Cleaning houses?

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My mom and I are considering starting to clean houses, parents could use the extra cash and it would be a good job for me too.

Any one here clean houses or have a house cleaner and know how this works or how much you get paid/ask for to clean houses?

 

[Marty]

Every area is different so the best thing to do I think would be to call around and ask people what they are charging for doing it near you.

 

[Leeana]

My brother & his fiance have a lady who cleans there house because he is always trucking and she is always at nursing school. There cleaner does it all from dust through fold there clothes. I'm not sure how much they pay/how they pay (month ..week ..so on) but i will find out for you. She was only there Wensdays and Fridays though.

Leeana

I'll let you know tommarow

 

[littlehorse2]

I have a friend that gets paid $20/an hour to clean houses. My mom and I were thinking the same thing,

Christy

 

[minimule]

Hubby and I thought about starting a business to clean new houses. We bought our new home and once it was finished, it took us a couple of days to just get it clean enough to start moving in. That way you aren't cleaning up someone elses mess. My mom used to clean a house and they would leave it absolutely trashed on the days she was coming. At least I hope it was only on the days she was going to be there

. I know not everyone would do that but it is a chance you take in that line of work.

Good luck with it!

 

[JO~*]

I wouldn't do it for less than $14.00 an hour and that is only if it was an easy job with no kids to pick up after.

When I lived closer to San Fransico some 20 years ago I was getting $10.00 an hour way back then.

 

[Miniv]

As was posted above, call around your area -- like you were a potential customer -- and get an idea what people are charging. (Around here it can vary between $10 to $20 per hour initially and then they charge a flat fee depending on the job.)

What many house cleaners do is what we used to do when we had a landscape business, and that was to charge a "first time cleaning charge" and then the regular weekly or twice monthly fee was less. The initial visit always takes more time.

Another angle along the same line is to provide a cleaning service for Rentals and for people who are moving out of their homes. Again, that means calling around and picking some brains......

MA

 

[CAM]

I give myself one luxury and it is to have someone clean our house every two weeks. It is my "paycheck" for all the other hard work I do around here.

Every company or private party in our area I have checked with was $15-$20/Hr with the initial one time cleaning fee which can be a few hundred dollars depending on the size of the home.

That said, my biggest pet peeve is house cleaners who start out strong and fizzle just weeks later meaning, they start cutting corners. I have let a few of them go and am in fact, searching for a new one now, because I am still paying the same high price for a clean house that is no longer getting clean. Another thing is, homeowners will expect you to stay and clean for the number of hours they are paying you for. I know, it sounds obvious but it happens to me everytime. You pay for the number of hours and divide by the number of people cleaning the home. For example, if you pay for 5 hours then two people would work 2 1/2 hours. I have routinely had people leave before their time was up yet they were still paid the standard fee and the house wasn't completely cleaned.

I have spent countless minutes of my time going over the details of what I would like cleaned. Have even gone so far as to say to the owner of the cleaning company, "I don't care what it costs." Not true but just trying to get the point across that I really want these things done.

Heck, I can clean toilets and floors, and do, but I want someone to come in and get the dust bunnies above the kitchen cabinets and under the couches; things I don't routinely get to. No matter what I ask for, or how many times I politely ask it to be done, or how many times I write a note with a list, it only happens the first or second week the cleaners come and then they start cutting corners.

I guess all I am really trying to say is a good, consistent house cleaner is hard to come by and usually already have a set clientele that doesn't want to lose them so they are in demand. I have yet to find a good one.

I think I will start asking for, instead of resumes, pictures of the inside of their OWN homes!

Truth be told!

 

[sedeh]

I hate cleaning house!! Hate it, Hate it, Hate it! (my mom was and is an absolute neat freak.......I'm a "pig" in comparison). My housekeepers preserve my marriage! They're wonderful. They come every 2 weeks and bring all their cleaning supplies. They charge by the quarter hour and are so good about not over charging! The first time they clean it takes longer and you pay more. So you should let all your customers know. I think they charge $20 per hour....usually takes them 1 3/4 hour so I pay $35 every 2 weeks. I Bless people who are willing to clean up after other people(though I do pick up before they come so all they have to do is clean!). Good luck with your new adventure!

 

[CAM]

I hate cleaning house!! Hate it, Hate it, Hate it! (my mom was and is an absolute neat freak.......I'm a "pig" in comparison). My housekeepers preserve my marriage! They're wonderful. They come every 2 weeks and bring all their cleaning supplies. They charge by the quarter hour and are so good about not over charging! The first time they clean it takes longer and you pay more. So you should let all your customers know. I think they charge $20 per hour....usually takes them 1 3/4 hour so I pay $35 every 2 weeks. I Bless people who are willing to clean up after other people(though I do pick up before they come so all they have to do is clean!). Good luck with your new adventure!

 

505017[/snapback]

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Can you send your housekeepers my way? I am a bonafide "neat freak" and the house is generally always picked up however, mine are here (well they are suppose to be as we know

) for five hours and still can't get the house cleaned. Maybe that is my problem, I am a neat freak and actually expect them to clean up our dust bunnies.

They don't have to put toys away or clean up after my children either. Hmmm...

 

[luvmycritters]

Well like Marty said - every erea is different. I know some folks around here get 12.00 - 15.00 an hour no problem. Just depends on the erea, also references are a big plus, you very well may have to settle for less starting out. Good luck to you and your mom! Lori

 

[jacks'thunder]

Well I clean houses for some extra cash sence I can't work right now because of a 2 yr old. One house takes me around 4hrs to do and she pays a flat fee of 75.00. The other takes longer and she pays around 100.00.

I can't go buy the hr because sometimes I do extras for them. Standard, I wash all dirty dishes, clean off all counters, scrub floors by hand, do inside windows, clean all bath rooms, dust every thing, vacuum all rooms (and move every thing on the floor to vacuum behind and under!), and spray "smell good" spray all over before I leave.

They both seem happy and at the same time I'm making some extra money. But on the same note I can't slack because they pay so good. Even if I'm tired or have a ruff day I have to plug along and do a very good job for them.

Good luck I hope that helps!

Leya

 

[Becky]

I used to clean houses for a living and charged $10 per hour with a $50 minimum. I know I wouldn't do it for that now!

Most of the people I worked for were wonderful and always had their homes picked up so I could get in and clean. Many of them gave me great things to eat and always some kind of bonus at Christmas. I don't miss the hard work but I do miss the people!

 

[billiethekid40]

This is something I would actually LOVE to do too! Just ask my mom, she has often paid me to do full deep cleans on our house and I always do a good job...and enjoy doing it

I often do it without the pay as an incentive. In fact, I may go home in a week or two and clean out the house for mom before she decorates for Christmas. All I ask is that the family find somewhere ELSE to be while I am cleaning. If they clear out of the house for a few hours I will get sooo much more done!

Of course, I always have to do a walk around when I finish...give everyone the "tour" so they know where I put things. Of course, with an actual client and not my mom, I would NOT advise changing around furnature, or rearranging their oganization systems.

Oooohhh... I'm actually really excited just thinking about going home and cleaning my moms house! My appartment is too clean alread to need a deep clean before Christmas.

 

[Leeana]

Okay i got the info from them

She worked 2 days a week there and she was there about 5 hours a day ($19.99/hour), So it was about $100 a day so $200 a week.

Not bad money

Leeana