How Much Does House Cleaning Services Cost?

House Cleaning Prices

House cleaning services cost $25 to $50 per hour per cleaner or about $30 to $50 per room. A 2,000 sqft. home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms costs $140 to $190 to clean or about $0.07 to $0.10 per square foot. A 1-bed 1-bath apartment starts at $60 to $90.

Cleaning rates depend on the type of cleaning and the size of the home. Additional services such as washing and folding laundry, cleaning the windows, or cleaning the fridge will add to your final cost. Many house cleaning companies offer discounts and package deals for setting up a weekly or monthly cleaning contract. Our house cleaning pricing guide covers all important aspects and will help you make an educated decision.

Table of Contents

1. House Cleaning Prices
2. House Cleaning Cost Calculator
• Prices Per Square Foot
• Rates Per Hour
• Cost Per Room
• Apartment Cleaning
• Move-Out Cleaning
3. Cleaning Services Prices
• Merry Maids
• Molly Maid
• The Cleaning Authority
4. Estimating Home Cleaning Costs
5. How to Save Money
6. Additional Cleaning Rates
7. How to Hire a Great Cleaner
8. House Cleaning Services Near Me

House Cleaning Cost Calculator

Before your home is cleaned, the cleaning company will give your home a walkthrough so they can calculate how much they will charge you. Cleaning services may charge a flat rate, hourly, or per square foot. The walkthrough will allow them to assess how clean your home is already, how much work they need to do, and any structural or clutter issues that may make it difficult for them to clean.

Cleaning Service Add-Ons

Additional cleaning services will cost extra. Here's an a-la-carte list of services and average pricing:

House Cleaning Prices Per Square Foot

House cleaning prices per square foot can range from $0.10–$0.17 for regular cleaning, $0.11–$0.22 for deep cleaning, and $0.22–$0.33 for move-out cleaning. The bigger your home and the more cluttered or challenging it is to clean, the more you will be charged per square foot.

However, most cleaning individuals or companies will not charge on a per square feet basis, but per hour, the number of workers required, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. The cost will also be affected by the depth of cleaning needed and whether you seek a once-off cleaning or a weekly cleaning service.

House Cleaning Rates Per Hour

Hourly rates for house cleaning range from $20 to $50 per hour per worker, with most home cleaning visits lasting at least two hours with one worker for $75–$110. A cleaning service will mostly charge you based on how many people they need to send to your home to clean.

You determine the frequency of cleaning you want. You could go for a weekly cleaning, a one-time visit, or get a cleaning crew in your home the same day you call for a consultation. With a weekly cleaning service, your first-time cleaning will take longer and cost more. For an hourly rate for house cleaning, expect the prices below.

House Cleaning Cost Per Room

Some cleaning companies may charge by the number of rooms only as a room-cleaning service, charging $30 to $50 per room (bed or bathroom), while others may charge by the number of occupants in a room. The more the room gets used, the more the company will have to clean. Also, a master bedroom will require more cleaning, as will living rooms and bathrooms. Bathroom cleaning prices will be higher than they are for other rooms if that’s all you want to be cleaned.

Apartment Cleaning Prices

On average, apartment cleaning prices range from $75 to $135, depending on how many bedrooms and bathrooms. For a larger 3-bedroom 2-bathroom apartment, the cost starts at $135 an hour for general cleaning. Deep cleaning could run you $180 an hour. Apartments are relatively smaller than homes and can be cheaper to clean.

Move-Out Cleaning Cost

You could pay a cleaning service roughly $150–200 for your move-in or move-out cleaning cost for a 1,000-square-foot home. A move-out cleaning is essential when selling your home, or to get your rent deposit back. On top of a deep clean, move-out cleaning includes some services like cleaning out kitchen appliances, kitchen cabinets, and polishing floors.

Additional services which will drive move-out cleaning prices are:

• Carpet shampoo $75 to $200 or $0.18/SF
• Cleaning the fridge $12–$35
• Windows $5–$10 a window each side and $3 a screen
• Polishing – waxing floors $25 to $50
• Cleaning oven interior $15–$50

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Cleaning Services Prices

Most professional cleaning services such as Merry Maids or Molly Maid charges $75 to $100 per hour for two cleaners or about $0.10 per square foot. Cleaning a 2,000-square-foot house would cost $200 per visit. You're also paying for the convenience of hiring a reliable company and trusted staff.

Cleaning Services Prices List

Cleaning professionals typically won't bargain on specific prices and will most likely stick to a preset list of pricing for their types of services. The way a company might handle business with particular structures and protocol may increase their prices.

Merry Maids Cost

Merry Maids typically costs $100 per hour for two cleaners with a two-hour minimum. Many of the Merry Maid franchises have offers for $50 to $100 off your first five weekly or bi-weekly cleanings. However, Merry Maids has some fine print that can drive up the price quickly.

Merry Maids of Lethbridge have the following cleaning packages:

Molly Maid Prices

Molly Maid prices range from $75 to $96 for a crew of two cleaners for an hour of service. For an average 3-bedroom, 2,000-square-foot home, you might be paying $300 for 4 hours’ work. Molly Maid sometimes offers $60 off three cleanings or $100 off the first ten cleanings.

The following Molly Maid prices are reported by HomeGuide customers, but these can vary considerably depending on your part of the country.

The Cleaning Authority Prices

The Cleaning Authority charges $75 to $90 per hour for two workers and uses eco-friendly cleaning products. Their cleaning system ensures all the rooms are cleaned properly over a month, with basic cleaning every week and deeper cleaning of the bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen, and living areas on rotating weeks.

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How To Estimate The Cost Of Home Cleaning

There are several factors that can increase the overall prices of the cleaning service. The number of rooms you have, and type of cleaning – standard, deep, or moving – will be the most determining factors when estimating house cleaning rates. Additional services outside the standard cleaning are usually optional. Oven and fridge cleaning can drive the price up by over $100. Some other determining factors for cost:

1. The amount of time it takes to clean
2. The number of bedrooms, or how many people live in the home.
3. The number of home cleaners
4. The type of cleaning supplies
5. Pets that shed
6. Add-ons, like fridge and oven cleaning, laundry, or window cleaning require extra time.

Types of House Cleaning

There are several different types of house cleaning. A vacation home might need a simple dusting as you spend several months out of the year not living there. If you have children or pets, then you may opt for a deep clean to take care of any hard-to-clean messes. Take a look at the different types of cleaning to see what's right for you:

• Basic Cleaning – This is great for people working full-time who need a little help around the home.
• Deep Cleaning – For packed-in dirt or messes left after parties, this can be a great option.
• Declutter & Spring Cleaning – If you let your home go into disarray and need extra help cleaning, then a cleaning service can help you get organized. Also, a cleaning service can even help you organize home offices.
• Vacant House Cleaning – The empty house is cleaned to prepare it for sale or for renters to get their deposit back. Cleaning usually includes fridge, oven, all flooring, window sills, etc.

What to Expect When Hiring a Housekeeper

If you hire a housekeeper to show up for a few hours every day at the cost of $20 an hour, you could save money over hiring a weekly cleaning crew or maid. The housekeeper might also offer other services such as babysitting, helping with homework, cooking, and doing laundry.

Make sure they have a legal US work permit and that your insurance covers people working in your home. Workers comp insurance should cover you sufficiently if your housekeeper gets hurt while working in your home, costing $135–$265/year. You can also request a trial period to see if hiring a housekeeper is right for you.

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How to Save Money on House Cleaning

Here are four ways you can save money when hiring a residential cleaning business:

• Cleaning Packages – Ask about a discount if you sign up for once-a-week or every-other-week of service instead of one-time or monthly cleanings.
• Discounts – Ask about discounts for single mothers, veterans, disabilities, etc. or seasonal offers.
• Supplies – Buy your own cleaning supplies for them to use and expect to save $5 to $10 per visit. Also, this gives you the option to have them use more natural products. The cost of materials that the cleaning crew uses is usually included in the overall price.
• Maintenance – Don't let your house get out of control between cleanings. When you have a house cleaner on a regular basis, it will be easier to maintain your home throughout the month. The less work the crew has to do, the less you will get charged.
• Choose Rooms – Select only certain rooms to clean. That way, you'll save on your overall cost, and you still have a clean home.
• Choose Services – If you do not want added services such as laundry and window cleaning, then make sure to state that at the beginning. That way you can avoid any added costs when the bill comes.

Hire a Cleaning Company or Individual?

Whether you are using an individual or a company, always check online for any bad reviews. One more thing to consider is that larger companies may rush from one client to another, trying to squeeze in as many as they can in a day. They may not leave your home picture perfect, whereas an individual maid might.

A maid service costs $25 to $70 per cleaning member per hour. An individual charges less than a cleaning company most of the time, from $15 to $25 an hour.

Should I Tip My Housekeeper?

The general rule of thumb is to tip housekeepers 10% to 15% of the overall cost if you want to. Give your home a walkthrough after the cleaning job is done and see if the level of cleaning is worth a tip.

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Additional Cleaning Services Rates

Depending on the difficulty of cleaning, the price of the task will vary. Window cleaning costs less than wood polishing because windows don't have all the nooks and crannies wood furniture has. Here is a list of what to expect.

Carpet Cleaning Prices

Typical carpet cleaning prices will be quoted by the square foot at a rate of $0.18 to $0.36, or about $25 to $70 per room. It may go higher for deep stains and carpet that is difficult to clean, like shag. Carpets build up dirt, dust, dander, and allergens daily, so that they can need a deep clean once or twice a year, depending on the number of pets and traffic.

Chimney Sweep Cost

Chimney sweeping costs $125 to $250 on average. Expect to pay on the higher end if your chimney is in bad condition. Creosote buildup will make it more difficult to clean than usual and will be a factor that determines the overall cost. If any dead or living critters have taken up residence in your chimney, then expect to pay more for that too.

Pressure Washing Prices

On average, pressure washing prices run from $220 to $380 to power wash a house or siding, $130 to $220 for a driveway, and $250 to $420 for a deck or patio. For any companies that charge per square foot, it is usually between $0.16 to $0.22. If you have buildup on the outside of your home, then power washing is an excellent option for you to remove the grime.

Gutter Cleaning Cost

The gutter cleaning cost for a one-story, 1,500-square-foot home is $70 to $200 or $100 to $250 for a two-story, 2,500-square-foot home. Variables that may drive the price up are how many stories you have, large bushes or trees blocking parts of the gutters, gutter screens, and badly clogged downspouts. Gutter cleaning can be dangerous for an elderly or inexperienced person. Consider getting your gutters cleaned by a professional house cleaning service if this applies to you.

Air Duct Cleaning Cost

Air duct cleaning costs can vary from $300 to $1,000+ or between $30 and $40 per duct, depending on if you need a full cleaning of the ductwork. Cleaning your air ducts will keep the air quality in your home at optimum levels. Some people may claim they can clean air ducts in the house for less, but be very wary of these people. They may not do the job right or hit you with a load of hidden fees at the end.

Office Cleaning Rates

Office cleaning rates are $50 to $100 per hour or $0.04 to $0.16 per square foot. Prices go lower as square footage increases: a 4,000-square-foot office could be charged at $0.09 to $0.16 per square foot while a 30,000-square-foot-office could cost $0.04 to $0.10 a square foot.

Commercial Cleaning Services Rates

Commercial cleaning services rates range from $0.04 to $0.16 per square foot or $50 to $100 per hour. A small office might be charged per week per month at a rate of $500 to $700 and a larger office $2,000 to $4,000 per month—you’ll usually pay less per square foot as the square footage to clean increases. Specialized facilities such as a medical clinic will need additional services such as floor stripping and waxing, and therefore cost more.

Post-Construction Cleaning Rates

Post-construction cleaning rates average $550 to $800, or about $0.10 to $0.50 per square foot. Construction sites can look an absolute mess to anyone who doesn't work in that field; however, a trained post-construction cleaning crew will know exactly how to pick up and dispose of the mess.

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How to Hire a Great Cleaning Lady

To hire a great cleaning lady or man, consider doing some or all of the following:

1. Interview candidates.
2. Ask about hourly or per-square-foot rates. Compare with other quotes.
3. Ask about availability and flexibility.
4. Do a background check.
5. Make sure a cleaning company is licensed, bonded, and insured.
6. Check years of experience.
7. Lay out clear expectations.
8. List everything you want to be cleaned and how.
9. Give them a walkthrough of your home so they can discuss additional cleaning needs they see.
10. Ask about discounts for using your own cleaning supplies.
11. Ask if their cleaning products are child and pet safe or organic.
12. Lock away any valuables and pricey electronics.
13. Consider installing locks with rotating security codes.
14. Ask if there is a money-back or reclean guarantee.

It will take some time for you and the cleaning lady to build a rapport with each other and get to a place of mutual understanding, so give the trial period a few weeks before making your final decision on keeping your cleaner or canceling the service.

Do You Tip Cleaning Ladies?

Yes, a general rule of thumb is to tip cleaning ladies (or men) 10% to 15% of the total job cost. Once you build a relationship over time, it's reasonable to give a bonus for Christmas, and their birthday.

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