Ask the Pros: Are You Supposed to Tip Your House Cleaners?

Housekeepers and professional cleaners are happy to help, so why not thank them with a tip to show how grateful you are for their assistance?

The only problem is knowing how much and when is appropriate to do so. We’re happy to answer those questions and even provide a little extra insight for you below, so keep reading to find out more.

Where Did Tipping Come From?

To better understand tipping and when it’s appropriate, we can take a quick look at the history of tipping and gratuity.

Did you know that tipping for services as a routine practice has actually been around since the 18th century? Customers tip for a range of reasons and services, for example, some tip to demonstrate wealth or just out of a sense of duty, and others tip out of genuine gratitude and or generosity.

While tipping is pretty much expected in certain service industries like restaurants and salons, tipping in other industries, like housekeeping, usually comes down to the customer’s discretion.

Tipping housekeepers employed by professional cleaning companies is not something that is expected, but it does have its place. As paid employees of a residential cleaning service, professional house cleaners don’t expect additional gratuity from customers, but they truly appreciate the kindness as much as anyone in the service industry would. But how much should you tip your cleaning team?

How Much to Tip Your House Cleaner?

Typical tip amounts for residential maid service are comparable to standard tip amounts in the restaurant business and other service industries. So, tipping about 15% to 20% is a pretty safe bet. If you use utilize a regular cleaning person, a cash bonus or gift at the end of each year is a kind and generous way to show your gratitude for their hard work whether you tip throughout the year or not.

Still not really clear on how much to tip house cleaners? Give your cleaning company a call and ask what they believe would be appropriate for the services you are receiving. You can also ask around with friends and neighbors who also use cleaning services, or you could simply go with your instincts. Whatever amount you choose, if you have a regular cleaner, you should always accompany your tip with a sincere thank-you note.

If your cleaning service uses a team-cleaning approach, it’s acceptable 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 the same amount each visit.

How Often Do You Tip a Cleaning Service?

If you’ve been using a weekly maid service for a while and your cleaning team consistently does a good job, a weekly tip is a great way to express your continued gratitude. If it’s just not in the budget, that’s one thing, but if you want to show appreciation for someone who helps better your life by making your home a better place to live, you may want to implement it!

Generally speaking, if you continue to utilize a service because you receive excellent results every time they visit, tipping is a universally accepted way to tell the team you appreciate their good work.

Should You Tip House Cleaners for a One-Time Cleaning?

A one-time cleaning is usually a little more intense than your standard weekly maid service. It can require heavy lifting, lots of bending and reaching, and plenty of muscle to really achieve 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 and to make sure your home is in the best condition possible.

We always suggest considering tipping double for one-time deep cleaning or seasonal cleaning services for a few reasons:
✨First, it’s a one-time cleaning. This means that it’s not something you’ll do very often, but you’ll still want to demonstrate your gratitude.
✨Second, being able to sit back and relax in your freshly cleaned home is truly one of life’s luxuries.

For customers who do tip, it may be a good idea to add it to your form of payment to make things easy for you. If you would like to provide any kind of holiday bonuses, most companies’ policies are to pool all monetary gifts and distribute them fairly to their employees.

While we encourage it, tipping housekeepers is always at your discretion and is neither expected nor solicited. If your cleaners do a good job, it is a kind way to both thank them and encourage their good work. For more maid service information and tips, check out our blog, and be sure to book your services today!