Having a maid service clean your house on a regular basis -- or complete a one-time deep cleaning -- is a wonderful way to take care of your home without spending hours on your knees with cleaning supplies. Regular cleaning also helps preserve wood floors, furniture, upholstery and countertops. You may be intimidated by the potential cost of hiring a maid service, but before you get discouraged, here are a number of factors that could decrease your price or make it worthwhile regardless.
On This Page:
- What Does the Average Maid Service Charge?
- What Other Factors Affect the Cost of Maid Service?
- Number of Rooms in Your Home
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Cleaning Products
- Special Needs & Pets
- Accessibility
- Distance
- Hiring an Individual Maid vs. Cleaning Company
- Maid Service Expectation & Prices
- Weekly or Monthly Maid Service?
- Conclusion
How Much Does Maid Service Cost?
The average maid service cost is $158, though homeowners could spend anywhere between $116 and $227 for their services. Typically, maid service charges are either by the hour or square footage. Per hour costs are between $25 and $35. Square footage charges depend on the size of your house. For example, an area less than 1,000 square feet averages $120 while 3,000 square feet or more could cost $140. Some maid services may do a first-time cleaning by the square foot. This allows the maid service to determine how long it will take to clean your house and to get an idea of what special attention your house may require such as high ceiling fans, fragile antiques, etc. On average, the typical single family home costs $130. Maid service for apartments averages $100 and for businesses around $150. How often you expect the maid service to come out can also affect your cost. Multiple visits may actually net you some savings. Savings can typically be about $5 to $10 per cleaning. You might be able to get a further discount by paying for multiple cleanings upfront or by signing a contract for long-term service. This winds up saving you anywhere from $50 to $200 in the long run. Maid services can do a one-time cleaning as well. This can be useful for sprucing up your home for a holiday party, viewings by potential buyers or apartments after a tenant has moved out and before a new one comes in. For the typical home, this cost is normally around $200 to $300.Return to TopHow To Estimate The Cost Of Maid Service
Other factors come into play when paying for a maid service as well. These factors include the number of rooms to be cleaned, how many bathrooms there are, if you have particular needs for certain types of cleaning products, accessibility to rooms, and travel time to your home.1. Determine how many rooms you want to clean.
Make a list of the rooms in your house you would like to have cleaned and consider how long it would take you to clean those rooms yourself. Although a maid service may be faster, it is a good way to get a general estimate of the time and cost of hiring someone else to clean for you. The more rooms you have, the more expensive the cost of cleaning. If you do not have a home that gets dirty quickly, you could choose to have a certain number of rooms cleaned each visit and rotate every time. This way each room gets cleaned within a certain timeframe, and you can save a little on the cost as well.Return to Top2. Count the number of bedrooms.
By counting bedrooms, maid services can get an idea of the occupancy and usage of your home. Higher occupancy often means a bit more cleanup. A large house with only two bedrooms will generally not require as much work as a small house with four bedrooms. A bedroom may have specific cleaning needs as well. For example, a master bedroom may have a walk-in closet that requires vacuuming and dusting. A dresser overloaded with tiny photographs and other mementos will take more time to clean as well.Return to Top3. Count the number of bathrooms.
Bathrooms are perhaps the most involved rooms to clean. They also often use the harshest cleaners. Bathrooms require specific cleaners for specific tasks. For example, a toilet cleaner won't work well on a shower, and a shower cleaner won't work well on a toilet. The sink and vanity will require their own types of cleaners, and mirrors require yet another. Shower doors may need a cleaner specifically for removing hard water stains and soap residue. Floors will also need to be mopped with their own cleaners. Naturally, the larger the bathroom, the more involved it will be to clean. A master bath might include: a large shower, a bathtub, his and her vanities, his and her sinks, large mirrors, multiple lighting fixtures, and accessories for the tub and/or shower. Some of these may include metallic finishes that require specific cleaners, such as brass or stainless steel. If your sink and tiles are marble, they will require special care because as hard as it is, marble is porous and scratches easily. Because bathrooms are so demanding in their maintenance, there are some services that clean only bathrooms. A typical price for this service is about $25 per hour.Return to Top4. Decide between standard and eco-friendly cleaners.
Think about the products that you want to use in your home. Many people prefer environmentally-friendly, non-toxic products. If this is what you want, you need to be clear about this from the start. Most house cleaners will ask you to supply your own cleaning products or pay for theirs. So if you have specific product needs, it could factor into the price. To see what sort of cost difference there is, compare the common products below:- Window cleaner (32 oz.)
- Standard brands such as Windex -- about $3
- ?Green? brands such as Green Works -- $5.50 to $8
- Carpet spot cleaner (22 oz.)
- Standard brands such as Spot Shot -- $4
- ?Green? brands such as Simple Green -- $5
- Floor cleaner (144 oz.)
- Standard brands such as Pine-Sol -- $14
- ?Green? brands such as Simple Green -- about $20
- Dish soap
- Standard brands such as Dawn (24 oz) -- $2
- ?Green? brands such as Green Works (22 oz) -- $3
As you can see, eco-friendly cleaners cost more. If you want to ensure that only ?green? products are used, you should supply them.Return to Top
5. List any special circumstances such as allergies, antiques, and pets.
Do you have:- Valuable antiques in your home?
- High ceilings and require a ladder to dust the ceiling fan?
- A cat that is never allowed in the bedroom or a dog that sheds on everything?
- A 12-pack of regular vacuum cleaner bags costs about $4
- An allergen-reducing pack of 3 costs about $7
6. Determine if you have areas that are difficult to access.
If there are parts of your home that are more difficult to access, such as very high ceilings, windows or shelving, your house cleaner may have an extra charge associated with anything that involves the use of a ladder or difficult-to-access places. Tall ceilings usually have ceiling fans suspended from them that require a ladder to get up to even if a wand is used. Often a home with high ceilings also has tall or high windows and high shelving. This is not only a bit of extra work to get the ladder in, set up, and back out again, it's also a safety hazard. A maid service will most likely have to use your ladder, and if it isn't in good shape, you could be held liable for injuries. (OSHA has an entire section dedicated just to ladders.) Multi-story homes require moving heavier household equipment such as vacuum cleaners up flights of stairs. Also, cleaning rails and balustrades can incur an extra cost as does the task of vacuuming the stairs themselves.Return to Top7. Find out if your home is located in the service area.
Some maid services will charge a trip fee if your home is outside of their service area. If you want to avoid this, look for maid services that are in your general vicinity. How much this charge is varies widely and can be influenced by such factors as the remoteness of your home, the workload on the maid service, and the cost of gas. Be sure to check what their service area is and shop around. One maid service may have more calls than they can handle and may charge more while another who needs the work might offer a lower trip fee in order to get the business.Return to Top
Independent Operators vs. Companies
There are many maid services to choose from. They range from individual people looking for extra income to full-fledged corporations with nationwide services. Which one you choose depends entirely on your personal preferences. Independent operators often charge less, sometimes as little as $10 an hour. As independents, you can sometimes negotiate an acceptable rate. Few, if any, will require a contract, and changes to your cleaning schedule are usually not a problem. Many can provide references to attest to the quality of their work and to their personal integrity and honesty. There are websites where individual maids can advertise their services and list their qualifications and specialties. Maid service companies are bonded, licensed and insured, but they usually cost more, around $25 to $35 an hour. Many require contracts and may or may not be able to accommodate last-minute schedule changes. However, maid service companies have better dependability. If the maid who cleans your house is out sick, they can call in another employee who will have the same qualifications as your regular maid. As with any service, get references regardless of if you're considering a company or an individual and check HomeAdvisor reviews as well as anywhere else you can find them. Three to five should be enough to give you an idea of what level of service to expect.Return to Top
What to Expect From a Maid Service
A maid service can be expected to come to your house and clean. But what does that entail? The standard maid services include:- Vacuuming your floors, but may or may not include polishing them if needed
- Dusting surfaces, but if you have antiques or other such items to be cleaned, it may cost you more depending on how fragile they are or if special cleaners must be used.
- Scrubbing floors, sinks, and countertops, but if you have old or damaged grout, all a maid can do is clean it.
- Do the dishes.
- Do your laundry.
- Wash walls unless it has been agreed upon, and will carry an extra charge. Mini-blinds can also carry an extra charge.
While most maid services will need to see what needs cleaning before giving you a quote, here are a few examples prices for many common tasks and some extras:
- 900 sq. ft. 2-bedroom apartment, 5 rooms
- One-time cleaning - $70-$200
- Bi-weekly cleaning - $60-$125
- 1300 sq. ft. single-story home, 7 rooms
- One-time cleaning - $90-$300
- Bi-weekly cleaning - $80-$150
- 2200 sq. ft. two-story 3-bedroom home, 9 rooms
- One-time cleaning - $150-$400
- Bi-weekly cleaning - $100-$180
- Window cleaning, interior (exterior if safely possible) - $20-$70
- Refrigerator cleaning (including removing and replacing items) - $30
- Oven cleaning - $25-$30
- Move-In/Move-Out - $190-$330
Whole House Cleaning
Whole house cleaning is a service that goes above and beyond simply dusting, vacuuming and scrubbing. Whole house cleaning includes cleaning lighting fixtures, switches, outlets, baseboards, air ducts, tiles, grout, upholstery, carpet cleaning, trim, crown molding and a whole slew of services dedicated to giving your house a deep cleaning. Unlike a typical maid service, a whole house cleaning includes moving furniture to get at the area underneath and behind it. This kind of service is normally used to prepare a home for viewing by potential buyers, post-construction clean-up, or for cleaning up extreme cases such as might be seen with a ?hoarder.? It is a very involved service and can cost a bit. Whole house cleaning services are normally done on a one-time basis. The cost of having a whole house cleaning ranges from a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand. Factors that influence this cost include:- Square footage of the house -- A larger house will involve more work. There will be more air ducting, more windows, more walls, more floor space, etc.
- Stories -- A multi-story house will require moving heavy equipment up and down stairs. Just as with a regular maid service, this will normally cost more.
- Tall ceilings -- Ceilings do collect dust and cobwebs, and lighting fixtures and ceiling fans will need to be cleaned. With tall ceilings, this involves the extra risk of working on a ladder.
- Furniture -- Some maid services will vacuum the upholstery, but a whole house cleaning also includes deodorizing the furniture and making it presentable.
- Carpets -- Maid services will vacuum your carpets. If you need a deep cleaning, however, whole house cleaning involves shampooing and extraction. This is particularly important if you want to show your house for sale but have pets.
Naturally, a whole house cleaning will cost more than the typical maid service. As a baseline idea of what to expect to pay, here is an example of some prices for a deep cleaning based on rooms. Remember that the prices reflect an average and could change depending on the size of the room, fixtures, appliances, etc.:
- Kitchen -- $75 or more
- Full Bath -- $45 or more
- Half Bath -- $15 or more
- Bedroom -- $30 average
- Living Room -- $30 average
- Dining Room -- $30 average
- Other Common Rooms -- $30 average
- Home Office -- $15 average
- Halls/Stairs -- $30 average
- Carpet Cleaning -- $75-$200 for whole house, or $0.25-$0.50 per square foot
- Furniture -- Remove stains and odors - $50-$100
- Windows -- Normal windows can cost $5 per window, $3 per screen.
- Polishing or Waxing -- Average $0.25-$0.50 per square foot. Some companies may have a minimum for this depending on the size of the house.
Return to Top
Should You Hire a Weekly or Monthly Housekeeper or Maid Service?
How often you have a maid service come to your house depends on your needs and your schedule. You might need just a little help staying on top of things, such as if you are elderly or handicapped, or you might need a lot of help because of your busy schedule or because you entertain a lot. Here is an idea of what the various schedules are best suited for:- Weekly -- A weekly cleaning is ideal for those with busy lives and lots of social obligations. For these people, even a simple wiping down of kitchen counters and vacuuming can put a crimp in their overloaded schedules. Even those who work at home can find themselves without the time to do much beyond the bare necessities depending on the nature of the work.
- Bi-weekly -- As a general upkeep type of service, this is the most popular schedule for many homes. It's ideal for someone who is busy, but not overloaded with work or social commitments.
- Monthly -- A once-a-month thorough cleaning provides a good, regular service for your home. While it can be more costly than the previous two options because of the workload involved, it's also often enough for people who don't entertain a lot and who may not have particularly loaded schedules.
Normally, the more often a maid service comes out to your house, the less it will cost you per visit. With such a routine schedule, the maid service will most likely have the cleaning supplies you need so that you don't have to buy them (unless you require certain products due to allergies, environmental concerns, etc.). Weekly and bi-weekly visits are not only more cost effective, they're also healthier. A routine cleaning of your home reduces allergens, bacteria, and other health concerns for your family. A weekly visit can save $5 to $10 per visit, not including what you'll save if you don't have to buy your own cleaning products.
Return to Top
In Conclusion
Which maid service you choose, company or individual, what level of service you choose, and how frequently you have the maid service come out will entirely depend on your needs and budget. Some people only have certain heavily used rooms cleaned regularly, which saves quite a bit, while others may need their entire house cleaned only once in awhile. Whichever you choose, be sure to have the maid service come out and look at your house, and let them know every special requirement your home may have, from delicate collectibles to potentially difficult-to-reach areas. This way, they can give you the most accurate estimate for your home.Refer a Pro who does this service and receive an Amazon Gift Card!
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What many do not understand is that it costs money to be in business. Legitimate companies have overhead such as corporate taxes, insurance, supplies, etc. That said, hiring a legitimate company comes with the bonus of reliability and the comfort of knowing who ypu are hiring, among other things. Advertising is often a very large burden to a small business and can very quickly exhaust profits. Many small businesses have the added expense of memberships with the Better Business Bureau or multiple Chambers of Commerce. So if you are paying $10/hour you are not likely hiring a legitimate business and beware, these people have access to your home, your family, your children and your most prized possessions. I would happily pay more for piece of mind.
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I think the prices are very reasonable. Considering I having professionals coming into my home to clean. I do want a company that have trained women and Insured and Bonded and realize that cost for those requirements.
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quality is something that should not be compromised if you get a pro to clean for you and the prices is low you only get what you pay for so always keep in mind quality is often better than quantity and good cleaning takes time if it's done right moving objects is time-consuming put away your valuable an breakable items good luck on your search for the right pro that will fit all your needsÂ
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Prices way too high. Can be done for much less. Just have to find the right people. Takes a little research but can be done.....
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I think these services may be too costly for me.
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I think the prices are certainly reasonable and am anxious to give this a try. I am getting to old to do it myself anymore
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IF A MAID CHARGES $25 AN HOUR, WOULD IT COST $50 AN HOUR FOR TWO MAIDS? Â OBVIOUSLY, WITH TWO PEOPLE, THE NUMBER OF HOURS REQUIRED WOULD BE CUT IN HALF. Â I AM CHECKING WITH SEVERAL SERVICES TO COMPARE QUOTES.
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I was quoted $75/hr for a small garden apartment in pristine condition. I was told it would take 2 hours to clean. I thought this was rather high.
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Very impressed with information
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probably not possible due to cost.
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The owner of a professional maid service sets the standard for their staff who will represent them. How an owner compensates their staff and how they treat their staff is a direct reflection of the quality cleaning a homeowner will receive. Much is said about the "Golden Rule" business principal in which you treat your clients how you would want to be treated. This is why Maid in America has earned a reputation for caring for its clients because we understand how life creates a cycle of stress which is where we come in and that is to rescue you from the stress of house cleaning chores. We know what it means to be thoughtful, thorough, kind and courteous. That is how we like for others to treat us so we apply the same for you! Cheap is not necessary a good thing because someone is not being compensated their worth. Quality is most often compromised.
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It's important to be reasonable and fair when you pay your maid service or housekeeper. A plumber or electrician costs upwards of 75 per hour. How important is it for you to have this free time to do other things? Do we really want to pay a person 10 dollars an hour and then trust that person to service every detail of our home, often when we aren't there to oversee them? These people provide a service that makes our lives easier and less stressful. It's our responsibility to consider that when we determine their salaries.
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Haven't used service yet gathering info.
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In reviewing comments, some people feel the pricing is too high. As a consumer, we also have to consider income and payroll taxes for the company doing the work for us, as well as materials, transportation costs, liability insurance, etc.....if the service is too cheap, you probably are not going to get the level of satsifaction you seek. This is a dis-service to yourself and the company you chose. If the price is too high, just look for a company that is not so expensive. Â
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servicefx would not except $25 an hr for 5 hrs. total $125 for the day.Â
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I moved here from S. Florida & finding the prices/hourly rates are a good bit higher here. Â I prefer to provide all equipment, materials for cleaning & have paid a single person $25-30 per hour for excellent cleaning (roughly 3 hours) to maid companies for 2 cleaners @ $45-50 per hour for so-so service (roughly 1.5-2 hours). Â My home was 2500SF. Â I'll need to think about it as I keep a pretty clean home.
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looking for estimates - will review and make a decision
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Man this really help i was not charging enough wow
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No experience to share. Just gathering information.
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I'm starting a cleaning service and looking for ways to charge
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Need help to clean my home ,had a cleaning lady for awhile ,think she was spreadingÂ
herself and and her co-workers too thin,sometimes rushed and forgot areas. looking for bonded experieinced workers,not overworked.
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Looks too high today, thanks
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Good information - too pricey for my needs at this time. Â
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No  service comments yet, I am just beginning my initial search.  However,  The information above was very helpful.
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Molly Maid charged $115. Monthly. ~2005Â
My regular cleaners retired. |
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Just looking for now
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This page was helpful. Â Think I will have to budget for a little longer before getting this luxury!
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comparing costs as I am looking to hire a professional cleaning service to tidy up our home. While I do want reasonable rates, I am also seeking a quality service &Â custom quote for only the services we really need. For example, I'd have carpets cleaned separately and I can and do vacuum regularly on my own. Mostly interested in having the Kitchen and bathroom areas cleaned and sanitized. this was very useful information.
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I'm currently gathering as much info as possible because I'm considering starting my own independently ran "Maid Service" and this article was extremely informational. I would've went through numerous others to gather all of this info. It's a one stop shop. Thanks!!!!! Now how about insurance???? What kind of liability papers would we ask clients to sign?? Can we even ask them to sign any paperwork?Â
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Have not had but one cleaning service and they wanted to send Three women...There is not enough open space for that many...One would suit me fine...Hourly would be better for me. than a fixed fee.I am old and set in my ways, too
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I am difinately interested in having some serious quotes immediately. Â I have used home advisor before for tree service and was extremely happy with the company.
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I will call when I am ready to let a contract. I have a little construction work to be done.
Thanks
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For what u need done prices are  very reasonable...Â
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SOUNDS RESONABLE...providing they do a white glove treatment
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This is an excellent aid to determine  what kind of services are usually included and what are not.
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I would like to find a maid service and not a professional service. Any information on this will be appreciated. ThanksÂ
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The prices seem high to me, but I'm just thinking of dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning tile on floors.
I usually do my own vanities and commodes. Â Once in awhile I'd like someone to clean the refrigerator, and oven inside, Â windows in and out and other things, but basically I need someone to dust everything and clean the floors. Â
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I haven't hired anyone yet, I am looking at reviews and services offered.
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I'm going to look around some before committing.
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Haven't decided yet, though the cost seems much more than I expected.
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I think men should be part of your staff as some single men are more comfortable having a man in their home for a couple of hours. For a younger man with a disability living alone it would be easier asking for additional services such as laundry if it were a man. Men are sometimes better at cleaning due to being stronger or maybe taller. This makes dusting tops of refiregators, ceiling fans & even scrubbing showers easier.
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Went back to read up on houseceaning and/ or maid service. Probably need to start fresh in my search .Got a better Idea what to look for in a service
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I will check into this. We are just moving into our home this week.
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Since I live on a fixed income, these services are more costly than I can afford.
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Thanks for the information.  I am still looking into different options. I think the prices were a little extended for what my family needs at the moment.
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I plan to check out a few services and see what they suggest is right for me.
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Haven't tried service yet nor even received a quote. Â I had an individual at one time who did an excellent job for $100 but then she brought in a helper and things began to get damaged and the work got sloppier. Â That is why I am researching an alternative.
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Thanks for this well prepared presentation. I feel much more confident about my search for a cleaning service. I have not used the service yet but, If I can find someone who is as meticulous as I wish I could still be, it will be worth the cost.
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The info you have provided will greatly help us select a cleaning service. Â
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Week have a service in charlotte and it runs about $90 bimonthly. The company we use for adopt a year does an excellent job. Â We have second home and our current company does not cover this area and now we are looking for a service there. Â
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I would assumed that a whole house clean would take several hours. How is something like this planned? Does the company schedule more people to come or do two people stay longer hours?
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This site provides a lot of information especially for someone who has never had maid service before. Â I am researching the various costs before making a decision.
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just looking more information & comparing price .
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Have had weekly and biweekly housekeepers over the years. Diffficult to find those that endure. First time through the house, great. Each time, with many, their routine leaves much to be desired. Have had a few that did a great job routinely, enjoyed them for years. Rates always going up. Those that work for less did a better job. Funny. I keep a clean home, myself. Don't require much of any help in the kitchen or the baths. But, there are things I expect in the rest of our rooms that many will shortchange.
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looking toward possibly retaining someone but looks like prices may be more than I can afford. Article was very helpful, Thank You.
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good,grace, excellent,thank very much
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have not talked to venders as yet. will let you know what happens as I go thru my list. must be Insured & bonded. lee county sheriff will check each. before hire. thx.
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This information was very helpful. Thank You.
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I need a service that will clean the inside and outside of our kitchen cupboards first. Then I need to have the kitchen and two bathrooms cleaned every 2 weeks. The kitchen and bathrooms are small as this is a 900 square foot condo with 4 rooms plus the kitchen and 2 bathrooms.
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Very reasonable cost.
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Yes helpful,thank you.
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All this information is just what I needed to make an informed decision,
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Very helpful information
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yes, it is very expensive for normal dusting and vac plus bath fixtures/ i was in the cleaning business for 13 yrs and did much for for less
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Thank You for all of this information. Very helpful!
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At this point just gathering information and comparing individual prices for company maid services.
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Before I read this article I was considering monthly cleaning for my home. However, based on the information provided here, my home is better suited for bi-weekly services. I can now negotiate a fair price and budget for a recurring service when the provider I've selected comes to give me a quote on my initial service. Thanks so much for this article!
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I think these are very viable
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I think this service may be too expensive for me to use.
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I was getting information to have my elderly moms house cleaned for her. This information was very helpful. Thanks
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I've been delaying hiring a service and this has answered many questions I had.
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I don't feel that cleaning people should make the same kind of money that registered nurses do. This is too much for me.
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Outstanding info and very helpful.
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Shaklee cleaning products are Eco-friendly and cost pennies! Most house cleaners have their favorite cleaning products they're used to and want to charge extra if you request they use something different.
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I want to hire some help for 2 weeks (not everyday) for my daughter around the Holidays. She works herself to death with decorations and cooking and cleaning. However, the cleaning services that I have talked with so far are next to impossible to deal with. They want o charge you according to what you want done. I am looking for a flat rate by the day, and yes 8 hours, not two people for 2 hours that cost me $80.00.
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interesting.
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