Housekeeping & Cleaning Services in Tokyo
Are you struggling to find the time and energy to keep up a clean home and not be entirely consumed by it? There is so much going on in our lives these days that it’s hard to juggle it all. Whether you are single, a family, a pet owner, or even working from home (the list is endless), keeping up with the cleaning can feel like a never-ending chore. You start to wonder if cleaning is all you are doing during your free time.
In some countries, a live-in nanny, cook, or helper is the norm, but in Japan, you haven’t seen or heard of such. That is because having someone help you on the home front is not built into the culture here!
BUT why not?!?!
Especially if you are new to the city, there are so many things you want to do and explore. Having a few hours a week with a little bit of help- whether deep cleaning, meal prep, or even folding your laundry- can relieve you of so much time and stress. We here at Apts.jp not only want to help you find your dream home in this stunning city- but also continue to help you enjoy your life after you’ve moved in! (click here to search for Tokyo apartments and houses)
IS HIRING SOMEONE WORTH IT?!
Is asking for help ever a bad thing? Depending on what services you are looking for, the price can vary, but some help around the house can be very affordable. Depending on your needs, services run from a few times a week to monthly or even a one-time clean.
Some benefits:
• You will gain your time back!
— Think about all that extra time you will have for yourself!
• You will have less stress or things on your ‘to-do list’
— Come home and truly relax after a long day of work or being the parent chauffeur.
• You will enjoy more time with friends and family
— Have more time to cook up a special meal, or just truly be present and enjoy the moment.
But you are probably reading this article not because you need convincing– you might have already made your mind up and want to know where you can get that help. So let’s jump right in!!
– HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES –
These are the standard cleaning services- from light cleaning, meal prep, errand running, and occasional deep cleans.
Unless otherwise noted, the services below support English, so you should have no problems with communication! 🙂
Sunny Maid
Sunny Maid sends out highly trained professionals in pairs, to give you top-quality cleanliness for your home. Everything from house cleaning, errand running, and even helping with childcare. After contacting Sunny Maid, a manager will come over to assess your needs and cleaning desires, before assigning two of their helpers to your home.
2021, November 1 to December 31 (application deadline December 24)Plan Rebates —
2 hour pack – ¥5,000 off (¥16,225 -> ¥11,225)
4 hour pack – ¥10,000 off (¥32,450 -> ¥22,450)
8 hour pack – ¥15,000 off (¥64,900 -> ¥49,900)
Spot Cleaning Rebates —
If you use a spot cleaning plan, you can get a further ¥5,000 off, on any of the Plan Rebates above!
Kurashinity
Kurashinity provides weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and even one-time spot cleanings. Weekly cleanings start from ¥3,300/hour with a minimum of 3 hours. If you aren’t sure which company to choose- Kurashinity offers a discounted trial cleaning for your first time. They send out highly qualified and trained professionals, within the Tokyo and Kanagawa area.
ChezVous
ChezVous does it all, which is what makes it stand out from its competitors– housekeeping, childcare, deep cleaning, butler services, and even full-time nanny placement! They claim to be your one-stop domestic care service, so if you are looking for more than just a weekly cleaning and need some extra services here and there, this might be an easy option.
They provide their services in the Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama areas.
Taskaji
Taskaji is a platform connecting housekeepers to those looking for some help around the house. Prices can often be the most affordable, since you deal directly with those offering their personal services, without a company in between. You can chat directly to ‘Taskaji-sans’- as they call them- and find someone who can deliver what you need. Signing up is quick and free, so if you are in a rush, you can chat and find someone as soon as you need.
Pinay
Pinay sends out highly trained and skilled Filipina housekeepers. Pinay offers many services, including errand running, child care, pet care, pick up and drop off of kids, in addition to their housekeeping services. Offering weekly and bi-weekly plans, Pinay is very flexible and can usually accommodate requests that you may have. Another option for when you’re in a rut and need some quick help, is to search on their Outlet Plan, where they post their staff’s available schedule for a one-time discounted pick-up clean.
Available in Tokyo and Kanagawa.
Tokyo Cleaner (Asistee)
A cleaning service for offices, vacation rentals, and residential housekeeping. Need a change of environment in the house? They also provide interior design and will rearrange your furniture for you! Available in Tokyo, with their head office being in Shibuya.
– FACEBOOK GROUPS –
These days, Facebook can be an excellent tool for connecting with other fellow communities and sourcing good resources in the city. Facebook has a few groups for Tokyo Helpers. If you want to skip the big corporations and connect directly to people who offer their services, you will be able to find them here.
In these groups, it is also possible to hire a full-time helper. In doing so, you will be required to sponsor their visa, if they are non-Japanese, since they would be working solely for you. It is also possible to ask if anyone’s helper has a few hours to spare and would like to work for you once a week, which is helpful if you cannot sponsor.
Tokyo Filipino Helpers & Babysitters
You can either post an ad looking for specific help and care- in the ward you live in- or find an ad already listed. There are many options here, and you can decide the price. Just scan through to see the going rate for your area, and remember to include transportation costs.
Tokyo Mothers Group
Although this is not a group specifically for helpers, you will find a lot of golden information here from parents who are adjusting to Tokyo life. Expats who are moving back to their home country will often have a helper looking for a new employer and post about it on this group.
– Specialty and Deep Cleaning Services –
Have you spent your first summer in Japan yet? Were you surprised by the amount of humidity that gets trapped in your home? How about the mold that grows at a wild rate? There are a few things you can do yourself to help combat that mold– check our article on that here! Still, we do recommend getting a professional to deep clean specific areas and appliances once to twice a year, if you don’t have time for it. Here are some companies that can help you out!!
Trustworthy HouseKeeper
Trustworthy provides weekly maintenance cleans, but they also offer deep cleanings of kitchens, cabinets, hard to reach, out of sight out of mind type of places. They also provide Green Cleaning services for people wanting that deep clean feel but without all the chemicals.
Carpet Master Tokyo
This sweet family-owned business delivers effectively on the carpet cleaning business. Let’s be honest; carpets can get nasty real quick and need a good deep cleaning often. They provide services for carpets, oriental rugs, upholstery, and mattress cleaning.
Duskin (Japanese)
You might have seen those Duskin vans driving around town- they are a major Japanese cleaning company. They have a complete list of cleaning services, including home repairs, gardening, pest control, and even delivery services (picking up futons and dry cleaning). If you are confident in communicating in Japanese, they might be an excellent option for you.
– For Your AC Units –
Tokyo House Cleaning Service
No one likes or should be breathing in the smell of mold and dust, so getting your AC unit cleaned is extremely important for health issues (btw, please at least clean your AC filters regularly, as it’s pretty easy and better for your health). They specialize in both wall units and ceiling units. You can request eco-friendly products for an additional fee. to help minimize the number of chemicals used in your house.
– Water Pipes Specialist –
OASYS
Water, and the quality of that water, is an essential aspect of our daily life. From inspection to pipe cleaning- and even pipe replacement- OASYS can do it all. They offer their services all over Japan.
Life doesn’t slow down!! Especially in Tokyo.
In fact, you are living in one of the fastest-paced cities in the world. Even though your apartment might be smaller compared to back home (contact us, if you want to upgrade your rental!)- the amount of time, the size of the mess, and the load of labor that goes into keeping it clean doesn’t change. An extra set of hands helping you keep it clean can greatly reduce stress and give you back some precious time. So go ahead and enjoy all things- both big and small- and don’t worry about that pile of laundry that is living on your bathroom floor… Leave that to the professionals! 🙂
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