How Much to Charge for House Cleaning
Figuring out house cleaning prices mostly comes down to picking the right structure — flat per-visit or hourly — and knowing what each type of clean actually includes. This guide breaks down both, and our house cleaning cost calculator can help you turn your real costs into a rate that sticks.
Flat per-visit pricing: the standard approach
Most residential cleaners quote a flat rate per visit. Clients like it because the price is predictable — they know exactly what the clean costs before you walk in — and you should like it because an efficient cleaner earns more per hour than a slow one. Flat pricing rewards your experience instead of penalizing it.
As a broad illustration, standard recurring cleans for an average 2–3 bedroom home often land in the $100–$200 range per visit. Larger homes, homes with pets, or homes cleaned less often than monthly push toward the upper end; small apartments on a weekly schedule sit at the lower end. These are illustrative ranges, not quotes — your market decides. Two cleaners in the same city can charge very different rates and both stay fully booked, because they serve different clients.
To set your own flat rate, work backwards from your costs. Add up what one visit actually costs you: your labor time (valued at the hourly rate you want to earn), supplies, travel, insurance, and taxes. Then add your margin — the profit that makes the business worth running. If the number that comes out is $140 and the going range in your area is $120–$180, you are in a sensible spot.
Standard clean vs deep clean: what changes the price
The difference between a standard clean and a deep clean is where most pricing arguments start, so define it before the client has to ask. A standard (maintenance) clean covers the visible stuff: dusting surfaces, vacuuming and mopping floors, bathrooms (sinks, toilets, mirrors, showers), and the kitchen (counters, stovetop, sink, appliance exteriors). It is what keeps a home looking good week to week.
A deep clean goes further: baseboards, inside the oven and fridge, interior windows, grout scrubbing, light fixtures, ceiling fans, blinds, and behind heavy furniture. It takes roughly twice as long, so it should cost roughly twice as much. As a rough illustration, deep cleans commonly run $200–$450 depending on home size — about 1.5 to 2 times a standard clean in the same market.
| Clean type | Typical time | Illustrative price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard clean | 2–3 hours | $100–$200 |
| Deep clean | 4–6 hours | $200–$450 |
| Move-in / move-out | 4–7 hours | $250–$500 |
Quote it, then invoice it — free
Billia's free invoice generator turns your cleaning quote into a professional invoice with line items, tax, and a clean PDF.
Create my invoice — freeHourly pricing: when it makes sense
Hourly pricing works best when you genuinely do not know how long a job will take — a first clean of a neglected home, an estate cleanout, or a post-renovation job with dust in every corner. As a broad illustration, solo cleaners often quote $25–$50 per hour per cleaner. Always set a minimum — two hours is common — so a tiny job does not eat your whole afternoon in travel.
The honest downside of hourly pricing: it punishes efficiency. The faster you get, the less you earn, which is backwards. Many cleaners start hourly while they learn their pace, then switch to flat rates once they know a 3-bedroom takes them two and a half hours. If you stay hourly, raise the rate as your speed and quality improve so your income grows with your skill.
Whichever structure you choose, put it in writing before the clean. A short free estimate that lists what is included, the price, and how often the clean repeats prevents the most common dispute in this business: “I thought that was included.”
Extras worth charging for (and how to price them)
Your base price should cover a defined scope — and everything outside it should have a price. Extras that commonly carry add-on fees include inside the oven ($30–$75 as an illustration), inside the fridge ($25–$50), interior windows (a flat add-on or per-window fee), and laundry and folding (per load). Listing extras on your quote does two jobs: it protects your time, and it makes the base price look reasonable.
- Define the base scope in writing. If baseboards are not in a standard clean, say so before the client assumes otherwise.
- Price extras as add-ons, not surprises. “Inside oven: +$45” on the estimate beats an awkward conversation at the door.
- Charge for supplies or build it in. Either fold product costs into your rate or add a small per-visit supply fee — just be consistent and transparent.
- Review rates yearly. Costs rise; a loyal-client discount is generous, but a price frozen for five years is a slow pay cut.
When you send the final bill, itemize it. A cleaning invoice that shows “Standard clean — $140” plus “Inside oven — $45” looks professional and gets questioned far less than a single mystery total.
Quote it, then invoice it — free
Billia's free invoice generator turns your cleaning quote into a professional invoice with line items, tax, and a clean PDF.
Create my invoice — freeHouse cleaning pricing does not need to be complicated: pick flat per-visit rates once you know your pace, keep hourly for unpredictable first cleans, and always define what is included before you start. Price from your costs up, not from a competitor's ad down.
And remember the ranges here are starting points for your own math. Check what cleaners in your area charge, be honest about your experience level, and let the numbers — not nerves — set the price.
Frequently asked questions
Should I charge hourly or per visit for house cleaning?
Per visit, once you know your pace — clients prefer predictable prices and flat rates reward your efficiency. Use hourly only for unpredictable first cleans, and always set a two-hour minimum so travel time does not eat the job.
How much more should a deep clean cost than a standard clean?
Roughly 1.5 to 2 times your standard rate, since it takes about twice as long. If your standard clean is $140, a deep clean around $250–$280 keeps your effective hourly rate consistent across job types.
Should I charge clients for cleaning supplies?
Either build supply costs into your per-visit rate or add a small transparent supply fee. What gets expensive is forgetting them entirely — a few dollars of product per visit adds up fast across dozens of clients.
How do I raise prices on existing clients?
Give 30 days' notice in writing, keep it short and polite, and tie it to something real like rising supply costs. Most clients accept a modest increase without blinking; the ones who leave over a small bump were your least profitable anyway.