Best House Cleaning Services

Best Overall: Merry Maids

Key Specs

• Cost: Individualized
• Service Area: 46 U.S. states (excludes Alaska, Hawaii, Vermont, and Wyoming)
• Services Offered: House cleaning, detailed cleaning, disinfecting, housekeeping, maid service, green cleaning, holiday cleaning, move in/out cleaning, and organization
• Bonded and Insured: Yes

Why We Chose It

A worry-free guarantee backed by 40 years of experience makes Merry Maids a reliable option for house cleaning services, plus it offers everything from deep cleaning to home organizing expertise for a clean, neat, and well-organized home.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Variety of additional services available to tackle specific home needs
• Wide geographical availability
• Available for recurring or one-time cleaning sessions

Cons

• Pricing varies by location
• Must have an in-home estimate to determine cleaning costs

Overview

Merry Maids has been in the business of cleaning houses large and small since 1979. It is a well-known home cleaning service. More than 500 Merry Maids locations cover the United States and Canada, so there is a good chance that a local office is not far from you.

Though offices are locally owned and operated, Merry Maids prides itself on backing up the work of its cleaning professionals with what it calls a Worry-Free Guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied with an aspect of your recent cleaning, contact the office within 24 hours to have a complimentary service scheduled to remedy the issue.

A consultant from the local Merry Maids office will develop a custom cleaning plan for your home and will provide an estimate. The company ensures that all cleaning professionals have undergone a background screening and are insured and bonded.

You can schedule weekly, biweekly, or monthly cleanings with Merry Maids, or opt for a one-time cleaning to prepare for a special event or catch up during a hectic time. Rates, promotions, and contract terms may vary by location. Across the board, Merry Maids has been a go-to choice for homeowners. In fact, this home cleaning service enjoys the distinction of being named America’s Most Recommended Cleaning Service by the Women’s Choice Awards every year since 2013.

Best Budget: MaidPro

Key Specs

• Cost: Individualized
• Service Area: All U.S. states
• Services Offered: House and apartment cleaning
• Bonded and Insured: Yes

Why We Chose It

MaidPro specializes in creating a cleaning plan to fit your budget and offers an instant estimate over the phone.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Over-the-phone estimates are available
• Skip or cancel any cleaning with 48-hour notice
• No service contracts are required

Cons

• Cleanings are scheduled in "morning" or "afternoon" arrival windows
• Rates and available promotions vary by location

Overview

You might think that anything custom means paying more, but in this case, MaidPro’s custom cleaning plan is designed with savings in mind. Save time and money when you set up a cleaning routine that focuses on high-traffic areas and skips the spaces you infrequently use or can handle on your own.

If cost is a concern, you’ll also appreciate that MaidPro offers instant, over-the-phone estimates. While many home cleaning services require an in-home visit to provide you with an estimate, you can get to the bottom line quickly and easily with MaidPro.

Best for Big Jobs: The Maids

Key Specs

• Cost: Individualized
• Service Area: 41 U.S. states (excludes Alaska, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming)
• Services Offered: One-time deep cleaning, recurring cleaning, same day cleaning, move in/out cleaning, small business cleaning, and cleaning for health
• Bonded and Insured: Yes

Why We Chose It

While The Maids is available to clean homes of any size, the four-person team on every job provides a fast but thorough cleaning for big jobs.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Four-person team to clean even big houses in less time
• A team leader who knows your home and its requirements
• Same-day services available

Cons

• Credit card required to hold appointment slot
• Initial deep clean may incur extra charges

Overview

When it comes to cleaning large houses, The Maids is a good choice. With a standard approach that includes commissioning four housecleaners for every job, this cleaning service has the resources to tackle large jobs quickly and efficiently. Three cleaners work with the expertise and direction from a team leader, who is responsible for knowing the particulars of your home and ensuring a consistent, thorough experience every time The Maids visit your home.

It’s true that most professional cleaning companies charge by the job and not the hour, so the payoff in The Maids' efficiency isn’t necessarily about dollars saved. What you will appreciate about this company's approach is a faster cleaning time.

It’s worth noting that The Maids is available for recurring cleaning services but can also be contracted for one-time cleaning sessions as well. If you’re hosting a party or event and need a thorough cleaning beforehand, The Maids is well-equipped for the task. You can even arrange for same-day cleaning services, depending on local availability.

Best Green: Maid Brigade

Key Specs

• Cost: Individualized
• Service Area: 31 U.S. states (excludes Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming)
• Services Offered: House and apartment cleaning, business cleaning, and green cleaning
• Bonded and Insured: Yes

Why We Chose It

Known for its PUREcleaning method, Maid Brigade offers non-toxic cleaning services that are both powerful and effective for routine maintenance and disinfection.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No upcharge for green cleaning products
• Stresses the belief that products and processes should support eco-friendly and effective home cleaning
• Optional disinfecting mist can provide additional peace of mind

Cons

• Initial cleaning is billed hourly, which could lead to a larger-than-expected bill
• Only available in 31 states plus Washington, D.C.

Overview

Green cleaning has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and many home cleaning services have adopted more eco-friendly ways of performing both routine and deep cleaning sessions. When assessing green home cleaning services, it’s important to find a company that utilizes both products and methods that contribute to a healthy, clean home. Maid Brigade stands out for its PUREcleaning approach, which utilizes non-toxic and EPA-registered Green Seal-certified products.

Notably, the company uses an electrolyzed water cleaner and disinfectant that is odorless, residue-free, and safe for people and pets. In addition, Maid Brigade utilizes four-stage filtration vacuums with HEPA-filters to more effectively capture and trap allergens, mites, dander, and more. Home cleaning pros also use color-coded microfiber cleaning cloths for specific cleaning purposes to reduce cross-contamination.

Aside from standard cleaning protocol, some Maid Brigade locations also offer PUREmist disinfecting services. This special process uses an electrostatic mist to eliminate bacteria, viruses, and germs on even hard-to-clean surfaces.

Best for Deep Cleaning: The Cleaning Authority

Key Specs

• Cost: Individualized
• Service Area: 45 U.S. states
• Services Offered: House and apartment cleaning/sanitizing, move in/out cleaning, and one-time cleanings
• Bonded and Insured: Yes

Why We Chose It

This nationwide cleaning service provides a thorough cleaning every time, but it rotates deep cleaning tasks to make sure that things like grout and drip pans get regular attention.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Gives attention to often overlooked areas like door jambs, cabinet doors, and grout lines
• Utilizes eco-friendly cleaning products
• The app lets you monitor home cleaning sessions

Cons

• 48-hour notice required to reschedule a cleaning or to add/remove a room

Overview

The Cleaning Authority specializes in keeping your home clean and presentable but takes it to the next level with a series of rotating deep cleaning checklist items. Things you might not see on a daily basis but definitely get dirty over time will receive specialized attention. For example, baseboards are hand-wiped, the inside of the range hood gets a deep clean, and your tile grout is scrubbed.

Despite paying such close attention to specific areas, The Cleaning Authority doesn't overlook the more standard parts of a house cleaning routine. The company utilizes a 48-point cleaning checklist to ensure that your home is cleaned properly during every visit.

Best for Flexibility: Tidy

Key Specs

• Cost: Individualized plus $10 per month software subscription
• Service Area: About 200 locations across the U.S.
• Services Offered: House and apartment cleaning, rental cleaning, office cleaning, same-day cleaning, junk removal, maid service, and maintenance services like lawn, pests, and trash management
• Bonded and Insured: Yes

Why We Chose It

Built on an online platform that lets you schedule cleaners, customize cleaning sessions, and manage rescheduling within a user-friendly app, this cleaning service puts you in control.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Option to choose the same cleaner each time
• Leave cleaning notes with pictures to make sure trouble spots are given priority
• The app makes it easy to schedule or cancel cleanings as you need to

Cons

• Limited geographical availability
• Cancellations made within 24 hours of scheduled cleaning result in a charge of 50 percent of the fee

Overview

Customize your cleaning with the help of the online cleaning platform Tidy. This home cleaning service recruits the top cleaning professionals in your area and gives you online access to schedule cleaning sessions, customize your cleaning, or reschedule as needed.

While some house cleaning companies require you to sign a contract for service or to lock in better rates, Tidy provides cleaning services with no strings attached. Download the app and choose from multiple cleaning options that range from one to four hours.

You can schedule a single cleaning session or opt to set up your home for weekly (or up to three times during the week), biweekly, or monthly cleanings.

Adding to the appeal of this flexible home cleaning service is the fact that you can customize your clean by selecting the rooms or spaces that you’d like the cleaner to focus on. For example, remove the guest room from the list if it hasn’t been used and you’d rather have the cleaner spend more time in a high-priority area like the kitchen. You can add specific items to the to-do list and even leave messages and photos in the app for areas that need special attention.