How to Raise Your House Cleaning Prices Without Losing Good Clients
Most solo cleaners wait far too long to raise their prices. Costs for gas, supplies, and insurance go up every year, so a price that hasn't changed is a price that's quietly shrinking. Here's how to raise your rates calmly and keep the clients you want.
Signs it's time to raise your prices
- You haven't raised them in over a year
- Your schedule is full and you're turning down new clients
- Your real hourly pay, after supplies, gas, and drive time, is lower than you want
- You've added skills, insurance, or services since you set your rates
If two or more of these are true, you're probably due.
How much should you raise them?
Many cleaners raise prices by a modest percentage once a year, often somewhere around 5–10%. A smaller increase every year is easier for clients to accept than a big jump every few years. Work out what your new price does to your hourly pay. That's the number that matters.
Example: a $140 biweekly clean raised 7% becomes $149.80. Round to $150.
Give real notice
Give clients at least 30 days' notice before the new price takes effect. It's respectful, it gives them time to adjust their budget, and it makes the change feel planned rather than sudden.
A message you can copy
Hi [Name], thank you for trusting me with your home. I really enjoy working with you.
I'm writing to let you know that starting [date], my rate for your [biweekly] clean will be [$new price]. My costs for supplies, gas, and insurance have gone up, and this lets me keep providing the same careful, reliable service.
If you have any questions, I'm happy to talk. Thank you again for your support!
Keep it short and confident. You don't need to over-explain or apologize. A price increase is a normal part of running a business.
New clients first
If raising prices on existing clients feels hard, start by quoting new clients at your new rate. Once your new pricing feels normal, bring existing clients up to it with notice.
What if a client says no?
Some might. That's okay. If a client leaves over a fair, well-communicated increase, it frees up a slot for someone who values your work at today's prices. Most good clients stay, because finding a reliable cleaner they trust is hard.
Do the math before you send the message
Before you announce anything, check what each client actually pays you per hour once you count drive time and costs. You may find one or two clients who need a bigger adjustment than everyone else, and a few who are already priced right.
Know your numbers before you raise prices
The Price Calculator shows the real hourly pay on any job, and the Profit Dashboard tracks your profit and hourly rate month by month. Get both, plus the Client & Job Tracker, in the bundle.