Rates & Payment

No-nonsense, transparent pricing

Rates

Generally, we charge a flat rate of $45/hour for one cleaner (usually Sonya), and $80/hour for two cleaners (Sonya & Woody). Time is measured from when we arrive until we leave, with no extra charge for prep, research, or adding extra services. You pay for our time, and we take care of the rest. Other than minimal expenses, everything you pay goes directly to the people who clean your home.

For recurring cleanings on a regular schedule, we typically charge a consistent rate for convenience. We'll agree on a rate for your first cleaning, based on my best estimate of the average time we'll work times our hourly rate. If things go faster than expected, we'll adjust your rate. Note that the actual time per cleaning may vary, depending on the state of your home and which rotating tasks we perform. If you're ever concerned about what you're paying, just let us know! We'll make adjustments until everyone is satisfied.

Extra Charges

Generally, we don't charge extra for anything, just our hourly rate, but rarely a job may require an additional fee if:

• We need to buy extra supplies/equipment (e.g. significant drywall dust removal, typically $20-40)
• You're more than 10 miles from the Vilas Zoo, in which case we may add a travel surcharge (less than $20)
• Situation that requires an unusual amount of prep time or is extraordinarily difficult (so far, this has never come up)

How to Pay

Payment is due at the completion of your service (unless you've made other arrangements ahead of time), and can be paid by cash/check or Zelle. If you really need to pay another way, or use a credit card, just ask and we'll set something up.

Most of our clients use Zelle, and some like to pay in advance for convenience. If our time is less than expected, we'll promptly refund any overpayment, usually via Zelle.

Tipping

Tips are not required, expected, or customary. We earn a living wage, so any tips are appreciated, but that should be rare. If you seem to be tipping out of guilt and can't really afford it, we will ask you to stop. If you're doing well, love our service, and want to pay it forward, ask about buying a gift card to cover a free cleaning for someone who can't afford our help.

Too Expensive?

Our rates are about average for our area, and allow us to live sustainably, but we do understand it's a lot to pay, especially if you struggle with employment. It's our dream to be able to charge little or nothing for people who need help, but we also have to take care of ourselves. If you are struggling, let us know, and we'll give you a discount if we can. But there are also other ways to reduce the cost of our service, in order of how much you can save:

Don't pay us for stuff you don't need

Spending more time carefully considering your needs, and communicating with us about what you really need can significantly reduce the time we spend cleaning. If mopping the floor is pointless because it'll be a mess in two days, we can skip it. If you're fine with part of your house being messy, we won't bother. I often wonder "is this really necessary?" when I'm cleaning. The more times you can answer "no," the further your money will go toward making your life easier.

Participate in the cleaning

Take advantage of the last-minute productivity boost from knowing someone's coming over to get rid of some clutter or start some laundry. Vent to us about your mean boss or sick pet while we clean, and you'll start putting things away without realizing it. Ask me to assign you homework between cleanings, and I'll pick tasks that are doable and rewarding, help you find the best app or tool to track your tasks, and text you to check in on how it's going. If you wish you could clean but find it hard, we can help make it easier. You can also ask how we clean certain things, and we'll be happy to teach you everything we know.

If you're ready to make a serious change and majorly declutter, I can recommend an inexpensive hands-on course taught by a local art teacher/professional organizer with ADHD. We can schedule periodic appointments where I help you with the really hard stuff, and assist however you need. You can do it, and get support the whole way!

Refer your friends

Any time you refer someone for a cleaning, we'll give you 10% off your next cleaning. If your referral turns into a large job or recurring customer, we'll give you another discount.

If you have multiple friends interested, you're also welcome to work together as a team. We can schedule cleanings rotating through your homes with help from each other to keep the cost down. We'll take care of managing the tasks and keeping everyone organized. Trust me, it's way more fun cleaning a house that isn't yours!