How much does a cleaner earn?
As a private cleaner, you have a certain amount of leeway in terms of how much you can charge per hour. Germany currently has full employment. Domestic helpers are also benefiting from this and are being hired at better wages. For example, as a cleaner in Cologne, you can earn an hourly wage of up to € 17 if you find a job on Putzperle.de.
Employers on Putzperle.de usually state how much they are willing to pay. In larger cities, the hourly wage for a domestic helper is between € 13 and € 17. There are regional differences in the average hourly wage for cleaners, both between east and west and between rural and urban areas.
In any case, the statutory minimum wage of € 13.90 (from January 2026) is a lower limit that may not be undercut in the agreement. However, due to the work situation, the actual salary paid is significantly higher. So take a look at the cleaning jobs in your area – you will find many attractive offers.
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How much experience do you have as a cleaner?
In addition to regional differences, your experience also influences your hourly wage. If you have around 5 years of cleaning experience, you can charge around one euro more per hour; and with more than 10 years of experience, you can charge around 3 euros more. In the Munich area, you can charge an average of 16 euros per hour if you have the relevant experience, in Berlin it is 14 euros per hour and in Leipzig 13.50 euros.
What other factors play a role?
Your hourly wage also depends on other factors. One of these is the relationship between supply and demand. To calculate an appropriate hourly wage, start by looking at what other cleaning professionals in your area are charging. In addition to experience, you can also increase your hourly wage by offering additional services such as ironing, cooking, gardening, window cleaning, etc. Depending on how much effort or skill the work you offer requires, you can charge a higher hourly wage.
Incidentally, compensation of € 2-3 is standard for travel expenses. If the workplace is difficult to reach and there are no good transport links, you can also ask for a slightly higher hourly wage.
What are employers willing to spend more on?
However, the most important factors for your potential employers are likeability, reliability and long-term commitment. When hiring private cleaners, many people often find themselves having to monitor the cleaning performance. Long-term cooperation is also often sought, but this is not always easy to find.
So if you can guarantee reliability, a friendly manner and regularity, for example through appropriate references, it will be easier for you to find a suitable position and negotiate a fair wage. This will save your potential employer from having to check whether the cleaning has been done thoroughly and from having to look for a new cleaner after a short time.
How much of your gross wage do you keep?
Unlike other providers, Putzperle.de does not retain any commission. If you work as a domestic helper on a mini-job basis (up to € 603 per month), you can keep the gross amount and only have to deduct approximately 14 per cent for pension insurance. You can also be exempted from this, but you should seek advice from the mini-job centre on when this might be advisable. Your employer is responsible for all taxes and social security contributions of approximately 15 per cent for household-related employment. Here you will find a detailed list of costs.
How much do you earn as a self-employed cleaner?
If, on the other hand, you work as a self-employed cleaner, you can expect to pay around 22 per cent in contributions. However, unlike mini-jobbers, who are only liable in cases of gross negligence, as a self-employed cleaner you are also liable in cases of slight negligence and should therefore take out liability insurance (from € 20 per month). As a rule, you are also responsible for cleaning supplies. These expenses are reflected in a higher hourly rate, which should be around € 15 or more.
In addition, self-employment only pays off once you reach a certain minimum turnover. This is because there are minimum social security contributions that you must pay in any case. Although these were drastically reduced in 2019, you still have to factor in minimum expenses of around € 190 per month for social security, even if you only earn € 400 per month, for example. Here you will find a gross-net calculator for self-employed persons (please note that the minimum contributions of approximately € 190 are not taken into account).