$19 Cleaning Companies: Too Good To Be True?

You’ve seen the advertisements for them, on your social media, your TV, maybe you’ve even heard them on your radio. Companies that offer cleaning services for the low rate of $19. According to the ads, their cleaners will not only do things like clean your home, but they’ll also wash your dishes, do laundry, and even clean the windows. Afterwards, you, the consumer, are now probably thinking to yourself, “This sounds like such a great deal, it’s almost too good to be true! Is there a catch?” 

Unfortunately, there is indeed, a very big catch. To start with, these companies do not actually provide a cleaning service directly for the customer. They are a third-party platform that connects clients with available cleaners in their area. From there, the client chooses which cleaner they wish to use and then books an appointment. The businesses in question operate in a fashion similar to companies like Uber, Grubhub, and DoorDash, relying on freelancers and gig workers to do the majority of the work. This kind of business model makes it very difficult for a client to keep the same cleaner every time they decide to book an appointment. Each cleaning session becomes a revolving door of cleaners and there is little chance for a client to build a rapport with a singular cleaner. The client doesn’t know what to expect with each appointment.

Now, having a bit of a revolving door of cleaners wouldn’t be as terrible, if all of the cleaners had the same level of experience and quality of work. Sadly, this is not the case. 

These kinds of cleaning companies are not required to establish standardized training methods. In fact, because the cleaners are considered “independent contractors”, the cleaning companies are not allowed to train them, due to rules established by the IRS. Without a standardized training methodology, the company cannot ensure the same level of quality work each and every time. You may have a stellar cleaner for one cleaning session, and a cleaner who does shoddy, half-finished work at the next. It doesn’t take much research on the internet to find stories about their poor work, from cleaners canceling their appointments with no reason and offering no replacement, leaving a job early without completing it, or doing absolutely nothing at all the entire time.

Nor are there rules when it comes to the manner of supplies a cleaner is required to bring to their respective jobs. After all, if you aren’t required to train your cleaners the same way, what point would there be to force them to carry the same kit? While you as a client can request that a cleaner use certain supplies and tools, there is no absolute guarantee that a cleaner will follow through. You have no way of knowing what a cleaner will bring, how effective their supplies are, or even if they’re safe to use in your household. When damages occur, these companies often refuse to take accountability, requiring the contractors to be responsible for refunds.

The other major catch that is often not properly disclosed beforehand is that the cost for cleaning is not only $19, but actually requires a (sometimes pricey) subscription fee, with the "$19 cleaning" charged in addition. Customers online reported frustrations about experience what they felt were bait-and-switch tactics, hidden additional charges, and unreasonable cancellation fees.

At Transparent Cleaning Co. our goal is always to look out for the best interest of our clients- even if that means that they choose another company to meet their cleaning needs. We always encourage homeowners to do their research before hiring a cleaning company to make sure they avoid scams and get the best results for their home.