How Much Do House Cleaners Make? Dive Into the Profitable Career of House Cleaning
Millions of people in the US are currently employed as house cleaners. And it’s no secret as to why – house cleaners play an important role in helping families maintain clean and healthy homes.
But, before you go switching career fields or start putting feelers out for other local cleaning companies, you want to have an idea of how much you should be making.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the factors that affect how much house cleaners make to give you a better idea of the income you can expect. Plus, read on to learn who might be best suited for a career as a house cleaner and how to get started.
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How Much Do House Cleaners Make?
The long and short answer is — it depends. We’ll share the factors that can influence a house cleaner’s salary and help to inflate it.
In the US, the average housekeeper might expect to make around $27,000 per year. Here in Portland, the average housekeeper’s salary can range from $33,000 to 47,000 per year.
5 Factors That May Affect How Much House Cleaners Make
Like other jobs, the average salary for housekeeping depends on a melting pot of many different factors, including location, experience, and the type of cleaning services offered and completed.
We’ll dive into the elements of a house cleaner’s salary below to help you get a full and complete picture of what a house cleaner could make.
#1 Type of Wages
Of course, part-time and full-time employees will have different wages, but the way the employees are paid (and how they pay taxes) can also affect salary.
Employee Wages
You can expect that an advertised salary for W-2 employees will be less than the pay for contract workers. This is partially because independent contractors make more, and partly because of the tax bracket W-2 employees fall into.
W-2 wages are typically paid to employees who are considered "employees" by the IRS. This means that the employer is responsible for withholding taxes from the employee's paycheck and paying those taxes to the government.
1099 wages are typically paid to house cleaners who are categorized as independent contractors. This means that the individual is responsible for paying their taxes themselves.
Contract Wages
The salary advertised for contract work may seem like independent cleaners make so much more than employee cleaners. This is due to the fact that many advertised employee-based wages take taxes into account.
Whereas contract wages present the full number, knowing the independent contractor will pay their own taxes (as opposed to getting taxes taken out of their check) since they’re classified as self-employed.
Generally speaking, contract-based work often pays more — And not just more than advertised. Other factors that could affect contract wages are:
Position (whether full-time, part-time, or working other contract cleaning jobs)
Whether the employer pays more for certain tasks (i.e. deep cleaning)
Who you work for
If you live in the Portland area and are looking to start or continue your career as a house cleaner with a reputable and experienced company, contact Tidy Up Portland!.
We offer employment options designed to suit you and your unique needs and circumstances. As an independent contractor, you will:
Maintain your independence
Receive compensation on a per-job basis
Earn $30-50 per hour or more
Independent contractors will need to provide their own tools, materials, and transportation. They can also enjoy the flexibility of setting their own hours while engaging with other businesses.
#2: Geographic Location
According to the BLS, the PNW (Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California) has some of the highest house cleaners’ salaries on average in the country. Hawaii is the highest-paying state for house cleaners, with the average bringing in a whopping $47,350 a year.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics categorizes maids and housekeeping cleaners as those who “perform any combination of light cleaning duties to maintain private households or commercial establishments, such as hotels and hospitals, in a clean and orderly manner. Duties may include making beds, replenishing linens, cleaning rooms and halls, and vacuuming.”
#3: Years of Employment
Advertised salaries for house cleaners that are on the highest end of the range are typically examples of employee salaries who have spent years with the company — aka veteran, career house cleaners who would be costly for the company to replace.
House cleaners with more years of employment tend to earn more than house cleaners just starting out because experienced house cleaners are more efficient and can provide a higher quality of service.
#4: Tips and Bonuses
The types of bonuses you might receive as a house cleaner might include:
Referral bonuses
Sign-on bonuses
Quality bonuses as a thank you for a job well done
However, the amount that you receive in tips can vary greatly. While tipping is never expected, it can wind up making a significant impact on your take-home amount.
Some clients leave a tip after each regular cleaning. Others tip annually or even randomly as a special treat, and some don’t tip at all.
Typically, house cleaners will receive a flat amount of $10-$20 to be shared among the cleaners when a client chooses to tip for a regular service or deep cleaning.
For larger jobs that require several cleaners and many hours, the homeowner may leave a tip per cleaner. For example, if you work a large job that takes 20 hours and you’re one of four cleaners, a client may choose to tip you anywhere from $10-$40.
#5: Who You Work For
Like all other industries, the field of house cleaning is wrought with competitive pay between companies. Some companies pay more to find the best workers.
If you’re an experienced house cleaner, working for a reputable house cleaning company like Tidy Up Portland! will help inflate your salary, even if you account for the fact that part of it will have to go to taxes after you file.
Another perk – Tidy Up Portland! pays a flat rate for some jobs, which can be very profitable if you are an efficient cleaner.
Plus, uniforms, equipment, licensing, and administration are all taken care of, meaning all you’d have to pay for is transportation to and from jobs resulting in more money in your pocket.
What Kind of Person Benefits the Most From a Career in House Cleaning?
A house cleaning career has many perks — but it’s not for everyone. Portlanders who are looking to make a career change, pick up a side hustle, and/or have full control of their work schedule stand to benefit the most from a career as a house cleaner.
At Tidy Up Portland!, we are looking for team members who:
Excel in cleaning
Take immense pride in their work; and
Possess exceptional attention to detail, organizational prowess, and time management capabilities.
Additionally, applicants are required to:
Have a car and a valid driver's license
Have or will get green cleaning supplies
Can pass a background check
Can work in Portland
Have a smartphone
Willing to get cleaning insurance (~$38/month)
Have or will get an EIN (they are free)
People Looking To Make a Career in Cleaning
Full-time employees/contractors, and part-time contractors who work independently under multiple companies.
The same goes for the people who maybe don’t need the extra household income but just like to clean (yes, they’re out there — looking at you, Monica Gellar’s of the world).
People Looking for Supplemental Income
Side hustles are becoming more and more common (thank you, economy). Part-time independent house cleaning is perfect for someone trying to make an extra buck.
For example, teachers may want to work during summer vacation to supplement their income.
People Who Need a Job That Has a Flexible Schedule
House cleaning jobs often happen during the day, which leaves parents with school-aged kids an opportunity to make money while the kids are away.
College students sometimes can take advantage of the free hours between classes by cleaning, which might otherwise be hard to fill with a shift-based part-time job.
Enjoy a Lucrative and Flexible Career Cleaning Houses with Tidy Up Portland!
We’re a leading home cleaning company serving the entire Portland area.
Our core services include:
Routine domestic cleaning
One-time deep cleaning
Move-in and move-out cleaning
We’re always looking for skilled cleaners who take pride in their work and can organize their cleaning schedule to provide clients with exceptional service within their scheduled time frame.
Does this sound like you? Contact Tidy Up Portland! today to see if a career as a house cleaner is right for you.
