Okay folks, need cleaners in Nairobi but don’t wanna get ripped off? Been there. Thought sharing my messy adventure finding decent cleaning services without killing my wallet might help someone else avoid the headache.

The Starting Point: Total Confusion

My apartment looked like a disaster zone after a super busy month. Seriously, dust bunnies were planning world domination under the sofa. Needed help, stat. Opened Google, typed "Nairobi cleaning services", and boom – endless options. But prices? Like pulling teeth. Most websites were useless, showing some "Starting from..." nonsense or just demanding I call them. Annoying.

Getting My Hands Dirty (Literally Making Calls)

Grabbed my phone, sighed, and started dialing. Called like ten different companies, big names and local ads I saw pinned up locally. Prepared my questions:

• Per room cost?
• Standard apartment charge?
• Deep cleaning extra? (Because yeah, that kitchen grease needed warfare)
• Supplies included?
• Hidden fees? Watch out for this, Nairobi transport costs can sneak up.

Felt like a detective cross-examining witnesses. Half the calls dropped mid-sentence, one dude kept trying to upsell me oven cleaning I didn’t need. Patience wearing thin!

Jotting Down the Chaos

Scrabbled on a piece of paper as quotes came in. Made a simple table in my notebook later because chaos reigns otherwise. Needed to see it side-by-side.

The Shocker: Price Madness!

The range blew my mind. For a basic 2-bedroom clean (living room, kitchen, bathrooms):

• Super Fancy Company: Ksh 4,500! Yikes. Offered "organic lemon-scented polish," whatever that means.
• Mid-Sized Co.: Around Ksh 2,800. Said they bonded, which sounded kinda safe.
• Small Local Crews: Quoted Ksh 1,500 - Ksh 2,200. Way cheaper, but no fancy website, just a guy named Peter saying "trust me."
• "Deep Clean" Quotes: Added another Ksh 500 to Ksh 1,500 on top depending who asked. The "Fancy" one wanted Ksh 1,500 extra just for greasy surfaces. Nah.

Seriously, Ksh 4,500 vs Ksh 1,500 for roughly the same job scope? Madness!

The Negotiation Game

Armed with info, I called back the mid-sized company and a local crew I kinda trusted after chatting. Said "Hey, XYZ quoted me lower...". Both budged a bit, especially when I mentioned paying cash upfront. Ended up getting the local crew down to Ksh 1,800 for a standard clean, including a basic "deep clean" on the kitchen splashback because, well, tomato sauce explosions.

Lesson Learned? Compare, Compare, Compare!

Don’t just grab the first number or the flashiest ad. It took an afternoon of annoying phone calls and scribbling, but saved me easily Ksh 1,000+. Always ask for a detailed quote including transport and any extras. Seriously, it’s easy money saved.

My place now smells faintly of bleach instead of ancient pizza. Success. Don’t overpay!