Do House Cleaners Bring Their Own Supplies?
Do house cleaners bring their own supplies? What we bring, using your products, vacuums, supply fees and what to have ready. Text for a written price.
By Yuri and Tatiana, owners of Shining Cleanse LLC, a family cleaning company based in Everett, WA and licensed in 10 cities across Snohomish and King County.
Most cleaning companies bring their own supplies and equipment, while independent cleaners vary, so ask before you book. We bring everything: a steam cleaner, a vacuum, color-coded microfiber cloths and plant-based products. You provide only what lives in your house anyway, like trash bags and the fresh linens you want on the beds.
There is no supply fee with us. Products and equipment are part of the $60 work hour. Below is the full kit, why we prefer our own, and when it makes sense to use yours instead.
What supplies do professional cleaners bring?
It depends on the company, so this is the question to ask in your first message. Our kit, for every home visit:
| What | Why we bring our own |
|---|---|
| Steam cleaner | Dry steam at about 290°F at the nozzle for grout, tubs, fixtures, the stovetop and range hood; no residue |
| Vacuum | We know its suction, its attachments and when it needs emptying |
| Color-coded microfiber | Red for toilets, yellow for bathroom counters, blue for the kitchen, green for dusting; washed separately by color |
| Plant-based cleaners and EPA Safer Choice products | Peroxide and citrus degreasers, enzyme cleaners, fragrance-free versions on request |
| EPA-registered disinfectant | For handles, switches and railings, used as its label directs |
| Pads, brushes, mop, buckets | The basics, matched to the surface |
For carpet jobs we also bring carpet cleaning equipment and air movers. For a regular house cleaning, they stay in the car.
The color code matters more than it sounds. A cloth that cleaned a toilet never touches a kitchen counter, at your house or the next one. That is easier to keep true with our own cloths than with whatever is under the sink.
Do house cleaners bring their own vacuum?
Companies usually do. Some independent cleaners use the client’s vacuum, which is fine if yours works well and has fresh bags or an empty canister.
We bring ours because we know what it does: the suction, the attachments, how full it is. With an unfamiliar vacuum, the first twenty minutes go to figuring it out. You pay for that time.
We use your outlets and water. That is all we need from the house itself.
Before
AfterWhat products do professional cleaners use?
Ask for names, not labels. “Eco”, “green” and “non-toxic” on a website are adjectives anyone can use. A product name can be looked up, and for Safer Choice products you can read what EPA’s Safer Choice program means by the label: products made with ingredients that are less harmful to people and the environment.
Our defaults are steam, plant-based cleaners and Safer Choice products. We do not bring bleach unless you ask for it, and if you do, we tell you where we used it. We do not use lye-based oven sprays; our article on cleaning an oven without harsh chemicals shows the method. In bathrooms, steam does most of the heavy work, and steam vs bleach in the bathroom explains why.
Can I ask the cleaner to use my products?
Yes, and sometimes you should. Leave the product out where we will see it and tell us which surface it is for. The common cases:
- a stone cleaner for marble, granite or travertine counters,
- the cleaner your hardwood or LVP floor manufacturer recommends,
- a stainless steel polish you like,
- a specific product a family member tolerates when others bother them.
If we think a product is wrong for a surface, for example something acidic on natural stone, we tell you before using it. For anything else, we bring ours, and you do not need to buy a thing.
Do cleaners charge more for supplies?
Some do, under names like “supply fee”, “materials charge” or “trip charge”. It is not dishonest if it is on the quote before you book. It is a problem when it shows up on the invoice for the first time.
We do not charge one. Our home cleaning is $120 an hour for two cleaners ($60 per person-hour), products and equipment included, with a one-time minimum of 4 work hours ($240). See the hourly packages for how hours turn into a price, and our guide to house cleaning cost in Snohomish and King County for what is normal in the area. Add-ons like the inside of the oven or fridge ($56 each) are listed at booking, so the written price is the price.
What should I have ready for the cleaner?
Less than you think. Before a standard house cleaning:
- Access: a door code, lockbox or key, or be home.
- Somewhere to park close to the door.
- Trash bags where we can find them.
- Fresh linens on the bed or a chair, if you want beds made.
- Floors and counters cleared of small items, so the time goes to cleaning, not tidying.
- Pets in a closed room or out, while the vacuum runs.
- Valuables, cash and medication put away.
- A note on anything delicate: natural stone, antique wood, a room to skip.
That is all. We clean in Mountlake Terrace and nine other licensed cities, and the kit is the same everywhere.
Our jobFAQ
Do house cleaners bring paper towels?
We use washable microfiber, not paper towels, for cleaning. Paper towels, soap and toilet paper in your home stay yours. In offices we restock those from the client’s supply and tell them when it is running low.
Will you use bleach if I ask?
Yes, if it suits the surface. Tell us where you want it, and we will say if it is a bad idea for that material. We note in your file that you prefer it.
Do I need to buy anything before the first cleaning?
No. If you want a specific product on a specific surface, leave it out. Otherwise everything we need comes with us.
Do cleaners bring a step stool or ladder?
We clean what we can reach safely from the floor or a step stool, up to about 8 feet. We do not climb ladders for high windows or vaulted ceilings, and we say so in the quote if your home has them.
Get a written price
Text 2–4 photos to (425) 539-5492 or request a written quote. Tell us about any surfaces or products we should know about. We reply with a written price the same business day (Mon–Fri 9am–7pm, Sat 9am–5pm).
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