Maid service, housekeeper or cleaner: what are the options in Ho Chi Minh City?
The words maid, housekeeper, helper and cleaner are used loosely, so start from the arrangement and ignore the label. Each of the three below leaves a different share of the work with you.
| Arrangement | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Employing someone yourself | You find the person, check who they are, agree the tasks, hours and pay with them directly, and manage the work. You also arrange cover when they are ill or away. This guide does not cover the legal side of employing someone; take advice on that separately. |
| A live-in helper | Someone who lives in your home and helps across the day, often with cooking or care as well as cleaning. It suits a household that needs that range of help. UpClean does not provide it. |
| A cleaning service | A company schedules its own staff to come for a set number of hours, once or every week. The company checks and trains them, sets the price, and is the party you deal with if something goes wrong. |
Part-time maid or cleaning service: which do you need?
Decide by the tasks. If what you need is a clean and orderly home, a cleaning service by the hour covers it: a vetted person comes for a set number of hours, once or on a weekly schedule. If you need someone to cook, look after children or an elderly relative, or live in, you need a different arrangement, and UpClean is not the right provider for it.
The second question is how much you want to manage. Employing someone directly leaves the checking, the instructions and the replacements to you. With a service those sit with the company, and you should expect it to say plainly who is coming and what happens when something goes wrong.
What should you ask a cleaning company before the first visit?
Ask the same six questions of any provider, UpClean included, and ask for the answers in writing.
| Question | What a clear answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Who is coming, and how were they checked? | A named person, with a photo, sent to you before the visit, and a plain account of how identity and background were verified. |
| Who holds my key? | One named person, for the visit only, with the times recorded and no copies made. |
| What exactly is included? | A written list of the tasks, and a list of what is not done. |
| Is the price in writing? | A rate or a total confirmed before the visit, and a rule for how any extra work is agreed. |
| What happens if something is damaged or missed? | A published policy: how to report it, by when, and what the company then does. |
| Can I deal with you in English? | A statement of which parts are in English: messages, quotes, reports, and the person in your home. The last one is the one to check. |
How does UpClean answer those questions?
These are UpClean's published terms.
| Question | UpClean's answer |
|---|---|
| Who is coming? | An Up specialist, the name UpClean gives to the people who clean. Their identity documents and background are verified before they start work, they are interviewed in person, and they are trained to the Up Standard, UpClean's working standard, with a practical assessment before the first booking. You receive the name, photo and contact number before every visit. |
| Who holds the key? | Only your assigned specialist, during the visit, and it is returned straight afterwards. The times are recorded in your Up Report, the photo report sent after every visit. Keys are never copied. For a smart lock we recommend a temporary code. |
| What is included? | Upkeep cleaning of the rooms, kitchen and bathrooms, listed in the next section. No cooking, childcare, elderly care, live-in help or work at height. |
| Is the price in writing? | 130,000 VND per hour for one specialist, minimum 3 hours. The number of hours is agreed before the booking is confirmed in writing, and nothing is added on the day unless you approve it. |
| Damage, or work that falls short? | The work area is photographed before the specialist starts. An item within the agreed scope is redone free of charge if you reply to the Up Report within 48 hours. Report damage within 24 hours, with photos; where it was caused by the specialist's fault, UpClean takes responsibility and agrees with you whether to repair, replace or compensate. |
| English? | Enquiries, quotes, booking confirmations and the Up Report can all be in English. If you want a specialist who speaks English in your home, note it when booking; if we cannot arrange it, we tell you in advance and support you by phone or message. |
What does a house cleaner do in a visit of a few hours?
A visit covers upkeep, the work that keeps a home clean from week to week. In a 1–2 bedroom apartment, 3 hours is usually enough for the list below. For a larger home, or when some rooms need more attention, we suggest the number of hours before you confirm.
A home that has gone a long time without a thorough clean should start with a deep clean, which reaches door tracks, grout, limescale and built-up kitchen grease.
- Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping every room.
- Dusting furniture, shelves, handles and switches.
- Kitchen: the hob, the sink and the outside of appliances.
- Bathrooms: toilet, basin, mirrors and glass within reach.
- Changing bed linen and tidying the bedrooms.
- Taking out the rubbish and putting things back in their place.
How much does a cleaner cost per hour?
With UpClean, a cleaner costs 130,000 VND per hour for one specialist, with a 3-hour minimum per visit. This is UpClean's own published rate; this guide does not state what other providers charge. Regular Up Home plans, with visits on a set weekly schedule, are proposed separately for your home.
| Length of visit | Cost for one specialist |
|---|---|
| 3 hours (the minimum): 1–2 bedroom apartment | 390,000 VND |
| 4 hours: 3-bedroom apartment | 520,000 VND |
| 6 hours: townhouse or small villa | 780,000 VND |
Do you need to be home, and how do keys and building registration work?
Be home for the first visit if you can; after that you do not need to be. On the first visit your preferences go into a home profile: the household's notes on pets, areas not to touch, preferred products and how the key is handed over. From then on, many clients leave a key with building management, reception or a family member. The walk-through, the short check of the work at the end of the visit, can be done by video call.
Many apartment buildings ask residents to register outside staff with building management before a visit. We send the specialist's name and photo in advance so you can do that, and how lift cards and keys are handed over is agreed when you book.
Who comes to your home, and how do they work there?
The person at your door is the one named in your booking confirmation, in a brown UpClean uniform with a name badge.
- They wear shoe covers and a cap indoors and put a mat under their tools.
- They bring their own products, cloths and equipment and do not use yours.
- They do not touch personal belongings or documents, and take no photos outside the work area.
- They keep what they see in your home to themselves.
- Up specialists include UpClean's own team and staff of partner firms chosen for work that needs specialist equipment or skills. All go through the same checks and training, and UpClean remains directly responsible to you.
What UpClean does, what it does not do, and how to book
UpClean is a home care service, not a maid or helper placement agency. It schedules its own Up specialists, sets the price in advance and answers for each visit.
- UpClean does
- Hourly house cleaning, once or on a weekly schedule; deep cleaning; and specialist cleaning of aircon units, sofas, mattresses, carpets and curtains.
- UpClean does not
- Place live-in helpers, introduce staff for you to employ, cook, look after children or elderly relatives, or work at height.
- See a price first
- The quote page gives a figure for your home before you speak to anyone.
- Book
- Book online, or message or call 0968 726 135 (phone, WhatsApp, Zalo) between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM, seven days a week. A day ahead is ideal; a same-day visit is possible when a slot is free. The booking is confirmed in writing by WhatsApp, Zalo or email, with a reminder the day before.
- Where
- Regular service in Thao Dien, An Phu, Thu Thiem and Sala, Phu My Hung, Binh Thanh and the former Districts 1, 3 and 4. The city replaced districts with wards in July 2025; people still use the old names.
Frequently asked questions
Is UpClean a maid agency?+
No. UpClean does not place live-in helpers or introduce staff for you to employ, and it does not cook, babysit or provide elderly care. It schedules its own vetted specialists for cleaning, sets the price upfront and sends an Up Report after every visit.
Can I book a cleaner for one visit only?+
Yes. A visit can be booked once, or on a weekly schedule through Up Home. Each visit is at least 3 hours.
Will the same cleaner come every time?+
Up Home members are looked after by the same team, who work from your home profile. When your usual specialist is unavailable, UpClean arranges a replacement who works from the same profile. For a one-off booking you can ask for the specialist who came last time, and we arrange it when the schedule allows.
Do I need to supply cleaning products or a vacuum cleaner?+
No. Your specialist brings everything needed and does not use your household items. Products have clear provenance and full labelling, are chosen for each surface, with gentle options first. A fragrance-free option is always available, and you can ask what was used in your home at any time.
I have pets or young children. What should I know?+
Mention them when you book. We suggest keeping pets in a separate room or with a family member during the visit; the specialist closes doors carefully and does not interact with pets unless you are happy for them to. Products stay in the toolbox, out of children's reach, and we ask that an adult looks after children throughout the visit.
What if the cleaner is late?+
We tell you as early as possible. If your specialist arrives more than 15 minutes after the confirmed time, the invoice for that visit is reduced by 10% without you needing to ask. Time spent completing access procedures at building reception does not count as late.
How do I pay, and can I get an invoice?+
You pay after the walk-through, by bank transfer or cash. Transfer only to the account shown on your booking confirmation or UpClean invoice. Invoices are issued on request, in accordance with Vietnamese regulations, for individuals and companies.
