How to hire the best cleaner near you

Whether you need help with regular maintenance, a detailed spring clean or end-of-lease cleaning, a professional house cleaner will leave your home looking as good as new.

We have a thorough screening process at hipages that requires all cleaners and other tradies to meet our high standards before they can join our platform. Compare quotes from several local cleaners to find the best services at the best rates.

Many cleaners provide a variety of cleaning and maintenance tasks, but you should check what they do or don't offer to make sure you're getting the service you need.

Why might you need to hire a cleaner?

A house cleaning service can do almost any indoor cleaning job. General cleaning should include:

• Vacuuming
• Dusting
• Mopping floors
• Cleaning bathrooms and kitchens
• Indoor window cleaning
• Furniture polishing
• General tidying up
• Ironing
• Changing bed linen

When hiring a cleaner, you should specify whether you need general cleaning or a deeper level of cleaning.

Be aware that most cleaning services will not clean anything that might be a health hazard, including blood, urine, pet messes and toxic chemicals. They also don't usually move heavy furniture and will stay away from valuables, such as jewellery.

Other jobs they will not generally do include:

• Duct cleaning
• Carpet cleaning
• Outdoor window cleaning
• Gutter cleaning

These types of services require different skills and tools and should be done by specialists.

Special cleaning services

If you're hiring a cleaner for a big spring clean or end-of-lease bond cleaning, you may require extra services. Not all cleaners will provide these services and they will cost extra, so make sure you know what's included when you get your quote.

Pressure cleaning

Indoor floors need regular vacuuming or mopping, but this won't be enough to clean outdoor areas. For those, you may want to hire a pressure cleaning service.

If your driveway is dirty and oil-stained, pressure cleaning can remove the dirt and grime and make it look like new again. Other outdoor surfaces that can be cleaned by a pressure cleaning service include:

• Patio pavers
• Paths
• House exteriors
• Roofs
• Shade sails and awnings
• Garage floors and garage doors

Pressure cleaning is not as simple as connecting a pressure cleaner to a hose. Different pressures are needed for different surfaces, and too much water pressure can strip paint, remove caulking or tear fabric. A trained technician knows how to use their equipment and exactly how much pressure and which cleaning agents to use on any given surface.

Some pressure cleaning services may also do jobs such as resealing pavers after they have been pressure cleaned. They may offer a discount if you need both services.

Window cleaning

A house cleaning service may be able to clean the inside of your windows, but if the windows are dirty outdoors, you may need to hire a professional window cleaner.

It's generally recommended to have your windows cleaned every 3 to 4 months. In addition to windows, a window cleaner may also clean:

• Flyscreens
• Fans
• Cobwebs
• Blinds
• Window sills
• Gutters
• Skylights
• Solar panels
• Window tracks

They may also be able to do minor repairs, such as repairing flyscreens or some minor window repairs.

How much does a cleaner cost?

The cost of cleaners is usually charged on a per hour basis. The average cleaner rate is between $30 and $60 per hour, depending on your location, the size of your home and the type of cleaning services you need.

It usually takes a cleaner 2.5 to 3 hours to thoroughly clean a house, but this can vary. If your house is relatively clean, or you only want a limited number of services, it will take less time and cost less. If some rooms need more thorough cleaning, it may take longer and cost more.

Many professional cleaning services offer discounts to repeat customers. If you find a cleaner you're happy with, you can arrange for regularly scheduled services and you may be offered an hourly discount of up to $10.

You could also save money by taking care of small cleaning jobs before they arrive. If your cleaner doesn't have to move dishes or pick up laundry, they can finish their jobs faster.

Specialist cleaning services such as pressure cleaning and window cleaning may be charged by the job rather than by the hour. Get quotes from services in your area to get an idea of the local rate.

Questions to ask when hiring a cleaner

You don't want to let just anyone into your home, especially if you're not there to supervise the work. To make sure you're dealing with a reputable cleaning service, you should check:

• Do they provide all the services you need?
• Do they carry insurance?
• Do they guarantee their work?
• Can they provide references?
• Does the company run background checks on its employees?

Get quotes from local cleaners now

Costs and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.