Cleaning Houses
By Shar19
@Shar19 (8231)
United States
September 15, 2011 1:04pm CST
Now that my youngest is in school, I'm trying to think of a home business idea I can do around my kid's school schedule. One of those ideas is house cleaning. I'm wondering if anyone here cleans houses for money or ever has. I have no idea what the going rates are. Do you charge by the hour or job? What should the cleaning include? How long should it take per house?
Also if anyone has ever had someone come clean their house before please tell me what you were charged and what exactly they cleaned for that money. From what I've been reading on different online sites most cleaners will vacuum, wash floors, scrub counters, clean sinks, toilets and mirrors, some will dust or take out trash. Any insight on this would be very helpful for me.
3 people like this
11 responses
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
16 Sep 11
I'd love someone to clean my house. Can't afford it unfortunatly :0(
Sorry I have never cleaned homes before so I can't say. I don't even like doing my own I'd hate to do someone elses.
I know someone who cleans for the elderly she gets paid by the hour. As she always says the bigger the mess the long it takes her the more she charges.
My Aunt is a nurse who cares for the elderly also and she does cleaning or whatever tasks/errands they need done along with her nursing skills and I believe she charges by the hour.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
16 Sep 11
I also forgot to mention look into getting bonded. I think it only costs a few hundred dollars.
Thanks for the reminder I have plenty to dust around here.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
15 Sep 11
I pay a cleaning lady $50.00 twice a month to clean my small 2 bedroom two bath home. I usually takes most of a day.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
16 Sep 11
More like 5 hours so I guess I pay about $10.00 per hour.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
15 Sep 11
do yourself a favor and ask for a walkthrough before you agree to a job amount.that way you don't get surprises.
in my area,$20 an hour is standard,excluding laundry and dishes.
ask for notice if they want the inside of stove scrubbed or windows,so you can use one day to detail them.
ask if they are allergic to/prefer any chemicals,if they want specialty ones,add to fee.
i insist dogs and children over 6 be out of the way before i start,or i add $10.
most will accomidate so to not pay it,and the one lady who decided to disregard my request paid a lot more out when her toy dog monster bit me.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
16 Sep 11
i only take check if i really know the person,or have worked for them a long time-trust goes both ways on that.
licensed and forms-no.that usually only comes in if you work for a company.independant is better,because a company will take half your pay.
you can get yourself bonded,which is a plus in some client's eyes,but not usually legally necessary in most places.
@jdyrj777 (6528)
• United States
19 Sep 11
Iam working as a house cleaner. The guy i clean for owns apt bldgs. I go clean the public areas of each bldg. each week and sometimes there are move outs that i clean.
I suggest you call some of the other companies in your town and act as if you are seeking to hire a cleaner just to get an idea of what it cost in your area. Also you need to register your company and get bond and insurance.
@jdyrj777 (6528)
• United States
21 Sep 11
As for me i had hoped that after all these yrs i would have been just going around to check up on employees. Instead im still doing it myself. Sometime i call in someone to help do a apt. but usually its just me. im really tired of doing this work because im getting older. The vac becomes heavier.
I had a very bad experience with doing houses once before. I was hired by a guy to clean the family home because him mom who lived with them just had eye surjery and couldnt clean anymore. I cleaned for them for a few months when i saw in her bathroom there were several bottles of the same medicine the same strenght. For example 5 half partically full bottles of tynol. All the same strenght. I asked if she would like me to clean her bathroom. She said yes. So i combinded the bottles so there would not be as many. I did not mix differt types or strengths. Next thing she calls me accusing me of stealing a very expensive bottle of perfume. I explain to her i do not even use perfum. She said but i know you sell stuff at the flea market. I let her know it was clothes i sell at the flea market. Anyway her son called me and told me he believed me but that i was hired for her and she dint want me anymore. Anyway its ok because he believed me and with God as my witness i never stole anything.
After that i stay away form houses with people living in them. I just dont like being accussed.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
17 Sep 11
I clean houses on the side when I get the chance and it depends on the size of the house and what all they want me to do. You can specify what you are willing to do for what price and then if they want something else done, if you will do it, how much it will be. I clean this one house regularly and I charge $100. It is for two bathrooms, vacuming and dusting four other rooms. I mop the floors that are not carpet and clean a few extra odds and ends that I see needs done. It usually takes me around 4 hours. If he wants me to do the stove and fridge..it's an extra $20. I once cleaned the grill per special request and that was $20 too.
If the house was kind of far..you might quote something a little higher to cover your gas. You also need to consider cleaning supplies. Sometimes they have special stuff they want you to use. I don't charge extra for supplies..I have them..but I don't take off if they want me to use theirs that time either.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
19 Sep 11
Yes..they are the kitchen, diningroom, and two bedrooms. Keep in mind there are no dishes and the house is not turned upside down. There is only one bedroom that is actually used. They really just have to be vacumed and dusted. I do move his knick knacks and put them back the way I found them the best I can. He really doesn't have that many of them though. .
I am not bonded but if it was for a stranger or I did several houses...I would get that way. Being bonded is a way to protect yourself and the homeowner. If you do that, you might be required to get a business license though...I really don't know how that works.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
16 Sep 11
I use to hire cleaning people for offices and these were not business type of cleaning services. All the people that did do the cleaning as you mentioned always charged a flat rate. Somewhere between $100 - $125.00 per cleaning and it was cash so no taxes were involved. They always did a really great job.
I would say that if you are looking to pay taxes then you want to draw up some type of agreement for tax purposes that you actually did do the work. If you are looking to charge on cash basis then make sure you discuss up front what is expected.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
16 Sep 11
Vacuuming, dusting, mopping, cleaning the employee kitchen area, scouring both bathrooms and emptying trash bins. Nothing on the desks were ever cleaned, simply dusted as moving any papers from a desk would not be allowed. They came in 3 times a week as it was a very large place. Yes these people were paid in cash as they were cheaper then a company. So the business could not claim taxable credits for them, but it worked out because the cleaning people did an excellent job. Oh no windows because we had a separate company who did this. We also provided the supplies as well.
@Mickie30 (2626)
•
15 Sep 11
I did have cleaners in and paid by the hour. The most I have paid is 10 pounds an hour for one cleaner to clean the entire house in 4 hours. There are some people who charge unreasonable amounts and they will not do well. Others charge less and do better, but you have to make it worthwhile for yourself. Some cleaners provided their own materials whilst others didn't.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
18 Sep 11
I used to clean houses too. I never had enough work that kept me busy though. Alot of people did not want you to come once a week. They had you come back every two weeks or so and it was a real mess and a disaster. None of them want to pay for your hard work. They give you less money and add work on to your job every time. Alot of them want it done in a few hours also. If you work past the few hours they thought it would take, most will not give you more money either. Alot of the money I made, went right back in my gas tank. It was not worth cleaning, poop, pee, nasty toilets, stoves, bed covers and you name it. It just does not pay well for your hard work!
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
15 Sep 11
This could be profitable for you to do but you must be organised and clear about that the people want you to do as this is important. You may or may not be required to provide your own cleaning supplies. If this is so then bulk buy and be earth friendly. Have a container with them in so that you move with this container through the house. Start at the top of the house and work downwards.
I have no idea of prices. out here i employ a lady one day a week for 8 hours work and this is the equivalent of Us$20. I pay her more than minimum wage but I know that this is a lot less than what you would get as I am living in the third World.
My home is small and I usually strip my bed before she comes and out on a load of washing. She will deep clean 2 bedrooms and bathrooms and make beds with clean linen. my floors are mopped throughout and the kitchen cleaned. She dusts and polishes and sometimes finds time to cook an evening meal. She is amazingly efficient. know that I am lucky but working one full time job and a part time job does not leave me much time and I am in my 60's. If I ever retire then I will not be able to afford her so frequently
Good luck and I hope that soemone can help you re pricing
Good luck and I hope that soemone can help you re pricing @alberello (4752)
• Italy
16 Sep 11
I though being a man, I do not mind helping my mother in household cleaning of the house where I live. So I myself do not expect money from her, as is my mother and I am able to clean everything it needs as: floors, mirrors, toilets, etc..
The most interesting thing is that I do this cleaning, I make them happy as aid a beloved person !!
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
16 Sep 11
I have done that work. It depends on what people are looking for.
Some do their own daily cleaning work but just haven't got the time to clean the kitchen, bathroom, toilets very well. Wash the windows and scrub the floors.
Others just ask you to do some light housekeeping, do the laundry (including ironing) and take care of the dog and kid too.
There are also people who are asking for once or twice a week some help in housekeeping for 2 hours, others will ask for 4 ours.
Normal is to get payed (at least here it is) per hour. It depends on the kind of work you have to do how much they will pay you.
If they ask you what you can do in 4 hours time you have to check the house, ask them what they can do themselves, what not. Then you can tell them what you will do when. I think over here people pay in between 15 and 30 euro/hour (black so no tax).
