What it really means to clean houses for a living: Mónica’s story. We often walk into clean homes, tidy salons, or spotless offices without thinking too much about who keeps them that way. Those shining mirrors and mopped floors don’t clean themselves, there’s someone working hard — like Mónica, a 38-year-old woman cleaning homes and businesses in Mallorca, Spain.
Her job might seem “simple” at first glance. But when you hear what her days are like, you realize it’s anything but. We should be grateful for people who clean places for a living, they are the ones who make everything look nice. So, let’s get into the real story, the kind most people don’t see.
Early mornings, long days, and a lot of effort
Mónica’s day starts at 5:50 a.m. No snoozing the alarm. She has to be at her first job by 7:30, so mornings are a rush: a quick coffee, a bit of organizing at home, and out the door.
Her jobs are spread out across the city, so she constantly checks bus schedules, trying not to lose time between places. On Mondays, for example, she cleans a hair salon folding towels, scrubbing mirrors, mopping up hair, and cleaning bathrooms.
It’s tough, physical work. Lots of bending, scrubbing, carrying, moving. And let’s not forget the strong cleaning products she has to handle daily.
More than cleaning: earning trust
There’s something Mónica values even more than the money: trust. She has keys and alarm codes to every home she works in. That’s a big deal. She knows not everyone is trusted that way, and getting there took time — and honesty.
In fact, she shares that she’s heard of others who broke that trust and stole from homes. That’s why her clients are careful. Earning their confidence isn’t easy, and keeping it is just as hard. But that’s how she’s built her job network: one good client recommending her to another.
How much does she earn?
She was kind enough to share this information with us: At the salon, she makes €20 for almost two hours of work whereas in private homes, she usually charges €13 per hour. On a good day, she works 4–6 hours and can earn between €52 and €70. And when everything aligns because nobody cancels, and she moves fast, she’s made €130 to €150 in one day.
However, sometimes the amount she earns doesn’t cover most of her expenses. For example, after seven days of work, she made only €90.
What’s more, she also has to adapt to her clients’ cultures since most of them are German or British. Monica had to even work barefoot or in socks, which isn’t the best way to clean all day.
Living on the street
Before she had clients and some income, Mónica spent three days and nights living on the street. No job, no money, nowhere to go.
It was a friend who gave her a hand and helped her get back on her feet. From there, she started from scratch — one cleaning job at a time, with effort, honesty, and a lot of patience. She built her own network and found a way to bring in some stability.
Living in Mallorca isn’t cheap
And let’s talk about Mallorca. A beautiful island, yes. But not a cheap one. Can you guess how much Monica pays in rent? €750 a month for a three-bedroom apartment! On top of that, she lives with her daughters and pay bills, food, transport, cleaning supplies. She says there’s peace and nature, but you have to work hard to afford it. There are months when she makes it, and others when she doesn’t. But even so, she says she wants to stay.
“Peace has no price”
Today, Mónica is focused on keeping her clients, doing her job well, paying her taxes, and building something stable — not just for her, but for her daughters too.
She’s been through more than most people know. But she still smiles, still works hard, and still believes in honesty above everything else.
And at the end of the day, she says something that sticks with you: “Life here is peaceful, and peace has no price.”