Strata cleaning keeps the shared areas of an apartment block, townhouse complex or commercial strata building clean, safe and presentable. If you sit on a strata committee, own a lot, or manage a scheme in Sydney, this 2026 guide explains exactly what strata cleaning covers, who is legally responsible for it, what it should cost, and how to choose a reliable contractor.
What is strata cleaning?
Strata cleaning is the regular, scheduled cleaning and upkeep of the common property in a strata scheme — the parts of a building that every owner shares rather than any single lot. It is different from cleaning inside an individual apartment, which is the owner’s or tenant’s job. Strata cleaning covers everything from the front entry a visitor sees first to the bin room nobody wants to think about.
Common property in a Sydney strata building typically includes lobbies and foyers, internal hallways and corridors, stairwells and fire stairs, lifts, shared bathrooms, car parks and driveways, bin and garbage rooms, external glass and entry doors, letterbox banks, and communal gardens or courtyards. Keeping these areas clean protects the health of residents, preserves the value of the building, and keeps the scheme compliant with its legal maintenance duties.
What does strata cleaning include?
A good strata cleaning program is built around a fixed scope and a set schedule so nothing gets missed. The exact list depends on the building, but a typical Sydney strata clean includes:
- Lobbies and entryways – mopping and vacuuming floors, wiping glass doors and intercom panels, dusting surfaces and spot-cleaning walls.
- Hallways, corridors and stairwells – vacuuming carpet or mopping hard floors, wiping handrails, removing cobwebs and cleaning skirting.
- Lifts – cleaning floors, walls, mirrors, buttons and tracks, and polishing stainless steel.
- Car parks and driveways – sweeping, removing litter and oil marks, and periodic pressure washing.
- Bin and garbage rooms – washing floors, deodorising, and keeping the area hygienic and pest-resistant (see our note on bin-room cleaning below).
- Common glass and windows – entry glass, internal partitions and reachable common windows.
- Gardens and outdoor common areas – litter removal, sweeping paths, and keeping courtyards tidy.
Who is responsible for common area cleaning in NSW?
In New South Wales, the owners corporation is legally responsible for maintaining and cleaning the common property. This isn’t optional. Under Section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, the owners corporation has a statutory duty to properly maintain and keep the common property in a state of good and serviceable repair — and that duty explicitly includes cleaning and general upkeep of shared areas.
In practice, the cost of strata cleaning is funded through the scheme’s administrative (operating) fund, which every lot owner pays into through their quarterly levies. The strata committee or strata manager engages a cleaning contractor, and the fees are shared across all owners in proportion to their unit entitlements.
A common point of confusion: anything inside an individual lot is the owner’s responsibility, while shared areas are the owners corporation’s. Where the boundary sits (for example, some external windows or balcony surfaces) can vary between schemes, so check your strata plan and by-laws if you’re unsure.
How much does strata cleaning cost in Sydney? (2026)
Most Sydney strata cleaning is priced as a fixed monthly fee based on an agreed number of visits, not a raw hourly rate. Fixed pricing is easier to budget for and gives the scheme a predictable line item. As a rough 2026 guide, routine common-area labour sits around $45–$75 per hour, but the more useful number for a committee is the monthly cost per lot.
| Building size | Typical schedule | Indicative monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Boutique block (8–20 lots) | 1–2 visits per week | ~$30–$45 per lot |
| Small building (20–50 lots) | 2–3 visits per week | ~$22–$32 per lot |
| Mid-size building (e.g. 35 lots) | 2–3 visits per week | ~$850–$1,050 total |
| Large / mixed-use complex | Daily or multiple daily visits | Custom – request a site quote |
The main factors that move the price are the total common-area floor space, how often the building is cleaned, the scope of each visit, access and height (multi-level car parks, high glass), and where the building sits across Greater Sydney. The cheapest quote is rarely the best value — a reliable, insured contractor who turns up on schedule saves the scheme far more in avoided complaints and damage.
Strata cleaning vs commercial cleaning: what’s the difference?
The two overlap but aren’t the same. Commercial cleaning usually means servicing a single business tenant — an office, a retail store, a medical suite — where one occupier controls the space and the scope. Strata cleaning services the shared parts of a multi-owner building, where the client is the owners corporation and the priority is consistent presentation of common areas that dozens of residents and visitors pass through every day.
Strata work also carries specific expectations: reliable scheduled visits, discretion around residents, familiarity with bin rooms and car parks, and clear reporting back to the strata manager or committee. A contractor who understands strata knows the building’s presentation is the first thing prospective buyers and tenants judge.
How often should strata common areas be cleaned?
Frequency should match how heavily the building is used:
- Boutique, low-traffic blocks: once or twice a week is often enough for lobbies, stairs and bin rooms.
- Busier residential buildings: two to three visits a week keeps high-traffic entries and lifts consistently presentable.
- Large or mixed-use complexes: daily (sometimes multiple daily) servicing of entries, lifts and bin areas.
On top of the routine schedule, most schemes add periodic deep cleans — car park pressure washing, high-window cleaning, carpet steam cleaning and hard-floor stripping — on a quarterly or bi-annual basis.
What to look for in a strata cleaning company
Before your committee signs a contract, check that the provider offers:
- Full public liability insurance (ask for the certificate of currency) and workers compensation cover.
- Police-checked, trained cleaners — important in buildings where staff work around residents.
- A fixed, itemised scope and schedule so everyone knows what’s cleaned and when.
- Consistent staff and reliable attendance — the number-one complaint about strata cleaners is missed or rushed visits.
- Clear communication and reporting to the strata manager or committee.
- Flexibility to scale — adding a bin-room deep clean or car-park wash without renegotiating the whole contract.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in strata cleaning?
Strata cleaning covers a building’s common property: lobbies, hallways, stairwells, lifts, shared bathrooms, car parks, bin and garbage rooms, common glass, letterboxes and communal gardens. It does not include the inside of individual apartments.
Who pays for strata common area cleaning?
All lot owners pay collectively through their strata levies. The owners corporation collects levies into the administrative fund and uses that fund to pay the cleaning contractor.
Is common area cleaning the strata committee’s responsibility?
The owners corporation carries the legal duty under Section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. The strata committee acts on its behalf to engage and oversee a cleaning contractor.
How much does strata cleaning cost in Sydney?
Most schemes pay a fixed monthly fee. As a 2026 guide, expect roughly $22–$45 per lot per month depending on building size and visit frequency, with larger or mixed-use complexes quoted per site.
Does strata cleaning include window cleaning?
Common windows and entry glass are usually included, and high or external windows are often handled as a periodic deep clean. Windows inside a private lot are the owner’s responsibility. Confirm the boundary in your strata plan.
How often should a strata building be cleaned?
Anywhere from once a week for small, quiet blocks to daily for large or mixed-use buildings, plus periodic deep cleans for car parks, carpets and high glass.
Need reliable strata cleaning in Sydney?
Clean Effortlessly provides scheduled, fully insured strata and common-area cleaning across Sydney — lobbies, lifts, bin rooms, car parks and more. Get a transparent, itemised quote for your building.