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Original poster

£22 per hour for cleaning - REALLY?!

578 replies

DorotheaShottery · 30/04/2026 06:40

I was thinking the other day "Dot - you've had enough of this cleaning lark - get yourself a cleaner!"

I put some feelers out on FB and it appears the going rate is £20-£22 per hour!!

Is that normal in the not-SE-not-Cheshire parts of the UK? AIBU to think it's ridiculous?

OP posts:
youalright · 30/04/2026 07:29

This site really does attract shitty people there is currently a thread about retail saying how easy it is and how stupid retail workers are then there is this thread minimising the worth of cleaners. Then there is another thread going about uc saying everyone needs to get a job and stop scrounging.

RoseField1 · 30/04/2026 07:28

waowwwwww · 30/04/2026 07:18

Come on, none of these wallys on Facebook are going to be paying their tax and for insurance. It’ll be cash in hand

Don't be ridiculous. Facebook is just used as a marketing platform. Plenty of legit sole traders and small businesses advertise on Facebook.

arethereanyleftatall · 30/04/2026 07:27

How all businesses work is

  1. they charge whatever they want
  2. you decide whether you pay it or not

most businesses exist ti make money, and as much of it as they can

if they are charging £22ph then that is because enough people in your area are prepared to pay that

RoseField1 · 30/04/2026 07:27

It's a profession. It's not a huge wage when you take into consideration expenses. If you don't want to pay it, don't.

Kyogo67 · 30/04/2026 07:25

I also pay £22 in Glasgow. My cleaner has a waiting list of clients. I pay by bank transfer. She has a registered company. I think it’s the going rate these days for a decent service. The cost of everything has gone up over the last few years. I used to pay around £15 3 years ago.

waowwwwww · 30/04/2026 07:21

Many so called professional roles pay less than £22 per hour. How can people then pay a cleaner if they need it to help them save time

Motheranddaughter · 30/04/2026 07:21

We currently pay £20 an hour for 2 x 2 hours a week
Worth every penny!
Just about to increase it as we like to keep a differential between what we pay and the minimum wage

Iocanepowder · 30/04/2026 07:20

waowwwwww · 30/04/2026 07:18

Come on, none of these wallys on Facebook are going to be paying their tax and for insurance. It’ll be cash in hand

I found mine via fb, recommended by another client, and i pay by bank transfer. So they are not all like that.

sunflowersandsunsets · 30/04/2026 07:20

waowwwwww · 30/04/2026 07:18

Come on, none of these wallys on Facebook are going to be paying their tax and for insurance. It’ll be cash in hand

How do you know?

I’m self employed, advertise on Facebook and most certainly do pay my tax and insurance, thank you very much 🙄

ZenNudist · 30/04/2026 07:19

Mine is 20. And she does me out of time leaving early with jobs undone or not turning up at all.

I think its hard to make a living on much less now. What's NMW per hour?

waowwwwww · 30/04/2026 07:18

Come on, none of these wallys on Facebook are going to be paying their tax and for insurance. It’ll be cash in hand

PagesAndTea · 30/04/2026 07:17

Ours went up to £20ph from £15 recently. I figured out that after tax etc I make £25 an hour (my FT salary is £60k). I have a masters in a STEM subject from a highly respected university and 16 years experience in a niche field. I know I get holiday pay etc but it still feels like a lot. It definitely is a luxury, I actually would quite like to do it myself now, especially as once we’ve tidied before she comes I really don’t think it’s that hard to get it done (I’d much rather clean than tidy). However my husband doesn’t agree.

sunflowersandsunsets · 30/04/2026 07:17

It’s reasonable - being self-employed is expensive, especially since fuel prices have shot up.

PygmyOwl · 30/04/2026 07:17

Mine is £21. I agree it seems like a lot, but at the end of the day it's your choice. If you don't want to pay then you clean your house yourself.

DaisyDukesAuntie · 30/04/2026 07:16

Mine charges £20 an hour

Slightyamusedandsilly · 30/04/2026 07:14

DorotheaShottery · 30/04/2026 06:40

I was thinking the other day "Dot - you've had enough of this cleaning lark - get yourself a cleaner!"

I put some feelers out on FB and it appears the going rate is £20-£22 per hour!!

Is that normal in the not-SE-not-Cheshire parts of the UK? AIBU to think it's ridiculous?

It's fine. IF they do a really good job. In my experience (3 cleaners before I gave up), they don't.

They either didn't do the things I wanted or didn't use all of the time I paid for. And I'm not paying for a service I'm not happy with.

I'd pay more than £22 an hour on a weekly basis for a great job, meeting my needs.

I earn more than £22 an hour. Why shouldn't they? It's fine. IF they do a good job.

Iocanepowder · 30/04/2026 07:11

My cleaner is £20 per hour and she is a godsend. Worth every penny to me.

wrinklycactus · 30/04/2026 07:11

ToffeeCrabApple · 30/04/2026 07:06

Because cleaning work is

  • unskilled. Anyone can do it.
  • requires no qualifications, regulations etc

A "professional" is someone working in a professional occupation, something requiring qualifications etc - Solicitors, chartered accountants, bothered chartered occupations, engineers, nurses, doctors, teachers etc

Show quote history

It's not true that 'anyone can do it', it took me ages to find a cleaner who actually turns up on time and does a good job and is efficient in the time.

Find me a self-employed solicitor who charges £20 an hour please.

FrLarryDuff · 30/04/2026 07:11

Ours is £25 per hour. I assume this is the going rate. I think it’s reasonable.

Our gardener charges £30ph.

Astra53 · 30/04/2026 07:10

Miy cleaner charges £18 an hour (Outer London) and supplies her own cleaning products. She comes in every two weeks for three hours. If she doesn't work she doesn't get paid, so on the rare occasions I need to cancel I always pay her 50% of her fee.

Krampers · 30/04/2026 07:10

It is definitely a luxury- mine charges 34 per hour but then that is for two cleaners per hour so they can get the maximum amount done. They don’t do regular cleaning but will do one-offs.

wrinklycactus · 30/04/2026 07:10

If they are self employed then sounds reasonable. It's very hard to make a decent living on less than £20 an hour if you are self employed.

ToffeeCrabApple · 30/04/2026 07:09

I don’t understand why you think they are not professional? My cleaner is incredible. The work she does in 2 hours would take me at least 6! I think that is a skill. Also, she is a professional as she gets paid for it.

To be honest, mine was no better, faster or thorough than me. I do a better job myself, I'm good at cleaning, but I'm time poor. However I'm not pissing away £22 an hour.

I have to earn £36 before tax to pay that.

Ive told my eldest when he is in secondary i'll pay him to clean.

MyBrightPeer · 30/04/2026 07:09

Radical idea: if you don’t want to pay that much, clean your own house.

angelofmydreams1981 · 30/04/2026 07:07

If you are indeed in Shottery then it’s prob down to the cleaner knowing where you live!

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