it’s seen as a cost of doing business, not an indulgence.
Assessing the London Office Cleaning Market
Local vs City-Wide Providers
London’s full of cleaning companies—from independent teams working out of Camden or Lewisham, to large outfits covering every borough from Croydon to Barnet. Both have their perks.
Local companies often offer more personal service. They’re nearby, flexible, and know the quirks of your area. If something goes wrong, they’re quicker to respond. I once had a local cleaner drop by on a Saturday afternoon because a client visit had been moved forward—they saved our skins.
City-wide firms, meanwhile, have size and scale. They’re reliable, professional, and great for big operations. But they can be slower to react and less tailored in their approach. You might be one of hundreds of clients.
What’s Right for You?
Smaller or medium-sized offices might do well with a local cleaner who can adapt quickly and build a relationship. If you’re managing multiple sites or need guaranteed availability, a larger firm could suit you better. Either way, always get a quote, check reviews, and ask about insurance and staff training.
Look for companies that understand office life—ones that clean quietly, respect security protocols, and aren’t fazed by the odd coffee stain on a presentation table.
Final Thoughts From Behind the Manager’s Desk
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt managing offices in London, it’s that cleaning budgets can make or break your workplace atmosphere. Go too cheap, and you end up in a grubby, demoralised space. Overspend, and you’ll have the finance team breathing down your neck.
The sweet spot sits somewhere in between—flexible, thoughtful, and matched to your income and actual needs. Start with your space, your team size, and your working patterns. Choose between in-house or contractors based on what will work, not what’s cheapest. And when you’re picking a cleaning company, look local first—but don’t rule out the big names if your setup demands it.
Think of your cleaning budget like your office kettle. It’s easy to ignore when it’s working, but when it stops being reliable—well, chaos isn’t far behind.
And no one needs that before a Monday morning meeting.