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AIBU?

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Original poster

What % of your disposable income is your cleaner?

42 replies

roses2 · 14/02/2026 09:49

My cleaner has just gone back to her home country and I’m debating whether or not to replace her.

I’ve worked out I am paying her 25% of my disposable income after bills etc which seems quite high. The rest of my disposable income goes into our savings with the odd treat like a takeaway once every 3 months or a long haul holiday once every 5 years (we have a small annual holiday to the Mediterranean each summer to see MIL).

What % your leftover income are you paying your cleaner and at what point does it stop being worthwhile? I think I am close to reaching that point.

OP posts:
Greengagesnfennel · 15/02/2026 11:38

1.5-2%

MissAnthr0pe · 15/02/2026 11:35

2% for fortnightly cleaning.

User253853 · 15/02/2026 11:32

less than 1%. I also have a eufy though which both washes and vacuums and it removes the need for as many hours of cleaning.

ilovesooty · 15/02/2026 11:29

I've never calculated it. I have mobility issues and she's invaluable.

PickledElectricity · 15/02/2026 11:25

roses2 · 15/02/2026 09:01

Thanks everyone’s feedback has been really helpful. I was second guessing myself because so many people seem to have cleaners but until my lady left recently I never sat down and looked at the numbers as a % of my disposable income. And yes I’d much rather clean myself and use the money to treat myself than pay a cleaner!

Are you saying that you had a cleaner out of peer pressure?! 🤣

Bearbookagainandagain · 15/02/2026 11:23

If by disposal income you mean net income after any other potential taxes, then we're not anywhere near 25%, more like 3%.

If you mean income after mandatory bills (mortgage, nursery fees, energy etc), then it's about 10%.

TheTortiePuffinNeedsHerBreakfast · 15/02/2026 09:07

Mine was only a small percentage of my disposable income, but I stopped her when she put her rates up to £20 an hour. At my stage in life it just seemed very expensive for something I could easily fit in myself. When my children were younger and DH and I both worked full-time in the office, I would have sacrificed a lot more to keep the cleaner. But now DC are older teens and I WFH, I just didn't want to spend that kind of money

Overthebow · 15/02/2026 09:04

Ours is 6% of our disposable income, after savings. There’s no way I’d spend 25% on a cleaner.

Original poster
roses2 · 15/02/2026 09:01

Thanks everyone’s feedback has been really helpful. I was second guessing myself because so many people seem to have cleaners but until my lady left recently I never sat down and looked at the numbers as a % of my disposable income. And yes I’d much rather clean myself and use the money to treat myself than pay a cleaner!

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 14/02/2026 10:13

About 5% for two hours a week. More than worth it because she’s brilliant and I know the kitchen and bathrooms have had a really good clean every week.

Peridoteage · 14/02/2026 10:03

We can easily afford but it but recently got robot hoovers and i realised that at pushing 20 quid an hour/250-300 quid a month mine really doesn't feel worth it any more.

Justcallmedaffodil · 14/02/2026 10:00

0.5%. If it was anything close to 25% then I’d see it as a luxury I couldn’t afford.

Squirrelchops1 · 14/02/2026 09:57

5%.

Evaka · 14/02/2026 09:57

Having a regular cleaner but a takeaway once every three months (if that'd something you truly enjoy) is very skewed.

BudgetBuster · 14/02/2026 09:55

I think it depends on your own time.
We had a cleaner when I worked a long commute (5-6 hour round trip) and DH picked up the kids and sorted dinners etc. I was spending my full weekend cleaning and laundry etc so we opted for a cleaner.

Now I WFH and can keep on top of laundry, light housework during my lunch breaks. Qe got a robot vacuum to go around every day and then I just do a heavy hoover once a week. I have more time so don't see the value in a cleaner.

What are you doing now with the time saved by having a cleaner.

HopSpringsEternal · 14/02/2026 09:54

I got rid of our cleaner about 3 years ago. It was £33 a week so have saved. 1.7K each year. This has paid for 6 weekends away since then that I wouldn't have been able to afford to go on. I've just accepted that the house is a little bit dirtier. Also, when i'm doing the cleaning, I see it as exercise!

WonderingWanda · 14/02/2026 09:51

I just got a eufy to clean the floors and then I do the rest. I found that cleaners often only did a surface clean anyway which if I keep on top of things I can do as I go. The costs have risen and I totally understand why cleaners have put their prices but I just cannot justify the expense now.

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