Cleaning platforms
Online cleaning platforms introduce customers & cleaners. Normally, these cleaning jobs will be self-employed and work through an app. The platform takes care of the marketing & scheduling for you. So you can focus on what you do best – cleaning & earning.
Here are the best online platforms for finding cleaning jobs.
1. Housekeep
Housekeep is the UK’s biggest cleaning service, having completed over 1.5 million cleans since launching in 2014. They’re also the highest rated, with a 4.9* average rating.
How it works: With Housekeep, you set your own regular working areas and working hours. Housekeep will automatically find you customers who want cleaning at your available times. Then you just need to check your app and attend the clean. Housekeep has also built smart tech that means you get lots of jobs close together – so you can save time & money travelling, and earn more money than you would elsewhere.
Pay rate: £10.00-11.00/hour plus tips
Indeed rating: 4.6*/5 (300 reviews)
Glassdoor rating: 4.2*/5 (130+ reviews)
Where to apply: Register as a Housekeep cleaner
2. Helpling
Helpling is a similar home cleaning platform that helps cleaners find jobs. Helpling launched in 2012, and then acquired the UK home cleaning service Hassle.com in 2014.
How it works: Unlike Housekeep, which automatically matches you with customers who live in your working areas, Helpling operates as a marketplace. This means that you advertise your cleaner profile, and customers choose to book in with you. Then you can either accept or decline the cleaning job.
Helpling cleaners set their own hourly rate. This means that you can decide how much to charge customers – but as is always the case, you’ll need to choose an hourly rate that’s competitive, to ensure that you’re getting chosen by customers.
Pay rate: Set your own rate
Indeed rating: 3.6*/5 (70+ reviews)
Glassdoor rating: 3.3*/5 (120+ reviews)
Where to apply: Register as a Helpling cleaner
3. Handy
Handy is a US-based home cleaning platform that’s also open throughout the UK. Although the service shares some similarities with Housekeep & Helpling, there are some differences in how it works.
How it works: Handy accepts customer bookings and then displays these to cleaners. Cleaners can choose to take a job if it’s in an area, and at a time, that works for them.
Pay rate: £10.00-£11.40/hour plus tips
Indeed rating: 2.6*/5 (760 reviews)
Glassdoor rating: 3.6*/5 (3800 reviews)
Where to apply: Register as a Handy cleaner
Job boards & classified ads
Lots of cleaners find jobs for themselves through online job boards and ad directories. The most popular of these with cleaners is Gumtree.
How it works: There are two ways you can use job boards/classified ads to find work. The first is to look at jobs that have been posted. You may find agencies that are hiring, or find customers who are looking to hire a cleaner.
Alternatively, you can buy an ad to offer out your own services. Customers will then contact you through the details provided and you can agree pricing & scheduling. All going well you can then enter into a private cleaning arrangement.
Cost to advertise: £10.99 for a basic services ad on Gumtree. Upgrade options available.
Pay rate: Up to you
Social media
As well as signing up to cleaning platforms, you can also find cleaning jobs through social media. Nextdoor & Facebook are the two best platforms for finding cleaning jobs.
You can join Facebook groups, like this. Or you can join community Facebook groups in your local area. You can both advertise your services, as well as looking for people who are actively hiring a cleaner.
The same’s true with Nextdoor – simply sign up and join your local community. You can look out for any of your neighbours who are requesting cleaning services, and you can also post to offer up your cleaning services. Both methods can prove successful at finding you cleaning jobs.
Cost to advertise: Free of charge. But you can pay in order to boost your post & reach more people.
Pay rate: Up to you
Word of mouth & offline advertising
It’s pretty unlikely that you’ll be able to fill up your schedule entirely based on offline advertising and word of mouth referrals. At least not any time soon. But that doesn’t mean it’s completely hopeless.
If you’re cleaning privately, let your customers know if you have free hours. And let them know that you’re happy for them to pass your number on to any friends or family who are looking to book a cleaner.
You can also get some business cards printed. You could ask your customers to take a few, in case they know anyone looking for a cleaner.
Cost to advertise: Up to you. You can spend as little or as much as you like – on business cards, flyers & announcement boards. We recommend Instant Print for inexpensive flyers & business cards.
Pay rate: Up to you. You can charge what you like when cleaning privately. But remember - you’ll need to offer competitive prices to secure cleaning jobs.
What’s the best way to get cleaning jobs near me?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this. How you can actually get cleaning jobs near you will depend on a number of factors – including where you’re living.
If you’re in a city, we recommend using an online platform. While the pay may be slightly below the rates you can charge independently, you won’t need to take care of any of the promotion or marketing activity. This will leave you much more time to get on with what you’re really good at - cleaning. And it’ll free up your time to spend on the jobs that will actually get you paid.