Cleaning your carpet is probably a job that many of us overlook. After all, you probably hoover it weekly, and this generally does a decent enough job of keeping it clean. However, regular carpet shampooing is important to remove deep-seated dirt and allergens.

So, how often should you clean your carpet? This is what we’ll look at below, including specific considerations for pets, allergies, and high-traffic areas.

how often should you clean your carpet

How Often Should You Shampoo Your Carpet?

Generally speaking, you should clean your carpet with shampoo and a wet vacuum, or similar setup, at least once a year. This is a minimum standard for all carpets to keep them fresh and free from allergens. However, high-traffic areas will need cleaning more regularly.

Carpets benefit from being shampooed alongside regular vacuuming because it helps to lift dirt, grime, odours and allergens far more effectively. Think about it this way: If you dry shampoo your hair, it’s sort of clean, but nowhere near as clean as properly washing and shampooing it. The same logic applies to your carpet.

how often should you shampoo your carpet

How Much Does it Cost to Clean a Carpet

The cost of cleaning a carpet depends on several factors, such as the tools and products you plan to use, whether you rent or buy them, and even where you live. You can buy a carpet steam cleaner for about £100, but this isn’t as effective as a proper shampooer.

These will set you back several hundred pounds if you want to buy one (which isn’t really necessary). Instead, look to hire a cleaning local company. Carpet cleaning can range from £25 to £250 depending on how much carpet your home has.

More cost-effective options include dry products, such as odour-eliminating powders. You sprinkle these on and then vacuum them out. They’re never as effective as proper shampooing but are better than nothing if you’re on a tight budget.

How to Wash a Carpet

If you’ve decided to rent (or buy) a carpet cleaner, here are the general steps for how to wash a carpet. Bear in mind that these might differ depending on the product you’re using, so check if the supplier has specific instructions.

1. Prep the Area

First, make sure your carpet is ready to be washed. Start by removing as much furniture as you can from the room so you’ve got a nice open space to shampoo. Most carpet cleaners have fairly small heads, but you’ll want to make good use of the cleaner while you have it.

2. Vacuum Thoroughly

Next, you need to thoroughly vacuum the carpet. The easiest way to do this is to use the hose without any attachments, and get down on your hands and knees and give it a really good going over.

Make a couple of passes over the carpet from different angles to remove as much dust and debris as you can. Although the carpet cleaner will pick up anything you’ve missed, getting it clean reduces the risk of you clogging up the machine.

3. Spot Clean Problem Areas

For best results, you’ll want to pre-treat any stained areas, just as you would with laundry. You can buy spot treatment products online easily, or the place you rented your carpet cleaner from might stock them. Simply follow the instructions on the bottle.

4. Get Your Cleaner Ready

Typically, a carpet shampooer has a clean water tank and a dirty water tank. You need to fill the clean water tank before you start and add the required amount of cleaning solution. There are different types available, such as odour eliminating, pet-specific ones, and more. Make sure you pick the right one for your needs.

5. Work Slowly Across the Room

For best results, work in strips along the room. Press the cleaner’s trigger to inject water into the carpet. Move forwards in a line and then work your way back to thoroughly suck up the dirty water.

Repeat this process by moving the cleaner to a new line, pushing forwards and then pulling back. This is pretty much how you use a carpet cleaner!

6. Rinse the Carpet

This is an optional step that can help to remove any remaining dirt or cleaning solution. Once you’ve cleaned the room, refill the clean water tank just with water. Make another pass over the room as normal to inject clean water into the carpet.

7. Leave it to Dry

Finally, just let the carpet dry. If possible, open windows and put the heating on, as this’ll help the carpet to dry more quickly. You should expect it to take at least 4-6 hours, but it can take a day or two in colder or more humid conditions.

Remember that the longer it stays wet, the more likely it is to develop a damp smell. If necessary, set up a dehumidifier to speed up the process.

How Often Should You Clean Carpets? Allergy Sufferers

For normal carpets in homes where no one suffers from allergies, cleaning them once a year is enough. But if you have allergies, particularly seasonal ones, cleaning your carpets up to 4 times a year can be beneficial.

This ultimately depends on the type of allergies you suffer from. For example, if you have hayfever or other seasonal allergies, clean at the beginning and end of the problem season. But if you suffer from allergies related to dust and mould, 4 times a year can be helpful.

The process is no different for allergy carpet cleaning. Rent or buy a carpet cleaner and follow the instructions above. However, a steam cleaner could work fine for this, as it’ll do a decent job of lifting the problem debris from the carpet.

How Often Should You Shampoo Your Carpets If You Have Pets?

If you have pets, you should probably shampoo your carpets up to 4 times a year. This depends on factors such as how heavily your pet sheds and whether they have accidents in the house. For the latter, immediate spot treatment is necessary.

A carpet cleaner will do a much better job of lifting pet hair than a vacuum cleaner. However, make sure you only use pet-safe products, as you can never be too careful. Bear in mind that residual cleaning solution could be transferred to their paws and into their mouth.

If you want to learn more, please read our article about how to remove pet hair from carpets.

How Often Should You Wash Your Carpet? High Traffic Areas

High traffic areas are those that receive a lot of footfall, such as a living room, hallway, landing, stairwell, etc. These need cleaning more often because there will be more dirt and the carpet fibres will be pressed down more regularly. For these areas, 2-3 times a year should be enough. Regularly cleaning high-traffic areas will also help keep the carpet in good condition, extending its lifespan by a surprising amount.

How Long to Wait Before Vacuuming New Carpet?

You don’t have to wait before vacuuming a new carpet – you can theoretically hoover it as soon as it’s laid. Doing so helps to remove loose fibres that might have popped out while it was being laid. Assuming it’s been laid properly and is sufficiently tight, there’s no reason why it can’t be vacuumed immediately.

Final Thoughts

How often should you clean your carpet ultimately depends on where in the house it is, how much traffic it sees, and whether you have pets or allergies. At least once a year is enough, but doing it more often can help to keep it in good condition.

Of course, you need to also factor in the time required to do so as well as the cost of getting the equipment and cleaning products. But keeping your carpet properly clean will help to extend its lifespan and ensure your home looks clean and smells fresh.

You also hire a carpet cleaning service to clean your carpets without the added stress of cleaning, effort and time.

Kitchens are one of the most commonly used rooms in the house. What’s more, because they’re where we cook our food, it’s vital that they’re kept clean and sanitary.

But if you’re ever at a loss as to what to clean in your kitchen and when, this article is for you. Below, we’ll cover the best kitchen cleaning checklist to help keep you on track.

kitchen cleaning checklist

Daily Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

The following checklist covers kitchen cleaning jobs you should do every day to ensure it’s free from bacteria and is tidy for your next meal:

  • Wash the dishes
  • Load and unload the dishwasher
  • Wipe down surfaces
  • Rinse and dry dishcloth

The point of daily cleaning tasks is to maintain a clean environment that’s pretty much always ready for you to cook in. A standard kitchen cleaning or antibac spray is ideal for daily use.

Weekly Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

Weekly cleaning involves slightly more in-depth jobs that don’t need doing daily. Bear in mind, though, that for the purposes of this article, wiping down your cooker hob counts as a daily task.

Every week, make sure you:

  • Scrub the hob and clean the cooker hood
  • Remove out-of-date items from the fridge
  • Clean the sink
  • Hoover and mop floor
  • Wipe down cabinet doors

For scrubbing jobs, a cream cleaner is the best thing to use. Other than that, everything should be fairly self-explanatory. Weekly jobs cover areas that aren’t used directly for food prep but that can get dirty in the process of cooking.

Monthly Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

Unsurprisingly, monthly cleaning jobs are ones that require a bit less attention but still need doing more often than your deep cleaning jobs. Add the following to your monthly checklist:

  • Clean appliances (washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, etc.)
  • Clean inside and outside of fridge
  • Disinfect your bin
  • Organise and clean out cupboards
  • Wash splashbacks and floors

You might find you need to clean your microwave more than once a month depending on what you’ve cooked in there. Considering food shouldn’t make direct contact with any surface in the microwave, it’s not a massive issue to only clean it once a month. But when you do, make sure you disinfect the inside and wash the plate.

Similarly, it can be easy to overlook areas like fridge doors and handles. But it’s important to keep these clean because it reduces the risk of cross-contamination from handling raw food. Soapy water should be fine, but you can always use a disinfectant spray instead.

Kitchen Deep Cleaning Checklist

There’s no set timescale for when to deep clean your kitchen. Some say monthly, but if you’re thorough with the checklist above, this is unnecessary. Instead, aim to deep clean it every 3 months or so. But what does deep cleaning actually involve?

Empty and Clean Your Pantry

Your pantry could be anything from a separate room to a few cupboards – it’s just wherever you store your dry food. Pull everything out, check it’s in date (or at least still fresh) and bin anything that isn’t.

While it’s empty, wash the shelves and any spare storage containers. Then, put everything back so it’s organised and visible.

Empty and Clean Your Freezer

Freezers are easy to ignore when it comes to food management, but even frozen food can go bad. During your deep clean, pull everything out and throw away anything that looks off. The main thing to look for is freezer burns, especially on meat.

While it’s empty, let it defrost if necessary. Wipe out ice cube trays, clean the drawers, and put everything back.

Deep Clean the Oven

If your oven has a self-cleaning function, start with this. But you might need to get in there and scrub it with some cream cleaner or something stronger. Either way, take out the baking racks and wash them in the hottest water you can manage. They might need soaking, but the hot water will help shift dried on food.

Wipe down the inside and outside of the cooker doors and scrub the hob. Then, clean the dials and buttons and wash the cooker hood. You should ideally clean these monthly, but a dedicated scrub during your deep clean won’t hurt.

Clean and Organise Worktops

Your worktops should get a daily clean, but now is a good time to move everything off them and clean in those dark corners you might usually ignore. If you have any decorations or storage containers that sit on the worktops, wash them in hot soapy water.

Wash the worktops with disinfectant to get them sparkling. As you put everything back, think about what could be stored in a cupboard, or disposed of completely. Deep cleans are the perfect time to de-clutter your kitchen!

Kitchen Cleaning Schedule

Developing a kitchen cleaning schedule should be pretty easy using the checklist above. Based on this, the next thing you’ll need to work out is who does what and when. Some examples include:

  • Daily tasks like wiping down surfaces are best done after dinner by an adult (because of the cleaning products involved)
  • But loading or unloading the dishwasher is a perfect chore for older kids, and can be done in the morning if needed.
  • As for weekly and monthly jobs, set aside an hour or so at the weekend. Provided you’re not a messy cook, you can get a lot of the jobs done while sorting the Sunday roast!
  • Deep cleaning could take several hours, so make sure you set aside at least half a day or more.

It might help you to draw up a rota if there’s more than one person in your house. Use it to divide tasks based on age and ability. Kids can’t be tasked with too much, but smaller jobs like sorting the dishwasher or sweeping the floor are ideal.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, this kitchen cleaning checklist covers all the jobs involved in keeping your kitchen sparkling. Provided you do the small and necessary jobs daily, your weekly and monthly jobs won’t be as bad.

The same is true for office cleaning, although you at least have the advantage of taking it in turns!

Cleaning Express Deep Cleaning Services

Deep cleaning a kitchen can feel very overwhelming, especially if it’s been a while since you last did it. If you’re putting it off for this very reason, get in touch with Cleaning Express. Our deep cleaning services are exactly what you need!

Cleaning Express covers London, and our team of highly-trained cleaning experts can help get your kitchen back into perfect shape. Reach out today for a free estimate and to discuss your exact needs.

Also read: End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist

Many of us find cleaning our homes to be a chore (quite literally!). Whether we find it boring, time-consuming, or simply don’t have enough hours in the day, it can be helpful to find new ways to approach it.

Well, this is where the 20-minute rule comes in. Below, we’ll cover what it means and how it can benefit busy people or those who just don’t enjoy cleaning. Read on to find out.

what is the 20 minute rule in cleaning

What exactly is the 20 Minute Rule in Cleaning?

The 20-minute rule in cleaning is where you take on a cleaning task for 20 minutes and then have a break. It’s as simple as that! Also known as the 20/10 rule, it’s recommended that you take a 10-minute break after your cleaning blast.

Although it’s unlikely you’ll finish most jobs in the first 20 minutes, the point is to break them down into manageable pieces so they don’t feel as daunting. Plus, it means you can chip away at things when you have some spare time rather than setting aside a whole day of your precious weekend!

Who Should Use the 20 Minute Cleaning Rule?

In theory, anyone can use the 20-minute cleaning rule. But it’s probably best for:

  • Busy people – especially those who have to handle all the household cleaning on their own
  • Families – having kids means more mess and a lot less time

Of course, it’s also ideal for anyone who just doesn’t enjoy cleaning because it makes it more manageable. So, if you’re someone who puts off many cleaning jobs, try the 20/10 rule and see if it’ll make things easier.

How Does the 20 Minute Rule Work?

The basics of the 20/10 rule are pretty simple. As mentioned, you clean for 20 minutes and then take a break or move on to something else. But to really take advantage of it, you should try to break larger tasks down into smaller parts, as this gives you a clearer sense of achievement.

For example, let’s say you need to clean the bathroom. The overall job involves cleaning the toilet, the shower, and the sink, along with emptying the bin, wiping down surfaces, etc. Combined, all this could take a good few hours if you need to do a deep clean.

So, break the jobs down. Spend 20 minutes cleaning the toilet, then take a break. Repeat with the shower, the sink, and so on. While you might not get everything done on the same day, you could get bits done between other jobs.

What Are the Benefits of the 20 Minute Cleaning Rule?

The benefits of the 20-minute cleaning rule should be fairly obvious. It basically all comes down to shifting your perspective of how (and when) cleaning is done. Breaking larger jobs down into their smaller parts makes them feel more manageable, in turn reducing the workload and associated feelings of stress.

Another important part is the knowledge that you’ll have a break after you’ve finished your 20-minute spurt. This helps keep motivation high, as you know you’ll be rewarded for the job after. What you do with your 10-minute break is up to you, but consider using it as an excuse to have a quick relax.

With a bit of practice, you should find you can get a lot done in 20 minutes. It might not seem like much time, but you should end up adjusting your cleaning speed to the timeframe.

Final Thoughts

The 20-minute rule is definitely worth trying if you’re busy, have a family to care for, or simply just don’t enjoy cleaning. Breaking jobs down into quick bursts can help you feel like you’ve achieved a lot in a very short space of time.

But if you still have a lot of cleaning to do, even with the 20-minute rule, get in touch with Cleaning Express. Our domestic cleaning services in London can help take the load off, freeing you up to concentrate on things you enjoy.

Wondering if you have the budget for a cleaning service? Read our article on How much does a cleaner cost?

We have loads of highly-trained, fully insured cleaners who can help get your home sparkling again while taking the burden of cleaning out of your weekly routine. If you live in London and would like to know more, reach out to see how we can help.

Also read: what can a cleaner do in 2 hours?

Communal areas in flats and other buildings can often be ignored when it comes to cleaning. After all, they’re shared areas, so it can be easy to overlook cleaning, as it’s not something anyone really wants to do.

The best option is usually to hire an external cleaning service to take care of the job. But what are standard common area cleaning prices UK? Read on to find out.

communal area cleaning prices uk

What are Communal Area Cleaning Prices in the UK?

Prices for cleaning common areas in buildings can range from £10-£20 an hour, or £30 or more per visit depending on how the service charges you. In London, you can expect the hourly cost to be higher at £25-£35 an hour.

Unsurprisingly, you can expect to pay more for cleaning services in cities than you would in rural areas. If your commercial space is in an urban area, expect to pay £20 or more an hour for cleaning. However, you’ll probably have more choice than those in quieter areas, allowing you to shop around for the best value for money.

But remember, the cheapest option often won’t be the best! Cleaning services aren’t something you should try to save on, as the difference will become fairly obvious once you see the quality of the job.

Factors Affecting Cleaning Cost

There are lots of factors that can affect the price of communal area cleaning, such as:

  • Size of the area
  • Extent of work that needs doing
  • Specific services that might not be covered in a standard cleaning
  • Frequency of the work (more regular cleaning means less needs doing per visit)
  • Number of cleaners used per job – it’s usually better to have several cleaners come per visit to get the job done quicker

For example, you’ll find that you’ll pay less for getting carpets hoovered than you would for, say, window cleaning in a large stairwell. Ideally, you’ll want to find a cleaning service that provides you with an estimate before starting work.

What Communal Areas are Covered?

Communal areas are typically spaces in shared housing buildings, although the specifics will depend on the type of building. It’s a term that applies to both domestic and commercial spaces, meaning shared areas in office blocks are covered too.

Typical communal areas include:

  • Stairwells
  • Reception areas
  • Lifts
  • Shared spaces in HMOs (kitchens, living areas, bathrooms, etc.)

The short answer is that a communal area is any space used by more than one building resident. It’s important to keep these areas clean for hygiene reasons, but also to impress any visitors to the building. After all, a messy reception area doesn’t reflect too well on the company managing the building!

What Services are Covered?

The extent of the services offered for communal area cleaning is theoretically endless because it depends on the area itself. As standard, you can expect hoovering, dusting, mopping, and wiping down surfaces.

On top of this, you can often request more in-depth jobs, such as internal window cleaning, post box organisation, and deep cleans of areas like kitchens and bathrooms. It’s vital that these areas are kept clean due to the impact they can have on the overall hygiene levels in the building.

Be sure to discuss your needs with your chosen cleaning company, as they can have a big impact on how much the job will cost. For example, a standard hoovering of stairwells shouldn’t take more than a few hours. But if you throw in window cleaning and other services, you can expect it to take several cleaners half a day to do properly.

Final Thoughts

Communal area cleaning services are a must for any property manager that wants to make a good impression. Think of it as an essential business cost, much like any other maintenance job. Thankfully, compared to many of these, communal area cleaning is fairly cheap!

If you’re based in London and need communal areas cleaned in your building, get in touch with Cleaning Express. We have an army of cleaners ready to get the job done quickly, and all our staff are highly trained and fully insured. Better yet, we make sure our costs are fully transparent, so you know exactly how much you’ll pay. Contact us today to learn more and to see how we can help.

Also read: How much does office cleaning cost?

Many of us don’t have the time to do all the housework jobs we’d like. As a result, many tidying and organisation tasks get put on the back burner, and often don’t get done.

This might lead you to ask, can I pay someone to tidy my house? The short answer is yes, but read on to find out the options so you can make an informed decision.

can i pay someone to tidy my house

Answered: Can I Pay Someone to Tidy My House?

You absolutely can pay someone to tidy your house, but it helps to figure out what you mean by this. There are different kinds of professional help you can arrange for home tidying, including:

Domestic Cleaner

As the name suggests, this is someone who comes to your home to clean. Their jobs might include hoovering, washing up, dusting, etc. Generally, you wouldn’t expect a cleaner to take care of larger organisational tasks.

Housekeeper

A housekeeper, on the other hand, does things outside of standard cleaning jobs. This might include running errands, childcare, and organisation tasks such as tidying wardrobes, clearing clutter, and so on.

Professional Organiser

Again, this is a pretty self-explanatory title. Professional organisers are less common, but they focus less on cleaning and more on helping you deal with clutter. This might include dealing with old clothes, paperwork organisation, and just general home decluttering.

Factors to Consider When Hiring a Home Tidier

To decide what services you need, consider the following factors:

  1. What do you actually need done? If you can handle your own cleaning but need help with larger tidying jobs, a housekeeper or organiser might be best.
  2. Would you rather just let someone else handle everything? A housekeeper will probably be your best option.
  3. What’s your budget? A cleaner is usually the most affordable option, but you often won’t need an organiser more than once or twice.

There are obviously other questions you can ask, but these are the most important when narrowing down your selection.

Are you unsure if a professional tidying service is for you? Read our article of types of cleaning services.

Pros and Cons of Professional Home Organisation

It’s also worth weighing up the pros and cons of hiring someone to help tidy your home. Generally, there aren’t many downsides, but it helps to know them so you can make an informed decision.

Pros

  • Takes away a lot of the stress associated with home cleaning.
  • The variety of available services means you should easily find what you need.
  • If you’re short on time and want a tidy home, hiring a professional can be well worth the money.
  • As with any specialist job, professional cleaners and tidiers are very good at what they do.
  • Your home will always be ready for guests, and you’ll have plenty more time to spend with your friends and family.

Cons

  • Although cleaners hired through an agency will be vetted, letting strangers into your home can often be difficult.
  • You might find that jobs aren’t done how you want them. But this can usually be overcome with a bit of feedback.

Is Professional Tidying Worth it?

So, based on all this, is professional home tidying worth it?

The short answer is that, if you have domestic jobs that you need to get on top of, hiring a professional can be worth the money. If you need professional home help, look no further than Cleaning Express.

We offer both domestic cleaning and housekeeping services in London to assist with pretty much any tidying job you need. All our staff are highly trained, insured and vetted so you can feel safe letting them into your home. Contact us to find out more and see who we have available in your area.

Housekeepers can be a vital addition to your home if you don’t have the time to do daily chores. Unlike a cleaner, a housekeeper helps with other chores, such as cooking, organising, and even childcare.

But what’s the process of finding a suitable housekeeper, considering they’ll become such an integral part of your life? Well, that’s what we’ll discuss here.

Read on to discover how to find a housekeeper and the different types available.

how to find a housekeeper uk

How to Find a Housekeeper – Deciding What You Need

The first step is to decide what kind of help you need. As mentioned, a housekeeper can help with the following jobs:

  • Cleaning
  • Organising
  • Shopping
  • Running errands
  • Childcare

Bear in mind, though, that not all housekeepers will do all these things. So, start by working out your needs and using this to narrow down your selection pool.

Types of Housekeepers

Generally, the biggest factor in deciding the type of housekeeper you need is whether you need childcare. This would mean you’d need a nanny housekeeper – someone who is trained to care for kids but can also handle other chores.

If childcare isn’t a priority, you’ll likely have more choice. Housekeeper nannies may have training in childcare and will usually need different insurance and security checks.

Another type worth mentioning is a live-in housekeeper. This should be fairly self-explanatory: it’s a housekeeper that lives in your home. They’ll still work normal hours rather than 24/7, but you’ll provide them with free accommodation during their employment.

When it comes to how to find a live-in housekeeper, you might be slightly more limited again. But then it’s not a particularly common type of housekeeper, so it balances out in the end.

Wondering if a housekeeper is right for you? Read our article on types of cleaning services.

Housekeepers’ Working Hours

Once you’ve decided on the type of housekeeper you need, you’ll need to figure out how often you want them to come. The 2 main options are full-time and part-time.

A nanny, for example, may be full-time if you need childcare while you work. But if you only work part-time, you’ll probably only need a part-time nanny.

The options for how to find a daily housekeeper (full-time) and how to find a part-time housekeeper are pretty much the same. Contact an agency in your local area and see who they have available.

You may find it easier to source a part-time housekeeper, as this gives them more flexibility in their own lives – they may have another job, kids, etc. However, based on UK employment law, part-time work can be up to 34 hours a week, so you’ve got a lot of flexibility.

Working out how many hours your housekeeper should work won’t be too difficult, especially if you already know what you want them to do. For example, if you have a very large house or like your home to be very clean, you might want a daily housekeeper. The same is true if you have lots of errands to run.

On the other hand, if you only want your home cleaned once a week, or you don’t need the cooking or errands done every day, a part-time housekeeper should be fine. If you’re unsure, speak to your chosen agency and they should be able to give you some advice.

How to Find a Housekeeper UK – Cost

Another important factor in hiring a housekeeper is figuring out your budget. Your location will have an impact on how much a housekeeper charges, as will their experience and qualifications.

We’ve got a full article on how much it costs to hire a housekeeper, so check that out for more information.

How to Find a Good Housekeeper

Now we get down to the important part: how to find a good housekeeper. After all, this is someone you’re letting into your home and trusting with your kids, house keys, etc., so they’ve got to be reputable.

Well, the best place to start is by speaking to a well-known housekeeping agency. Ensure they have the correct insurance and qualifications if needed, and check out their customer reviews. If you want extra confirmation, see if you can speak to some of their previous or existing clients.

From there, it’s a case of seeing who they have available and conducting interviews. You’ll know when you get matched with the right person.

Final Thoughts

You should now know how to find a housekeeper in the UK. If you’re looking for housekeeping services in London, get in touch with Cleaning Express. We only work with the most qualified professionals, so you know your home is safe with us.

Hiring a housekeeper is a great way of keeping on top of your home’s cleaning, especially if you’re busy with other things. But is a housekeeper expensive? And, more importantly, do the results justify the cost?

Well, let’s look at how much a housekeeper costs and what work they offer so you can make an informed decision.

how much does a housekeeper cost

How Much Does a Housekeeper Cost?

Let’s jump right into it by discussing the cost of hiring a housekeeper.

The average cost for a housekeeper in London is £12-£22 an hour. However, the average cost for a housekeeper outside of London is slightly lower at £10 to £18 an hour. It’s pretty standard for services in London to cost more, so be sure to factor this into your decision-making.

Generally, housekeeping services in larger cities will be more expensive, simply because living and travel costs are higher. But if you live in a rural village, your options may be more limited, so you might find you have to pay more anyway.

Calculating Housekeeping Costs

A housekeeper is slightly different to a cleaner in that they come regularly – either weekly or fortnightly – to clean your home. On the other hand, a cleaner may only come once, such as for end-of-tenancy cleaning, or they might offer commercial cleaning services.

There are various factors that can impact how much you pay for a housekeeper. These include:

  • The size of your home. Unsurprisingly, you’ll pay more if you have a bigger house because the housekeeper will be there longer.
  • Services required. Housekeepers can take care of more than cleaning. For example, they might help run errands, organise storage, do ironing, and more. Again, you can expect to pay more if you need more done because it’ll take your housekeeper more time.
  • Number of people in your home. This is more of an indirect influence on cost. Generally, more people will mean more mess, especially if you have kids. You won’t get charged more because you have kids, but it’s fair to assume that having kids will often mean your house needs more cleaning.

Of course, these are just general guidelines. To get a more representative cost for your housekeeping services, you’ll want to speak to a company to get a specific quote.

If you think the price is right, please read our article on how to find a housekeeper UK.

What Do Housekeepers Offer?

We’ve already touched on some of the services offered by housekeepers. Let’s explain things in more detail so you can understand the benefits of hiring a housekeeper.

Household Cleaning

The most obvious service housekeepers offer is cleaning. This’ll include hoovering, dusting, mopping, bathroom cleaning, and so on. Although housekeepers aren’t “just” cleaners, it’s one of the many branches of chores they offer to make your life easier.

Running Errands

Housekeepers can also run errands if you’re busy at work. These generally include day-to-day activities like shopping, going to the post office, walking dogs, and so on. The actual scope of errands your housekeeper will offer depends on their training and insurance, so make sure you get a clear list of what they can and can’t do.

Home Organisation

One of the best things housekeepers offer is household organisation. It’s one of those jobs that you always put off because it can be big (and boring). Provided you set clear instructions, a housekeeper can take care of things like organising your kitchen, clearing out wardrobes, tidying offices, and so on.

Cooking and Preparing Meals

This might not be standard for all housekeepers, but some will be happy to help with meal prep if you’re busy. It could be anything from fully cooking an evening meal to prepping ingredients or putting things in the oven for you. Again, discuss this with your housekeeper to see what they can do.

Does a housekeeping service sound like its not for you? Read our article on types of cleaning services

Final Thoughts

So, is hiring a housekeeper worth the cost? If you’re busy and prefer your home to be clean and organised, the answer is probably yes.

If you live in London and think a housekeeper would help you keep things in order, get in touch with Cleaning Express for housekeeping services in London. All our housekeepers are highly trained and fully insured, so you can be confident that they’ll do exactly what you need. Contact us today to discuss prices and availability.

Also read: How much does a cleaner cost?

Hiring a cleaner is a great way to take off some of the pressure of keeping your house tidy. Although it might seem like a straightforward thing, hiring a cleaner can lead to a few questions that are worth knowing the answers to.

One such question is, do cleaners use their own products? This is what we’ll answer below.

do cleaners use their own products

Will cleaners bring their own products?

Generally, cleaners will bring their own products to a domestic cleaning job. You might find that some cleaners bring their own equipment too, such as hoover, mop, etc., but this isn’t as common.

There are a couple of reasons why cleaners bring their own products to a domestic job. First, bringing their own products means cleaners know they have everything needed to get the job done well. It’s probably no surprise, but a lot of people won’t have a great range of cleaning products in their homes, and this would prevent a cleaner from doing their job properly.

The second reason is that cleaners will be trained in how to use their products properly. While you might not think there’s much to know about cleaning products, some specialist ones use chemicals that require safe handling. Similarly, it’s important to know what products shouldn’t come into contact, which can be difficult if you’re using random things found in a client’s home.

Want to learn more about regular cleaners? Read our article on what a cleaner can do in 2 hours

Do Clients Have to Provide Cleaning Equipment?

As mentioned, some cleaners will bring their own equipment. However, this depends on factors such as how they’re travelling and what equipment they actually need. Most people will have the basics, such as a vacuum cleaner, which can allow cleaners to be more flexible with how they travel and how much stuff they bring.

Of course, you can expect a cleaner to bring smaller equipment with them, such as a duster or cleaning cloths. Similarly, cleaners will usually bring their own rubber gloves, bin bags, etc. The easiest rule to go by is that if it can fit in a bag or caddy, you can assume a cleaner will probably bring it with them.

You should generally assume you’ll need to provide basic large cleaning equipment for a cleaner. Don’t expect to provide more specialist tools (like a carpet cleaner), as these aren’t needed very often. You’ll usually need to book these services separately from regular domestic cleaning anyway.

The easiest thing to do is to speak to the cleaner or cleaning company before they come round for the first time. Tell them what you have and what they might need to bring. However, you may have to pay a bit extra if you need them to bring their own hoover and other large equipment.

What Does Cleaning Express Provide?

As part of our domestic cleaning service, we provide our cleaners with all the cleaning products they’ll need for the job. Specifically, we make sure our cleaners are equipped with all the cleaning solutions they could need for pretty much every job around your home.

However, we don’t provide cleaning equipment as standard, such as hoovers, mops and buckets, etc. This is because our cleaners travel by public transport, as most people do in London. As you can probably imagine, it’d be difficult to bring a vacuum cleaner on the Underground every day!

We can supply equipment if it’s needed, but please be aware that we’ll charge an extra fee. We can discuss this with you as part of the initial consultation.

Cleaning Express Domestic Cleaning Services

Cleaning Express offers high-quality domestic cleaning services in London. We’ll tackle any job around your home, from the bedroom and living room to bathroom and kitchen. You can also choose from regular cleaning or one-off services like end of tenancy cleaning.

Our regular services can be daily, weekly, or fortnightly. Please get in touch to learn more and to discuss your needs. We’ll be more than happy to help get your home sparkling.

Outsourcing office cleaning is fairly common for businesses. Generally, it can work out as a more cost-effective option than hiring an in-house cleaning team, as it means you don’t have to buy equipment, training, etc.

But how much does office cleaning cost? As you can imagine, many variables can affect the price, and it’s worth knowing more about these before you get your office cleaned.

In this article, we’ll look at how much office cleaning costs and what can affect the price.

how much does office cleaning cost

Cost of Office Cleaning Per Hour

The cost of office cleaning per hour can vary massively. For example, you could pay as little as £15 an hour or as much as a few hundred. This depends on the number of cleaning staff you’re paying and how thorough a job you’re expecting them to do.

For example, a straightforward hoovering, bin emptying and surface cleaning service won’t be super expensive. But if you’re paying for a deep clean that involves carpet shampooing and other labour-intensive services, you can expect to pay a bit more.

Average Office Cleaning Cost Per Hour in UK

In the UK, the average cost per hour for office cleaning can range between £20 and £30 an hour. This is for general cleaning services, as extensive cleaning can set you back £100 an hour or more.

Unsurprisingly, the hourly cost of cleaning is higher in cities than in quieter areas, and it can also be affected by the availability of cleaning companies in the area and how many clients they have.

Average Office Cleaning Cost Per Hour in London

The average cleaning cost per hour in London is higher than the UK average. You could expect to pay £25-£40 an hour for office cleaners for general cleaning. For more in-depth jobs, you could pay as much as £200 an hour depending on what actually needs doing.

When searching for office cleaning services in London, you should contact the company first and discuss your needs. They should be able to give you a rough price based on your requirements, meaning you can make an informed decision before paying for their services.

Factors Affecting Office Cleaning Cost

As with any hourly-paid job, there are lots of factors that affect the price of office cleaning. When arranging an office cleaning service, think about the following and how they might impact your cost.

Size of Office

It should be fairly obvious that a big office will take longer to clean than a smaller one, meaning the cost will be higher. There isn’t really a guideline for how long a specific room will take to clean, as it’ll depend on furniture, how dirty it is, and more.

If you have an especially big office, your cleaning company will probably send several employees to get the job done quicker. This’ll bring the price up quite quickly, as you’ll simply be paying for more staff.

Number of Hours

Again, this is an obvious factor when working out the hourly cost of office cleaning. The number of hours needed to clean an office will depend on size, extent of the work, number of cleaners, etc.

For example, you might have a small office, which would usually be quick to clean. But if you wanted carpet shampooing, for example, you should expect the job to take a lot longer. Not only will the carpet have to be prepped but you’ll also have to wait for it to dry before you can use it again. This means it’ll need to happen when your office is shut, which could add another premium cost to the service.

Location

As mentioned, location can have a big impact on the cost of office cleaning services. Office cleaning in cities will typically be more expensive, if not only because cleaners can charge more because their work is in higher demand.

If you’re unfamiliar with the cost of office cleaning, it might be worth speaking to several companies to get an idea of the price. Remember, though, the cheapest is very rarely the best! Quality of work is far more important, but this should be balanced against price to find a decent middle ground.

Benefits of Office Cleaners

While all this can sound like an expensive thing to arrange, there are plenty of benefits to outsourcing your office cleaning work. Some of the main advantages include:

  • No need for an in-house team. This means you can be far more flexible with when cleaning happens and how often.
  • You don’t need your own equipment. You might be surprised at how much office cleaning equipment actually costs. Outsourcing to a cleaning company means you don’t have to worry about spending thousands on cleaning equipment.
  • Working with highly-trained professionals. Just as you’d outsource any other specialist service, hiring cleaners means you can benefit from their specialisation whenever you need it. This ensures a very high standard of work in your office.

The bottom line is that office cleaners will work to a high standard and keep your office clean and fresh for your employees. Importantly, cleaners will also cover things like disinfection and breakroom and bathroom cleaning, which are vital for keeping your office spaces sanitary.

Conclusion

Although the cost of office cleaning can vary massively across the UK, there are some fairly obvious factors that affect its price. For example, the size and location of your office, and the type of cleaning you need can bring the price up.

Even so, outsourcing your office cleaning is generally a more cost-effective and simpler option than hiring an in-house team of cleaners.

Cleaning Express Office Cleaning Services

If you need your London office cleaning, get in touch with Cleaning Express. We’ve cleaned our fair share of offices across the city and know exactly how to get the job done quickly and professionally.

Importantly, there are never any hidden costs, and our services are very affordable and competitive. So get in touch today to see how we can help get your office sparkling.

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