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Des Moines House Cleaning Prices
House cleaning from $188
- By the room, not the hour
- No contracts or reschedule fees
- 100% money-back guarantee
What house cleaning costs in Des Moines
These are real numbers from Des Moines homes we cleaned in 2026. “Most homes” means the middle half of what customers actually paid. Your exact price depends on which rooms you choose, how big your home is and how often we come. Getting it online takes about two minutes.
$188 is where a first cleaning starts, for the smallest homes we clean. Most homes land between $204 and $342 for that first visit, which brings the home up to our standard. Every visit after it is a maintenance clean at one of the lower rates below, and that rate stays the same until you change the rooms.
Our lowest rate per visit. The home never gets far from clean, so each visit is quick.
What most Des Moines customers choose.
A month of living takes longer to undo, so each visit costs a bit more than every other week.
Your first visit is the deep one: baseboards, ceiling fans, everything that has been waiting. It takes longer, so it costs more, and it is the most you will ever pay us for a cleaning. Every scheduled visit after it costs less. One-time and occasional cleanings are priced like a first visit.
An empty house cleaned top to bottom for the next family or the landlord’s walkthrough. Priced for the whole job, not by the hour.
What you’re really deciding
Most people call us to find out whether a few hundred dollars is worth it. The better question is what your Saturday is worth. A first cleaning takes a crew most of a day. Do it yourself, on top of everything else, and that is a weekend gone. One customer told us she gets about six hours back every visit.
Part of the price is who shows up. Our Crew Members are trained, background-checked and backed by a supervisor who checks the work, because the person in your home matters more than the number on this page. That is a big part of why our customers stay with us more than five years on average.
Why now
Our Des Moines crews stay booked. Open dates go fast, especially before holidays and at the end of the month. A date that is open today may be gone next week. If you have been meaning to do this, get your price now and pick your dates while they are still there.
How your price is built (and why it isn’t by the hour)
By the room, not the hour. Most people who call us ask how many hours we’ll be there. We don’t bill that way. You tell us which rooms you want cleaned and we give you one set price for the finished job. Whether we send one Crew Member or two, and whether it is a fast day or a slow one, the price does not move. It stays the same every visit until you change the rooms.
Rooms. Every room is priced on its own, so you choose which ones we clean. Plenty of customers skip the guest rooms or the basement, and the price follows.
Size. Larger homes take longer, so square footage is part of the price. Very large homes get a quick walkthrough first so the price is right the first time.
Pets. A house full of pets takes a little more work, and the price reflects that. One or two dogs or cats change nothing.
Frequency. The more often we come, the less each visit costs. Weekly is our lowest rate per visit, monthly the highest of the recurring schedules, and one-time or occasional cleanings are priced like a first cleaning.
Vacant homes and add-ons
A vacant move-in or move-out is the most complete cleaning we do, and it is priced for the whole job, not by the hour. Larger empty homes cost more than smaller ones, and appliances are add-ons. If you are pricing a move-out, plan around the vacant range above, not the first-cleaning range.
Add-ons can be added to any cleaning, vacant or not.
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Inside refrigerator | $65 |
| Inside oven | $75 |
| Washer | $30 |
| Dryer | $30 |
| Inside dishwasher | $30 |
| Garage, per stall | $30 |
| Hand floor washing | $15 |
| Sheet changes | $15 |
| Damp mopping | $7 |
Prices are per cleaning. The price you’re quoted is the price you pay: no contracts, no trip charges, no fee to reschedule, and every cleaning is backed by our 100% money-back guarantee.
Three Des Moines homes, priced
Ranges only go so far. Here are three typical Des Moines homes run through our pricing exactly as the online tool does it, with every room in the house on the list. Take rooms off and the price drops.
Kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, two full baths. No pets. A condo, a townhome or a small ranch.
| First-time cleaning | $197 |
| Weekly | $118 |
| Every other week | $131 |
| Monthly | $171 |
Kitchen, family room, dining room, three bedrooms, two full baths and a half bath, one set of stairs. One dog. The typical family home in Waukee or Des Moines.
| First-time cleaning | $261 |
| Weekly | $157 |
| Every other week | $174 |
| Monthly | $227 |
| Vacant move-out, same home | $522 |
| Move-out price before add-ons. Inside fridge is $65 and inside oven is $75. | |
Kitchen, family room, living room, dining room, five bedrooms, three full baths and a half bath, two sets of stairs. Two dogs. The larger newer homes around Ankeny.
| First-time cleaning | $410 |
| Weekly | $246 |
| Every other week | $273 |
| Monthly | $355 |
These are examples, not quotes. Your rooms, your square footage and the rooms you leave off all move the number, which is why the exact price for your home takes two minutes online. Calculate your own price.
Cleaning homes in Des Moines
Our Des Moines service center at 7500 University Avenue cleans homes across Waukee, Des Moines, Ankeny, West Des Moines and Norwalk and the rest of the area. Here is what that looks like on the ground, and what it does to the price.
Beaverdale brick to Waukee new builds
Des Moines is two kinds of house. Inside the city it is the brick Tudors and bungalows of Beaverdale, Drake and Waveland Park, homes with small rooms, hardwood floors and a lot of trim to dust. Out in Ankeny, Waukee, Johnston, Grimes and West Des Moines it is open-plan two-stories with finished basements, where the square footage is bigger but the room count per foot is lower. Both price by the room, so a 1,400 square foot Beaverdale home and a 2,400 square foot Waukee home can land surprisingly close together.
Salt, slush and summer humidity
From November to March the salt and slush come in on every pair of boots, and the entry, the kitchen floor and the mudroom take the worst of it. Summer brings humidity that leaves a film in bathrooms and on windowsills, and farm-country pollen and dust that settles on everything with a horizontal surface. Finished basements collect dust between visits and are the room customers most often add before the holidays.
Who calls us in Des Moines
Insurance and finance families who move here for work, often on a relocation clock, and long-time homeowners who want the house kept up without spending Saturdays on it. Our schedule fills in late spring when closings pile up and again in November before company arrives.
What that means for your price
Most Des Moines customers choose every other week. For the typical three-bedroom family home here that is about $174 a visit, or $157 weekly and $227 monthly, with a first visit around $261. A two-bedroom condo or small ranch runs closer to $131 every other week, and a five-bedroom with four baths closer to $273. Newer homes with a lot of bathrooms and glass land toward the top of the ranges on this page; bungalows, ranches and condos land toward the bottom. Every room you leave off comes off the price.
How our prices compare in Des Moines
Here is what the market charges, then what we charge. An independent cleaner in Des Moines advertises around $21 to $25 an hour, per person, which works out to about $84 to $125 for a three-bedroom home once the hours are counted. Local cost guides put a professional house cleaning here in a typical range of $98 to $329 a visit. Both come from our own market research this fall. Here is how to read them next to ours.
The hourly rate is what gets advertised. The visit is what you pay for, and that price leaves out everything that makes a price safe to say yes to:
- No bond, no insurance. If they get hurt in your home, the claim can land on you and your homeowner’s policy. If they break something, it is your loss.
- No background check unless you run one yourself.
- No backup. When they are sick, on vacation or gone for good, so is your cleaning day.
- Nobody checks the work and nobody stands behind it. There is no guarantee to call in.
- Supplies and equipment are often yours to buy.
- The tax question. Pay someone regularly and you may be a household employer in the eyes of the IRS, with the paperwork that comes with it.
Our scheduled visits average about $195 for the same home with every one of those things included. Side by side, we are the better buy: a bonded, background-checked, supervised crew with a guarantee, and the difference in price is what pays for all of it.
That is what the market charges for a professional cleaning of an average Des Moines home. Our scheduled visits average about $195, and most homes land between $123 and $297 depending on size and how often we come.
- Same price band. We sit inside the range the market already charges.
- Spelled out in advance. The checklist, the supervisor and the money-back guarantee are in writing before you book.
- Published, not quoted. The number is on this page instead of behind a phone call.
What comes with it:
- Background-checked crew, bonded and insured.
- 165-point checklist with a supervisor who checks the work.
- 100% money-back guarantee.
- A price that does not move when a visit runs long. An hourly price rewards slow work; a by-the-room price rewards a crew that knows your home.
Better cleaning, less risk, and a fair price for it. That is the whole case, and the numbers on this page back it up.
Market figures are from our own research of Des Moines listings and cost guides, September 2026. Our figures are from Des Moines homes we cleaned in 2026.
What a cleaning includes in Des Moines
Every General Cleaning follows the same checklist, about 165 tasks in a typical home. Here is the short version, room by room. The full checklist has been public on our site for close to a decade.
Countertops and backsplash cleaned and sanitized, with everything moved and cleaned behind. Sink sanitized. Cabinet and appliance exteriors cleaned, microwave cleaned inside and out, small appliances wiped down. Window over the sink, blinds, fixtures and ledges cobwebbed, sills wiped. Pantry vacuumed, trash emptied, floors edged, vacuumed and hand washed, baseboards wiped.
Sinks and countertops cleaned and sanitized. Shower and tub scrubbed and sanitized, chrome shined, glass and mirrors cleaned. Toilet cleaned and sanitized, base and behind. Cabinet exteriors, switch plates, fixtures and blinds, sills. Closet vacuumed, trash emptied, baseboards wiped, floor hand washed.
All furniture and decor dusted, glass cleaned, upholstery vacuumed. Walls, ceiling fans and baseboards cobwebbed, sills and blinds done. Beds made, rooms tidied, trash emptied. Floors edged and vacuumed. Front storm door and one set of French doors cleaned inside and out.
Your first cleaning, then the scheduled ones
The first visit works the whole checklist against everything that has built up, which is why it takes longest and costs the most. Every scheduled visit after it works the same checklist on a home that is already at our standard, so it goes faster and costs less. One customer put it plainly in a review: they dropped the guest bedroom and guest bathroom from a few cleanings while nobody was using them. You choose the rooms every time.
What costs extra
Inside the refrigerator, inside the oven, inside the dishwasher, washer and dryer, garage stalls, sheet changes, and hand washing or damp mopping of hard floors outside the kitchen and bathrooms are add-ons, priced above. Windows are not part of a General Cleaning; mirrors, glass doors and the glass listed above are. We bring our own equipment and eco-friendly products.
Move-out and move-in cleaning in Des Moines
The Des Moines suburbs turn over fast. Ankeny, Waukee and Johnston are some of the fastest-growing towns in Iowa, new subdivisions close every month, and leases roll on the first. That is why vacant cleanings are their own price here: most Des Moines move-outs run $340 to $684, from $313 for the smallest homes, with inside-the-appliance work as add-ons.
A vacant cleaning is the most complete cleaning we do. Empty rooms let us reach everything, and the price is for the finished job, whatever it takes. It is meant to pass a landlord’s walkthrough or a buyer’s final inspection.
When to book it
Summer closings and the first of the month are when move-out dates disappear first. If you have a final walkthrough or a closing date, book the cleaning the day you get it, and give us three dates that work in case the first one is gone. Price a move-out online or call the pricing line at 515-243-1004.
What moves the price in Des Moines
Across Waukee, Des Moines and Ankeny and the rest of the area we serve, the price follows the home, not the zip code. Larger, newer builds land in the upper half of the ranges above; older homes, townhomes and condos land in the lower half. The very largest homes carry a size adjustment and get a quick walkthrough first so the price is right the first time.
Every room is priced on its own. A finished basement nobody uses, a guest room that stays closed, an office you would rather we skip: leave them off and the price follows. Add them back for the holidays. The list is yours to change.
One or two pets change nothing; a full house of them adds a little. And the more often we come, the less each visit costs, because the home never gets far from clean. Weekly is our lowest rate per visit, monthly the highest of the scheduled rates.
What Des Moines callers ask us
These are the questions our pricing line hears every day, answered here so you don’t have to wait on hold for them.
How much does house cleaning cost in Des Moines?
House cleaning in Des Moines starts at $188 for a first cleaning, and most homes land between $204 and $342 for that first visit. After that, regularly scheduled cleanings average about $195 a visit across all home sizes: weekly runs $123 to $206 for most homes, every other week $136 to $228, and monthly $177 to $297. Vacant move-in and move-out cleanings run $340 to $684. The exact number for your home takes about two minutes online.
Do you charge by the hour?
No. We price by the room. You tell us which rooms you want cleaned and we quote one set price for the finished job, so you never pay more because a crew took longer, and you never get a rushed clean because the clock ran out.
What is the least a cleaning can cost?
$188 for a first-time cleaning, which covers the smallest homes we clean. Every scheduled visit after that costs less. Weekly, every-other-week and monthly rates begin with your second cleaning, and the ranges above show where most homes land.
Can I get a price without calling?
Yes. Price your own home any time at quote.cottagecare.com. It asks the same questions our pricing line does, rooms, size, pets, frequency, and gives you a price for every frequency at once. If you would rather talk it through, the pricing line is 515-243-1004, Monday through Friday 7 AM to 7 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM, and it takes about ten minutes.
Can I have just some rooms cleaned?
Yes. Plenty of customers have us clean the kitchen, bathrooms and main living areas and skip the guest rooms or the basement. You choose the rooms, the price follows, and you can change the list any time.
How much is a move-out or move-in cleaning?
Vacant homes are the most complete cleaning we do, and most Des Moines move-outs land between $340 and $684 before appliances. Inside the refrigerator is $65 and inside the oven is $75. It is priced for the whole job, not by the hour.
What does a cleaning include?
Every General Cleaning covers cobwebbing, dusting and vacuuming in every room, and kitchens and bathrooms cleaned and sanitized. Kitchen and bathroom floors are hand washed. Floors in every other room, hard surface or carpet, are edged and vacuumed; hand washing or damp mopping those is an add-on. The full 165-point checklist is on our site. Inside appliances, garages and sheet changes are add-ons, priced above. We bring our own equipment and eco-friendly products.
How soon can you come?
It depends on the season and the week. Sometimes we can be there the next day, sometimes later that week, and in busy stretches it can be a week or two out. Our Des Moines office stays busy and open spots go quickly, so the sooner you book the better your pick of dates. When you book, you give us three dates that work for you and we confirm one. If you have company coming or a closing date, tell us and we will do what we can.
Do I need to be home?
No. Most customers leave a key, a garage code or a lockbox, and you choose how we get in when you book. Our Crew Members are background-checked, and CottageCare is bonded and insured.
What if I’m not happy with a cleaning?
Tell us and we make it right. Every cleaning is backed by our 100% money-back guarantee, there is no contract holding you, and there is never a fee to reschedule.
Service Center Hours
- Monday – Friday:
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM - Saturday:
8:00am – 4:00pm - Sunday: Closed
Pricing Line Hours
- Monday – Friday:
7:00 AM – 7:00 PM - Saturday:
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Meet Your Manager
Kacee Bertrand ManagerLocation7500 University Avenue Suite G Clive, IA 50325
Location7500 University Avenue Suite G Clive, IA 50325
How we got these numbers. The first-cleaning range is the middle half of what Des Moines customers actually paid for a first cleaning in 2026, from our own scheduling records, with vacant homes counted separately. Scheduled-visit ranges are what those same homes pay on a weekly, every-other-week or monthly schedule. The $195 average covers all scheduled cleanings across all home sizes. We update this page as prices change. Last updated September 2026. This is the price sheet for our Des Moines service center at 7500 University Avenue.
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DES MOINES, IA STAFF
Our Des Moines Cleaning Services Cover it All!
Need the best house cleaning Des Moines has to offer? Look no further than CottageCare!
Our entire staff at CottageCare takes pride in helping you achieve Freedom From Housework® by providing excellent house cleaning services in Des Moines and the surrounding areas like West Des Moines, Pleasant Hill, Ankeny, and Urbandale. With decades of experience in the industry, CottageCare® is well-known for providing families with quality cleanings, using eco-friendly products, and flexible service options to meet your needs and budget!
At CottageCare, our goal is to give you Freedom From Housework®. Instead of worrying about when you’re going to clean your house, your only worry will be how you should spend all your new free time! The friendly, thorough, and responsive housekeeping professionals at CottageCare will allow you more time for the things you enjoy and the things you must do yourself. Simplify life. Delegate housecleaning.®
When you choose CottageCare, you can expect more than you would from a typical house cleaning service in Des Moines. We aim to make scheduling a cleaning as easy and convenient as possible. You can get a quote and schedule service in one phone call – no in-home estimates required! We provide as-needed, occasional cleanings as well as regularly scheduled weekly, bi-weekly or monthly cleanings with no contracts – we want to earn your business every time! Our professional house cleaner will strategically detail your rooms from top to bottom.
Our regular housekeeping services in Des Moines include a thorough cleaning of all the following areas:
- Kitchen Cleaning: cupboards, sink, pantry, microwave, counters, baseboards
- Bathroom Cleaning: shower, tub, sink, toilet, cabinet exteriors, baseboards
- Surface Dusting: light fixtures, tops & sides of furniture, ledges, picture frames
- Furniture Cleaning: vacuum upholstery, dust hard surfaces, tidy up pillows & blankets
- Carpet Vacuuming: edging and vacuuming into all closets, hallways, stairs, and rooms
- Hard Floor Cleaning: We hand wash the bathroom, kitchen, and foyer floors, and offer damp mopping for other hard surface floors upon request
Our CottageCare staff is fully bonded and insured, so if you’re ready to maximize your enjoyment of your free time and need expert house cleaners in Des Moines and the surrounding areas, don’t hesitate to contact us today for a free quote!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does house cleaning cost in Iowa?
The cost can considerably vary depending on your home’s size and your specific service requirements. Currently, the average cost is between approximately $150 – $250 for a flat rate. These prices may fluctuate, so it’s advisable to check the latest local rates.
What is the difference between a cleaner and a housekeeper?
Both cleaners and housekeepers play vital roles in maintaining cleanliness and order, but their responsibilities often differ. A cleaner primarily focuses on cleaning tasks such as dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and sanitizing bathrooms and kitchens. Their role is usually more task-oriented and less personal.
A housekeeper, on the other hand, often has a broader set of responsibilities that extend beyond just cleaning. This could include cooking, laundry, shopping, and even looking after children or elderly residents. Their role is more continuous, often involves greater interaction with the household, and can encompass a wider range of duties.
What do most cleaning companies offer?
The majority of cleaning companies offer a variety of services, including standard cleaning, deep cleaning, move-in/move-out cleaning, and commercial cleaning. These services typically comprise dusting, vacuuming, flat mopping, kitchen and bathroom cleaning, and occasionally, laundry and window cleaning services. Some companies also extend specialized services such as carpet cleaning or power washing.
- Kitchen Cleaning
- Bathroom Cleaning
- Hardwood, Tile, and Laminate Cleaning
- Dusting
- Carpet Vacuuming
- Waukee
- Des Moines
- Ankeny
- West Des Moines
- Norwalk
- Johnston
- Urbandale
- Altoona
- Cummings
- Grimes
Cleaning Services Near Des Moines, Iowa
Trusted House Cleaning for Des Moines, Clive, and Urbandale
CottageCare Des Moines provides trusted, eco-friendly house cleaning for busy families across Clive, Urbandale, and Waukee. Instead of spending your weekends cleaning, enjoy a sunny day at Raccoon River Park or shopping at Jordan Creek Town Center. We are also proud community supporters of Waukee Youth Football and the Clive Learning Academy.
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