House cleaning should cost what it takes to clean your home well, by people you can trust, on a schedule you can count on. That’s the honest answer. The number itself depends on your home.
So the better question isn’t “what’s the cheapest price?” It’s “what am I actually paying for, and is it worth it?” In this post, I’ll walk you through how cleaning is priced, what a fair price covers, the red flags to watch for, and the questions to ask before you let anyone into your home.
I Was the Client First
I’ve had house cleaners for about 20 years, since I was pregnant with my daughter. And one thing always bothered me. Every two weeks, a different person showed up at my door.
They didn’t know my home. I didn’t know them. Honestly, it felt a little creepy. Now an owner, I understand why it happened. Cleaning is a high turnover job, and when people aren’t paid well, they leave.
I also spent 22 years in Information Technology and Cybersecurity, managing risk for a living. Your home is personal. Who comes into it matters. So in 2020, I built Maid in Tysons to be the cleaning company I wanted to hire: trusted cleaners, paid well, who stay, so you see a familiar face every visit.
How House Cleaning Is Priced
A fair price is built from your home, not a guess. At Maid in Tysons, we look at:
- Bedrooms and bathrooms. More rooms, more time.
- Square footage. Two homes with the same rooms can be very different sizes.
- Condition of the home. How long since it was last professionally cleaned.
- Type of clean. A first time clean, a recurring clean, or a move in or move out clean.
- How often we come. Weekly, every two weeks, monthly or once.
First time clean
Every new client starts with a first time clean. This is the heavier, more thorough visit that brings your home to a set point. Once we’re there, recurring visits keep it there. If more than 30 days pass between cleanings, the next visit is treated as a first time clean again. (We use judgment here.)
Recurring clean
This is where you save. Members pay less per visit than one time clients, and the more often we come, the bigger the discount. You can see the full breakdown on our pricing page.
Move in/out cleaning
This one is for an empty home. Because nothing is in the way, we clean inside all of your appliances, cupboards, and cabinets. Those aren’t part of a regular visit. We get your home move-in ready, or prepared to list for sale or rent. See what’s included here
No surprises
We quote online, with no walkthrough. If our cleaners arrive and see the home needs more than what was booked, we tell you before we start. Never after.
Which Membership Fits Your Household?
The right membership depends on who lives in your home and how it runs. When you book, we ask a few simple questions: how many people live there, and whether you have pets. Then we help you pick.
| Membership | Best for |
|---|---|
| Weekly | You don’t want to do any cleaning at all. Great for busy households and single professionals alike. |
| Biweekly | Busier homes with kids and/or pets. You do light upkeep in between, and we handle the rest. |
| Monthly | Individuals or couples with no kids or pets, in homes that stay pretty tidy. |
Pet hair builds up fast, so a monthly membership usually isn’t enough for homes with pets. Some families choose it anyway because it fits their budget, and that’s okay.
Add-ons worth asking about: inside the appliances on a quarterly rotation, a refresh before the holidays, or a quick clean before house guests arrive. If you have pets, we include the pet add on automatically so nothing gets missed.
What a Fair Price Pays For
When one quote is much lower than another, something is usually missing. Here’s what’s built into ours:
- Background checks every year. Not just once at hiring. The people we send into your home are people we trust.
- Liability insurance. We’re human, and mistakes can happen. If something goes wrong, you and your home are protected.
- Fair pay for cleaners. Our cleaners earn well above minimum wage, and we don’t overwork them. That’s why they stay, and why you get the same cleaner each visit.
- Easy online booking. No waiting for a callback, no walkthrough, no wrong dates. Booking, rescheduling, and updates all happen in one place.
Red flags to watch for
- A price that seems too good to be true, with a “we’ll see when we get there” attached
- No proof of insurance or background checks
- A different cleaner every time
- Slow or unclear communication before you’ve even booked
- A final bill that’s higher than the quote, with no heads up
A Real Story: When the Cheaper Quote Wasn’t Cheaper
Gina lived out of state when her father passed away. His home was here in Washington, D.C., and she needed it cleaned quickly so she could list it for sale.
Another company had quoted her less than half of what we did. So I explained exactly what the job would take. And we gave her the worst case price up front, so there would be no surprises later.
She could see the lower quote would mean one of two things: an incomplete rushed job, or a bigger bill at the end. She chose us. We went above and beyond, and when we finished, she was surprised we didn’t charge her more for the time it took. She tipped our team generously and left us a Google review.
The lesson? The best price is the one you’ll actually pay, for a job done right the first time.
You can read Gina’s review, in her own words, along with the rest of our client reviews here on Google.
Questions to Ask Any Cleaning Company Before You Book
A good company will answer these quickly and clearly. If they can’t, that tells you something.
Trust and safety
- Are your cleaners background checked, and how often?
- Are you insured, and can you show me proof?
- Will I get the same cleaner every time?
- How are your cleaners paid?
Pricing
- What’s included in a first time clean versus a recurring clean?
- What happens if my home needs more time than I booked? Will you tell me before you start?
- Do you bring your own supplies, or can I request specific products?
Scheduling
- How do I reschedule a cleaning in my membership?
- Can I skip a cleaning if I’m traveling?
- Can I add a mini cleaning between visits for house guests or the holidays?
- What’s your arrival window, and what’s your cancellation policy?
- Do I have to be home?
Your home and payment
- What should I do with my pets?
- Do you accept cash?
- Is it customary to tip? Can I tip with my card on file, or should I use cash?
- What’s your satisfaction guarantee if something gets missed?
If you still have questions that weren’t listed here, I’m sure we covered them in our FAQs
Price vs. Value: What You’re Really Buying
Price is what you pay once. Value is what you get every visit. With Maid in Tysons, that means:
- Reliability. No same day cancellations. We arrive on time, within our arrival window, 100% of the time.
- Communication. Prompt, clear answers by text, email, or phone.
- Your time back. No walkthroughs and transparent pricing, so you can book in minutes.
- A satisfaction guarantee. We fix anything before we leave. If you notice something later, tell us within 24 hours and we’ll come back to make it right.
Our members often tell us they joined to save money. They stay because of the time they get back. Time with their kids, their partner, their friends, or just themselves. Most never cut back. Many add more visits. Because who actually loves cleaning?
Ready to Get Your Time Back?
Book your first cleaning here. No contracts. Skip, reschedule, or cancel anytime. We just ask for 24 hours notice before your cleaning.
Still have a question? Is there anything you’d want to ask before hiring us that we didn’t cover here? Leave a comment or email us at [email protected], and we’ll answer you personally.