Do you tip house cleaners?
By Sheena Harris•Last updated Oct 3, 2022
Last updated Oct 3, 2022
Keeping a clean home is an essential part of home maintenance. The floors, counters, bathrooms, furniture, baseboards and even the ceiling fans — it takes a lot of work to perform a thorough house cleaning. If you don’t have the time or energy to clean your home on a regular basis, hiring a house cleaner may be the right move for you.
If you do decide to hire a house cleaner, it’s important to remember a few etiquette and tipping guidelines. Keep reading to learn the dos and don’ts of tipping house cleaning services.
Do you tip house cleaning service?
Generally, you should tip a house cleaner for their work. Whether you hire an independent house cleaner or work with a cleaning or maid agency, leaving a tip is a good way to show appreciation. It can also make the job feel more worthwhile for the cleaning professional. Just as you would tip other service industry professionals, tipping is appropriate for people cleaning your home.
House cleaners tend to offer a variety of services, and it’s OK to tip them after they have completed any of the following tasks — especially if they did a great job:
- Apartment cleaning
- Deep cleaning
- Move-out cleaning
- One-time cleaning
- Weekly cleaning
How much should you tip house cleaners?
The generally accepted amount for tipping house cleaners is between 10% and 15%, according to the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International. However, it’s not uncommon for customers to leave a more generous tip of 20%.
| House Cleaning Cost | Suggested Tip Amount |
|---|---|
| $100 | $10-$20 |
| $150 | $15-$30 |
| $200 | $20-$40 |
| $250 | $25-$50 |
| $300 | $30-$60 |
| $350 | $35-$70 |
| $400 | $40-$80 |
Ultimately, how much you tip should be based on the quality of the service you received and your overall satisfaction.
What about tipping independent cleaners vs. company employees?
This industry best practice of 10% to 20% tipping applies whether you hire an independent house cleaner or a house cleaning company that sends employees to do the job.
If you hire a house cleaning company, you can ask about its tipping policies to see whether tips or gratuities are built into the rates it charges — but that may not be the case.
Factors to consider when tipping cleaning services.
Deciding how much to tip house cleaners involves a few different factors. For example, consider:
- The overall quality of the cleaning. Tip higher when you’re impressed with the quality of the work. For example, a cleaner who takes extra steps or goes above and beyond may deserve a bigger tip.
- How quickly they work. Perhaps the house cleaner finished the job much faster than you expected or accommodated your schedule. If so, a higher tip is appropriate.
- The level of professionalism or attitude. If the cleaner was especially personable, highly professional, or you had an otherwise positive experience, a higher tip would be fitting.
- Whether your circumstances required extra work or stress. If you booked the house cleaner at the last minute, the cleaner handled an extreme or problematic mess, or you needed specialty or specific cleaning help, they probably deserve a higher-than-normal tip.
- If the cleaner offered special discounts or deals. Perhaps the cleaner gave you a discount as a repeat customer or offered a discount for specialty services. You can show your appreciation by leaving a nice tip.
- Frequency of services. If a cleaner comes several times a week, for example, you may only offer a small tip with each visit or a larger tip once a week.
- Type of service request. You may choose to leave a larger tip if you only have your house cleaned one time, such as a single-visit deep cleaning or a move-out clean. Meanwhile, a smaller tip may be more fitting for smaller jobs.
More ways to show your appreciation.
A clean home takes a lot of work, and the benefits of hiring a house cleaner are easy to see. So you may choose to show your appreciation in other ways that aren’t purely monetary — especially if they regularly clean your home and you’ve worked with them for a long time.
A few added ways to show appreciation to house cleaners include:
- Refer the cleaner to a friend. If you’re hiring a house cleaning service, especially a self-employed house cleaner or maid, help them build their client portfolio by recommending them to friends, family members, or neighbors.
- Leave positive reviews for the professional's services. Most people who want to hire a cleaning service read online reviews to make sure they’re hiring a trustworthy provider. Leave a review of the professional's services on their Thumbtack profile, website, and/or business-related social media pages with before-and-after photos of a job well done.
- Express your appreciation. Maids and cleaners can feel a bit invisible and underappreciated. Make sure to express your appreciation for their hard work with words of gratitude or a simple thank-you card after a good job.
- Offer gifts of appreciation on occasion. A gift basket filled with goodies, a bottle of wine, or a gift card to a favorite shop or restaurant shows the cleaner how much you appreciate their hard work. Be sure to especially remember your house cleaner during the holidays.
- Let their employer know how pleased you are with their work. Words of praise from a happy client may be considered when a house cleaner is considered for raises or opportunities to excel in their position at the cleaning company.
- Give the cleaner snacks, buy their lunch, or offer cold drinks. Cleaning the house can take a lot of energy and stamina. Show your appreciation by buying your cleaner lunch, leaving snacks or treats with a note of appreciation, or making sure they always have access to a cold drink when needed.
Etiquette guidelines to remember when hiring house cleaners.
If this is your first time hiring a house cleaner, you may be wondering what to expect or how to prepare. Do you need to be home, or is it better to leave so you’re out of the way? Should you clean before the cleaner arrives if the house is very messy?
Here are a few etiquette guidelines to remember:
- Pick up general clutter. It can take time away from more important tasks such as cleaning windows, floors, and dust from under the bed. So, drop laundry in the hamper, put away dishes, and clear away stacks of mail or toys scattered across the floor. If you want your house cleaner to declutter your home, ask about this upfront before you hire them. They may or may not offer this type of service.
- Put away valuables, cash, or highly personal belongings. While most cleaners are completely professional and trustworthy, most also prefer not to handle valuables, cash, or highly personal belongings. Before the cleaner arrives, safely tuck away items like expensive jewelry, medications, cash, or other personal items that should only be handled by you.
- Discuss your cleaning preferences. If you prefer certain cleaning methods, products, or solutions, be sure to share that information upfront. For example, if you prefer only eco-friendly cleaning products, make sure the service professional knows from the beginning.
- Secure your pets. Pets can disrupt the cleaning process and may even pose a threat to the professional in some cases. Make sure the cleaner knows what pets you have before they arrive, and keep pets in a secure area while cleaning is in progress.
- Ask about leaving or staying home. Whether you should be home can vary depending on the cleaner. If this is the first visit, it’s best to be available for a quick walk-through and questions. However, you may not be required to be home after the first visit.
- Stay out of the way. If you do stay home, step back and allow the cleaner to do their job. You may be tempted to supervise, but this can be perceived as a lack of trust and may keep the professional from working effectively. Likewise, make sure children in the house understand that the professional is there to provide a service, and keep them entertained during the work.
- Be mindful of the cleaner's schedule. Being kind to the house cleaner is good, but interrupting the work with too much conversation can affect how much they can get done in the allotted time frame. Also, be considerate when you have a change of plans or need to cancel a cleaning session. Get in touch with the cleaner or cleaning company as soon as possible so they can adjust.
Hire a house cleaning service on Thumbtack today.
Whether you need a one-time house cleaning or weekly cleanings, you can find professional cleaning services near you on Thumbtack. A house cleaner can help with routine upkeep, home office cleaning, cleaning before or after an event or move, seasonal home maintenance, and so much more.
Book the services you need ASAP. Use Thumbtack to find top-rated house cleaners in your area.
FAQs
Do you tip self-employed house cleaners and services?
Generally, yes, you should tip self-employed house cleaners.
How much should you tip house cleaners at the end of the year?
If you choose to tip your house cleaner at the end of the year, there is no definitive rule to follow. Some customers choose to give house cleaners a bonus during the holidays or at the end of the year instead of tipping throughout the year.
For reference, most employers offer a bonus that is between 5% and 10% of an employee's earnings for the year. For example, if you paid the house cleaner $3,000 for the year, you may offer a bonus between $150 and $300 at the year's close.
Do you tip the person who cleans your carpet?
You may choose to tip the carpet cleaner to show your appreciation, but this is not mandatory. Further, some companies won't allow employees to accept tips from customers.
Much like house cleaners, you may be working with a self-employed individual or employees of a larger company. All of the factors above for determining how much to tip a house cleaner can be used to determine how much to tip a carpet cleaner.
How much should I tip the hotel maid?
The American Hotel & Lodging Association recommends leaving a hotel maid service or housekeeper a tip between $1 and $5 per night in an envelope in the room. Further, it’s recommended to leave the tip each night instead of leaving one large tip at the end of the stay. You might choose to leave a larger tip if the hotel maid provided exceptional service.
A note about project costs included or linked in this article: Figures represent national average cost estimates using data provided by Thumbtack pros and additional research. These figures are provided for educational purposes only and are subject to change at any time due to various factors. Details about your specific project and local rates can impact costs.
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