In Germany, house cleaning cost is almost always charged by the hour. What you pay is the hourly rate, multiplied by the hours per visit and by how often you book. The rate depends mostly on who you hire: a cleaning company, an independent cleaner or a household help on a Minijob. A company rate often looks higher at first, but it usually already covers insurance, a replacement when someone is ill and a proper invoice.
Below you will find what really drives home cleaning prices and what each option means for you as the person paying. You will also find the questions to ask before you agree to anything. And you will see how to keep the bill reasonable without ending up with a half-cleaned apartment.
What decides your house cleaning cost
Three things decide the amount on your monthly bill: the hourly rate, the hours per visit and the frequency. Most people only compare the first one, but the other two often matter just as much.
Imagine a two-room apartment in Bilk with one bathroom and a small kitchen, cleaned every two weeks. If each visit takes three hours, you pay for six hours a month. If you switch to weekly cleaning, you pay for more hours in total. Each single visit can become shorter, though, because dust, grease and limescale have less time to build up.
What makes a visit take longer
- More bathrooms, a bigger kitchen or more rooms with hard floors to mop
- Clutter that has to be moved before surfaces can be wiped
- Pets and small children, who mean more hair, crumbs and fingerprints
- Extras such as the inside of the oven or fridge, ironing or windows
The first appointment usually takes longer than the ones after it. The cleaner is catching up on everything that was skipped before and getting to know your home. Plan for that, and judge the regular price by the second or third visit.
Company, independent cleaner or Minijob
When people search for the cost of a domestic cleaner, they usually compare hourly rates. The rate does not show who is responsible when something goes wrong, who covers holidays and how much paperwork lands on your desk. Those points are part of the real price.
Cleaning company
You book a service and get an invoice. The company employs the cleaners, handles their insurance and social contributions and organises a replacement when someone is off. You pay a bit more per hour for that organisation, and in return you do almost no admin.
Independent cleaner
A self-employed cleaner works on their own account and should give you an invoice. Prices and reliability vary a lot from person to person. Ask whether they are registered and insured, and what happens when they are ill or on holiday.
Minijob in your household
With a Minijob, you become the employer. In private households this is usually registered with the Minijob-Zentrale through the Haushaltsscheck procedure, and you pay the contributions on top of the wage. As the employer, you usually also pay holiday and sick pay, and you find cover yourself when they are away. The Minijob-Zentrale can explain the details for your case.
| Question | Cleaning company | Independent cleaner | Minijob |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is the employer? | The company | Nobody, they work for themselves | You |
| Do you get an invoice? | Yes | Should be yes, ask for it | No invoice, you get the registration documents instead |
| If something breaks | Usually insured, ask to be sure | Depends on their own insurance | Clarify with your own insurer |
| Holiday or illness | The company arranges cover | Often no cover | You usually keep paying and arrange cover yourself |
| Paperwork for you | Pay the invoice | Pay the invoice | Registration and regular reports |
| Cleaning products | Agreed per service | Agreed with the person | Usually your own |
One option is not on the table on purpose. Paying someone cash without an invoice or registration is undeclared work. It can look cheap until there is an accident on your stairs or a broken glass table, and then there is usually no cover. It is not worth the risk for either side.
A short note on tax: in Germany, part of the labour costs for household-related services can often be claimed in your income tax return. This usually requires an invoice and payment by bank transfer. The rules for Minijobs differ from those for services. Ask a tax advisor how it applies to you.
What a regular home cleaning usually includes
A regular cleaning covers the rooms you use every day. Typical tasks are vacuuming and mopping floors, dusting reachable surfaces and wiping the kitchen worktops, hob and sink. Cleaning the bathroom, toilet and mirrors is part of it too, and so is emptying the bins. The exact list should be agreed between you and whoever cleans, ideally in writing.
Things that often cost extra or need more time:
- Inside the oven, fridge or kitchen cupboards
- Windows, frames and glass doors
- Laundry and ironing
- A deep clean after renovation or before moving out
A move-out or deep cleaning is a different job from regular cleaning. It is usually priced as a separate quote, because the effort depends heavily on the condition of the apartment. If you are moving out of a rented flat, check your rental contract for what is expected at handover.
Questions to ask before you compare house cleaning prices
Two offers with the same hourly rate can end up very differently on your bank statement. These questions help you compare like with like:
- Is the quoted rate the final price, or is anything added on top, such as travel?
- Is there a minimum number of hours per visit?
- Will the same person come each time, and what happens when they are away?
- What happens if something was missed or damaged?
To give you a concrete reference point: at Spotless, regular house cleaning in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area starts at €33.90 per hour. That is the final price, because as a small business under § 19 UStG we do not charge VAT. For recurring cleaning we use your own products. The same cleaner comes each time, and you can ask for a switch. If something was missed, our insured team comes back for free under our 24-hour satisfaction guarantee. Deep cleaning and move-out cleaning are quoted individually. Travel and appointment times are agreed with each enquiry.
How to keep home cleaning cost down without cutting corners
The cheapest hour is the one you do not need to book. You can save time on every visit without lowering the result.
- Tidy up before the cleaner arrives, so the time goes into cleaning, not into putting toys and clothes away.
- Keep good products and a working vacuum cleaner at home and store them in one place.
- Write down your priorities, for example bathroom and kitchen every time, the guest room only once a month.
- Choose a rhythm that stops dirt from building up, instead of booking long rescue sessions every few months.
Imagine a family in Pempelfort with a dog. Instead of booking a long cleaning once a month, they could book shorter visits every two weeks. The paw prints on the balcony door and the hair under the sofa never get out of hand, and each visit stays manageable. Whether that saves money depends on your home, but it often makes the result more even.
Common mistakes
Choosing purely by the lowest hourly rate is the most common one. A low rate with no replacement, no invoice and no insurance can cost you more in the end. The second mistake is not agreeing on a task list. The cleaner then guesses what matters to you, and you are disappointed for no good reason. The third is judging the service by the first visit alone, when the cleaner is still catching up.
To get a clear price for your own home, see how our regular house cleaning works in Düsseldorf, Neuss, Ratingen and nearby. Appointments can be early, late or at the weekend. Our contact hours are Monday to Sunday, 08:00 to 16:00. Just send us a short request with the size of your home and how often you would like cleaning. A few photos help too. You then get a free, non-binding quote with a final price.
Frequently asked questions about house cleaning cost
How is house cleaning usually charged in Germany?
Mostly by the hour. Your total is the hourly rate times the hours per visit times how often you book. Deep or move-out cleaning is often quoted as a separate job.
Is a Minijob cheaper than a cleaning company?
The hourly wage can look lower. As the employer, though, you pay contributions, handle registration, pay holiday and sick pay and have to find cover yourself. Compare the full picture, not only the rate.
Can I deduct cleaning costs from my taxes?
Part of the labour costs for household-related services can often be claimed in your income tax return. This usually requires an invoice and payment by bank transfer. A tax advisor can tell you how it applies to you.
Do I have to provide the cleaning products?
It depends on the agreement. For recurring cleaning at Spotless we use your products. For other services, such as deep cleaning, we bring our own, and eco-friendly products are available on request.
Does Spotless add VAT to the hourly rate?
No. Regular house cleaning starts at €33.90 per hour as a final price. As a small business under § 19 UStG we do not charge VAT.