Spring is right around the corner, and your house is a mess. You pick up your duster and start cleaning the cobwebs off the corners, but you feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work.

Do you hire a professional cleaner or take on the task yourself?

Cleaning can be backbreaking work, but if you want a clean home free from allergens, dust, and dirt, it needs to be done. You may think that you can save money by doing the job yourself, but hiring a pro is ideal in many scenarios.

The answer depends on several factors. In this article, we’ll go through the pros and cons of hiring a professional cleaner versus DIY cleaning.

Why to Hire a Professional

You want Professional Results

This pretty much goes without saying. However, many DIY cleaners either overestimate their cleaning skills or underestimate how good a professional cleaner really is. As a result, many homeowners end up with a less-than-desirable outcome.

While your interior space doesn’t always need to look presentable and immaculate, there are times when it does. For example, if you’ve recently put your house on the market, you’ll want it to look attractive and clean to prospective buyers. A professional cleaner will be able to do a thorough and efficient job, leaving your house in almost brand-new condition.

Furthermore, if you have delicate fabrics i.e leather, silk velvet, or suede furniture and upholstery, a professional cleaner will know how to clean them without damage. In these scenarios, it can be easy to ruin items if you don’t know the proper techniques.

Saves Time and Stress

Cleaning can be therapeutic – it helps improve focus and productivity, and can even reduce cortisol levels. However, too much cleaning can have the opposite effect, as your body can only handle so much before it starts to wear down.

If you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, i.e. work, family, and socializing, then it can be hard to find the time or energy to clean your home. This is especially prevalent when deep cleaning, which involves scrubbing grout, polishing furniture, and tackling those hard-to-reach places.

A professional cleaner instantly unloads the burden of cleaning from your shoulders. You can sit back and relax while they do the work instead. And if you want, you could split the work up and have them come in every couple of weeks, so you do the lighter cleaning tasks.

You Hate Cleaning or Simply Don’t Know How To

Not everyone is a wizard when it comes to cleaning. Many people can’t tell the difference between a vacuum cleaner and a mop, let alone know how to properly use them. And if you don’t enjoy cleaning, then it’s completely ok as well!

Regardless of the reason, a professional cleaner can take on all of the grunt work for you. They’ll clean your house efficiently and correctly, saving you the hassle of doing the job yourself. And if you do want to learn, you could even ask them for some tips and guidelines. Alternatively, you could just watch them and learn the methods of cleaning that they use.

Why to DIY Clean

You’re on a Tight Budget

A professional cleaning company can charge anywhere from $25 to $90 – that’s definitely not peanuts to the average person. If you’re conducting weekly cleanings, and the average cleaning takes 4 hours, you’re spending at least $400. Contrast this to the cost of buying a broom, mop, and other cleaning supplies and DIY cleaning.

If you’re dead set on hiring a cleaner, however, there are ways to mitigate the cost. Many cleaners offer discounts provided you sign a long-term contract and will bundle packages with a few extra services, such as carpet cleaning or window washing.

You’ll also want to thoroughly search the marketplace, and get at least three quotes for the same job. This will help you find the best deal for your budget, and you can always haggle down from there.

Residential Members are Willing to Assist

If you’re living with small kids who cannot help but make a mess, it might be worth asking family and close friends for help. Ask if they can help out once a week, or even once a month. It’s a great time to hang out and chat with each other, and you’ll save money by taking the DIY route.

However, if you have residential members i.e. college kids or brothers or sisters sitting idly while the plates pile up, then you should set some ground rules. Let them know that if they want to stay, they need to help out with the cleaning.

When multiple members have their own cleaning tasks, it simplifies the overall process and gets the job done faster. If you’re worried about them doing a bad job, then set up a cleaning schedule and explain how to do it. Once you’ve explained, they’re far less likely to do a bad job.

You Don’t Like Strangers in Your Home

Some of us love our private space – it’s our safe haven where we come to relax and unwind. Inviting a stranger, even if they’re cleaning, can be quite uncomfortable for some. Although you’re not obligated to stay in the same room, you’re still aware that a stranger is in your home.

Many are uncomfortable even when they’re away. The very thought of a cleaner wandering around their house, touching and cleaning everything, can be quite unsettling. It doesn’t help if you have valuables lying around either.

If this describes you to a tee, you can do two things: either DIY clean or hire a very close friend or family member that you trust. They’ll understand your need for privacy and can clean with discretion.

The Verdict

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to professional house cleaning. And while some may see it as a luxurious service only for the wealthy, it can be quite affordable with the right strategies.

In the end, you’ll have to weigh your options and decide which route is best for you. DIY cleaning may end up with poorer results, but a clean house is still a clean house. Alternatively, professional cleaners may not be cheap, but they’ll save you time and energy and give you peace of mind knowing your house is in good hands.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Just make sure to consider all factors before making your final decision.

Good luck!