How much to charge for house cleaning
By MopQuote · Updated October 31, 2026
Charge for the time a home takes, at your hourly rate. Estimate the hours from the bedrooms and bathrooms, multiply by your rate, add extras and round up. With MopQuote’s starting times, a 3 bed / 2 bath standard clean takes one cleaner 3.5–4.25 hours: at $55 an hour, that is $195 – $225.
- per hour, US average (Thumbtack)
- $40 – $55
- a 3 bed / 2 bath home, US average (Thumbtack)
- $220
- a 3 bed / 2 bath home at $55 an hour, MopQuote estimate
- $195 – $225
The formula
Price = hours of work × your hourly rate + extras − your recurring discount
- Never below your minimum order.
- Rounded up to the nearest $5.
- The free MopQuote calculator prices every home this way, and you can change every number in it.
How much do house cleaners charge per hour?
On average, $40 – $55 an hour in the US, according to Thumbtack, a marketplace for local pros. A one-time visit costs clients $174 – $256 on average, and a 3 bed / 2 bath home $220.
- What clients pay a cleaner (Thumbtack)$40 – $55
- What companies pay an employee, median (BLS)$17.07
That is a price, not a wage. Cleaning companies pay their employees a median of $17.07 an hour (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). Your rate pays for more than your time: supplies, gas, the drive between homes, taxes and the days without work.
Sources: Thumbtack, national averages, checked September 30, 2026; BLS, maids and housekeeping cleaners, employees only, May 2025.
How to set your own hourly rate
- 1Decide what you want to make in a week, before taxes.
- 2Count the hours you actually clean. Driving, buying supplies and texting clients are unpaid.
- 3Divide the first number by the second: that is the least you can charge per hour. Add what supplies and gas cost you per hour of cleaning.
- 4Compare with prices in your area and adjust.
Example: $1,000 a week over 25 hours of cleaning is $40 an hour, before supplies and gas.
Set your rate once in MopQuote, and every estimate uses it.
How much to charge for a 3 or 4 bedroom house?
A standard one-time clean of a home in normal condition by one cleaner, with MopQuote’s starting times. Find your home, then the column of your rate.
US average: $40 – $55 an hour
| Home | Hours | $45/hour | $55/hour | $65/hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bed / 1 bath2.5–3 h | 2.5–3 | $105–125 | $130–150 | $155–180 |
| 2 bed / 1 bath2.75–3.25 h | 2.75–3.25 | $120–140 | $150–175 | $175–205 |
| 2 bed / 2 bath3.25–3.75 h | 3.25–3.75 | $145–170 | $175–205 | $210–245 |
| 3 bed / 2 bath3.5–4.25 h | 3.5–4.25 | $160–185 | $195–225 | $230–265 |
| 3 bed / 2.5 bath3.75–4.5 h | 3.75–4.5 | $170–200 | $210–245 | $245–285 |
| 4 bed / 2.5 bath4.25–5 h | 4.25–5 | $185–215 | $225–260 | $270–315 |
| 4 bed / 3 bath4.5–5.25 h | 4.5–5.25 | $195–225 | $240–280 | $285–330 |
| 5 bed / 3.5 bath5–6.25 h | 5–6.25 | $225–285 | $275–345 | $320–400 |
A different rate, extras or a dirty home? Price it in the calculator.
Price a home at your rateHow much more for a deep clean or a move-out?
They take longer, so they cost more. With MopQuote’s starting times, a deep clean takes 1.75 times as long as a standard clean, and a move-in or move-out 2.5 times as long. At $55 an hour:
- Standard
- $150–1752.75–3.25 h
- Deep
- $260–3004.75–5.5 h
- Move-in/out
- $370–4306.75–8 h
- Standard
- $195–2253.5–4.25 h
- Deep
- $340–3956.25–7.25 h
- Move-in/out
- $485–5608.75–10.25 h
- Standard
- $225–2604.25–5 h
- Deep
- $395–4557.25–8.5 h
- Move-in/out
- $565–65010.25–12 h
The price and the hours on site for one cleaner. A deep clean includes baseboards; a move-in/out clean also includes inside the oven, the fridge and the cabinets.
Should you charge by the hour, by the house or by the square foot?
By the hour
You are paid for every hour you work, but the client doesn’t know the total before you start.
A flat price per home
The client knows the total before booking. Guess the hours wrong, and part of your day is unpaid.
By the square foot
Quick to quote, but square feet miss what takes the time: bathrooms, the kitchen and how dirty the home is.
The MopQuote way: a flat price from your hourly rate
Quote one flat price, figured from the rooms and your rate, with the hours next to it. Your client gets a clear total, and every hour of your work is paid. Square feet add time only above a typical home of that size.
Price a home at your rateWhat to add to the price?
Extras cost their time at your rate. MopQuote’s starting times, at $55 an hour:
| Extra | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Inside ovenIncluded in Move-in/out | 30 min | $27.50 |
| Inside fridgeIncluded in Move-in/out | 30 min | $27.50 |
| Inside cabinetsIncluded in Move-in/out | 45 min | $41.25 |
| BaseboardsIncluded in Deep and Move-in/out | 60 min | $55 |
| Windows, inside | 6 min each | $5.50 each |
| Pet hair | 15 min | $13.75 |
| Laundry, loads | 15 min each | $13.75 each |
- A dirty home takes 25% more time, a very dirty one 50% more.
- Recurring clients get 15% off weekly cleans, 10% every 2 weeks and 5% monthly. The first visit is priced as a one-time clean.
- Minimum order: 2 hours at your rate, $110 at $55 an hour.
These are MopQuote’s starting values, not market rules. Change any of them to match how you work.
How do you protect your price from late cancellations?
- let clients cancel free until 24–48 hours before the visit
- 26 of 34
- the most common flat late fee
- $50
- charge the full price when the cleaner can’t get in
- 8 of 34
A late cancellation or a locked door costs you a paid slot. We read the cancellation policies of 34 US cleaning companies in September 2026. Most let clients cancel free until 48 hours before the visit (16 of 34) or 24 hours before (10). After that, 16 charge a flat fee of $50 – $100, most often $50, and 7 charge half the price. When the cleaner can’t get in, 8 of them charge the full price.
In the MopQuote app, your cancellation policy goes on every estimate, in English or Spanish, so the client sees it before booking.
Most of these policies are from companies with websites; few solo cleaners publish theirs. You decide your own terms.
Price every home in seconds with MopQuote
- Your rate and your times per room, saved on your phone.
- The price and the hours for any home in a few taps.
- The estimate goes out by text in English or Spanish, with your cancellation policy.
- One-time payment, no subscription. ZenMaid Starter costs $19 a month and Jobber Core $49 a month on the monthly plan.
Competitor prices from their own pricing pages, checked September 28, 2026.
Join the waitlistHi! Here is your cleaning estimate: Standard cleaning 3 bed / 2 bath home Price: $195 – $225 Time: about 3.5–4.25 hours Included: dusting, kitchen counters, sink and appliance fronts, bathrooms cleaned and disinfected, mirrors, beds made, floors vacuumed and mopped, trash taken out. To cancel or reschedule, please let me know at least 24 hours ahead. Late cancellations are charged 50% of the price. Reply YES to book. Thank you! – [Your name], [your phone]
The cancellation wording is an example, not legal advice.
Get MopQuote first
Two tools are in development. Tell us which one you would use, and we’ll email you once when it’s ready.
The MopQuote app
- Keeps your prices on your phone
- Sends the estimate by text in one tap, in English or Spanish
- PDF invoices with your Venmo and Cash App QR codes and your Zelle
- Your clients and their history
One-time payment. No subscription. No cut of your payments.
See the app with sample dataYour own price page
- Your page at mopquote.com/yourname with your photo, services and prices
- Clients price their home before they call you
- Share it on Facebook, Instagram and Google
One-time payment. No subscription.
See a live exampleRun a cleaning company with a website? A price calculator for your site is next.
Questions about pricing
How much should I charge to clean a house?
Your hourly rate times the hours the home takes, plus extras. With MopQuote’s starting times, a 3 bed / 2 bath standard clean takes one cleaner 3.5–4.25 hours: at $55 an hour, that is $195 – $225. The free MopQuote calculator does this math for any home at your rate.
How much do house cleaners charge per hour?
$40 – $55 an hour on average in the US, according to Thumbtack (checked September 30, 2026). Your own rate depends on your area and your costs. Set it once in MopQuote: every estimate uses it and shows what the job pays you per hour.
How much should I charge for a 4 bedroom house?
A 4 bed / 2.5 bath standard clean takes one cleaner 4.25–5 hours with MopQuote’s starting times: $225 – $260 at $55 an hour. A deep clean takes 1.75 times as long. Put in your own rate to see your price.
Should I charge more for the first clean?
Usually, yes. In the company guides and cleaners’ reports we checked in September 2026, a first clean took about 1.75 times as long as a regular one, close to a deep clean. In MopQuote, price the first visit as a deep clean: the recurring discount starts from the second visit.
Do I need an app to price cleaning jobs?
No: the free MopQuote calculator works in your phone’s browser, with no sign-up. The MopQuote app adds what saves time every day: your prices saved, estimates by text in English or Spanish and PDF invoices with your Venmo and Cash App QR codes. One-time payment, no subscription.
About MopQuote
MopQuote is made for solo house cleaners and small cleaning companies in the US, in English and Spanish. MopQuote is a product of Easy to develop LLC, Texas. Questions and ideas: hello@mopquote.com.
Updated October 31, 2026