Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know before welcoming Alora Living into your home.

From choosing the right cleaning service to understanding what's included, how we work and what to expect from your first clean, we've answered some of the questions we hear most often.

If there's something you'd like to know that isn't covered here, we're always happy to help.

Getting Started

  • Every Alora journey begins with understanding your home and what matters to you. We start with a tailored quote based on the information you provide in your enquiry, then arrange your first clean around your schedule.

    Your first clean is The Reset, designed to create a clean foundation for your home and bring it to the Alora standard. From there, The Ritual provides ongoing weekly, fortnightly or monthly home cleaning to maintain that feeling.

    Wherever possible, you’ll have the same trusted cleaner returning to your home, allowing them to become familiar with your space, routines and preferences over time.

  • Simply submit an enquiry through the website and tell us a little about your home, what you’re looking for and anything you’d like us to know.

    We use this information to understand your home and provide a tailored quote based on what you’ve shared. If we need any additional information, we’ll be in touch before providing your quote.

  • The first step is to submit an enquiry. Once we’ve received your details, we’ll review your requirements and provide a tailored quote.

    If you’re happy to go ahead, we’ll arrange your first clean and find a time that works with your schedule.

  • Once your enquiry comes through, we’ll review the information you’ve provided about your home and cleaning needs.

    We’ll then prepare your tailored quote and be in touch with the next steps. If you decide to proceed, we’ll arrange your first clean and talk through anything we need to know before your visit.

  • You don’t need to be home for every clean. However, for your first clean, we prefer you to be home for at least the first 10 minutes where possible.

    This gives us a chance to walk through your home together, understand your priorities and any areas you’d particularly like us to focus on, and sort out practical details such as keys or access codes.

    After your first visit, we can arrange access in whatever way works best for you.

  • Your first clean begins with a quick introduction and walkthrough of your home. We’ll talk through your priorities, any areas requiring particular attention and practical details such as access.

    We then get to work on The Reset — a thorough clean designed to establish the foundation for your ongoing Alora care.

    Once your Reset is complete, your home can move into The Ritual, your regular ongoing clean.

Your Alora Living Cleaning Journey

  • Every Alora journey follows a simple progression: The Reset → The Ritual → The Refresh.

    The Reset is where every new Alora journey begins. It creates a clean foundation and brings your home to the Alora standard.

    The Ritual follows as your ongoing weekly, fortnightly or monthly clean, helping to maintain that feeling of a beautifully cared-for home.

    The Refresh is an additional service available to established Alora clients when your home needs a little extra attention. It’s offered on a case-by-case basis depending on what your home needs.

    Rather than choosing between different levels of cleaning, each stage has its own place within the way we care for your home.

  • Yes. Every new Alora journey begins with The Reset.

    The Reset allows us to establish a strong foundation before moving into regular maintenance through The Ritual. It means your ongoing cleans are starting from the Alora standard rather than trying to work around months of accumulated build-up.

    For existing clients, The Refresh can then be added when additional attention is needed.

  • Because ongoing cleaning works best when there’s a clean foundation to maintain.

    The Reset gives your home the more thorough attention it needs at the beginning of your Alora journey, allowing The Ritual to focus on maintaining that feeling from visit to visit.

    It’s the first step in creating a home that feels consistently cared for — not just clean on the day we visit, but easier to maintain over time.

What's Included

  • The Ritual is designed to maintain the cleanliness and feeling established during your Reset.

    Your regular clean covers the agreed areas of your home and focuses on the everyday dust, dirt and build-up that naturally occurs between visits.

    The exact scope of your clean will depend on your home and the service agreed with you. You can find a more detailed breakdown of what’s included on our Services page.

  • The Reset is a more thorough clean designed to create a strong foundation for your ongoing Alora care.

    It includes the core cleaning areas covered in The Ritual, with additional attention given to built-up grime and areas that need a deeper level of care at the beginning of your journey.

    The aim is to bring your home to the Alora standard, so your ongoing Ritual cleans can focus on maintaining it.

  • The Refresh is designed for established Alora clients who need some additional attention beyond their regular Ritual clean.

    What’s included depends on what your home needs at the time, so The Refresh is discussed and agreed with you on a case-by-case basis.

  • We provide residential cleaning throughout the main living areas of your home, including kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and living spaces.

    The exact areas and scope depend on the service you’re booked for and the requirements of your home.

    For a detailed breakdown of what’s included, see our Services page.

  • Additional cleaning requests can be discussed as part of your enquiry or with your regular service.

    If there’s something specific you’d like cleaned, let us know so we can confirm whether it’s something we can include and whether any additional time or cost applies.

Regular Home Cleaning

  • Yes. The Ritual is available as a weekly cleaning service for homes that benefit from a consistent weekly rhythm.

    Weekly cleaning can be a great fit for busy households or homes where you prefer your cleaning to be maintained regularly throughout the week.

  • Yes. Fortnightly cleaning is available through The Ritual and is a popular option for maintaining a consistently cared-for home without a weekly visit.

  • Yes. Monthly Ritual cleans are available for clients whose home and lifestyle suit a longer cleaning rhythm.

    The right frequency depends on your home, how it’s lived in and how much day-to-day maintenance happens between visits.

  • There’s no one schedule that works for every home.

    Weekly, fortnightly and monthly cleaning can all work depending on the size of your home, how many people live there, pets, lifestyle and how much cleaning you prefer to manage yourself between visits.

    We can talk through your home and help establish a cleaning rhythm that makes sense for you.

  • Yes. Your home and routines can change, and your cleaning rhythm can change with them.

    If you’d like to move between weekly, fortnightly or monthly Ritual cleans, simply let us know and we can discuss what works best.

Pricing & Quotes

  • Alora cleaning is currently charged at $65 per hour.

    Because every home is different, we’ll provide an estimated cleaning time based on the information you share with us about your home, its condition and the level of care required.

    Your quote will show both the estimated time and expected cost, so you have a clear idea of what to expect before your clean is booked.

  • Simply complete our online enquiry form and tell us a little about your home, your cleaning needs and anything you’d like us to know.

    We’ll use this information to understand what your home requires and provide a personalised quote, including the estimated cleaning time and cost.

    If we need any additional information, we’ll be in touch before preparing your quote.

  • Alora cleaning is charged by the hour at $65 per hour.

    Rather than providing a fixed price without knowing your home, we estimate how much time your clean is likely to require based on the information provided in your enquiry.

    This means you’ll know the hourly rate, the estimated time and the expected cost before booking, while still allowing us to give your home the time and attention it actually needs.

  • Payment is due once your clean has been completed and your invoice has been issued.

    Your invoice will include the cleaning service provided, the total amount payable and the available payment details. We ask that invoices are paid within 7 days of issue.

    If you have any questions about your invoice, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

  • We currently accept payment by bank transfer. Your payment details will be included on your invoice.

  • We understand that things can occasionally be missed. If an invoice remains unpaid after the due date, we’ll send a friendly reminder.

    If an account remains overdue, we may need to pause future bookings until the outstanding balance has been paid.

    If you’re having difficulty making a payment, please get in touch with us as soon as possible so we can discuss it.

Your Home & Your Cleaner

  • Alora Living is currently an owner-operated cleaning business, with Ella, the owner of Alora Living, personally caring for every home.

    With over four years of professional cleaning experience, Ella brings the same level of care, attention to detail and quality to every clean.

    Having the owner personally involved in every visit means there’s consistency from one clean to the next, while also allowing Ella to get to know your home, your preferences and the details that matter to you.

    It also means your experience with Alora Living is never passed off to someone else — the quality of every clean is something we take personally. After all, our reputation is built on the homes we care for.

  • Access can be arranged in whichever way works best for you, whether that’s being home when we arrive, providing a key or using a door or access code.

    We’ll discuss access arrangements before your first clean so everything is clear and straightforward.

  • Absolutely.

    We want to understand what matters to you, which is why we encourage you to let us know about any areas that need particular attention.

    For your first clean, we’ll talk through your priorities during the initial walkthrough. For ongoing Ritual cleans, you can let us know if there’s something specific you’d like us to be mindful of.

  • Absolutely. Ella is a big animal lover and welcomes furry, feathered and four-legged members of the family.

    As long as your pet is comfortable with a cleaner in their home and Ella can safely access all of the areas that need to be cleaned, having your pet home during the clean is no problem.

    If you have a pet who isn’t particularly fond of strangers in the house, that’s completely understandable. We can work with you to create a simple contingency plan around access, particular rooms or keeping your pet comfortable while we’re there.

    The most important thing is that your pet feels safe and settled, while Ella can comfortably and safely care for your home.

Caring for Your Home

  • Yes. We arrive fully equipped with our own cleaning products and tools, including a vacuum, mop and everything needed to care for your home.

    If you have particular products you’d prefer us to use instead, we’re more than happy to accommodate. We simply ask that you show us where they are kept and how you’d like them used during the consultation at your first clean.

    The same goes for equipment. If you’d prefer us to use your own vacuum, mop or other cleaning tools for any reason, we’re happy to work with what you have.

  • We use carefully selected eco-conscious products and cleaning practices with consideration for your home, your family, your pets and the environment.

    Our approach is about thoughtful cleaning without compromising on the quality of the result.

  • We select products with consideration for the people and animals who live in the homes we care for.

    If you have particular sensitivities, allergies or product preferences, please let us know when you enquire so we can discuss your requirements.

Caring for Coastal Homes

  • Living on the Southern Gold Coast comes with plenty of benefits — but sea air, sand and salt can also find their way into your home.

    Coastal homes can experience salt residue, fine sand, dust and moisture build-up on surfaces, floors, windows and other areas. Regular cleaning helps stay on top of this everyday coastal build-up and keeps your home feeling fresh and cared for.

    At Alora, we take the local environment into consideration when caring for your home.

  • Yes. Coastal salt residue is one of those little things that can gradually become noticeable around the home, particularly on surfaces and areas exposed to sea air.

    Our cleaning approach helps remove everyday residue and build-up as part of caring for your home, with particular attention given to areas that may be affected by coastal living.

    If there’s a specific area where you’re noticing salt build-up, let us know when you enquire so we can discuss it with you.

Trust & Quality

  • Yes. Alora Living is fully insured, giving you peace of mind that your home is in safe and responsible hands.

  • Yes. Ella is police check verified, and as Alora Living grows, any new cleaners joining the team will also be required to complete a police check.

    The safety and peace of mind of our clients is an important part of the trust we build when caring for your home.

  • We want you to feel confident that your home has been cared for to the standard we agreed on.

    If you’re unhappy with something or feel we haven’t upheld our agreement, please let us know. We’re happy to discuss it with you and, where appropriate, return to address the issue.

    Where our schedule allows, we’ll aim to resolve it within 24 hours.

Booking & Availability

  • Availability can vary depending on the time of year and our existing schedule.

    The best way to find out is to submit an enquiry with your preferred timing, and we’ll let you know what availability we have.

  • Absolutely. When you enquire, let us know your preferred day or timing and we’ll do our best to work around your schedule.

    While we can’t always guarantee a particular time, we’ll discuss availability with you before booking your clean.

  • We understand that plans can change. We simply ask that you give us as much notice as possible so we have the opportunity to offer your appointment time to another client.

    More than 24 hours' notice: You can cancel or reschedule your clean at no charge, subject to availability.

    Less than 24 hours' notice: A cancellation or rescheduling fee of 25% of the estimated booking may apply.

    Same-day cancellations or no access: A fee of 50% of the estimated booking will apply where we’re unable to complete the scheduled clean due to a same-day cancellation, no access to the property or circumstances that prevent us from safely carrying out the service.

    We understand that unexpected things happen, so genuine emergencies will always be considered on a case-by-case basis.

    Repeated short-notice cancellations: If a client regularly cancels or reschedules appointments at short notice, we may need to review their ongoing booking arrangement. This may include requiring a greater notice period, adjusting their booking frequency or, where necessary, releasing their regular appointment time so it can be offered to another client.

    If you need to make a change to your booking, please let us know as soon as you can and we’ll always do our best to accommodate you.

    Where our schedule allows, we’ll aim to resolve it within 24 hours.