There are over 700,000 housekeepers in the United States. Many families have them come to help take care of the home around their busy schedules, and some businesses require their very necessary services as well.
Are you thinking of hiring housekeeping services?
If so, do you know how to tip a maid or if you even should? This is an important thing to comprehend to be sure that you’re showing appreciation for the work they do, but also being respectful of common practice.
Keep reading below to learn more about what a housekeeper does and whether a housekeeping tip is necessary.
The Role of a Housekeeper
Housekeepers are hired to handle cleaning for the upkeep of different locations, including homes, businesses, hotels, or hospitals. They perform a variety of tasks that help keep the interior clean and comfortable for people to enjoy.
Some of the main duties of a housekeeper include:
- Vacuuming or sweeping
- Mopping the floor
- Making the bed
- Scrubbing the toilets and showers
- Washing all of the windows
- Sanitizing the kitchen or kitchenette
- Dusting and polishing fixtures
- Wiping down furniture
Depending on the type of housekeeping service you hire, there may be more tasks they can perform for you as well. In order to be good at their work, most house cleaning professionals will be detail-oriented, organized, and able to adapt to different circumstances.
Should You Leave a Housekeeping Tip?
If you have hired a cleaner that owns their own company, you don’t usually need to tip them. This is because they get to set their own rates, so they are not generally going to expect (or even accept) a tip from their customers.
Alternatively, if you hire a cleaner that works for a larger business, you will likely want to consider giving them a tip. They don’t get to pick how much they get paid and usually will only get paid a small portion of the charge you’re paying.
If a company specifically states that you should not tip the house cleaners, then that will answer your question clearly! Otherwise, you may want to ask about it to be sure that you have a tip ready to go if you decide you want to give one later.
Some other factors that you might want to consider include:
- The dirtiness of the room(s) being cleaned
- The quality of the work completed
- Whether you requested additional services
- Whether you have the same cleaner each time
How Much Do You Tip Cleaners?
To tip a maid that works at your home, you should consider tipping between 15-20% of your overall pay rate. If they are doing a great job and you want to give them more than that, feel free to do so!
Remember that if a team of cleaners comes to your home, you should consider that as separate tips for each person. This means that everyone should get that extra percentage as their tip.
If you’re tipping in a hotel, it is recommended to tip around $2-$5 each night depending on how high-end the hotel might be. Tipping rates should be higher if there are more than three guests in a room.
Cash is generally the most acceptable way to tip, but if you have a maid that comes frequently, you can usually give them a gift or add it to their regular wages.
Tipping Housekeepers Is the Way to Go
Remember that tipping is always a choice and is not something that you have to do. However, if you want to show appreciation for the work of a house cleaner, they are sure to appreciate you back for showing them some extra love with a housekeeping tip.
Did you enjoy this article? If so, check out the rest of our website for more general tips that will help you in the future.
