How to Price House Cleaning Services
House cleaning is one of the most price-competitive service businesses in any market, but it's also one where strong operators build deeply loyal recurring customer bases. Getting your pricing right means covering your true costs, competing effectively, and still building margin. This guide covers both hourly and flat-rate pricing structures with real numbers.
Hourly vs. Flat-Rate Pricing
Most residential cleaning businesses start with hourly pricing and transition to flat-rate as they get faster and more consistent. Here's how both work:
- Hourly pricing: $35–$65/hour per cleaner (solo operator) or $50–$100/hour per team of 2. Simple to explain, but customers may feel anxious about time overruns.
- Flat-rate pricing: Set price per clean based on home size and frequency. Faster to quote, easier to scale, and customers prefer the predictability.
Flat-Rate Pricing by Home Size and Frequency
| Home Size | One-Time / First Clean | Bi-Weekly | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR | $120–$180 | $90–$130 | $75–$110 | $110–$160 |
| 2BR / 1–1.5 bath | $160–$240 | $120–$170 | $100–$145 | $145–$200 |
| 3BR / 2 bath | $200–$300 | $155–$220 | $130–$185 | $180–$260 |
| 4BR / 2.5–3 bath | $260–$380 | $200–$280 | $165–$235 | $230–$330 |
| 5BR / 3+ bath | $340–$500+ | $255–$370+ | $210–$305+ | $295–$430+ |
Deep Clean vs. Standard Clean
A deep clean (first-time clean or quarterly reset) takes 50–100% more time than a standard maintenance clean. Price it 40–75% higher than your recurring rate. Deep clean scope typically includes:
- Inside oven and refrigerator cleaning
- Baseboards, window sills, and door frames wiped down
- Inside cabinets emptied and cleaned
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures dusted
- Grout scrubbing in bathrooms and kitchens
Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning
Move-in/move-out cleaning is a premium tier — empty homes are thorough but physically demanding because you're cleaning behind appliances and inside every cabinet. These jobs typically run 30–60% more than a comparable-size deep clean:
- 1–2 BR apartment: $200–$350
- 3 BR house: $300–$550
- 4 BR house: $400–$750+
Commercial Cleaning Accounts
Small commercial accounts — offices, retail, medical — typically pay $0.10–$0.20/sq ft per cleaning visit on recurring weekly or bi-weekly schedules. A 2,000 sq ft office at 2× per week × $0.15/sq ft = $600/month in recurring revenue. Anchor your schedule with 3–5 commercial accounts.
Manage your recurring residential and commercial cleaning schedule in Fieldbase — auto-dispatch weekly and bi-weekly jobs, send invoices automatically after each visit, and collect payment by card on file so you never have to chase a check.
Key Takeaways
- Flat-rate pricing scales better than hourly — customers prefer predictability and you get rewarded for efficiency
- Always charge a premium for first cleans and deep cleans — they take significantly more time
- Move-in/out cleans are premium jobs; price 30–60% above a comparable deep clean
- Anchor your schedule with a few commercial accounts for stable weekly recurring revenue