Hiring a house cleaner might seem like a luxury — but for many people, it’s totally worth it. Take it from Christine Landis, a parent of two and founder of Peacock Parent Inc. She hired a housekeeper 15 years ago, before she had kids. With time, she’s enjoyed even more benefit from the service. “Both of my parents worked full-time jobs, so the example was set for me at an early age that you can’t do it all yourself, and still show up fully present as a parent,” says Landis.
And in addition to showing up more fully as a parent, the benefits of hiring a house cleaning service also include reduced stress, better relationships with all your loved ones, a healthier living space and more time spent doing things you love. If you or an older family member are physically unable to clean your home, it might also be a necessity. However, even if you’re sold on the benefits of outsourcing this job, you may still wonder how — or even if — you can afford it. That’s where budgeting comes in.
“Budgeting [for house cleaning] saves time and money,” says Bill Ryze, certified chartered financial consultant and board advisor at Fiona, an online marketplace for financial services. “It helps you allocate your resources efficiently, allowing you to focus on other priorities while professionals handle the cleaning.”
If you’d like to make house cleaning a priority or figure out how to budget for the service, consider these expert tips on budgeting for a house cleaner.
4 steps to budgeting for house cleaning
Finding the money for house cleaning is a matter of assessing your income, expenses and priorities as well as making changes based on what you need and value most. Here’s a step-by-step game plan, according to Ryze.
1. Create a budgeting plan
To know how much cash you have available for house cleaning — or where you might be able to “find” money to use for this service — you’ll need to do some basic household budgeting work.
First, get set up with a spreadsheet, budgeting app (such as Honeydue, Monarch Money or YNAB) or household budgeting template.
Then, track your income and expenses on your spreadsheet or app. “Include your reliable income sources (wages, child support, alimony, commission) and your fixed expenses (mortgage, rent) and variable expenses (groceries, utilities),” Ryze says. Remember to include yearly or quarterly expenses as well as small daily expenses. Start by tracking for this month, or retroactively compile all your income and expenses for last month.
Once you have at least a month’s worth of data, “calculate your net income by subtracting your expenses from your income,” Ryze says. The goal? It’s a positive number, meaning you’re making more than you’re spending, and can use that cash towards savings, debt repayments and other financial goals — like allocating money for a house cleaner.
At this point, consider how much of that number you might be willing to spend on hiring cleaning help. Can you swing $200 per month? $500?
Budgeting may initially be stressful or disappointing, especially if you feel like there’s not enough money to go around. Just remember: “Your budget should empower you and not make you feel miserable,” Ryza adds. Understanding your cash flow is the first step to feeling like you’re in control of your spending and using your money for what you want.
“Budgeting saves time and money. It helps you allocate your resources efficiently, allowing you to focus on other priorities while professionals handle the cleaning.”
— Bill Ryze, certified chartered financial consultant
2. Assess your cleaning needs
The process of assessing your cleaning needs is going to be highly personal. “Priorities can vary greatly depending on lifestyle and family needs,” says Vanessa Terra Bossart, founder of Green Terra Cleaning in San Francisco. First-time cleaning is almost always expensive because it requires intensive cleaning, Ryze says. But after that, you can adjust your service based on your changing needs and what your budget allows. For instance, homes with young children or pets might require deeper cleaning in living areas, where toys and shed hair tend to build up, whereas other homes might require more focus on the kitchen and bedrooms.
“Most companies will take a flexible approach, and tailor their services to fit within your budget while making sure the most critical cleaning tasks are addressed,” Terra Bossart says.
Consider what you’d prefer to take off your plate: Is it the bathrooms and kitchen, or vacuuming and organizing? Would you prefer a weekly light clean (think mopping, disinfecting and wiping down sinks and windows) or a monthly deep clean (scrubbing the bottom of the oven and dusting every baseboard)? How long after cleaning does your house feel dirty again? With your answers to these questions in mind, you can work on fitting the top-priority tasks into your budget.
3. Set a cleaning budget
To work house cleaning into your household budget, you’ll need to figure out how much the service might cost. That’s easier said than done, though, since most house cleaning prices aren’t fixed. “Pricing in the house cleaning industry can vary significantly, based on a variety of factors including the size of your home, the level of cleaning required and the frequency of the service,” says Eliana Coca, founder of E.C. House Cleaning, who’s worked in the industry for over 20 years.
Many house cleaning services charge per hour, with the average cost around $18, according to current Care house cleaning prices. Other companies, like Terra Bossart’s, bill by size instead. They charge a baseline fee that includes the living room, dining room, and kitchen and varies depending on the size of the home; then customers can add or subtract bedrooms and bathrooms.
To get a sense of how much house cleaning might cost you, use Care’s house cleaning rates calculator to see what professionals charge in your area. You can also reach out to local companies to get personalized quotes so you know exactly what to expect; many services have easy rate estimate calculators on their websites that adjust for pets and kids, current cleanliness, number and size of rooms, type of flooring and more.
Once you know how much cleaning might cost, consider reallocating funds from non-essential categories to cover those household cleaning expenses, Ryze says. For example, if a weekly cleaning costs you $100, allocate $400 per month in your budget for cleaning as a fixed expense. If you can find a little bit of extra cash in your budget but not enough for weekly cleaning, consider budgeting for bi-weekly visits or even a single monthly deep clean, which may cost closer to $300 or $200, depending on your needs and house size.
4. Make changes to your budget when necessary
Ryze suggests revisiting your budget after each month is over to compare your actual spending with your budgeted amounts. “Identify deviations and figure out the reasons,” he suggests. “Check whether it was an unexpected expense or a conscious choice and adjust accordingly.”
Also, evaluate your house cleaning needs and whether or not your current service is working for you. This means asking yourself questions like:
- Are the results I’m getting worth the expense?
- Might it be beneficial to adjust the frequency or swap areas cleaned?
Talk with your service provider to make any changes that might help you feel more satisfied. If you need to cut back or skip cleaning for budgeting reasons, you’ll do well to first, communicate your concerns with your house cleaner. You may be able to find a solution together.
Tips for reducing your house cleaning costs
If you’re convinced by the benefits of hiring a house cleaner but your budget can’t handle the costs every month, consider these tips for reducing the cost of your service.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
“Don’t hesitate to ask for discounts,” Coca says. See if paying upfront, referring a friend, or committing to ongoing service can get you a discount, or if your individual cleaner or company offers any payment plans or packages.
Establishing a good relationship with your cleaning service (paying on time, avoiding last-minute cancellations, prepping your house appropriately and being open and honest about your needs) can also open doors to better rates and flexibility, Coca says. “Always communicate clearly with your cleaning service to ensure they understand your priorities and can adjust their offering to match your budget.”
“Always communicate clearly with your cleaning service to ensure they understand your priorities and can adjust their offering to match your budget.”
— Eliana Coca, founder of E.C. House Cleaning
Prioritize cleaning tasks
“You might only need certain areas of your house cleaned professionally,” Coca says. You can alternate which areas get cleaned each week or choose to have only certain rooms — for example, common spaces and high-traffic areas — cleaned by a pro. “This approach can significantly decrease your expenses while still maintaining a clean home,” Coca says.
Many cleaning companies offer an à la carte cleaning option if you can’t afford (or don’t need) a comprehensive cleaning. To help tailor your service to your budget, Terra Bossart recommends creating a priority list with your cleaner. “This list allows our clients to book services based on an hourly rate, focusing on areas of the home that need the most attention first,” she says.
Reduce the frequency
If you’ve crunched the numbers and can’t afford weekly cleaning, “you might opt for a less frequent but more thorough cleaning schedule, such as bi-weekly instead of weekly,” Coca proposes. Perhaps you can handle day-to-day maintenance, but you’d benefit from having a pro do a deep clean monthly to tackle any more intensive tasks or spots you miss.
Less-frequent deep cleans can sometimes be more expensive than lighter weekly upkeep; you’ll need to do a cost analysis or chat with your provider to see which is right for your needs and budget.
BYOS: Bring your own supplies
Chat with your house cleaner to see if they offer discounts for providing your own cleaning products and tools, Ryze suggests. Then, save even more money by buying those products in bulk or making your own with ingredients like vinegar and baking soda.
The bottom line on budgeting for house cleaning
“A clean home reduces allergens, prevents the spread of germs and promotes mental well-being,” Terra Bossart says, but it comes at a significant cost — whether that’s your own time or the money required to hire someone else.
If you’re busy working or parenting or you’re looking to hire someone to clean for a family member who can no longer do so for themselves, hiring a house cleaner is almost certainly worth it. “By hiring support in the home, you’re setting the tone for your [children] to understand that it’s OK to not just ask for help, but to value your time and energy,” Landis says.
Take a few steps to align your budget with your needs. As Ryze concludes, “Setting a budget for house cleaning helps control your finances [and] prevents overspending.” In turn, paying for professional house cleaning will feel like a great use of your cash rather than a shock to your wallet.