Cleaning Award: Pay Rates & Key Rules (2026)
The cleaner award rate is the minimum hourly pay for cleaning work set by the Cleaning Services Award, and modern award minimum rates rose 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. Your exact rate depends on the classification, your age and whether you are full-time, part-time or casual.
Use the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for the dollar figure. This guide shows how the cleaner award rate is built, so you can price a contract or check a payslip. It sits within our modern awards explained guide.
Cleaner award rate: how the pay guide is built
The table shows the parts of the cleaner award rate. Where a dollar figure is not listed, take it from the pay guide for the right classification.
| Item | What the rule is | Where to confirm it |
|---|---|---|
| Award minimum rates | Rose 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026 | Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide |
| Classification level | Set by duties, skills and responsibility, and each level has its own base hourly rate | Pay guide, classification section |
| Casual loading | 25% on top of the base rate under most awards | Pay guide, casual section |
| Penalty rates | Extra pay for work outside ordinary hours, such as nights, weekends and public holidays | Pay guide, penalty rates section |
| Allowances | Listed in the pay guide where they apply to the duties or the work site | Pay guide, allowances section |
| Safety net | National minimum wage of $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026 if no award applies | Fair Work Ombudsman minimum wage page |
Who the cleaning award rate applies to
Most private-sector cleaning employees are in the national system, but an enterprise agreement can replace the award for a particular business, and coverage depends on the work done.
- Check the award's coverage with the Fair Work Ombudsman if your cleaners work in a specialised setting such as a hospital, a school or a food factory.
- Look for an enterprise agreement first, because if one applies to the business it can replace the award while still meeting the safety net.
- Treat NSW state public sector employees as a separate group, because their pay comes from the state system rather than this award.
- Confirm the classification on the contract and payslip, because a single title such as cleaner can sit across several levels.
- Remember that labour hire cleaners are employed by the provider, which must pay at least the award rate that applies to them.
- Ask the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 if you cannot tell which award applies, rather than guessing from the job title.
Cleaner award rate for casual, part-time and full-time staff
The base rate is the same for the classification, but the way you build the final pay differs by employment type.
| Employment type | How the cleaner award rate works | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | Base rate for up to 38 ordinary hours a week, plus reasonable additional hours | Overtime rules in the award |
| Part-time | Same base rate, with agreed regular hours and paid leave pro rata | Minimum engagement and agreed hours in the award |
| Casual | Base rate plus the 25% loading, with no paid annual or personal leave | Loading shown on the payslip |
| Junior | A percentage of the adult rate by age, where the award provides for it | Age bracket in the pay guide |
| Trainee | Paid under any trainee provisions that apply to the role | Pay guide or Fair Work Infoline |
| Labour hire cleaner | Paid by the provider at the award rate for their classification | Provider's payslip and the pay guide |
Cleaning award rate: penalties, allowances and public holidays
Early starts and weekend work are normal in cleaning, so these extras make up a big part of total pay.
- Check the penalty rate for each time band in the pay guide, including early mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays.
- Apply the casual loading and the penalty in the order the award sets out, because the order can change the result.
- Pay permanent employees for the ordinary hours they would have worked on a public holiday, and pay casuals only if they work.
- Ask for a reasonable public holiday shift rather than requiring it, since an employee can refuse a request that is not reasonable.
- Pay any allowance that the pay guide lists for the duties, the work site or the equipment used, and show it on the payslip.
- Check the minimum engagement in the award before rostering short shifts, so a short shift is not paid below the minimum.
How to calculate the cleaner award rate
Work from the pay guide, then add loadings and penalties. Do not build a quote from an old rate or a job ad.
- Find the classification level and age bracket in the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for the award.
- Take the base hourly rate from the latest 1 July increase.
- For a casual, add the 25% loading to the base rate.
- Apply the penalty rate for any shift that falls outside ordinary hours.
- Multiply by the paid hours, then add any allowances that apply to the job.
- Check the result is not below the safety net, then add 12% super and record everything on the payslip.
- Worked example of the loading: the national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour from 1 July 2026, and adding 25% gives $33.05 per hour.
- Your own award rate is different, so use the pay guide figure in step two rather than the minimum wage figure.
Employer obligations on the cleaning award rate
A payroll check before each run keeps small errors from growing.
- Update rates after each 1 July increase, before the first pay run of the new financial year.
- Give each employee a payslip within 1 working day of payday, with loadings, penalties and allowances shown clearly.
- Keep time and wage records for 7 years so you can answer a Fair Work Ombudsman inquiry.
- Report payroll information to the ATO through Single Touch Payroll on or before each payday.
- Pay super at the same time as wages from 1 July 2026, and make sure it reaches the fund within 7 business days of payday.
- Check the host site's WHS requirements, because a host employer and a labour hire provider share duties for the safety of workers on site.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using last year's rate after the 4.75% award increase, which leaves cleaners underpaid until the next run is corrected.
- Paying a flat hourly rate to casuals that hides the 25% loading, so nobody can check it on the payslip.
- Pricing a contract on the base rate alone and leaving out penalties, allowances, super and on-costs.
- Assuming a labour hire cleaner is not owed the award rate because the host site pays an invoice rather than wages.
- Treating a regular cleaner as a contractor to save costs, which can be illegal if the real arrangement is employment.
Cleaner award rate FAQ
Where do I find the cleaner award rate?
The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a free pay guide for each award at fairwork.gov.au. Choose the cleaning award, then your classification, age and employment type, and the guide lists base rates, loadings, penalties and allowances. You can also call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.
What is the cleaning award rate for casuals?
Casuals receive the base rate for their classification plus a 25% loading, then any penalty rates for work outside ordinary hours. The exact dollar figure is in the pay guide. An award-free casual on the national minimum wage gets at least $33.05 per hour from 1 July 2026.
When did the cleaner award rate last increase?
Modern award minimum rates rose 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. The date your pay period begins matters. If a pay period started before 1 July, the increase applies from the next pay period.
Does the cleaning award rate include super?
No. Super is paid on top of wages at 12% of ordinary time earnings for 2026-27. From 1 July 2026 it must be paid at the same time as wages and reach the fund within 7 business days of payday. Check your payslip and fund statement.
Getting the cleaner award rate right
This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, so check the Fair Work Ombudsman, the ATO or an employment lawyer for your situation. For related pay rules, read our guide to enterprise agreements and the minimum wage in Australia.
If you are a host employer who wants cleaners supplied on the right award and paid correctly, visit our host employer labour hire page to talk to us.