Nothing beats coming home to a clean and tidy home. The good news? You don’t need to sacrifice that on busy weeks where you are left with little time and energy.

Marie Kondo, tidying expert and bestselling author, says it best: “When you tidy your space completely, you transform the scenery. The change is so profound that you feel as if you are living in a totally different world.”

Professional house cleaning services can help put your mind at ease, giving you that satisfactory feeling when you walk into your fresh clean home. But is it out of your budget? It doesn’t have to be. We broke down the average cost, the services typically included, and ways to save when you consider house cleaning prices.

What’s the average cost of house cleaning?

On average, the national hourly rate for house cleaning ranges from $25 to $45 per individual or $50 to $90 per hour for a 2-person team, according to Home Advisor. Cleaning service needs and frequency aside, there are a few factors that will automatically determine the price range for your service:

• Size of your home
• Condition of your home
• The number of rooms
• The number of floors (one story, two story, etc)

Keep in mind that your location may also determine where you fall on the scale. For instance, if you live in a region with high humidity, more thorough cleaning may be required, thus increasing the cost. Or if you live in an area with a very high cost of living, you could be charged more, as your service providers will have to pay their team a fair and competitive wage.

As you get quotes from individuals and companies, consider using a cost-estimation tool like Fixr.com to check the average rates in your specific area.

Cleaning options

When you start to explore different cleaning costs, keep in mind that costs will vary depending on the type of service provider. Both have their pros and cons. Costs for an independent contractor are estimated to be about $50 to $90 for two hours on average, while a professional cleaning service may charge $100 to $180. What’s the difference?

Professional cleaning service – A professional cleaning service is bonded and insured, giving you peace of mind (and potentially saving you money and stress) should an accident occur on your property or something valuable gets broken.

Services tend to send at least two trained professionals to clean your home. While the hourly rate per person may be higher than an independent contractor, a faster and more efficient team will get your house in tip-top shape while keeping costs affordable.

Independent contractor – Working with an independent contractor typically brings flexibility and opportunities for negotiating additional services or lower costs. Usually a single individual, contractors may or may not be bonded and insured.

Make sure to check with potential contractors. The lack of coverage may result in a lower rate, but does put you at a higher risk should an incident occur.

 

What services are included?

Before you get started with a cleaning services make sure to confirm how they define a “basic clean”.  Included tasks are roughly the same, but there can be variances depending on the house type, house size, region, and the company itself.

Basic cleaning usually covers: 

• Vacuuming
• Sweeping & mopping floors
• Sinks
• Showers & tubs
• Toilets
• Dusting
• Mirrors
• Stove-top and back splash
• Outside of appliances

Confirming beforehand will also give you an opportunity to discuss your particular needs and possibly swap an item for a different task, skip a room, or request a more thorough clean in one and super light clean in another.

Other items that are sometimes— but not always— on basic cleaning lists include cleaning baseboards, dusting window blinds, and cleaning ceiling fans.

What services might affect the final cost?

As with most services, a few factors will impact the final cost of your clean: the depth of cleaning required, frequency, added tasks, the size of your home or number of rooms, and the number of floors – multi-level or single-level.

Deep clean – Usually a request made once a month or every couple of months, a deep clean includes the basic clean with a more detailed and heavier approach. For example, vacuuming may extend to stairs, crevices, moving small/light furniture, and closets. Moldings and window sills may be washed or wiped down, in addition to baseboards and shutters.

Move in/move out – A move in or move out cleaning service is different than your usual approach. Typically performed with little to no furniture inside the home, a move in/move out service covers tasks including cleaning cabinetry, sanitizing bathrooms, cleaning light fixtures, spot cleaning walls, and cleaning appliances.

Frequency of cleaning – Surprisingly, more cleanings usually means lower costs. That’s because a cleaning service will be familiar with your home and better able to keep up with the homes needs. Also? If your house is on a maintenance cleaning schedule, it will just take less time to clean!

Extra tasks – Additional tasks which may require different fees include:

• Cleaning inside appliances
• Scrubbing baseboards
• Washing or putting away laundry
• Washing windows
• Changing bedding
• And more

How can you save on house cleaning?

Hiring a cleaning service doesn’t mean that the cost needs to be high. Here are a few steps you can take to stay on budget.

• • Tidy up – Reduce the amount of time your cleaner needs to spend picking up items off the floor or clearing counter surfaces.
  • Confirm the basic clean – Choose what you need them to clean, and select rooms that need more work than others. Some services may allow you to simply swap a task at no extra charge.
  • Have supplies ready – Some services may have their own professional tools but it doesn’t hurt to ask if your supplies can be used in exchange for a lower rate. 
  • Referrals – Some business offer discounts on your cleaning if you refer family and friends.

What does it take to get started?

As you search for a cleaning solution that works for your home, start by assessing your home, your location, and your particular needs. You may even consider your friend’s and family’s referrals, which may come with a first-time cleaning discount, but keep in mind that every cleaning service is different.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions to find the right fit for you. Don’t get stuck with unexpected expenses or fees, share your budget and confirm the details of the type of clean you’re looking for. Spotless Cleaning Service wants to help you take a load off so you can relax and focus on other priorities.

630-544-7422