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With the holidays closing in and so much left to do, now is a good time to consider getting a home cleaning, even if (or maybe especially if) you’ve never done it before. There is a certain etiquette involved when you first hire a cleaner, so keep that in mind, but know that first-timers often get great discounts on the service.
Deals on home cleaning
A lot of the cleaning services you’ll be able to access depend on where you live, but some major brands have wide service areas. For instance, your first three-hour cleaning with Home Aglow is just $19—but you have to check your area here first and be aware that to access the lower prices, you have to pay a $49 monthly membership fee.
Other national brands, like the Maids and Merry Maids, offer prices dependent on if you’re doing a one-time or even holiday-exclusive cleaning and will provide an estimate after you put in some information.
You can also try apps and services like Handy or Angi, which connect professionals with people looking for plumbing, electrical help, and, of course, cleaning. They almost always have first-time discounts and a wide network of professionals who use the app to book appointments. For instance, I just checked availability on Handy for my childhood home in North Dakota and found that there was not only a professional available there, but the three-hour cleaning would be $55. Angi, meanwhile, lets you compare prices from a number of nearby providers. The professionals and prices they pull together are based on how urgent your need is, how big your space is, and what you need done.
Things to keep in mind if hiring a holiday cleaner
There are several ways to secure a pre-holiday cleaning on the cheap, with first-time and holiday-specific deals all over. Keep in mind that some (again, like Home Aglow) want you to pay a monthly membership fee to keep your cleanings low-cost on the surface and others won’t always be that cheap if you decide to keep using them after your initial discount.
It’s also important to keep in mind that this is a skilled and personal service from a human being who is going to be required to touch your dirty stuff no matter how much it costs you. Whether you’re paying $19 for three hours or $100 for two, that person still has to scrub the same amount of gunk and grime, so make sure you tip especially well if you’re using a discount of any kind. It’s hard to know if the discounted money comes out of their pocket or the company’s, so you can always ask—but even if they tell you they’re not allowed to discuss that (which has happened to me), tip well just in case.
If you decide to clean on your own again this year…
If you’re determined to get ready for the holidays on your own or can’t find a cleaner at the right price in your area, here are some the products you’ll need:
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First, stock up on microfiber cloths. They work on practically everything and aren’t abrasive. Every cleaning tutorial you’ll come across will demand you have these. Here are 50 for $12.99.
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Get the always-popular O-Cedar mop and wringer set for $24.49 to minimize the sloppiness of mopping and keep your mop nice and clean.
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You deserve a holiday splurge, so maybe this is the right moment to finally grab a Dyson vacuum. The V11 cordless is $399 right now.
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Take some of the manual labor out of your cleaning routine with a motorized brush that spins to get gunk and grime out of cracks and off your surfaces. The Voweek scrubber comes with four different heads and is $42.49, plus it’s expandable, so you don’t have to bend down.
