Can Cleaning Services Be Tax Deductible in Ontario?

TL;DR

• Personal home cleaning: generally not tax-deductible.
• Businesses: cleaning and janitorial services for business premises are deductible operating expenses; if you’re GST/HST-registered, you can usually claim the HST back.
• Home office: self-employed can deduct a reasonable share of home maintenance (including cleaning) that relates to the workspace; eligible employees may claim under the detailed home-office method.
• Rental & Airbnb: cleaning/turnover costs are deductible against rental income.
• Medical/attendant care: housekeeping is only claimable when it forms part of eligible attendant-care expenses (e.g., in a retirement home or certified care scenario).
• Moving: cleaning to make a home sale-ready or to meet a landlord’s standards is not an eligible moving expense.

The Short Answer (and Why It’s Confusing)

“Cleaning services” covers everything from a weekly tidy of your St. Catharines condo to overnight janitorial at a Niagara Falls storefront to post-stay turnovers for a NOTL Airbnb. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) doesn’t have a single rule that fits all these cases, so the right answer depends on why you’re cleaning and where the income comes from.

When Cleaning Is Deductible

1) Business premises (commercial)

If you run a business (retail, office, clinic, etc.), cleaning and janitorial are normal operating expenses. You can deduct reasonable costs that you incur to earn income. If you’re GST/HST-registered, you can generally claim an input tax credit (ITC) for the HST paid on those services to the extent they relate to your commercial activities.

2) Self-employed home office (workspace in the home)

Sole proprietors can deduct a reasonable portion of home maintenance. Including cleaning that relates to the workspace used to earn business income (for example, a dedicated office in your Welland townhouse). Allocation is usually by square footage or a sensible time-use method.

3) Employees with a home office (detailed method)

Employees may be able to claim work-space-in-the-home expenses using the detailed method if they meet CRA’s eligibility tests (e.g., working from home more than 50% of the time for a period of at least four consecutive weeks and other conditions). Under this method, certain maintenance costs can be prorated—but check CRA’s current rules before you include anything beyond typical utilities/minor maintenance.

4) Rental properties and short-term rentals (Airbnb)

Cleaning and turnover costs for properties you rent out (long-term or short-term) are current expenses that reduce your rental income. Keep invoices for unit cleanings, post-stay turnovers, and common-area janitorial for multi-unit buildings.

5) Certain medical/attendant-care situations

Housekeeping is not a general medical expense. However, when housekeeping forms part of eligible attendant-care services (for example, in a retirement home or when specific care requirements are met—often connected to eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit), portions of those fees can qualify under CRA’s medical expense rules. Keep detailed statements that break out eligible categories.

When Cleaning Isn’t Deductible

• Personal housekeeping for your primary residence: not deductible. (There’s no general Ontario or federal deduction for routine home cleaning.)
• Moving-related cleaning: expenses to make your old home more saleable or to clean a rented home to meet landlord standards are ineligible moving expenses.
• Routine household services under provincial credits: Ontario’s current senior-focused credit (Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit) helps with eligible medical expenses; routine housecleaning isn’t covered unless it’s part of qualifying attendant care.

Ontario-Specific Note: Seniors’ Credits

Ontario’s Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit is a refundable credit designed to help low- to moderate-income seniors with medical expenses that support aging at home (up to 25% of claimable expenses to a maximum credit). It does not convert ordinary housekeeping into a claim—only medically eligible items/services count.

HST: Can You Get the Tax Back on Cleaning?

If you’re a GST/HST-registered business operating in Ontario, you can usually claim input tax credits (ITCs) for the HST paid on cleaning services used in your commercial activities. If cleaning is partly personal (e.g., mixed-use space), prorate the ITC to the business-use portion.

Quick Decision Guide

• Personal residence only? No deduction.
• Business premises in Niagara Falls/St. Catharines? Deduct as an operating expense; potential HST ITC.
• Self-employed home office? Deduct the reasonable share attributable to the workspace.
• Employee working from home? Maybe—only if you meet CRA’s detailed-method eligibility and claim the allowed categories.
• Rental/Airbnb in NOTL, Thorold, or Welland? Deduct cleaning/turnover against rental income.
• Medical/attendant-care scenario? Only if cleaning is part of eligible attendant-care expenses.
• Moving house? Don’t claim cleaning; CRA lists it as ineligible.

What Records Should You Keep?

• Invoices from your cleaner or cleaning company showing date, address, scope, and HST number (if registered).
• For home-office claims: a simple floor-area or time-use calculation to justify your percentage.
• For rentals/Airbnbs: receipts tied to the specific property and stay/tenancy period.
• For medical/attendant care: statements that break out eligible categories (housekeeping vs. room/board, etc.).

FAQs: Cleaning Deductions in Ontario

Is routine house cleaning for my own home deductible?

No. Personal housekeeping isn’t deductible in Ontario or federally.

Can I deduct cleaning for my Niagara storefront or office?

Yes. It’s a normal business expense; HST paid is generally recoverable via ITCs if you’re registered.

What about my home office in St. Catharines?

Sole proprietors can deduct a reasonable share of home maintenance/cleaning that relates to their workspace. Eligible employees may claim under CRA’s detailed method if they meet the conditions.

Are Airbnb turnovers deductible?

Yes. Cleaning/turnover is a rental expense against your rental income.

Is move-out cleaning deductible when I relocate?

No. CRA explicitly lists cleaning to meet a landlord’s standards (and making a home more saleable) as ineligible moving expenses.

Can seniors claim cleaning under Ontario credits?

Only when cleaning is part of eligible attendant-care expenses. Ontario’s Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit targets medical expenses, not general housekeeping.

Final Thoughts

This article is general information, not tax advice. Tax rules change and your situation may differ. Always check CRA guidance or speak with a tax professional before filing.

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