Call in the cleaners
Sometimes life and work are just not balanced. Maintaining your home is usually the first thing to drop by the wayside if you’re time poor.
Domestic help in the form of a cleaner, housekeeper or gardener can be a blessing if you work long hours or have a heavy burden on your time.
Hiring your own cleaner or domestic help
If you hire a cleaner directly, you must have a written contract which identifies you and the person you are hiring, a start date, the place and nature of work, and the number of daily or weekly working hours.
You must also register your employee with the Joint Social Security Centre (CCSS) who will collect the fixed rate tax (10%) and social security contributions. However, you need only declare the net salary you have agreed with your cleaner or help (which must be in line with the social minimum wage). The CCSS will calculate the gross salary.
You pay your cleaner the net amount you agreed directly and you’ll receive an invoice for tax and social security from the CCSS and an annual tax declaration.
You can find a detailed explanation in English on Hiring Domestic Staff and all relevant forms on Guichet here.
Online research suggests that the hourly salary of domestic staff can be anywhere between 15-20 Euros (depending on the number of hours you need your cleaner and the tasks you expect them to undertake).
There are implications, not only in terms of tax but the social security rights of your cleaner, if you employ someone illegally or do not register them.
The following websites are useful for hiring a cleaner directly, or you can post/search in social media groups for Luxembourg and will often get a response or referral.
Home Help lists cleaners, housekeepers, babysitters and au pairs looking for work and detailing their experience, contact details and languages spoken. They also have a Facebook page here.
Great Au Pair lists housekeepers and au pairs offering their services in Luxembourg, both live-in and live-out. You can search it by region/location.
Nounou Babysitter is a Facebook group in Luxembourg where you can post if you need a babysitter for specific hours.
Using a cleaning service
If drawing up an individual employment contract sounds too much like hard work - and you’re getting a cleaner precisely because you’re time poor - you can use an agency.
There are several agencies in Luxembourg, including some that allow you to book a cleaner online, and some that offer one-off services for moving, window cleaning and garden maintenance.
Expect to pay 20 Euros or more an hour and in some cases sign a minimum contract period, but you won’t have to deal directly with the CCSS and domestic help is vetted, checked and comes with back up, so if you’re cleaner decides to leave Luxembourg or is off sick, the agency will provide an alternative.
Check what your service includes. Some charge extra for cleaning the oven or changing bed sheets and some don’t offer this service at all.
The following agencies offer cleaning services in English:
If we've missed a website or cleaning company that you use and would recommend, please let us know and we'll add it.
Homeluxy.com can clean your house, your car and even look after your pet. It's most popular additional services include ironing, cleaning your fridge or oven, and window cleaning, but it also offers gardening, home organising and painting. You can book online, choosing what you want, and the date and time. Invoices are also tax deductable according to their website.
Batmaid is an online cleaning platform, originally started in Switzerland. It uses an “Uber” model, but all cleaners are vetted, and declared/insured. Their website says you can obtain a lump-sum deduction on your taxes for booking through them, and they have some 500 cleaners at their disposal.
Immaculate Cleaning Services can spruce up your home or office, help you with moving in or moving out cleaning requirements, including painting, gardening and small repairs. They also offer deep cleans and options to have your cleaner come weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or as a one-off. You can add to that pet-friendly services and window cleaning.
Spic and Span offer cleaning services (including a one-off clean) you can book online, where you can add extra services if you want something additional done. You can also sign up for a regular contract with slightly cheaper rates. You pay an hour's rate as a deposit upfront and this is deducted from your final bill. English-speaking cleaners should be requested when booking. Reviewers say that cleaners are punctual, polite and do a good job.
If you’re managing a home renovation, need a handyman or gardener or just want someone to give your digs a scrub up before the weekend, Extra Time offers all these services. They can also house sit if you're having work or services done in your home and help with paperwork. Online reviewers give it a good rating, saying cleaners are punctual, and the company is very flexible.
Family-run Home Services offers housekeeping and childcare services. You can book regular or occasional cleaning services such as dusting, floors, bathrooms, but also ironing and window cleaning. Some housekeepers will run errands, cook meals and take care of children too. The company started in 2013 but already has numerous positive reviews.
Sandra and her team at Fairy Cleaning Services are rated by customers as having an impeccable service, responsive and offering extra attention to detail. In addition to regular cleaning services for your home, they offer window and patio cleaning, cleaning before/after a move, cleaning of communal areas and winter maintenance of outdoor spaces.
Appilux offers cleaning but also laundry services, window cleaning, floor treatment, high pressure cleaning and help with your green spaces. They also offer housekeeping and handyman services. Be aware though, that recent Google reviews have not been great, with reviewers complaining of bad customer service, poor communication and incorrect billing. Let's hope it's a blip since prior to 2021, reviews were on the whole positive.
Readers' recommendations include CitrusLux, which also offers one-time and deep cleaning, plus moving in/moving out cleaning services, and Alles PropLux which offers cleaning services, window washing, gardening, and high pressure cleaning.
For a list of all cleaning companies in Luxembourg click here.
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