A cleaning service request often shapes the price before anyone picks up a vacuum. If you write “I need my 2-bedroom flat cleaned in Prague,” you may get offers from 1,200 CZK to 4,500 CZK. Oddly enough, several of them can be reasonable. One cleaner pictures a normal maintenance visit. Another assumes a deep clean after tenants. A third adds a safety margin because the job is unclear. A fair offer does not start with the cheapest number. It starts with a request that leaves less room for guessing.
Why a vague request leads to worse offers
Most clients are not hiding anything. They simply assume that “home cleaning” means the same thing to everyone. It does not. A 54 m² flat in Prague 7 may take two and a half hours if it is cleaned regularly and the kitchen is in decent shape. The same floor plan can take most of a morning if the shower has limescale, the extractor hood is greasy, and the floors have not had proper attention for weeks.
With a vague home cleaning request, the provider has to guess the scope, the condition, and the risk. Risk almost always changes the price. Some cleaners quote high because they do not want to lose money on a messy job. Others quote low to win the booking, then bring up extra charges once they see the flat. That is where the awkward sentence appears: “This was not included.”
I have seen requests that say “standard cleaning after moving out.” It sounds harmless, but it is a trap. Standard cleaning usually means maintenance work: dusting, floors, bathroom, kitchen surfaces. Move-out cleaning often means inside cupboards, skirting boards, fridge, oven, old dust behind furniture, and stains left by previous tenants. If those details are missing, the offers will not be comparable.
The goal of a good cleaning service request is simple. Every provider should price the same work. Only then does it make sense to compare price, availability, reviews, and how clearly the person communicates.
What a good cleaning request must include
Start with the facts nobody should need to guess. Include the district, home type, size, number of rooms, floor, lift, and parking situation. This matters in Prague more than people admit. In Karlín, Vinohrady, or Smíchov, ten minutes of parking stress can change the logistics of the visit before the cleaning even starts.
A useful opening might look like this:
“Hello, I’m looking for a one time apartment cleaning for a 54 m² 1-bedroom flat in Prague 7 - Holešovice, 4th floor with a lift. The flat is normally lived in, no pets, and the last proper cleaning was about a month ago.”
That is short, but it gives the cleaner something real to work with. They know it is not a post-renovation job or a large family house. They can ask about tasks instead of chasing basic missing information.
Next, state the frequency. A one time apartment cleaning is priced differently from recurring home cleaning. For recurring work, the first visit is often longer because the cleaner brings the home up to a level that can be maintained. Later visits may take less time. If you want every Friday morning, say so. If Tuesday or Thursday would also work, say that too. Flexibility can help with availability and sometimes with price.
The task list makes the biggest difference. Do not write only “kitchen, bathroom, floors.” Spell out what you mean:
- kitchen: worktop, sink, hob, outside of cabinet doors, microwave outside and inside
- bathroom: sink, bath or shower, limescale on taps, toilet, mirror
- rooms: vacuum, mop, dust reachable surfaces, vacuum sofa
- extra tasks: oven, fridge, windows, blinds, inside cupboards, changing bed linen
For windows, mention the number and type. One French window in a modern studio is not the same job as six old double casement windows in a Vinohrady apartment. For the oven, say whether it needs a quick wipe or serious work on baked-on grease. This kind of honesty is not embarrassing. It is practical.
How to describe the state of the home without awkwardness
This is where many people freeze. They do not want to sound messy. But cleaners do not come to homes because those homes are perfect. They come because someone needs help with work they do not have time, energy, or patience for.
Describe the condition plainly. No apology needed.
“There is more limescale in the bathroom, especially on the shower screen.”
“We have a dog, and most of the hair is on the sofa and in the hallway.”
“The flat is empty after tenants, but the kitchen and oven need more detailed work.”
Photos help more than most clients expect. You do not need to document every corner. A few shots of the kitchen, bathroom, floors, and any problem area are enough. For deep cleaning or move-out cleaning, I would always send photos. Two minutes with a phone can save half an hour of messages and a bad surprise on arrival.
Be careful with the word “standard.” For one person, standard mess means dust on shelves and crumbs under the table. For another, it means the shower grout has not been touched for weeks. A concrete description works better than a soft label.
Pets, small children, and allergies also belong in the request. Not because anyone should judge them. Because they affect planning. Pet hair changes vacuuming. Children’s toys change how much surface preparation is needed. Allergies affect product choice. And if a cleaner is uncomfortable around dogs, it is better to know before a labrador starts barking behind the door.
Cleaning supplies, equipment, and access to the flat
This part looks minor, but it can spoil the first visit. Say who will provide cleaning products, cloths, mop, bucket, and vacuum cleaner. Some cleaning companies bring their own equipment. Independent cleaners often expect to use the client’s vacuum and mop, even if they bring gloves or a few cloths.
Use wording like this:
“There is a vacuum cleaner, mop, bucket, and basic cleaning products in the flat. If you use your own products, please let me know in advance. For the wooden floor, I do not want aggressive chemicals or very wet mopping.”
Sensitive surfaces should be named clearly. Marble, natural stone, oiled wood, induction hobs, brass taps, or expensive lacquered cabinet fronts are not minor details. The wrong product can cause damage in a minute. Also say if you do not want bleach, strong fragrances, or anything that may bother someone with allergies.
Access matters just as much as the work. Will someone be home? Will you hand over keys? Is there a reception desk? Can the cleaner enter alone, or does someone have to open the door? For recurring home cleaning, this becomes a real operational issue. Repeating “Who can let the cleaner in today?” every week gets old fast.
In Prague, add parking. If the provider is bringing a vacuum cleaner, a step ladder, or several bags of products, it matters whether they can stop in front of the building or will spend twenty minutes circling blue zones. For one-off deep cleaning, I would always mention it.
A request template you can copy and edit
Here are two versions you can adapt. The first works for regular maintenance cleaning. The second is better for one-off or deep cleaning.
Short version for regular cleaning
“Hello, I’m looking for recurring home cleaning in Prague 6 - Dejvice. It is a 72 m² 2-bedroom flat with two bathrooms, 2nd floor with a lift. We would like cleaning once a week, ideally Wednesday morning, but we can adjust the day.
We need vacuuming and mopping, dusting reachable surfaces, cleaning the kitchen counter, sink, hob, bathrooms, and toilets. Windows, oven, and fridge are not part of the regular visit; we would arrange them separately. We have a cat, and most hair is in the living room. The flat has a vacuum, mop, and basic products. Please send an estimated price, expected cleaning time, and whether the first visit is usually longer.”
More detailed version for one-off or deep cleaning
“Hello, I’d like to request a one time apartment cleaning after tenants moved out. The flat is 58 m², 2+1 layout, Prague 3 - Žižkov, empty, 3rd floor without a lift. We need detailed cleaning of the kitchen, bathroom, toilet, floors, inside cupboards, fridge, and oven. There are three old double casement windows. The bathroom has limescale on the shower screen and around the tap. I can send photos.
There is currently no vacuum or mop in the flat, so please include your own equipment. I can open the flat in the morning, and keys can be left in a lockbox by agreement. Please send an estimated price, expected time, nearest available dates, and what is not included in the price.”
This request is not long because the client should do the provider’s job. It is long because it removes guessing. Guessing is expensive in cleaning.
If you want to send the request through ČistýKout, use the same logic: location, flat type, frequency, task list, home condition, supplies, and access. ČistýKout is Prague-based, so the more clearly you describe the job, the easier it is to receive offers you can actually compare.
Send a no-obligation cleaning request through ČistýKout
