How to hire house cleaners

Decide what you are hiring for

Before you post, answer a few questions. It makes every later step easier.

• Employee or contractor? This affects taxes, insurance, control over the work and more. The rules are strict and vary by state. Talk to an accountant or employment lawyer before you decide.
• Hours: full-time, part-time, or specific days.
• Work type: recurring homes, deep cleans, move-outs, or a mix.
• Transportation: does the cleaner need their own car, or do you drive teams?
• Pay structure: hourly, per job, or a percentage. See how to pay house cleaners.

Where to find candidates

Use more than one source. Different channels bring different people.

• Referrals from your current cleaners. Good cleaners often know other good cleaners. Consider a referral bonus paid after the new hire stays a set time.
• Online job boards. General boards and local classified sites reach a wide pool.
• Local community groups. Neighborhood social media groups, churches and community centers.
• Spanish-language channels. Many experienced cleaners speak Spanish first. Posting in Spanish too widens your pool.
• Your website and social pages. Add a simple "Join our team" page.
• Former clients and their networks. Some clients know people looking for flexible work.

Write a job post that attracts the right people

Most cleaning job posts look the same. Stand out by being specific and honest.

• Lead with pay. Give a real range and explain how pay works. Some states and cities require a pay range in job ads, so check yours.
• State the schedule. Days, start times, and whether weekends are required.
• Describe the work. Homes, team or solo, physical demands like lifting and standing.
• List requirements. Reliable transportation, a valid license if driving, smartphone for your app.
• Say what makes you different. Steady hours, paid training, supplies provided, mileage pay, or a team that respects each other.
• Make applying easy. A short form on a phone works better than a long application.

Keep the post free of language that could be read as discriminatory, such as age or gender preferences. Describe the job, not the person.

Screen candidates

Quick application review

Look for availability that matches your needs, transportation, and any cleaning or hospitality experience. Don't screen out people with no experience if they show reliability elsewhere. You can teach cleaning. It is harder to teach showing up on time.

Short phone call

A 10 to 15 minute call tells you a lot. Ask:

• Why are you interested in cleaning work?
• Which days and hours can you work every week?
• Tell me about a time a customer was unhappy. What did you do?
• How would you get to jobs across our service area?
• What questions do you have about the job?

Notice whether they answer on time and call back when they say they will. That is a preview of how they will treat your clients.

In-person interview

Meet the best candidates in person or by video. Explain the job honestly, including the hard parts. Ask the same core questions of everyone so you can compare fairly.

Do a paid trial clean

A trial clean is the best way to see real work. Pay the candidate for their time, and check how your local wage laws apply.

• Pair the candidate with a trusted lead cleaner, ideally in a friendly client's home or your own office.
• Give them your checklist and see whether they follow it.
• Watch for attention to detail, pace, and how they take feedback.
• Ask the lead cleaner for an honest opinion afterward.

Some candidates are slow at first but thorough. Speed improves with practice. Careless habits are harder to fix.

Background checks

Your cleaners work inside clients' homes, so many owners run background checks. Do it carefully and legally.

• If you use a background check company, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies. It requires written disclosure, the candidate's written permission, and specific steps before you decide not to hire based on the report.
• Many states and cities have "ban the box" or fair chance laws. They limit when you can ask about criminal history and how you can use it.
• Apply the same check to every candidate for the same role.
• Consider whether a past record actually relates to the job and how long ago it was.

This is general information, not legal advice. Ask an employment lawyer to review your process and forms, and use a reputable screening company that follows these rules.

Onboard with checklists

The first two weeks decide whether a new cleaner stays and how well they clean. Don't just hand over an address.

1. Paperwork first. Complete hiring forms, tax forms and any agreements before the first paid shift.
2. Go over your standards. Use written room-by-room checklists for standard cleans, deep cleans and move-outs. Start with your house cleaning checklist.
3. Teach products and safety. Which product goes on which surface, what never to mix, and how to protect floors and finishes.
4. Shadow shifts. Have the new hire work with a lead cleaner for several visits.
5. Explain policies. Lockouts, breakage, client keys and codes, phone use, and how to report problems.
6. Set up tools. Show them your scheduling app, how to clock in and how to mark tasks done.
7. Check in often. Talk at the end of the first week and the first month.

Sweepivo's cleaner app shows the next job, directions, room-by-room checklists and door codes only around the visit, in English or Spanish. On the Sparkle plan, its Hiring Studio handles the hiring side too: job posts, applications, video interviews built into Sweepivo (no Zoom needed), agreements and onboarding.

Keep your good cleaners

Hiring is expensive. Keeping a great cleaner is much cheaper than replacing one.

• Pay fairly and on time. Know what other local employers pay and stay competitive. Never be late with payroll.
• Offer steady hours. Unpredictable schedules push good people to other jobs.
• Reduce drive time. Group jobs by area and pay for travel between jobs as your local law requires.
• Give regular homes. Cleaners like knowing the homes and clients they work with.
• Recognize good work. Share client compliments with the cleaner and the team.
• Provide good supplies. Working equipment shows you take the job seriously.
• Create a path up. Lead cleaner, trainer or team manager roles give ambitious people a reason to stay.
• Listen. Ask what would make the job better, then act on what you can.

When someone does leave, ask why. Patterns in those answers show you what to fix.

Written by the Sweepivo team, October 2026. General guidance only: check your state and local rules, and talk to an accountant or lawyer about tax and legal questions.

Questions

Should house cleaners be employees or independent contractors?

It depends on how the work is controlled and on federal and state rules, which are strict. Misclassifying workers can be costly. Talk with an accountant or employment lawyer before you decide.

Can I run a background check on cleaning job applicants?

Yes, in many cases, but you must follow the FCRA when you use a screening company, plus any state or local fair chance laws. Get written permission first and have a lawyer review your process.

Should I pay for a trial clean?

Yes. A trial clean is real work, so pay the candidate for their time. Check your local wage laws to make sure you handle it correctly.

Try it yourself

Every plan comes with a 30-day free trial, no card needed, in English and Spanish. Set up your services and prices, share your booking link, and see if it fits.

Rather see it first? Book a demo call and we’ll walk you through it.