Beta Beta — hiring neighbors on Papalocal is new; what you see here is real, and it's still growing.
House cleaning, small or one-time Beta
A neighbor cleans your kitchen, bathrooms and floors every couple of weeks, or once before guests or a move, with your supplies or theirs.
- How often
- Every 2 weeks
- Where the work happens
- Inside your home
- Who it suits
- Best done by an adult
These open your Papalocal account. You'll be asked to log in or sign up first.
Small house cleaning is a neighbor coming in to do the regular work: wiping counters and appliances, cleaning bathrooms, dusting, vacuuming and mopping, and emptying the trash. It can be a standing visit every two weeks or a single deep clean before guests, a holiday or a move-out.
Working parents, people recovering from an illness or a new baby, older homeowners, and renters hoping to get a deposit back ask for it. Many simply want a few hours of their weekend back.
A neighbor working on their own can be flexible about timing and what gets cleaned, and you get the same person each visit who learns how you like things. Mold, hoarding situations, heavy post-construction dust and large move-out jobs are better handled by a cleaning business.
Also called: house cleaning service, house cleaner, home cleaning help, maid service, apartment cleaning, deep clean my house.
What's usually included
- Kitchen counters, sink, stovetop and the outside of appliances
- Bathrooms: toilet, tub or shower, sink and mirror
- Dusting surfaces within reach
- Vacuuming and mopping floors
- Emptying trash cans and changing bed sheets, if asked
- Inside the fridge or oven, inside windows or baseboards as add-ons
What to ask before you hire
- Which rooms, and what does a finished job look like to you?
- Your supplies and vacuum, or theirs, and are there products to avoid because of allergies or pets?
- Will you be home, and if not, how do they get in?
- What is off limits, like a home office desk, a child's room or valuables?
- Same day and time every visit, and how much notice if either of you needs to cancel?
- Will pets be home, and should they stay in a closed room?
Staying safe
- In small bathrooms, use one cleaning product at a time, crack a window, and never combine bleach with any other cleaner.
- Wear gloves for bathrooms, and use a step stool rather than a chair for high shelves.
- Tell the owner which floors are still wet before you leave.
House cleaning, small or one-time by town
Questions people ask
How often should a house be cleaned?
Every two weeks is a common rhythm for a busy household. Some people prefer weekly; others book just before guests or holidays.
Do I need to provide the cleaning supplies?
Either way works. Some customers prefer their own products because of allergies or pets; others like the neighbor to bring everything.
What is included in a deep clean?
It adds the things a regular clean skips, like the inside of the oven and fridge, baseboards, blinds and behind furniture. Agree on the list before the day.
Can I pay a neighbor for cleaning through Papalocal?
If they offer cleaning on Papalocal, you can request their service and pay by card there. You can also post a Need describing your home and the help you want.
Thinking of offering this yourself?
- A caddy with an all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, microfiber cloths, a scrub brush, a mop and a good vacuum is enough to begin.
- Clean each room top to bottom in the same direction every time so nothing gets missed, and keep a short checklist per home.
- Set your price per visit after a walk-through, say up front if the first clean costs more because it takes longer, and compare what local cleaners ask for a similar-size home.
- Every-two-weeks customers want the same person on the same day, so tell them early if you need to swap.
- Ask before moving or tossing anything, because a messy stack of papers may matter a great deal.
- To accept card payments through Papalocal, you will need a Citizen Plus membership and your own Stripe account.
