The home
Add-ons
Time check
How the numbers are worked out
Clean price = square feet × your standard rate × the multiplier for the type of clean (1.0 standard, 1.5 deep, 1.75 move-in or move-out). Bathrooms, ovens, refrigerators and inside windows are priced per item, and the pet hair surcharge and supplies fee are flat lines. If the total is below your minimum job charge, a minimum charge adjustment brings it up to the minimum. For the time check, cleaner-hours = square feet ÷ sq ft per cleaner-hour × the same multiplier; hours on site = cleaner-hours ÷ cleaners; and the last row is the total divided by cleaner-hours, so you can see what each hour of cleaning earns before supplies, travel and taxes.
Example with the defaults: 1,800 sq ft at $0.10 is $180. Two bathrooms at $10 add $20 and one oven adds $40, so the total is $240, above the $120 minimum. At 350 sq ft per cleaner-hour the job is 1,800 ÷ 350 = 5.14 cleaner-hours, which earns $240 ÷ 5.14 = $46.67 per cleaner-hour. Rates are examples; use your own.
Tips for cleaning estimates
- Time your first few jobs and update the sq ft per cleaner-hour; it is the number that protects your hourly pay.
- List what each clean includes, and price extras such as ovens, refrigerators and inside windows on their own lines so customers can add them.
- Charge more for the first deep clean of a home, then offer a lower recurring rate for weekly or biweekly visits.
- Check your rates cover your costs and target margin with the job price calculator and the labor burden calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I price a house cleaning job?
Most cleaners price by home size or by time. Size pricing multiplies square feet by a rate (a deep clean or move-out clean uses a higher multiplier), then adds bathrooms and extras such as the oven, fridge and inside windows. Check the result against your hourly pay: price divided by cleaner-hours should cover wages, supplies, travel and profit.
How long does it take to clean a house?
It depends on size, condition and crew. The calculator uses cleaner-hours = square feet divided by the square feet one cleaner covers in an hour, times a multiplier for deep or move-out cleans. With the defaults, 1,800 sq ft at 350 sq ft per cleaner-hour is about 5.1 cleaner-hours, or about 2.6 hours on site for a crew of two. Time a few real jobs and use your own pace.
What is the difference between a standard, deep and move-out clean?
A standard clean covers regular upkeep: dusting, floors, kitchen and bathrooms. A deep clean adds detail work such as baseboards, grout and inside cabinets, so it takes longer. A move-out clean is usually the most thorough, with empty rooms and appliances cleaned inside. The calculator applies 1.0, 1.5 and 1.75 times the standard rate; change the multipliers in your own price list.
Can I send this as an estimate?
Yes. Click Turn into an estimate. The clean, bathrooms and add-ons become line items in the free Estimate & Invoice Maker, where you add your logo and customer details and download a PDF. Your business details from earlier drafts are kept.
Estimates for planning only. Rates shown are examples, not market prices; use your own.
Related: Free cleaning estimate template · Job price calculator · Hourly rate calculator