Pricing your house cleaning business shouldn't be complicated, but most new cleaners get it wrong. They either charge too little and work themselves to death for pennies, or they price themselves out of the market before landing their first client.

Here's the truth: setting your rates isn't about copying what some competitor charges or pulling numbers out of thin air. It's about understanding your actual costs, knowing what your market will pay, and building in enough profit to make this worth your time.

The house cleaning industry is booming. Approximately 10% of American households use professional cleaning services, and that number keeps climbing. The average cleaning business owner makes up to $120,000 per year, but the smart ones who price correctly? They're pulling in millions while working less than their competitors.

This guide shows you exactly how to price your cleaning services for maximum profit. No corporate nonsense, just the real math that separates successful cleaning business owners from people who scrub toilets for minimum wage.

What Most Cleaners Actually Charge (And Why It Matters)

Before you set your own rates, you need to know what the market looks like. Not so you can copy everyone else, but so you understand where you fit.

Standard residential cleaning averages:

• Hourly: $25 to $50 per cleaner
• Flat rate: $100 to $220 per visit for a typical home
• Per square foot: $0.05 to $0.20 per square foot
• Per room: $100 base (1 bed/1 bath) + $10-$20 per additional room

Deep cleaning costs more:

• Hourly: $40 to $100 per cleaner
• Flat rate: $200 to $500+ depending on home size
• Per square foot: $0.13 to $0.25

Specialty services command premium rates:

• Move-out cleaning: $300 to $500
• Post-construction cleanup: $400 to $800
• One-time deep cleans: 30-50% more than standard rates

These numbers vary wildly by location. A cleaner in San Francisco might charge double what someone in Oklahoma City does. Urban areas with high costs of living support higher rates. Rural markets? You'll need to price more competitively.

But here's what matters most: these averages don't mean anything if you can't make money at those rates. Some markets are flooded with cleaners charging rock-bottom prices. That doesn't mean you should join the race to the bottom.

The Four Ways to Price Your Cleaning Business

Every cleaning business uses one of these four pricing models. Each has pros and cons, and the best one depends on your experience level and the type of clients you want.

Hourly Rate Pricing

This is the simplest method, charge a set amount for every hour you work. Most cleaners charge $25 to $50 per hour when starting out, with experienced professionals charging up to $75 per hour in premium markets.

When hourly pricing works:

• You're new and don't know how long jobs will take
• The home's condition is unknown
• Client wants flexibility in what gets cleaned
• You're doing one-time jobs or working with new clients

When hourly pricing fails:

• You get faster and more efficient (you earn less for doing better work)
• Clients watch the clock and stress about time
• Scope creep happens, "while you're here, can you also..."
• You can't scale because every minute of your time equals money

The basic formula: (Hourly wage per employee × Number of employees) × 1.5

That 1.5 multiplier covers your overhead, supplies, and profit. If you pay yourself $20 per hour and work alone, you charge $30 per hour minimum. With two people at $20 each, that's $60 per hour minimum.

Flat Rate Pricing

Charge one price for the entire job, regardless of how long it takes. This is the model most established cleaning businesses use because it rewards efficiency and clients love price certainty.

Typical flat rates:

• Small apartment (under 1,000 sq ft): $100-$150
• Medium home (1,500-2,000 sq ft): $150-$220
• Large home (2,500-3,000 sq ft): $220-$350
• Extra-large home (3,000+ sq ft): $350-$500+

When flat rate pricing works:

• You have experience and know exactly how long a job takes
• The home is in decent shape (not a disaster zone)
• You're offering recurring services (weekly/bi-weekly)
• You want to reward yourself for being efficient

When flat rate pricing backfires:

• First-time cleaning jobs that are worse than expected
• Clients with unrealistic expectations about what's included
• Homes with excessive clutter or neglect
• You underestimate the work and lose money

The key to flat rate pricing is walking through the home first. Never quote a flat rate over the phone based on square footage alone. You need to see the actual condition, clutter level, and special requirements.

Per Square Foot Pricing

Charge based on the home's total square footage. This method provides consistency and makes quoting fast once you know the home size.

Standard rates:

• Weekly/bi-weekly standard cleaning: $0.10 to $0.18 per sq ft
• Deep cleaning: $0.15 to $0.25 per sq ft
• Move-out cleaning: $0.15 to $0.22 per sq ft

So a 2,000 square foot home at $0.12 per square foot equals $240 per cleaning.

When square footage pricing works:

• You're quoting multiple jobs quickly
• Homes in your market are relatively similar
• You need a simple pricing formula for your team
• You're pricing commercial properties

When square footage pricing breaks down:

• Small homes with lots of detailed work (you need to charge more per sq ft)
• Large homes with minimal cleaning needs (you'll overprice yourself)
• Older homes with more bathrooms and kitchens per square foot
• Clients don't know their home's square footage

Per Room Pricing

Set a base fee plus additional charges for each bedroom and bathroom. This method accounts for the fact that bathrooms require significantly more time than bedrooms.

Common structure:

• Base fee (1 bed/1 bath): $100-$120
• Each additional bedroom: $10-$20
• Each additional bathroom: $15-$30
• Kitchen included in base or charged separately: $20-$40

A 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home would be: $120 (base) + $40 (2 extra bedrooms) + $30 (1 extra bathroom) = $190

When per room pricing makes sense:

• Your market understands this pricing model
• You want simple math clients can calculate themselves
• You're targeting rental properties or apartments
• Bedrooms and bathrooms are similar sizes

When per room pricing fails:

• Master suites are huge but count as one bedroom
• Some homes have tiny powder rooms vs. full bathrooms
• Living areas vary wildly (1,000 sq ft great room vs. small living room)
• Clients try to game the system ("that's not a bedroom, it's an office")

The Real Costs You Need to Cover (Or You'll Go Broke)

Most cleaners fail because they forget to factor in all their actual costs. They think, "I'll charge $25 per hour and pocket $25," then wonder why they're broke at the end of the month.

Here's what every dollar you charge needs to cover:

Labor Costs

If you're working alone, pay yourself a real hourly wage. Not what you hope to make "eventually"—what you need to earn right now to make this worth it.

Minimum wage in most states is $10-$15 per hour. You should be earning $20-$30 per hour minimum as a skilled worker. If you're hiring employees, budget $15-$25 per hour depending on experience and location.

The math: If you charge $30 per hour and pay yourself $20, you have $10 left to cover everything else. Is that enough? Keep reading.

Supplies and Materials

Cleaning supplies typically cost 5-8% of your revenue. For a $150 job, that's $7.50 to $12 in supplies.

What you need:

• All-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, glass cleaner
• Paper towels, microfiber cloths, sponges
• Trash bags, gloves, masks
• Vacuum bags, mop heads, brush replacements
• Specialty products for wood, stainless steel, granite

Buy in bulk to save money, but don't cheap out on supplies. Bad products make jobs take longer, which costs you more in labor than you save on supplies.

Some cleaners charge supply fees separately ($10-$25 per job). Others build it into their rates. Either works, but be consistent.

Transportation

Every mile you drive costs money. The IRS standard mileage rate is $0.70 per mile (2025), which includes gas, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation.

If you drive 20 miles round trip to a job, that's $14 in vehicle costs. Clean three houses per day with an average 15-mile drive between each, and you're spending $60+ per day just on transportation.

Smart transportation strategies:

• Cluster jobs geographically
• Charge travel fees for clients outside your primary service area ($20-$50)
• Schedule efficiently to minimize driving
• Track mileage for tax deductions

Insurance and Licenses

General liability insurance costs $500 to $1,500 per year for cleaning businesses. That's roughly $10-$30 per week. If you're doing 10 jobs per week, add $1-$3 to each job to cover insurance.

Business licenses vary by location—anywhere from free to $500 annually. Factor this into your overhead.

Some clients (especially commercial) require proof of insurance and bonding. Don't skip this. One lawsuit will cost more than a lifetime of insurance premiums.

Overhead and Administrative Costs

These are the costs that don't tie directly to jobs but are necessary to run your business:

• Website and online booking: $20-$100/month
• Phone line: $30-$80/month
• Accounting software: $15-$50/month
• Marketing and advertising: $100-$500/month
• Equipment (vacuums, mops, buckets): $500-$2,000 upfront, then replacement costs
• Uniforms and branding: $200-$500 per employee annually

Add it up and you're looking at $200-$800 per month in overhead, or $50-$200 per week. Divide by the number of jobs you do weekly to see your per-job overhead cost.

Your Profit Margin

After covering all costs, you need profit. Not "what's leftover," but an intentional margin you build into your pricing.

Healthy profit margins for cleaning businesses:

• Minimum viable: 10-15% (you're surviving)
• Solid business: 20-25% (you're growing)
• Excellent operation: 28-40% (you're killing it)

If your costs per job are $100 and you want a 25% profit margin, you need to charge $133. That $33 difference is your actual profit that goes toward business growth, savings, and paying yourself as the owner (separate from your labor wage).

The Profit Formula: What You Actually Need to Charge

Here's the simple math to calculate your minimum rate:

Labor Cost + Supplies + Transportation + Overhead + Profit Margin = Your Rate

Let's work through a real example:

2,000 sq ft home, standard cleaning, 3 hours of work:

• Labor: 3 hours × $25/hour = $75
• Supplies: $10 (5-8% of estimated revenue)
• Transportation: $15 (10-mile round trip)
• Overhead per job: $10 (insurance, marketing, software divided by weekly jobs)
• Total costs: $110

Now add your profit margin. At 25%, divide your costs by 0.75: $110 ÷ 0.75 = $146.67

Your price: $150 (rounded up)

This is your break-even-plus-profit number. Charge less than this and you're literally paying to work.

How to Price Different Types of Cleaning Jobs

Not all cleaning jobs are created equal. Here's how to price each type to maximize profit while staying competitive.

Standard Recurring Cleaning

These are your bread-and-butter jobs, weekly or bi-weekly maintenance cleaning for homes that stay relatively clean.

What's included:

• Dusting all surfaces
• Vacuuming and mopping floors
• Bathroom cleaning (toilets, sinks, showers, mirrors)
• Kitchen cleaning (counters, sink, stovetop, outside of appliances)
• Trash removal
• General tidying

How to price: Use flat rates for recurring clients. They're predictable, efficient, and you can optimize your systems.

• Small apartment (under 1,000 sq ft): $100-$140
• Medium home (1,500-2,000 sq ft): $140-$200
• Large home (2,500-3,000 sq ft): $200-$300
• Extra-large (3,000+ sq ft): $300-$450

Offer a small discount for weekly clients (5-10%) to encourage frequency and lock in consistent income. Monthly clients should pay 20-30% more than bi-weekly clients because the home gets dirtier between cleanings.

Deep Cleaning

Deep cleans are intensive, one-time (or occasional) jobs that cover everything in a standard clean plus the stuff people ignore for months.

What's included:

• Everything in standard cleaning
• Baseboards and trim
• Inside cabinets and drawers
• Inside oven and refrigerator
• Behind and under furniture
• Light fixtures and ceiling fans
• Window sills and tracks
• Grout scrubbing

How to price: Charge 30-50% more than standard cleaning, or 1.5x to 2x your standard rate.

A home that costs $150 for standard cleaning should be $225-$300 for a deep clean.

Most clients need deep cleaning before switching to recurring service. Price it high enough to make it worth the extra effort, but not so high you scare away future recurring clients.

Move-Out/Move-In Cleaning

These jobs are empty homes that need to be spotless for the next tenant or owner. They're easier in some ways (no furniture to clean around) but harder in others (tenant damage, neglect, stuck-on grime).

What's included:

• Everything in deep cleaning
• Inside all cabinets, closets, and storage
• Walls, doors, and light switches
• All appliances inside and out
• Carpet cleaning or floor deep cleaning
• Windows (inside, sometimes outside)

How to price: $300 to $500 for average homes, up to $800+ for large or heavily soiled properties.

Walk through first. Always. Landlords will say "pretty clean" and you'll show up to a disaster. Take photos, document condition, and provide a quote in writing.

Charge extra for:

• Excessive dirt, damage, or neglect: +$100-$200
• Carpet shampooing: +$75-$150
• Interior window cleaning: +$50-$100
• Same-day or rush service: +$100-$150

Post-Construction Cleaning

Construction cleaning is its own beast. You're removing dust, debris, paint overspray, sticker residue, and sawdust from every surface. It takes specialized equipment and lots of elbow grease.

What's included:

• Removing construction dust and debris
• Cleaning windows, tracks, and sills
• Wiping down all surfaces (cabinets, counters, fixtures)
• Mopping and vacuuming multiple times
• Removing labels, stickers, protective films
• Detailing bathrooms and kitchens
• Sometimes trash removal

How to price: $0.10 to $0.50 per square foot depending on the level of mess, or $400 to $800+ flat rate for average homes.

Construction cleaning is hard, dirty work. Price it accordingly. Don't lowball to get the job—contractors expect to pay more for this service.

Charge by the square foot for consistency, but inspect first. New construction is usually cleaner than renovation work, which can be a disaster zone.

Add-On Services That Boost Your Profit

Once you've got the main cleaning priced right, add-ons are pure profit. These services take minimal extra time but command premium fees.

High-margin add-ons:

• Interior window cleaning: $4-$10 per window (or $50-$150 for whole house)
• Laundry wash and fold: $15-$30 per load
• Oven deep clean: $25-$50
• Refrigerator deep clean: $25-$50
• Cabinet organization: $20-$50
• Carpet shampooing: $75-$200 or $0.16-$0.28 per sq ft
• Upholstery cleaning: $100-$150 per hour
• Baseboard detailing: $25-$75
• Ceiling fan cleaning: $10-$15 per fan

Offer these as optional extras. Train your team to mention them to clients. "I noticed your oven could use a deep clean. We can add that for $40 today if you'd like."

Many cleaners make an extra $20-$50 per job just from add-ons. That's $80-$200 more per week, or $4,000-$10,000 more per year with almost no additional marketing cost.

Location-Based Pricing: What Your Market Can Actually Support

Where you operate matters. A cleaner in Manhattan charges three times what someone in rural Iowa charges, and both can be profitable.

Average hourly rates by region:

• California: $24+ per hour
• New York: $22+ per hour
• Colorado: $23+ per hour
• Florida: $20+ per hour
• Texas: $19+ per hour

These are averages. Urban areas within these states run higher. Wealthy suburbs support premium pricing. College towns and lower-income areas require competitive rates.

How to price for your specific market:

1. Research local competitors: Check at least 5-10 cleaning services in your area. Look at their websites, call for quotes, check reviews. What's the range?
2. Calculate your actual costs: Use the formula from earlier. If your costs require you to charge $150 per job but local competitors charge $100, you have three choices: lower your costs, target a wealthier market, or offer premium services that justify higher prices.
3. Position yourself strategically: You can be the budget option (high volume, low margin), the premium option (low volume, high margin), or middle-market (balanced). Each works, but don't try to compete on price while offering premium service—you'll go broke.
4. Test and adjust: Start with competitive rates, track your actual job costs, and adjust after 10-20 jobs. If you're booked solid and turning away clients, raise prices. If you're struggling to get jobs, evaluate whether your pricing or marketing is the problem.
   
   

Pricing for Recurring Clients vs. One-Time Jobs

One-time jobs should cost 15-30% more than recurring service. Why? Because recurring clients:

• Provide steady, predictable income
• Keep their homes cleaner between visits
• Require less marketing cost to retain
• Offer better cash flow
• Build long-term business value

A home that costs $180 for bi-weekly service should cost $220-$250 as a one-time job. This pricing encourages clients to sign up for recurring service while ensuring one-offs are profitable.

Frequency discounts:

• Weekly: Standard rate
• Bi-weekly: +5-10% compared to weekly
• Monthly: +20-30% compared to bi-weekly
• One-time: +15-30% compared to bi-weekly

Set these discounts intentionally. You want to incentivize weekly and bi-weekly service because that's where the money is. Monthly clients are acceptable but less profitable per visit. One-time jobs should make it worth your while to break your regular schedule.

Common Pricing Mistakes That Kill Your Profit

Charging Too Little to "Get Clients"

Every new cleaner makes this mistake. You think, "I'll charge less to build a client base, then raise prices later."

Here's what actually happens: you attract cheap clients who won't pay more when you raise rates. You train the market to expect low prices. You work yourself to exhaustion for poverty wages. And when you finally try to charge fair rates, your "client base" disappears.

Price fairly from day one. If you're not getting clients, fix your marketing, not your pricing.

Not Tracking Actual Job Costs

You can't price profitably if you don't know what jobs actually cost. Track every job for the first month:

• Actual time spent (including drive time)
• Supplies used
• Any issues or extra work required

After 10-20 jobs, you'll see patterns. Some jobs are profitable, others lose money. Adjust your pricing or screening process accordingly.

Saying Yes to Every Job

Bad clients cost more than they pay. The ones who want deep cleaning for standard cleaning prices. The ones who add extra work mid-job. The ones who nickel-and-dime you on every visit.

Learn to say no. "I appreciate you reaching out, but based on what you've described, I don't think we're the right fit. I'd recommend [competitor who undercharges]."

Every hour spent on an unprofitable client is an hour you could spend on a profitable one.

Not Raising Prices as You Improve

As you get faster and better, your cost per job drops. Your quality improves. You add equipment and systems that increase efficiency.

But most cleaners keep charging the same rates year after year. That's leaving money on the table.

Raise prices annually by at least 3-5% to keep up with inflation and your increasing skill. Raise them more (10-20%) when you've significantly improved your service, added services, or when your costs increase.

Existing clients rarely leave over small price increases if you're delivering good service. New clients never knew your old prices anyway.

Forgetting to Factor In Unpaid Time

You spend time on your business beyond the actual cleaning: scheduling, marketing, quoting jobs, buying supplies, maintaining equipment, bookkeeping.

This unpaid time needs to be covered by your rates. If you work 30 hours per week cleaning but spend 10 hours on business admin, you need to factor that into your pricing.

Either build it into your overhead calculation or charge enough per job to cover 40 hours of work even though only 30 are billable.

How to Communicate Your Prices to Clients

You've done the math and set your rates. Now you need to actually tell clients what you charge without losing the sale.

Be Confident and Clear

Don't apologize for your prices. Don't hedge with "well, I usually charge..." or "it might be around..."

State your rate clearly: "For a home your size with weekly cleaning, the rate is $160 per visit."

If they push back, don't immediately discount. Ask questions: "What's your budget for this service?" or "What aspects of the cleaning are most important to you?"

Sometimes clients just need to hear the price confidently before they accept it.

Provide Options

Give clients choices so they feel in control:

"For your 2,000 square foot home, I can offer:

• Bi-weekly service at $180 per visit
• Weekly service at $160 per visit
• Monthly deep clean at $280 per visit"

Options make clients choose between your services, not between you and someone else.

Explain What's Included

Clients need to understand what they're paying for. Provide a clear scope of work:

"Standard cleaning includes all main living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. We dust, vacuum, mop, and clean all standard fixtures. This typically takes 2.5 to 3 hours."

List what's NOT included to prevent scope creep: "Deep cleaning services like inside cabinets, baseboards, and inside appliances are available as add-ons."

Put It in Writing

Always provide written quotes for new clients. Include:

• Services included
• Frequency
• Price per visit
• Any additional fees
• Your cancellation policy

Email works fine. Professional estimating software looks better but costs money. Do what fits your current stage.

Handle Price Objections

When clients say you're too expensive:

• Option 1 - Hold firm: "I understand. My pricing reflects the quality and reliability of our service. Many of my clients have tried cheaper options and came back because they value what we provide."
• Option 2 - Offer alternatives: "I can reduce the frequency to monthly service, which would be $220 per visit instead of $180 bi-weekly. That saves you money while still keeping your home maintained."
• Option 3 - Walk away: "I appreciate you considering us, but I don't think we're the right fit for your budget. I'd be happy to refer you to someone else."

Never negotiate against yourself by offering discounts before they ask. Many clients accept your first price without question.

When and How to Raise Your Prices

Raising prices feels scary, but it's necessary for long-term profitability. Here's when and how to do it without losing clients.

When to Raise Prices

• Annual increases: Raise prices 3-5% every year to keep up with inflation and increasing costs. This should be automatic and expected.
• Major cost increases: If gas prices spike, your insurance doubles, or minimum wage increases, raise prices to cover the difference.
• You're too busy: If you're turning away clients or booked solid weeks in advance, you're underpriced. Raise rates by 10-20% until demand normalizes.
• You've added value: New equipment, better products, expanded services, or additional training justify price increases of 10-25%.
• You're attracting the wrong clients: If you're getting lots of price shoppers and problem clients, you're probably too cheap. Raising prices filters for better clients.

How to Raise Prices with Existing Clients

• Give advance notice: Email clients 30-60 days before the increase. Don't apologize, just explain:
• "Starting March 1st, our rates will increase to reflect rising costs and the continued quality of our service. Your new rate will be $190 per visit (up from $180). Thank you for your continued business."
• Raise new clients first: When implementing a price increase, start charging new clients the new rate immediately. Transition existing clients over 3-6 months.
• Offer a choice: Let existing clients keep their old rate if they prepay for the next 6-12 months. This locks in cash flow while you transition to higher rates.
• Don't negotiate: Some clients will push back. Hold firm. Most will grumble and pay. The ones who leave weren't profitable anyway.

You'll lose 5-15% of clients with any price increase. That's fine. The extra revenue from the ones who stay more than makes up for it.

The Bottom Line on House Cleaning Pricing

Pricing your house cleaning business correctly separates profitable owners from broke cleaners. Here's what you need to remember:

• Start with real numbers. Calculate your actual costs—labor, supplies, transportation, overhead, and desired profit margin. Charge enough to cover all of this plus 20-30% profit.
• Choose the right pricing model. Hourly works when starting out, but transition to flat rates as you gain experience. Price by value, not just time.
• Price for the business you want, not the one you have. If you want premium clients, charge premium rates from day one. If you want volume, price competitively but not cheaply.
• Track your numbers relentlessly. Know your cost per job, profit per job, and hourly effective rate. Adjust when the numbers don't work.
• Raise prices regularly. Annual increases keep you profitable. Don't wait until you're desperate or broke.
• Fire bad clients. Some people will never pay fair rates or respect your business. Let them go to your competitors.

House cleaning is an unsexy business that makes real money when you price it right. Stop working for poverty wages. Do the math, set your rates, and charge what you're worth.

Most cleaners fail because they treat this like a side hustle instead of a real business. You've got the numbers now. Price like a business owner, not someone grateful to have a job.

Lookuing to start something of your own? If you’re serious about building a real business from the ground up, check out our Unsexy Business Blueprint, a step-by-step guide to turning hands-on work into financial freedom.