Housekeeper vs Maid: What Are the Differences?

 

Americans spend more time cleaning their homes now than before the pandemic. Americans now spend roughly eight hours a week cleaning the house, three hours a week more than prior to the pandemic.

The pandemic made us feel vulnerable to germs and bacteria. Cleaning the home environment is the only way to ensure the health and safety of everyone.

Now that things are getting back to normal, you probably don’t have eight hours a week to clean. You need help, but you don’t know if you need a housekeeper or a maid.

There are differences between housekeeper vs maid. You want to make sure that you have the best help to keep your home clean, organized, and safe.

Read on to learn the differences between a housekeeper and a maid and get tips to hire professional cleaning services in your area.

Housekeeper vs Maid: What Do They Offer?

If you talk to a dozen different people, you’ll get a dozen different answers to describe the differences between maids and housekeepers.

That’s because they think of the old definition of a maid. That was someone who lived in the home. They were the nanny, cook, cleaner, and manager of the household.

The definition of a maid changed quite a bit since then. A maid generally does daily cleaning work.

They clean bathrooms, counters, floors, and appliances. Maids change bedsheets and take out the trash. They may perform minor maintenance tasks like changing light bulbs.

They can do this work every day or come in once a week.

What does a housekeeper do? Housekeepers handle more responsibilities than maids.

Maids might change the bedsheets, but they don’t wash them.

Housekeepers clean laundry. Some might even fold it and put it away. They’ll cook meals, feed the animals, and do the dishes.

What Don’t Housekeepers and Maids Do

While it’s important to know what housekeeper duties are compared to a maid, it’s equally important to know what services they don’t offer.

For example, if you need someone to organize a hoarding situation, you need to hire hoarding services. This type of situation requires special training and expertise.

It’s the same with cleaning mold. There are times when mold is in the home. A cleaning service provider may or may not clean mold.

It depends on the type of mold and the cause. If it’s a small amount of mold in the bathroom, a maid or housekeeper can handle it.

Mold in the walls because of a plumbing leak needs mold remediation services.

Maids and housekeepers won’t put themselves in situations that are potentially harmful. They won’t clean light fixtures that require a high ladder.

What to Look for When Hiring Cleaning Services

Start by knowing what you need help with. Do you need someone to home in for a couple of hours on the weekend to clean the bathrooms?

Maybe you need to get help with the laundry while you take the kids to soccer practice. You could use help with the dishes and wiping down the counters in your home.

Ask yourself if you need full-time help or just a couple of hours in the afternoon.

Companies may define the duties of maids and housekeepers differently. That’s why it’s critical to know what your needs are.

For example, one company might say that maid services include laundry and window washing. Another company assigns those duties to a housekeeper.

As long as you know what you need and communicate your needs, you’ll find the service provider that offers exactly what you need.

Referrals and reviews

Referrals are a valuable source of information. Ask people you know if they can recommend a cleaning service company that provides maid or housekeeping services.

Put a post on Facebook and you’ll probably get a number of options.

Someone in your network could put you in direct contact with someone they know and trust.

Online research can help you find a cleaning service company.

Reputable cleaning service companies have reviews on their websites. King of Maids has testimonials and reviews from customers. They also note their highly rated on Yelp, Angie’s List, and the Better Business Bureau.

Check out those sites and read what customers have had to say about working with cleaning services in your area.

Cost of Services

Cleaning service providers charge either an hourly rate or a flat fee. They may charge a per-room rate.

They create an estimate based on your needs and the time they think it will take to clean our home. A deep cleaning and more services will cost more simply because of the time it takes.

When you get estimates from cleaning companies, ask what the services include and don’t include. You want to make sure that all of your needs and expectations get met.

Vetted Contractors and Employees

You can hire a self-employed housekeeper or maid or you can go through a cleaning services company. In both cases, you need to make sure that the service provider is properly vetted and bonded.

Cleaning service companies should have performed a background check on their employees and contractors. Self-employed cleaners can provide documentation.

Don’t overlook this step. Make sure you get this information and ask for references.

Interview Several Cleaning Service Providers

Having someone come into your home to clean it isn’t always easy. You might feel judged about how you keep your home.

That’s why you should interview housekeepers and maids. You want to feel comfortable with who you hire.

If you work with a cleaning company, make sure you get the same person to clean your home. It keeps everything consistent.

What Is a Housekeeper vs Maid?

Housekeeping duties are different from a maid’s responsibilities. This housekeeping guide showed you how to compare a housekeeper vs maid.

You have the information you need to find the right cleaning service that will keep your home clean and organized.

For more helpful home tips, check out the other articles on the blog today!