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How much to charge, flat vs. hourly, getting paid — the money side of cleaning.
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Pricing & moneyHow much to charge for a house cleaning
The price question freezes every new cleaner. Here is a calm, honest way to set what you charge — by the home, not the hour — so you never guess in front of a client again.
Latest articles
30 total
Flat rate or hourly: which one actually pays you more?
The way you charge decides how much a good day earns you. Here is the honest math on flat rate vs. hourly — and why the better you clean, the more one of them quietly costs you.
How much to charge for a deep clean
A deep clean is not a regular clean that takes longer — it is different work. Here is what it really includes, how much more to charge for it, and how to explain the price so the client says yes.
How Much to Charge for a Move-Out Cleaning
A move-out clean is the highest-paying job on your calendar — if you price it for the empty-house deep work it really is, not like a regular visit.
How to Price a First-Time Client's Cleaning
The first cleaning for a new client is a trap if you quote your regular price. Here is how to price it right and turn a stranger into a client for years.
How Much to Charge for an Airbnb Cleaning
Airbnb turnovers are the most reliable recurring work in cleaning — if you price the laundry, the staging, and the tight window that a normal clean never includes.
How Much Extra to Charge When There Are Pets
Pet hair, dander, and paw prints add real time to every room. Here is how much extra to charge for a home with pets — and how to say it without offending the client.
Should You Charge Extra for Stairs? (Yes — Here's How Much)
Stairs and multiple levels are the most overlooked cost in cleaning. Here is why they add real time, how much extra to charge, and how to say it.
How to Give a Cleaning Quote That Clients Accept
A great price loses the job if the quote is slow, vague, or unsure. Here is how to send a clear, confident cleaning quote that gets a yes.
Why You Should Stop Charging by the Hour
Charging by the hour punishes you for getting fast and good. Here is why flat pricing pays more, feels better, and how to switch your clients over.
How to Raise Your Prices Without Losing Clients
Raising your rates feels terrifying, but done right you keep almost every client. Here is exactly when, how much, and what to say.
What to Say When a Client Says "That's Too Expensive"
"That's expensive" is not a no — it is an opening. Here are the calm, confident words that hold your price and often still win the job.
How Much Does a House Cleaner Make (and How to Make More)
What a solo house cleaner really earns, why the range is so wide, and the concrete moves that raise your income without working more hours.
What to Do About a Client Who Won't Pay
A client who won't pay is stressful, but most non-payment is preventable. Here is how to protect yourself, collect what you're owed, and when to walk away.
Cash, Zelle, or Card: How to Get Paid for Cleaning
Every payment method has trade-offs — fees, speed, records, taxes. Here is how to choose what you accept so you get paid fast and stay organized.
How to Track Your Earnings (and Why It Matters at Tax Time)
If you don't track your cleaning income, you don't really know what you earn — and tax time becomes a nightmare. Here is a simple system that fixes both.
How Much to Spend on Supplies per Cleaning
Supplies quietly eat your profit if you don't watch them. Here is what a cleaning should really cost you in products, and how to spend less without cleaning worse.
The Real Cost of a Cleaning: What Eats Your Profit
The price a client pays is not what you keep. Here are the hidden costs — driving, unpaid time, taxes, wear — that quietly eat your profit, and how to stop them.
How to Give a Discount Without Losing Money
Discounts can win clients or quietly wreck your income. Here is how to give one that grows your business instead of shrinking your pay.
Weekly, Biweekly, or Monthly: How to Charge by Frequency
The same home costs different amounts to clean weekly versus monthly. Here is how to price each frequency so you earn well and steer clients to the sweet spot.
How to Charge for Extras (Fridge, Oven, Windows)
Inside the fridge, inside the oven, interior windows — these are extras, not part of a standard clean. Here is how to price them and never give them away free.
Do You Need a License to Clean Houses?
Do you need a license to clean houses in the US? Here is a plain-language look at business licenses, insurance, bonding, and what actually applies to a solo cleaner.
How to Save for Taxes When You Work for Yourself
As a self-employed cleaner, nobody withholds taxes for you — so a surprise bill can wreck your year. Here is a simple system to set money aside and stay ready.
How to Build a Price List You Reuse for Every Quote
Guessing a new price for every client is slow and inconsistent. Build one clear price list once, and quote every job fast, fairly, and the same way every time.
How to Get Your First Cleaning Client
The hardest client to get is the first one. Here are the concrete, no-cost ways to land your very first cleaning client and start building from there.
How to Get Cleaning Clients Fast (Without Paying for Ads)
You do not need an ad budget to fill your calendar. Here are the fastest free ways to get cleaning clients, and the mindset of speed that lands them.
How to Get Cleaning Clients in Your Own Neighborhood
Clients close to home are the most profitable ones you can get. Here is why, and exactly how to fill your calendar with clients right around where you live.
How to Ask for a Referral (The Words That Work)
Referrals are your best source of clients — but only if you ask, and ask well. Here are the exact words, the right timing, and how to make referring you easy.
How to Create a Google Business Profile for Your Cleaning Business
A free Google Business Profile puts your cleaning business on the map when locals search. Here is how to set one up and make it bring you clients.
How to Get 5-Star Reviews for Your Cleaning
Five-star reviews win you new clients while you sleep. Here is how to earn them, ask for them at the perfect moment, and make leaving one effortless.