Mike Wills Jr.
Co-Founder & CEO
I've been running VivaClean in Austin for over a decade. Born and raised in Austin, still here with my wife and two kids. We've cleaned more houses and apartments in this city than I can count, which means I've spent a lot of time thinking about what happens in people's homes, why they hire help, and what separates a cleaning company people trust from one they tolerate. I write here because the business generates enough real observations that it's worth writing them down.
Articles by Mike Wills Jr.
Swiffer vs Mop, and Why Our Austin Cleaners Leave the Mop at Home
Why our cleaners use a Swiffer instead of a mop and bucket in Austin apartments, and how to get a floor properly clean with one, starting with vacuuming first.
Why Burning Incense Makes Your House Dusty, and What That Dust Is
The gray dust after burning incense indoors is mostly smoke settling back down. What it is, whether it's bad for you, and what I'd change, candle soot included.
How to Hire a House Cleaner in Austin, the Checklist I'd Give a Friend
The complete checklist I'd give a friend to hire a house cleaner in Austin, from picking the right kind of clean to the questions to ask before the first visit.
How Much Does House Cleaning Cost in Austin? (2026 Price Guide)
Real 2026 prices for house cleaning in Austin: flat rates from $149 to $699 by bedroom count, $70 per hour per cleaner, deep clean costs, and recurring discounts.
The Austin Move-Out Cleaning Checklist That Gets Your Deposit Back
A room-by-room move-out cleaning checklist ordered by what Austin landlords actually inspect, with deposit basics and when to hire it out instead.
Same-Day House Cleaning in Austin: Your Fastest Options
Need a cleaner today in Austin? The fastest route is instant online booking with live availability and upfront pricing. What to have ready and what to expect.
How to Choose a House Cleaning Company in Austin
What to check before hiring a house cleaning company in Austin: insurance and bonding, W-2 employees, vetting, reviews, guarantees, and online booking.
Can You Hire a Cleaner for Just One Room? (Kitchen-Only Cleans in Austin)
Yes, you can hire a cleaner for just one room. Our Austin hourly service is $70 per hour per cleaner with a two-hour minimum, and you set the priorities.
Do Maid Services Do Laundry? What House Cleaners Will (and Won't) Do
Yes, some maid services do laundry. Here's what a standard house cleaning includes, how the $40 linens-and-towels add-on works, and what cleaners won't do.
What to Expect From a Professional House Cleaning in Austin
What actually happens during a professional house cleaning in Austin, from the products cleaners bring to what 2, 3, or 4 hours covers and how you pay.
How to Clean Engineered Hardwood Floors (The Pro Method)
Engineered hardwood needs a dry dust, a damp mop, and a pH-neutral cleaner. Steam, vinegar, and wet mops are what ruin it. Here is the routine pros use.
The Knicks Are Up 2-0 in the NBA Finals and the Series Is Coming Home to Austin
The Knicks won Games 1 and 2 of the 2026 NBA Finals and Austin feels like a different city. The series shifts to Madison Square Garden next.
The Knicks Are Moving On and the City Feels Different
The Knicks playoffs have Austin buzzing after a six-game closeout. A cleaning business founder on playoff momentum, belief, and what this city feels like now.
Why Your Austin Apartment Gets Dirty Again So Fast
Austin apartments get dirty fast because of construction dust, soot, radiator grime, and foot traffic in tight spaces. It's not you. It's the city.
I Dormed in Downtown Austin in 2002 and Nobody Thought to Hire a Cleaner
College students in Austin are hiring apartment cleaning services, and it's the move we never made. A cleaning company founder reflects on dorm life at Austin Poly in 2002.
How I Think About Layering Summer Scents Through Every Room in the House
How to layer summer home fragrance across every room and outdoor space. Scent-zone techniques from a home stager, plus tips for patios and small apartments.
Why Friday Is the One Day Every Cleaner on Our Team Works
Friday cleaning is always at full capacity — every cleaner working, every slot filled. Here's why it's the most popular day to schedule a house cleaning in Austin.
Shorts Weather Is Back in Austin, and Your Apartment Knows It
Warm weather quietly changes how Austin apartments behave. Stronger odors, open-window dust, humidity on tile. What spring actually shifts, and what to do.
Knicks Playoff Season Is Here
The 2026 NBA playoffs are about to start and as a lifelong Austin Knicks fan, the energy around this team right now is something else.
Why Trust Is Everything When Someone Cleans Your Home
How we vet cleaners beyond background checks — founder interviews, supervised training, and why getting the same cleaner every time is how real trust builds.
What the Hallway Tells Me Before I Walk In
Austin cleaners read apartment hallways and building lobbies before reaching the unit — not for cleanliness, but for context about what the job requires.
The New Baby Deep Clean
The cleaning before a newborn comes home isn't really for the baby. It's for mom, and the priorities are different than a standard deep clean.
Lawn Care and House Cleaning Are Both Recurring Services, but They Operate in Different Worlds
Two recurring home services, same neighborhood, totally different standards. A reflection on lawn care vs house cleaning quality from someone who deals with both in Austin.
The Allergens Living in Your Older Austin Home (And Why I Finally Got Serious About Air Purifiers)
Older Austin homes hide dust mites, mold, cockroach allergens, and more. Houses, apartments, historic homes — add spring pollen and it compounds fast.
Cleaning a New Development vs. a Prewar Apartment in Austin
New dev and prewar apartments clean completely differently. Approach, surfaces, and order of operations all shift depending on which one you have.
Why the Name VivaClean?
The real origin story behind the name VivaClean. No military background, no gimmick. Just a name that captured the right qualities.
Why Move-In Cleanings Carry More Weight Than Move-Out Cleanings
Move-out cleanings are practical. Move-in cleanings are personal. There's a real difference, and it matters when expectations don't get met.
Recurring Cleaning vs. One-Time: Why the Schedule Changes More Than Just the Frequency
A recurring cleaning schedule and an on-demand one aren't just different frequencies. They create different homes and different states of mind.
What I'm Actually Going to Write About Here
Not a content strategy. Just whatever is actually on my mind about running a cleaning company in Austin.
Training and Customer Service Are the Only Things That Actually Separate Cleaning Companies
Most cleaning companies think customer service is a policy. The ones that last a long time treat it as an identity. Here's why that distinction matters.
Austin Spring Is Too Beautiful to Spend Indoors Cleaning
After a rough Austin winter, the hours you reclaim by not cleaning are worth more than the cost. Spring in this city is too short to spend scrubbing floors.
Why Spring Cleaning Actually Matters
Spring cleaning isn't really about the cleaning. It's about resetting how you relate to your space after months of just tolerating it.