House Cleaning Cost: Prices for Popular Cleaning Services
Several factors influence house cleaning costs, including your location, the current price of supplies, the type of cleaning, square footage, and demand.
In the United States, expect to pay an average of $180 for a basic house cleaning. Deep cleanings and homes larger than 2,500 square feet will result in higher fees. Homes with smaller square footage will be less expensive.
What Does a House Cleaning Service Include?
A basic or routine housekeeping service keeps a home clean and tidy and includes the following:
- Living Room – Dusting, wiping down tables and furniture, vacuuming furniture, sweeping, and mopping the floors.
- Kitchen – Wiping down all appliances, cleaning the stovetop and counters, wiping cabinet exteriors, tables, and chairs, sweeping and mopping.
- Bathroom – Sanitizing toilets and sinks, cleaning the shower/tub, cleaning the mirror and faucet, dusting, sweeping, and mopping.
- Bedroom – Dusting, cleaning mirrors, wiping hard surfaces, and changing bedding.
- Laundry Room – Cleaning exterior of appliances, dusting, sweeping, and mopping.
A deep cleaning service will go beyond these routine chores and can include washing windows, dusting the blinds, cleaning light fixtures, cleaning baseboards and walls, and polishing furniture.
Add-on House Cleaning Service and How Much They Cost
Maid services often advertise add-ons, so you can customize your deep cleaning, paying only for the services you need.
Before hiring a company, check to see what their routine cleaning includes and look at their add-on services. Here’s a look at some common extras and what they cost.
- Interior Window Cleaning – $3-$10 per window
- Exterior Window Cleaning – $4 – $11 per window
- Wash, Dry, and Fold Laundry – $5 – $20 per load
- Carpet Cleaning – $100 – $300
- Cleaning Inside of Fridge – $30 – $50
Average House Cleaning Cost Per Square Foot
The price per square foot for house cleaning ranges from $0.05 to $0.15. Since the median US home size is 2,014 square feet, you could pay from $100 – $302.
- House cleaning price for a 1500 square foot house: $75-$225
- House cleaning cost for a 2500 square foot house: $125 – $375
Deep cleaning services average $0.20 per square foot.
- Deep cleaning prices for a 1500 square foot home: $300
- Deep cleaning cost for a 2,000-square-foot home: $400
- Deep cleaning cost for a 2,500-square-foot home: $500
Once you have your home deep cleaned, you can use a regular and less expensive routine cleaning to keep it that way.
Cost Per Hour to Hire a House Cleaner
Expect to pay from $30 to $50 per hour for a house cleaning service. In general, you’ll pay a little more if you go with a company versus hiring an individual house cleaner.
Factors that Influence House Cleaning Costs
Location
Location is a top factor that affects house cleaning costs. Urban areas will have a higher price than rural areas.
Demand (or Lack of) for House Cleaning Services
The more in demand a company’s cleaning services, the higher fee they can charge. Startup companies will often have lower rates.
Type of Cleaning
There are four types of cleaning services: basic, deep, extreme, and move-in/move-out cleaning. The cheapest of the four types is basic cleaning. Extreme cleanings, especially in the case of hoarder situations, will cost a significant amount of money and require specialized cleaners with proper training and safety gear.
Supplies
Professional house cleaning services often bring their own cleaning supplies, while individual housekeepers will use what you provide. By providing cleaning supplies, you’ll pay a little extra but will be in control of the products.
If you hire a cleaning service company and request eco-friendly cleaners, you’ll pay extra since these products are more expensive.
Size of House
The larger the house, the more time it takes to clean and, therefore, the more you can expect to pay.
Number of Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Rather than charging by the square foot, many house cleaning companies charge by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. The downside is that even if your home is small, having numerous bedrooms can make cleaning cost more than it would per square foot.
Here’s a look at cleaning cost averages per bedroom:
- 1 Bedroom – $75 – $125
- 2 Bedroom – $100 – $150
- 3 Bedroom – $125 – $175
- 4 Bedroom – $150 – $200
If you have additional bedrooms add another $25. Also, add an extra $25 for each extra bathroom.
Hiring a House Cleaning Service vs. an Individual House Cleaner
When hiring someone to clean your home, you can choose between a house cleaning service and a sole proprietor – there and pros and cons to each. A house cleaning service will have the proper liability insurance, supply its own products, and keep a consistent schedule. But hiring an individual has its perks too. For example, if you work with a sole proprietor, you may pay less for more services.
Either way, before hiring someone to clean your house, ask for recommendations from people you trust, read reviews, and get references. Then ensure you understand what is and isn’t included in the service.