The Guide to Tipping House Cleaners - The Maids (2024)

It’s a frequently asked question at The Maids® and most other cleaning companies: Do you tip house cleaners? You tip your baristas, servers, and hairdressers, so do you tip your cleaning service? And if you do, how much is appropriate? To better understand tipping and when it’s reasonable to do so, let’s look at its history. Tipping for services as a routine practice has existed since the 18th century. Customers tip to show their affluence or out of a sense of duty, while others tip to show gratitude and generosity.

While tipping is the norm in certain service industries like restaurants and salons, tipping in other industries isn’t as popular. Tipping housekeepers employed by professional house cleaning companies is not expected, but it has its place. For example, as paid employees of a residential cleaning service, professional house cleaners don’t expect additional gratuity from customers—but they truly appreciate the kindness.

Housekeeping Etiquette: Do You Tip House Cleaners?

The first thing to remember about tipping in almost any situation is that it is entirely up to you. Most larger cleaning service companies, like The Maids, will tell you that it is neither required nor expected. If you hire an individual, it is customary to tip 10 to 20% of the cleaning price, assuming you are pleased with the quality of work.

Whether you partner with a sole provider or a national residential cleaning service, if the same person or team cleans your home often, you could consider a bonus or gift as a thank you. Again, this is highly discretionary. If your home needs a particularly hefty clean and your cleaning team goes above and beyond, tipping can be a thoughtful gesture. When you don’t have time to pick up before a professional house cleaning, a little appreciation can show you care about your cleaners.

Do You Tip House Cleaners for Recurring Cleaning Services?

If you’ve been using a weekly or monthly maid service for a while and your cleaning team consistently does a good job, why not? If it’s just not in the budget, that’s one thing. But if you want to show appreciation for someone who helps restore your home (and peace of mind), you may want to do it! Presumably, you’re happy with their work because you continue to use their services, so tipping gives you an opportunity to tell them.

Do You Tip a Cleaning Service for a One-Time Deep Cleaning?

A one-time deep cleaning is more intense than a standard weekly maid service. Heavy lifting, lots of bending, and plenty of muscle go into a thorough deep cleaning. From polishing floors and shining appliances to scrubbing bathrooms and removing dirt and dust, your house cleaners work hard to make you happy.

Consider tipping double for a one-time deep cleaning or seasonal cleaning for several reasons. First, it’s a one-time cleaning, so it’s not something you’ll do very often. Second, walking through your home and breathing in that clean, fresh-smelling air is one of life’s great pleasures!

How Much Do You Tip House Cleaners?

Deciding how much to tip house cleaners involves many factors, from the quality of the services to how long your cleaner has been with you. Typical tip amounts for residential maid service are comparable to standard tip amounts in the restaurant business and other service industries, so tipping house cleaners 15 to 20 percent is a good benchmark.

If your house cleaning service uses a team-cleaning approach, it’s fine to give a $10 to $15 tip to be shared. If the same team cleans your home each week, you might want to tip once a month. If your house cleaners change from week to week, stick with tipping each visit. For customers who tip, it’s best to add it to your form of payment. Always accompany your tip with a sincere thank-you note, whatever amount you choose.

Tipping House Cleaners Isn’t the Only Way to Say Thank You

Do you tip your cleaning service? If not, it may be because you aren’t aware of the etiquette of tipping house cleaners, or it’s not an affordable option. There are many ways to show appreciation and how much your cleaners mean to you, so don’t miss an opportunity to make their day.

Post a Review

If your house cleaners do a fantastic job and make your home a better place to relax and recharge, let their company and everyone else know about it. You can post your review on the company website, social media platforms, and service directories to show your cleaners some love.

Recommend Your House Cleaners

Not many people share their positive experiences as freely as they do the negative ones. Break the cycle and share how awesome your cleaners are to neighbors, friends, and relatives. Recommending a service or product to someone who trusts us can be one of the most powerful compliments.

Don’t Undervalue a Pat on the Back

Professional cleaners do a lot of dirty work and take pride in making homes more beautiful places to live. They follow proven processes to deliver consistent cleanings that may be taken for granted and go unnoticed. Sometimes, a heartfelt “Thank you” can mean more than you may think. A thank-you card or other token of your gratitude can also have a significant impact.

Make Holidays Special

Gift baskets, gift certificates, and other tokens of appreciation on holidays or other special occasions can be especially welcome. The fact that you consider your house cleaners enough a part of your life to share in holiday traditions is a gift all its own. What you give is just icing on the cake.

If you use a house cleaning service regularly, a gift at the end of each year is a nice gesture, whether you tip during the year or not. Whether you tip a cleaning service or not, there are more ways to show appreciation that can often mean more than a monetary tip.

The Maids Delivers Tip-Worthy Cleaning Every Time

The Maids delivers healthier cleaning by removing more dust, dirt, and germs than conventional cleaning services. Your clean team follows a 22-Step Cleaning Process for a consistent and thorough cleaning with every visit.

Plus, The Maids offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee with each of our popular maid services for tip-worthy cleaning you’ll love. Get a personalized cleaning quote today and discover how we go above and beyond to make your home a healthier place.