09/15/2026
One thing that always gets me is when someone compares a professional cleaner’s rate to what a nurse, teacher, or other employee makes per hour.
You’re comparing an employee’s WAGE to a business’s REVENUE. Those are not the same thing.
If a cleaner charges $50 plus an hour, that does NOT mean they’re putting $50 plus an hour in their pocket.
That rate has to cover things like:
🧚 Cleaning products & chemicals
🧚 Vacuums, steamers & equipment
🧚 Replacement tools and supplies
🧚 Gas & drive time
🧚 Vehicle expenses
🧚 Business insurance
🧚 Taxes
🧚 Advertising/business expenses
🧚 Unpaid time quoting, scheduling & communicating with clients
🧚 And for companies with employees payroll, workers’ comp and other employment costs
Plus, self-employed cleaners generally don’t have employer-paid vacation, sick time or benefits.
So when you see what a cleaning business charges per hour, remember: the hourly RATE is not the cleaner’s hourly PAY.
Professional cleaning is a business, and rates have to cover the cost of actually running that business. 🧚♀️✨
And this isn’t saying cleaners should make more than nurses or nurses should make more than cleaners. They’re completely different jobs and completely different pay structures. ❤️
— Cleaning Fairy Sharie
