The Ranking
Our top 5 cleaning companies in New York
Hiring a cleaner in New York City is mostly about trust and logistics. Someone is getting your keys, working around your pets and your doorman, and climbing your walk-up with a vacuum. This list sticks to companies with a real office in the city, not a mailbox, a coworking desk or a home address, and it skips booking apps that match you with independent cleaners.
What drives the price. Home size and condition matter most, along with how often you book. A first visit is usually a deep clean that takes longer and costs more, because baseboards, inside appliances and built-up grime all get done once. Recurring weekly or biweekly visits then cost less per visit because the home stays in shape. Post-renovation dust and move-out cleans are priced as separate jobs. Among the companies here, Zen is the only one that posts real numbers on its site: a two hour minimum for small apartments and $600 to $1,500 for its heaviest cleaning. Most others quote after a call or an onsite visit, and Deep Clean NYC sends a manager to look first.
Employees or contractors. Ask this before anything else. When cleaners are employees, the company carries workers compensation and handles payroll taxes, and it is the company's problem if someone gets hurt in your apartment. When the crew are independent contractors, coverage gaps are more likely to land on you. New Beginning Cleaners says its cleaners are bonded, insured employees. The other four describe insured or bonded teams but do not say on their sites how cleaners are hired, so ask.
Licensing in New York City. There is no state or city license for ordinary house cleaning. The city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) licenses employment agencies that charge a fee to place domestic or household workers, and home improvement contractors, but a company that sends its own cleaners to your home is not on that list. That puts the burden on you: ask for a certificate of general liability insurance, ask whether the company is bonded, and ask whether staff are background checked. Zen says applicants go through nationwide background checks; the others do not address it on their sites.
Supplies and pets. Crazy Clean and New Beginning bring all supplies. Zen brings its own plant-based products but expects you to have a vacuum, mop and step stool, or rent one. Tell the office about pets in advance; Crazy Clean and Zen describe themselves as pet friendly, and Zen asks that nervous pets be kept in a crate or closed room.
Guarantees and re-cleans. Almost nobody refunds a finished cleaning. What you get instead is a re-clean. Zen promises to come back within 24 hours to redo any area. Crazy Clean does a final walkthrough with you and fixes what you flag before the crew leaves. Write down what matters most to you and send it ahead, because the most common complaint in reviews across this list is a crew that arrived without the notes the office took on the phone.
Cancellation fees and tipping. Zen charges $50 per cleaner for changes inside 48 hours and the full price inside 24 hours. Crazy Clean takes a nonrefundable deposit that rolls over to a new date if you reschedule. Tipping is optional; Crazy Clean's FAQ suggests 15 to 20 percent, and more for deep cleans.
Keys, lockboxes and doormen. Most recurring clients are not home during the visit. Leaving keys with the front desk, a lockbox or a key held on file by the company are the usual options. Ask who holds the key, how it is labeled, and what happens to it if you cancel. Avoid leaving a key under the mat in an apartment building, even if a company says it is fine.
