Why Cleaners Are Worth Their Money
For renters, the worst part of a moving day is deciding which is more important: our full bond or our sanity. Hiring cleaners when you move is an easy way to get it all, and it’s definitely worth the money if you can afford it. And if you’re wondering if you can, it might be more affordable than you think.
If you’re used to moving in on your own, hiring a cleaner can seem like an elusive luxury. This is optional. Most cleaners bill on an hourly basis, which correlates strongly with square footage – in other words, the smaller your apartment, the greater the ROI. To give you an idea, cleaning the move to a 1,100 square foot 2 bedroom apartment in Portland, Oregon cost me and my boyfriend $ 350 in 2017 (including a 20% tip). That’s a decent amount of change, but worth it. We completely skipped the last minute cleaning frenzy and got back 90% of our security deposit because as our landlord was shocked there was nothing to clean.
And that , my friends, is the real reason to hire cleaning ladies. Tenants are responsible for basic cleaning at checkout, but the precise definition of “basic” is up to your landlord, giving them complete freedom to spend your deposit on any service they deem necessary. Hiring your own cleaners gives you control over the services rendered and therefore the final bill, and you will likely end up paying less than your landlord would have charged.
If you don’t like the idea of paying someone to do something that you could do yourself, consider this: Professional cleaners do it better than you do. They have the tools, chemicals and know-how needed to clean literally everything from burnt-on stove residue to gnarled buildup of mortar and cryptic odors and stains. And since they’re professionals and all, their notion of “basic cleaning” will far exceed your landlord’s expectations – you’ll get a larger return on your security deposit.
As with any professional service, do your research: ask for referrals, read reviews carefully, and get a quote from a couple of different companies at least two months before the move date. And finally, always tip your cleaners: Allocate at least 20% and tip cash so that money goes straight into their pockets.