So I got curious about how much cleaning services charge in Pasadena because my buddy wanted to hire someone for his restaurant bathroom disaster. Started by just searching online like anybody else - man, that was a mess. Every website hid prices behind "request a quote" forms. Total headache.

Step 1: Playing Phone Tag

Grabbed my phone and called 7 different places pretending I needed cleaning. First company sounded shady, giving vague answers like "depends on your square footage bro" without any numbers. Second one pressured me into scheduling an inspection before talking money. Third try got me somewhere - nice lady actually gave me real numbers over the phone once I said I just needed ballpark figures.

Step 2: The Sneaky Pricing Game

Most places broke pricing like this:

• Homes: Charged by bedrooms - $120 to $250 depending on how nasty things were
• Offices: Square footage crap with extra charges for bathrooms and kitchens
• Both: Added mystery fees for "deep cleaning" and "biohazard removal"

I made this comparison chart scribbled on notebook paper:

• Basic apartment cleaning: $90-$150
• Office with 2 bathrooms: $200-$350 monthly
• Move-out cleaning for houses: $250-$500

Step 3: Commercial Surprise

When I asked about my buddy's restaurant situation? Whoa! Commercial guys wanted way more than home cleaners. Quoted $400-$800 for weekly service just for the kitchen and dining area. Made sense though - they deal with grease traps, health inspections and all that fun stuff.

Kicker was finding out most companies charge extra for:

• Supplying cleaning products
• Weekend jobs
• Parking nightmares in downtown Pasadena

What I Figured Out

Residential cleaners are cheaper but flakier about showing up. Commercial guys charge like wounded bulls but actually show up with legit equipment. Moral of the story? Always ask exactly what's included and what counts as "extra" before signing anything. And for god's sake don't let them charge you extra for cleaning supplies - that's just robbery.