House Cleaning in Mobile

A 1-2 bedroom apartment usually takes 2-3 hours for one cleaner; a 3-bedroom home takes 3-4 hours. Deep cleans run 4-8 hours or use a two-person team. First visits always take longer than maintenance visits because the cleaner is working through accumulated grime and learning the layout.

Cross-check reviews on at least two platforms, ask for two recent references you can actually call, and confirm insurance in writing. For companies, check the business is registered. A short paid trial clean is the best test: judge punctuality, whether they follow your task list, and how they handle feedback before committing to a recurring slot.

A standard clean covers surfaces you touch weekly: vacuuming, mopping, dusting, bathrooms, kitchen wipe-down and bins. A deep clean adds the build-up work — inside the oven and fridge, skirting boards, under furniture, limescale removal, grout scrubbing and window sills. Deep cleans typically cost 50-100% more and take roughly twice as long. Book a deep clean first if the home hasn't been professionally cleaned in 6+ months, then maintain with standard cleans.

Reputable providers carry public/general liability insurance that covers accidental damage — ask for proof before the first visit, not after an incident. Report damage within 24 hours with photos. With uninsured independents you're relying on goodwill, which is the real cost hidden inside a cheap hourly rate.

Three reasons: insurance and legitimate employment cost real money (the cheapest quotes usually skip both), companies price in supervision and cover for sick days, and scope assumptions differ — one quote's 'clean' may exclude half of what another includes. Compare on a written task list, insurance status and the same visit frequency, not on the headline number.

Key-holding is standard for recurring cleans, but do it deliberately: use a lockbox or smart lock where possible, get key-holding terms in writing (companies usually have a policy), and check the cleaner or company carries insurance that covers key loss and lock replacement. Change codes when you change providers.

There's no state occupational license for house cleaning, though some cities require a general business license. That means vetting falls to you: proof of general liability insurance, bonding, and workers' comp (for crews) are the signals that separate professional operators from informal ones.

If you directly employ a household worker and pay above the IRS annual wage threshold (adjusted yearly, in the low thousands of dollars), you owe Social Security and Medicare taxes and may need to file Schedule H. Hiring through a cleaning company avoids this entirely — the company is the employer, not you.