A househelp handles cleaning, laundry, ironing, and general household maintenance. In Lagos, this is the most commonly hired domestic role — even modest-income families on the mainland employ a part-time cleaner. The role ranges from a teenager doing basic chores (₦30K mainland) to a professional housekeeper managing a Lekki estate (₦120K).
📋 Duties & responsibilities
•Daily sweeping, mopping, and dusting
•Laundry — hand washing or machine
•Ironing and folding clothes
•Bathroom and kitchen cleaning
•Grocery shopping (market runs)
•Organizing closets and storage
•Dishwashing and kitchen cleanup
•Bed-making and room arrangement
🎓 Qualifications
•No formal education required
•Physical stamina for manual work
•Honesty and trustworthiness — they handle your belongings
•Basic communication skills
L
Lagos.Cool Editorial
26 October 2026 · 2 min read
Lagos.Cool Editorial
Lagos households spend between ₦30,000 and ₦120,000/month on cleaning help — a cost that rarely appears in any budget but adds ₦360K-₦1.44M per year. The mainland-Island price gap is stark: a live-in househelp in Alimosho costs ₦30,000-₦40,000/month (plus room and meals worth another ₦20K-₦30K). The same role in Lekki Phase 1 costs ₦70,000-₦120,000. Part-time cleaners (2-3 days/week) are increasingly popular among young professionals — they cost ₦15,000-₦40,000/month and don't require accommodation. Professional cleaning services like Edens, Cleanhub, and Freshhome charge ₦15,000-₦25,000 per deep clean visit but are used more for one-offs than regular service.
⏰ A day in the life
7:00 AM: Sweep and mop the entire house. 8:00 AM: Wash overnight dishes, prep breakfast cleanup. 9:00-11:00 AM: Laundry — sort, wash, hang. 11:00 AM-1:00 PM: Bathroom and kitchen deep-clean rotation. 1:00 PM: Lunch break. 2:00-4:00 PM: Ironing, folding, organizing closets. 4:00-5:00 PM: Tidy living spaces, restock supplies. 5:30 PM: End of day for live-out staff.
🤔 Should you hire one?
✓ Hire if:
✓Two-bedroom home or larger
✓Working professionals with no time for chores
✓Family with multiple children generating laundry
✓You value time over money — hourly cost recovery
✗ Skip if:
✗Studio or 1-bed apartment with low maintenance
✗Single person comfortable with weekend cleaning
✗Budget is under ₦25,000/month
✗You enjoy cleaning as personal routine
💡 Hiring tips
1Start with a 2-week trial period at the agreed salary
2Create a daily/weekly cleaning checklist so expectations are clear
3Pay on time — delayed salary is the #1 reason for staff theft and turnover
4Provide cleaning supplies — don't expect staff to buy their own
5Live-in househelps need a private room with basic furnishing
6For part-time (3 days/week), expect ₦15K-₦40K depending on area
🚩 Red flags to watch for
✗Disappearing items after hire (test by leaving small amounts of money visible during trial)