I live on a limited budget.* I’m moving to a very small studio apartment, and I’m thinking of having a cleaning service come in once every three or four months to give the place a good cleaning. We’re talking about a small bathroom, a kitchenette, a living/bed room which is maybe 12’ by 12’ with a carpet. When I ask for estimates, how can I tell which ones are reasonable and which ones are trying to gouge me?
*Okay, I’m poor. 
Where do you live? That will affect things. Also, how clean will you keep your place between cleanings? Do you have a lot of “stuff” (clutter)? What kind of floors do you have? Do you expect them to clean windows at all? Do you want someone who is insured, bonded, pays taxes or to hire someone working under the table? Will they be using your stuff or theirs to clean with?
Expect that the first time cleaning would be higher than normal, maybe 2x depending on the condition of your place. Figure anywhere from $10-30 an hour, with about 45 minutes for your kitchen, anywhere from 30-90 minutes for your bathroom, and about 20 minutes or so for the other room. Big services may have a “minimum” charge. Also might expect a little add-on if they need to haul stuff up steps, etc.
I’m not really all that familiar with cleaning services. But I do have a young woman who comes in once a week to help out with housework and such (I have some chronic health problems, so I always seem to be running behind on the housework). She does a good job, and I pay her $20.00 for about two hours of work.
My point is, if you find someone young and broke, and are willing to train them a little in how you like things done, it might be cheaper than hiring a service.
One big advantage to a service is they have their own stuff: vacuums. spray cleaners, etc. My helper just uses my stuff.
Assuming the same quality of service, when you get the estimates back, the low priced ones are reasonable, while the higher ones are trying to gouge you.
Where you live makes a big difference. I live in a suburb of DC and pay someone (not a service) $75 a week for a 4-bedroom house with two kids to mess things up. Professional services are higher, we used to use one. DC is relatively expensive.
A studio apt. shouldn’t cost very much but if you only do it every 3-4 months, it is tantamount to a first cleaning and will cost more than a weekly cleaning.
When you ask for estimates, get a list in writing of exactly what they will do for that quote. Also ask about who provides supplies and equipment. Are you going to be there, or just give them a key? Make sure they’re bonded, if it’s a service.
You didn’t ask but if you really have a limited budget, hiring someone to clean is kind of a luxury. I did my own cleaning for many years until I had two kids in a two-income family.
I have a studio and will pay $50-60 for an occasional deep cleaning. I have received quotes as high as $75-80 but I consider that too much.
Yes, for this kind of labor, location (other than “somewhere out there”) is critical.
On something like that, most cleaning services will consider that a one-time cleaning, and will charge you a high price for it. Some won’t even take jobs like that at all. (Because such places are usually incredibly dirty.)
I’ve had 3 cleaning services over the years, and they all required either weekly or bi-weekly visits as the minimum.
I live in the middle of nowhere. We have a person (not a service) come once a week and clean.
She cleans two full bathrooms, mops the kitchen/entryway, vacuums the living room, master bedroom, and library, de-pug-hairs the furniture, dusts, and cleans the kitchen (sink, counters, but doesn’t do any dishes.) She vacuums a stairway, too. She dusts all the rooms I mentioned as well. Takes between 2 and 2.5 hours. I pay her $50 a week, plus tip on occasion, and a Christmas bonus. The last woman who did it only wanted $35/week, but she didn’t stay as long, and didn’t do as good of a job.
Money well spent, IMO.
I don’t get it. If you’re low-income, just clean it your own damn self. 
Health problems.
You come back to reply to that post, but not to the rest of us asking where you live?
Seconding the recommendations to look for an individual cleaner rather than a service, as you can save money by not having to provide a profit for the middleman as well as a salary for the cleaner her/himself.
On the other hand, a reputable service can be easier to deal with and more reliable.
Even if you can’t do all your own cleaning, you can save money on professional cleaning by keeping your place in reasonably decent shape between cleans. Keep a bowl brush by the toilet, a sponge under each sink, a duster and carpet sweeper in the closet, etc., and get into the habit of doing a quick wipedown of some fixture or surface every few days or so. Wash dishes and clean up food/drink spills (on the stove or oven as well as on counters and floors) immediately.
Also, maintaining a “no-shoes” policy where you keep your shoes by the door and just wear slippers in the house is tremendously helpful for keeping floors clean. You’ll be surprised how little work it takes to keep a small apartment reasonably clean, as long as the work is kept up regularly.
Sorry, somehow I’d overlooked your post. I am/will be living in the Atlanta area, a hop, skip and a jump from Emory university.
Reported as spam.
Heh, I started reading this thread and was surprised to see that I had posted in it… in 2007.