Cleaning in Miami, FL

What it costs

Hourly rates in Miami commonly fall between $35 and $55 per cleaner, though most companies quote a flat rate per visit. A standard clean on a two-bedroom apartment is roughly $120 to $200. A three-bedroom house is usually $160 to $280. A deep clean, which is the first visit for most new clients, costs one and a half to two and a half times a standard clean, so $250 to $400 is normal on a three-bedroom.

Price moves on square footage, number of bathrooms, which matter more than bedrooms because they take the longest, pets, how long since the last clean, and whether you want inside the oven, inside the fridge, interior windows and baseboards, which are usually add-ons.

Two Miami-specific items. Move-out cleans for condo buildings often have to meet a building standard, and some associations require the cleaner to be insured and registered with the building before being let in, which narrows your choices. And short-term rental turnovers are priced differently to residential work: faster, to a checklist, with linen handling, usually at a higher per-visit rate for the same square footage.

Licensing and insurance in Florida

Florida does not license house cleaners. There is no state cleaning license, and anyone claiming one is describing something else. What does exist and is worth verifying:

A business registration with the Florida Division of Corporations, searchable at sunbiz.org, and a local business tax receipt from the city or county.

General liability insurance, which covers damage to your property. Ask for a certificate of insurance naming the company, not a photograph of a card.

Workers' compensation, if the company sends employees. Florida requires it of most non-construction employers with four or more employees. A company sending subcontractors may carry none, which means an injury in your home can become your problem. Ask which it is.

A bond, which some companies carry against theft. It is not the same thing as insurance.

What separates a good company from a bad one

They walk the property or ask detailed questions before quoting, rather than quoting from bedroom count. They send the same cleaner or small team each visit, which is the biggest predictor of consistent results. They state in writing what is included and what is extra. They have a written process for breakage and tell you who to call.

Before you book

Is the person entering my home an employee or a subcontractor. Are you insured, and may I see the certificate. Do you bring supplies and equipment. How many cleaners and how many hours is this quote based on. What is the cancellation policy. Is this the recurring price or an introductory one.

The common ways to lose money

A low first-visit price that is really a deep clean priced as a standard clean, with the shortfall added on the day.

A quote by phone with no walkthrough, then a condition surcharge on arrival.

Cash-only with no business name and no insurance. If a window is broken or a floor is stripped, there is nobody to claim against.

Recurring contracts with a cancellation fee buried in terms emailed after the first clean. Read it before the second visit.