Pricing · 6 min read · October 7, 2026

How to Price a House Cleaning Job (Without Underselling Yourself)

Most solo cleaners set their first prices by looking at a competitor's flyer and knocking off a few dollars. It feels safe, but it's the fastest way to end up busy and broke. Here's a better way, based on your own time, costs, and goals.

Step 1: Decide what you want to earn per hour

Start with the number you want to take home for each hour you're actually cleaning. This isn't what you charge. It's what's left for you after costs.

Think about what you'd need to earn at a regular job to make it worth the effort, then add some extra. You're covering your own time off, slow weeks, and the hours spent quoting, texting, and driving that nobody pays you for.

Example: you decide your target is $40 per cleaning hour.

Step 2: Know your cost per job

Every job costs you something before you earn a dollar. Add up roughly what goes into an average visit:

• Supplies: products, cloths, vacuum bags, gloves
• Travel: gas and wear on your car for the round trip
• Fees: card processing, scheduling apps, insurance spread across your jobs

Example: about $12 per job in supplies, gas, and fees.

Step 3: Time your cleans

You can't price a job well without knowing how long it takes. For your next few cleans, write down the start and end time along with the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and any extras. After a handful of jobs you'll have real averages, which beat any rule of thumb.

Step 4: Do the math

Now the formula is simple:

Price = (hours × your hourly target) + cost per job

These numbers are just an example. Use your own hourly target, costs, and times. Round up to a clean number your clients will remember.

Step 5: Charge more for first cleans and extras

A first visit almost always takes longer because you're catching up on weeks or months of buildup. Price it as a deep clean based on the extra time it really takes, not as a favor.

Extras like inside the oven, inside the fridge, interior windows, and baseboards should each have a set price. That keeps quotes consistent and makes upselling feel natural ("Want me to do the oven this time? It's $25.").

Step 6: Be careful with recurring discounts

Weekly and biweekly clients are gold. The home stays cleaner, so each visit is faster. A small discount for recurring service makes sense, but run the numbers first. If a biweekly clean takes 2.5 hours instead of 3, you can afford a discount that matches the time you save. Don't go deeper than that.

Step 7: Check your local market (but don't just undercut)

Once you have your price, look at what other cleaners in your area charge. If you're far above, check your time estimates. If you're far below, that's a sign you can raise your rates. Being the cheapest cleaner in town is not a business plan, because it attracts the clients who are hardest to keep.

Common pricing mistakes

• Forgetting drive time. Twenty minutes each way is 40 unpaid minutes per job.
• Pricing the first clean like a regular clean. You'll lose money on day one.
• Never raising prices. Review your rates at least once a year, because your costs go up too.
• Quoting from memory. Inconsistent quotes are hard to defend when clients compare notes.

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