How it works
How SofaCleaner Works for Independent Cleaners
Get another route to local sofa and upholstery cleaning work without giving up control of your business.
Apply once, complete verification and tell us where you work. When a suitable customer request is available, review the job, decide whether it fits, set your own quote and complete the clean if the customer confirms. SofaCleaner manages the customer payment and cleaner payout through the platform.
You choose your prices, service area and the jobs you want to take.
The process
From Application to Completed Job
Apply to join
Tell us about your cleaning business, experience, services and the areas you cover. You will also be asked for the documents and information needed to check that you meet the current cleaner requirements.
Start your cleaner applicationComplete verification
We review the information you provide before your cleaner profile is activated. The current requirements include relevant cleaning experience, professional equipment, public liability insurance and the required DBS documentation. If anything is missing or needs clarification, it should be resolved before you start receiving customer opportunities.
Tell us where and what you clean
Your service area and capabilities help determine which customer requests may be relevant to you. Be clear about the postcodes or travel radius you can realistically cover and the upholstery you are equipped to clean. This may include fabric sofas, leather, velvet, armchairs, dining chairs, stain treatment and other specialist upholstery work.
See the customer-facing sofa cleaning and upholstery cleaning available through SofaCleaner.
Review suitable customer requests
When a relevant request is available, you can review the details before deciding whether to quote. Depending on the job, that may include:
- customer postcode
- furniture type and quantity
- fabric or material
- stains, odours or condition
- photos
- access information
- preferred timing
You are not expected to accept every request. If the job is outside your area, outside your expertise or does not fit your diary, you can decline it.
Set your own quote
You remain responsible for your pricing. Use the job information to consider the furniture, treatment, travel, parking, access and any other costs before providing a clear quote. The customer can then review the price and availability before deciding whether to confirm the booking. Quote the job at a price that makes sense for your business and accounts for the way you want to work.
Complete the clean
Once the customer confirms the booking, arrive as agreed and provide the service that was quoted. If the condition of the furniture is materially different from the information provided, explain the issue before carrying out additional work or changing the agreed price. Clear communication protects both you and the customer.
Get paid through SofaCleaner
The customer pays SofaCleaner for the confirmed job. After the job is completed, SofaCleaner applies a 15% booking fee to the total job value and pays the remaining 85% to you under the current payout process. For example, a completed £100 job results in an £85 cleaner payout before your own business costs and tax.
For full payment and payout details, see cleaner pricing and payouts.
Your control
You Decide Which Work Fits Your Business
SofaCleaner is not an employer assigning you shifts. As an independent cleaner, you keep control of:
Your prices
You decide what to quote based on the actual job.
Your working area
Tell us where you are willing to travel so requests can be matched more sensibly.
Your availability
A customer request does not automatically become a booking. You decide whether the timing works before confirming.
The services you provide
Only take on fabrics, treatments and furniture you are properly equipped and experienced to clean.
Your business
You remain responsible for your own equipment, insurance, tax and other responsibilities that come with operating independently.
Around the job
What SofaCleaner Does Around the Job
The platform is there to make the route from customer enquiry to completed clean easier to manage. SofaCleaner helps with:
- attracting customer enquiries
- collecting useful job information
- matching requests by service and area
- coordinating the booking journey
- processing the customer payment
- applying the booking fee
- arranging the cleaner payout
- supporting communication when a booking needs clarification
You still deliver the professional cleaning service and maintain the direct working relationship needed to complete the job properly. For the broader cleaner proposition, join SofaCleaner for more cleaning work.
Changed jobs
What Happens If a Job Changes?
Good job information reduces surprises, but upholstery can look different in person. If you arrive and find that:
- the furniture is larger than described
- there are additional items
- staining is more extensive
- the fabric requires a different treatment
- parking or access creates an unexpected cost
- the requested result is not realistic
Do not simply proceed and add an unexplained charge afterwards. Explain the difference, agree any revised scope or price before additional work begins, and make sure the customer understands the reason.
If a situation needs support, send a mail to [email protected].
Questions About How SofaCleaner Works for Cleaners
Do I have to accept every customer request?
No. Review the job, location and timing first. You can decide whether it fits your services, working area and availability before quoting.
Can I set my own prices?
Yes. You set your own quote based on the job. SofaCleaner does not require every cleaner to charge the same rate.
Does a customer request mean the job is confirmed?
No. A request becomes a confirmed job only after the quote, availability and booking details have been agreed.
Who takes payment from the customer?
The customer pays SofaCleaner. After the completed job, the booking fee is applied and the remaining cleaner balance is paid under the current payout process.
What booking fee applies?
The current booking fee is 15% of the total completed job value. This means the cleaner payout is 85% of that value before the cleaner's own business costs and tax.
Will I receive a guaranteed number of jobs?
No. Opportunities depend on customer demand, your location, services, availability and the quotes customers choose to accept.
What if the customer is unhappy with the clean?
Communicate clearly and give SofaCleaner the relevant job details if support is needed. The appropriate next step will depend on the issue, the agreed scope and what happened during the service.
Am I employed by SofaCleaner?
No. The cleaner model is for self-employed professionals and independent cleaning businesses. You remain responsible for your own business, pricing, equipment, tax and insurance obligations.
Get started
Ready to Start Receiving Suitable Cleaning Opportunities?
If you already provide professional sofa and upholstery cleaning, the next step is simple. Tell us about your business, where you work and the services you provide. We will review your application and let you know what is needed to complete verification.
Applying does not guarantee a minimum number of jobs or earnings. You remain free to decide which suitable requests you want to quote for.