Showerthought: Is paying for a "professional cleaner" really worth it when you do it yourself for free?

I was scrolling through Reddit last night on r/CleaningTips and saw a post where someone said they pay $150 a month for a deep clean of their 2-bedroom apartment. That shocked me because I spend maybe 3 hours a week scrubbing my own place with a $12 bottle of vinegar and some rags. On one hand, I get why people hire help: it saves time and they probably do a better job with the hard stuff like oven grates. But on the other hand, I'm wondering if that money could go toward something else like a gym membership or a nice dinner out. What do you all think? Have you added up what you spend on cleaning supplies versus what a service costs, and does it actually balance out?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordan_webb1mo ago

That $12 vinegar bottle adds up when you factor in your own time though. Even valuing your time at minimum wage, 12 hours a month of scrubbing is over $100 in lost time you could spend on literally anything else. Professional cleaners also bring equipment and chemicals that actually tackle the nasty stuff, not just surface level vinegar wiping.

charles4421mo ago

Yeah I feel you on this one. It's like once you start nickel and diming every little chore it kinda drives you crazy. Sometimes you just gotta clean your own space and not overthink it. Not everything has to be a hustle or a business expense calculation.

the_elliot1mo ago

@jordan_webb I gotta push back on that time value argument cause honestly it feels like one of those things that sounds smart in theory but falls apart in real life. First off, if you're choosing to clean your own place you're not losing money you're just doing a chore, same as washing dishes or folding laundry. Nobody says you're losing $100 a month by not hiring a laundry service. And sure professionals have better gear but how often are you really scrubbing oven grates? Most weeks I'm just wiping counters and vacuuming, nothing that a spray bottle can't handle. Plus once you start paying someone else to do basic stuff like cleaning, where does it stop? You gonna pay someone to cook every meal too? Seems like a slippery slope to me.