Size and floors
Floors and dust take the most time. Each floor adds stairs and back-and-forth; a house takes a little more than a flat of the same size.
Free simulator
How many hours
of housekeeping?
The method
How to estimate
the number of hours?
The time needed depends mainly on four things. Our simulator combines them using benchmarks from more than fifteen years of visits in Brussels and its outskirts.
Bathrooms and toilets
Bathrooms, showers and toilets need the most care per square metre. The kitchen always counts, all the more if it is open-plan.
Household and pets
Young children, a dog that sheds or working from home: the home gets dirty faster and tidying takes up more of the visit.
The tasks you hand over
Laundry, beds, windows, deep cleaning or ironing: each task makes the visit longer. If ironing takes more than 20% of the time, our ironing centres are often the better option.
Benchmarks
How many hours
for your home?
Orders of magnitude for regular cleaning, excluding ironing. The simulator fine-tunes them for your situation.
| Home | Usual need | Recommended rhythm |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or one-bedroom flat, 1 or 2 people | about 2 hours a week | 3 hours every two weeks, or 3 hours a week |
| Flat with 2 or 3 bedrooms, couple or small family | 3 to 4 hours a week | 1 visit of 3 to 4 hours a week |
| Family house of 120 to 180 m², children | 5 to 7 hours a week | 1 visit of 5 to 7 hours a week |
| Large house, several bathrooms, pets | 8 hours or more a week | 2 visits a week |
Yes
What your housekeeper
can do
Cleaning your home
- Vacuuming, floors and dusting
- Kitchen: worktops, appliances, fridge, oven and microwave
- Bathroom and toilets
- Washing-up, bins and everyday tidying
- Making beds, changing sheets
Windows
- Inside windows
- Outside windows that can be reached safely
- Frames, mirrors and glass doors
- No ladders, no work at height
Laundry
- Washing and hanging out
- Ironing at your home
- Folding and putting away
- Small mending on the ironing
Big cleans
- Cupboards and wardrobes
- Bedding and duvets
- Curtains (taken down at a safe height)
- Switching the wardrobe between seasons
Private outdoor areas
- Sweeping the balcony or terrace
- Cleaning garden furniture
- Private entrance and stairs
- No gardening
Small errands
- Bakery, pharmacy, post office
- Everyday shopping for the household
- Close to your home
What she cannot do
- Gardening : Mowing, pruning, weeding and clearing snow are not household tasks under the service-voucher rules.
- Childcare : She can work while your children are at home, but she is not responsible for them.
- Personal care : Help with washing, medication, company: that is the role of a home carer or a nurse.
- Pets : Walking the dog, feeding or caring for animals is not part of her job.
- Repairs and DIY : Repairs, painting, wallpapering, moving house or shifting heavy furniture.
- Post-building cleaning : Building dust, plaster, paint: you need a specialised cleaning company.
- Work at height : Ladders, unreachable windows, gutters, chandeliers out of reach: too risky.
- Non-private premises : Business premises, common areas of a building, a rented property (Airbnb, student room, B&B).
- Washing the car : It is not upkeep of your home.
- Meals and transport : The rules allow them, but we do not offer meal preparation or transporting people.
One hour of work = one service voucher, at the price set by the Region where you live. The simulator calculates your budget; all prices, the end of tax reductions in 2027 and our administrative fee are explained on our Prices page.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions
about the number of hours
How many hours of housekeeping do I need a week?
For a two-bedroom flat with a couple, allow about 3 hours a week. A 150 m² family house usually needs 5 to 7 hours. The simulator above fine-tunes this according to your size, bathrooms, household and tasks.
What is the minimum length of a service voucher visit?
The service voucher rules require at least 3 consecutive hours per visit. If your need is smaller, a 3-hour visit every two weeks is often the best formula.
One long visit or two shorter ones?
Up to 8 hours a week, a single visit is easier to organise and leaves time to do things properly. Beyond that, or if you want your home spotless at all times, two visits of 3 hours or more make sense.
Can my housekeeper do the ironing at my home?
Yes, ironing at home is an authorised task. But if it takes more than a fifth of the visit, our ironing centres are usually faster, more professional and cheaper.
How much does a housekeeper with service vouchers cost?
One hour of work equals one service voucher, whose price is set by the Region where you live (from €10 to €14 depending on the Region and how many vouchers you have already bought that year). The simulator calculates your monthly budget; all prices are on our Prices page.
Is the number of hours fixed?
No. The estimate is a starting point. After the first visits, your housekeeper and our team adjust the length with you if needed.