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IncomeShip

House cleaning

Cleaning other people's homes for a per-visit or hourly price, through TaskRabbit, Angi Services for Pros, Thumbtack or direct clients, with unpaid quoting and travel time.

Published Facts checked 25 sources
Where to sign upWhat you'd keep
On this page8 sections

BLS data shows a median wage of $17.07 an hour for maids and housekeeping cleaners (May 2025), but it covers employees only, not self-employed cleaners. Thumbtack's cost guide puts a standard house cleaning at $146 to $202 per visit. That is a provider figure for what customers pay, not what you keep.

On TaskRabbit, Taskers keep 100% of their hourly rate and tips, but clients pay a service fee on top whose percentage isn't stated on the fee page. Thumbtack's App Store listing has pros set lead prices, and Angi Services for Pros doesn't state a commission percentage. The main catch is unpaid quoting and travel time, plus supplies and insurance. It suits people with flexible hours who can do physical work in clients' homes.

How cleaners get paid

Customers pay per visit or per hour. Angi's cost guide says deep cleaning pros charge by square foot, room or hour. On TaskRabbit you set your own hourly rate. Angi says payments are set by Angi, and its apply page says pros see the customer's price before claiming a job.

Thumbtack works the other way: you pay for leads. A third-party summary says a direct lead is charged automatically when a customer contacts you from search results and the job matches your preferences. The sources don't say whether a lead charge is refunded if you lose the job.

What cleaners actually earn

FigureWhat it is
$17.07/hrMedian wage, maids and cleanersBLS · May 2025
$13.29/hr10th percentile wage, maids and cleanersBLS · May 2025
$23.35/hr90th percentile wage, maids and cleanersBLS · May 2025
$146-$202Customer cost, standard cleaning visitThumbtack
$190-$265Customer cost, deep cleaning jobThumbtack
$25-$70/hrDeep cleaning hourly rate, one cleanerAngi

What you'd keep per standard house cleaning visit

Prefilled from the sources below. Change any number to match your situation.

$
%

Use 0 for direct clients.

$

Travel, waiting, messaging.

You keep per standard house cleaning visit
$131
after $0 fee and costs
Per hour of all time spent
$32.75
including unpaid minutes
Per week
$1,310
for about 40.0 hours, before taxes

This is an example, not a prediction. Defaults: price from Low end of Thumbtack's national average range for a standard cleaning visit ($146 to $202).; fee from Assumes you find clients directly with no platform fee. TaskRabbit Taskers keep 100% of their rate; Angi's commission isn't published and Thumbtack charges per lead.; unpaid time is Assumption: about 3 hours on site plus 1 hour for quoting, messages and travel. Your numbers will differ.; costs: Assumption: supplies, fuel and wear per visit. Not from a source.; 10 standard house cleaning visits a week is a starting point, not a typical workload.

Where the hours go

Quoting, messages and travel are unpaid, and supplies come out of your price. The guide on calculating your actual hourly earnings shows how to adjust for all of it.

What it costs to start

ItemCostNeeded?
General liability insurance$51 a monthUsually
Janitorial surety bond$9 a monthOptional
Janitorial surety bond (fixed price)$125 a yearOptional
TaskRabbit registration fee$25Optional
EIN from the IRSNot publishedOptional
Local business license or registrationNot publishedRequired

Insurance premiums are an ongoing cost. The figures shown come from insurers that sell the policies.

Where to find cleaning clients

Marketplaces are one route, and direct clients mean no platform fee, though you set and collect the price yourself. More nearby-work options are in local services.

PlatformWhat it keepsFirst paySign up
ThumbtackPay when a customer reaches outNot publishedApply
TaskrabbitTaskers keep 100% of rateNot publishedApply
Angi Services for ProsPay set by Angi; no percentage†Not publishedApply

All listed platforms require you to be 18 or older and pass a background check.

First pay combines each platform's approval time and payout delay. Bank transfers can add a few days, depending on your bank and payout method. Full terms are on each platform's page. Checked Oct 27, 2026; confirm on the official page before you sign up.

† Reported by a third party; the platform doesn't publish it.

Licenses, insurance and taxes for cleaners

Licensing is local. The SBA says requirements depend on activity and location, local governments set registration and permit rules, home-based businesses can face zoning rules, and a trade name may need DBA registration. Minnesota's ELicensing portal is one example: it lists over 920 licenses, permits and registrations you can look up by activity. Check your own state and city.

General liability insurance for house cleaners averages about $44 a month to $51 a month, according to insurers that sell it. If you hire help, the SBA says workers' compensation rules vary by state.

The IRS says self-employed people generally owe self-employment tax once net earnings reach $400: 15.3% (12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare) on 92.35% of net earnings, with half deductible. Part-time work still means Schedule C and Schedule SE and usually quarterly estimated payments. The IRS estimated taxes page sets the threshold at expecting to owe $1,000 or more.

Risks and red flags

The SBA notes a sole proprietorship has no liability separation from personal assets, so an uninsured damage claim can reach your own money.

Who house cleaning fits, and who should skip it

Good fit

  • You can do physical work in strangers' homes and travel between clients.
  • You want to set your own hourly rate (TaskRabbit) or pay no platform fee with direct clients, and will handle quoting and payment yourself.
  • You already have paid cleaning experience, which Angi Services for Pros requires before you can enroll.
  • You can handle a local license check, insurance and quarterly taxes.

Consider something else

  • You need predictable pay. Self-employed pay depends on clients and costs.
  • You prefer a different in-person service: try dog walking or pet sitting.

How to start

  1. Check licensing and zoning on the SBA's licenses and permits page, then look up your state's licensing portal (for example Minnesota's ELicensing).
  2. Get a free EIN directly from the IRS if you want one. The SBA warns against sites that charge for it.
  3. Use Thumbtack's house cleaning price guide as a customer-price benchmark, not your take-home.
  4. Request general liability quotes. Insureon and TechInsurance publish average premiums.
  5. Apply to Angi Services for Pros (paid experience, valid ID and a background check) or register on TaskRabbit.
  6. Set aside money for self-employment tax and read the IRS rules on estimated taxes.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Government

Official platform and company pages

News and community reports

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