School Cleaning Cost in Ireland: What Schools Should Budget (2026)

What Does School Cleaning Cost in Ireland in 2026?

School cleaning is one of the most price-sensitive sectors in the Irish cleaning market. Schools operate on tight budgets, cleaning must happen outside teaching hours, and every cleaner working in a school must be Garda vetted. These constraints shape both the pricing and the procurement process.

This guide covers what Irish schools are actually paying for cleaning in 2026, whether you are a board of management reviewing your cleaning budget, a principal comparing quotes, or an ETB procurement officer evaluating tenders. All prices exclude VAT at 23% unless stated otherwise.

For general commercial cleaning rates, see our commercial cleaning cost guide. For advice on choosing a cleaning company, read our how to choose a cleaning company guide.

School Cleaning Rates by School Type

Primary Schools

Primary schools are typically smaller buildings with 8–24 classrooms, 2–6 toilet blocks, a GP room, a staff room, a principal’s office, and corridors. Cleaning is usually done after school hours (3:00pm–6:00pm) by one or two cleaners.

Secondary Schools

Secondary schools are significantly larger, with specialist rooms (science labs, home economics kitchens, art rooms, computer suites, PE halls, changing rooms) that require specific cleaning protocols. Cleaning typically happens between 4:00pm and 8:00pm.

Third-Level Institutions

Universities, institutes of technology, and further education colleges are typically cleaned by large contract cleaning companies under multi-year agreements procured through the OGP framework or institutional procurement processes.

• Per m² rate: €1.80–€4.00 per m² per month
• Per-hour rate: €12–€16 per hour
• Annual contract value: €100,000–€1,000,000+ depending on campus size

Daily Cleaning vs Deep Cleaning: What Each Costs

Daily Contract Cleaning

Daily cleaning covers the routine tasks that keep a school hygienic and presentable during term time. It happens every school day, typically after the last pupil leaves.

• Per-hour rate: €11–€16 per cleaner per hour
• Fixed monthly contract: €600–€6,500 per month (depending on school size)

Daily cleaning includes: vacuuming or sweeping all classrooms, mopping hard floors, emptying all bins, cleaning and sanitising all toilets and washrooms, wiping desks and surfaces in classrooms, cleaning the staff room and kitchen, mopping corridors and stairways, and spot-cleaning spills and marks.

Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning goes beyond daily maintenance. It covers every surface from floor to ceiling, including areas that daily cleaning does not reach: high-level dusting, behind radiators, inside ventilation grilles, window tracks, and the underside of furniture.

Summer Deep Clean

The summer deep clean is the most comprehensive cleaning event in the school calendar. With the building empty for 8–10 weeks, it is the only opportunity to strip and reseal hard floors, deep clean carpets, wash walls and ceilings, clean all windows inside and out, deep clean all furniture, and sanitise every surface.

Summer deep cleans typically cost 1.5–2.5 times the monthly contract rate. Many schools include the summer deep clean in their annual cleaning contract at a discounted rate.

OGP Framework and Tender Pricing

The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) operates cleaning services frameworks that public sector bodies, including schools, can use to procure cleaning services. Using the OGP framework offers several advantages:

• All suppliers are pre-vetted for insurance, tax compliance, and capability
• Competitive rates negotiated at framework level
• Simplified procurement process (mini-competition rather than full tender)
• Standardised terms and conditions
• Reduced administrative burden for the school

OGP framework rates for school cleaning typically fall within €12–€15 per hour for standard cleaning and €14–€18 per hour for specialist cleaning (labs, kitchens, SEN facilities). These rates are competitive but not always the cheapest available — local cleaning companies may quote lower for smaller schools.

Running Your Own Tender

Schools not using the OGP framework can run their own procurement process. For contracts below the EU threshold (currently €215,000 over the contract term), the process can be relatively straightforward:

1. Prepare a cleaning specification listing all areas, tasks, and frequencies
2. Invite at least three cleaning companies to submit quotations
3. Evaluate on price (60%) and quality (40%) or similar weighting
4. Check insurance certificates, tax clearance, and Garda vetting arrangements
5. Award the contract and agree a start date

Quality criteria should include: experience in school cleaning, Garda vetting processes, staff training, quality monitoring systems, and references from other schools.

Factors That Affect School Cleaning Costs

School Size and Layout

A compact two-storey school with classrooms off a central corridor is faster (and cheaper) to clean than a sprawling single-storey campus with separate buildings, prefabs, and covered walkways. The number of toilet blocks has a disproportionate impact on cleaning time — toilets take longer per square metre to clean than classrooms.

Floor Types

Vinyl and linoleum floors (common in newer schools) are fast to mop and maintain. Carpet tiles (common in older classrooms) require vacuuming and periodic extraction cleaning. Hardwood floors in PE halls need specialist treatment. The mix of floor types affects both daily cleaning time and deep clean costs.

Special Education Needs (SEN) Facilities

Schools with SEN units, sensory rooms, hydrotherapy pools, or changing/personal care facilities require additional cleaning time and specific infection control procedures. These areas must be cleaned to a higher standard than standard classrooms, adding 15–30% to the cleaning cost for those areas.

Canteen and Kitchen Facilities

Schools with on-site catering facilities need kitchen-grade cleaning, including food-contact surface sanitisation, grease trap cleaning, and compliance with HACCP requirements. This adds €200–€600 per month depending on the size of the kitchen and the volume of meals served.

Location

Dublin schools pay 10–20% more than the national average for cleaning. Rural schools may struggle to attract cleaning companies if they are remote, which can also push prices up. Schools in towns and regional cities (Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford) fall between Dublin and rural rates.

Garda Vetting Requirements

Every cleaner working in a school must be Garda vetted. Professional cleaning companies absorb this cost and manage the vetting process as part of their service. However, the vetting requirement limits the pool of available cleaners and can affect pricing, particularly for rural schools where the cleaning company needs to recruit locally.

What Should Be Included in a School Cleaning Contract

Daily Tasks (Every School Day)

• All classrooms: vacuum or sweep, mop hard floors, empty bins, wipe desks and surfaces
• All toilets and washrooms: clean and sanitise all fixtures, mop floors, refill consumables
• Corridors and stairways: sweep and mop, spot-clean marks
• Staff room and kitchen: clean surfaces, wash up, empty bins, mop floor
• Reception and entrance: clean, tidy, spot-mop
• Principal’s office and admin offices: vacuum, empty bins, wipe surfaces

Weekly Tasks

• Science labs: full bench wipe-down, sink cleaning, floor scrub
• Art rooms: paint splatter removal, table scrubbing
• PE hall: floor dust-mop, changing room deep clean
• Computer suites: screen and keyboard wipe (if specified)
• All door handles and light switches sanitised
• Internal window glass cleaned

Monthly and Periodic Tasks

• Hard floor machine scrubbing
• Carpet deep cleaning (extraction)
• High-level dusting (tops of wardrobes, shelving, vents)
• External window cleaning
• Deep clean of washrooms (descaling, grouting)

Consumables

Confirm whether the cleaning contract includes consumables supply. Most professional contracts include: toilet paper, hand soap (liquid dispensers), paper towels or hand dryers, bin liners, and air fresheners. This typically adds €100–€400 per month depending on school size and usage.

Contract Cleaning vs Employing a Cleaner Directly

Many schools, particularly smaller primary schools, employ a cleaner directly rather than using a cleaning company. Here is a realistic cost comparison:

The main advantage of a directly employed cleaner is continuity — the same person every day, who knows the school, the staff, and the routines. The main disadvantages are the administrative burden (payroll, PRSI, holiday tracking, sick leave management, Garda vetting), no absence cover, and the school’s responsibility for equipment, materials, and training.

How to Save Money on School Cleaning

1. Get a proper specification. Before seeking quotes, walk through every room and list exactly what needs cleaning, how often, and to what standard. A detailed specification ensures you compare like with like and avoids unexpected costs.
2. Bundle daily cleaning and deep cleans. Using the same company for daily contract cleaning and periodic deep cleans (summer, Christmas, Easter) is typically 10–15% cheaper than using separate providers.
3. Commit to a multi-year contract. A 3-year contract is typically 5–10% cheaper per year than a 1-year agreement. Include a break clause after Year 1 if you are trying a new provider.
4. Use the OGP framework. Even if not mandatory for your school, the OGP framework offers competitive rates and pre-vetted suppliers, saving time and reducing risk.
5. Consolidate with neighbouring schools. If two or three schools in the same area use the same cleaning company, the company can optimise staffing and offer a lower per-school rate.
6. Review the specification annually. Schools change — prefabs are added, rooms are repurposed, student numbers fluctuate. Review the cleaning specification each year to ensure you are not paying for cleaning that is no longer needed.