Maids and Housekeepers

Career summary

Maids and housekeepers may also be called room cleaners.

Maids and housekeepers keep guest rooms clean. They clean spaces including:

• Guest rooms
• Meeting rooms
• Restrooms
• Common areas such as lobbies

They vacuum carpets and sweep, wash, and wax floors. Maids and housekeepers also perform the following duties:

• Make beds
• Dust furniture
• Replenish linens
• Replace light bulbs

Occasionally they wash walls, windows, and woodwork. They empty trash cans and carry the garbage to dumpsters.

Housekeepers may deliver cribs, ironing boards, and rollaway beds to guest rooms. They may also help set up for weddings or business meetings.

In hospitals, maids and housekeepers use solutions that kill germs to disinfect equipment. They brush mattresses and wash bed frames. Like maids in hotels, they make beds and restock items, such as tissues.

Some housekeepers may work for private clients at their homes. Their duties may also include caring for children or elderly people from time to time. They may do light cooking and run errands, depending on the needs of the client.

Related careers

This career is part of the Hospitality and Tourism cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Buspersons
• Clothes Pressers
• Food Preparation Workers
• Janitor and Housekeeper Supervisors
• Janitors
• Kitchen Helpers
• Laundry and Dry Cleaning Workers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to maids and housekeepers.

• Remove used linens and towels. Remake beds.
• Vacuum carpets. Sweep, wash, and wax floors.
• Dust furniture, polish fixtures, and replace light bulbs.
• Wash walls, windows, mirrors, and woodwork.
• Collect used items and replace with clean ones, such as soaps and drinking glasses.
• Empty wastebaskets and ash trays. Carry trash out for pickup.
• Deliver ironing boards, baby cribs, and rollaway beds to guests' rooms.
• Prepare rooms for meetings or social events.
• Wash bed frames and brush mattresses.
• Use various tools and cleaners.
• Use wheeled carts to carry supplies and soiled items.
• Observe safety and other precautions to protect property and report theft.
• May run errands and care for children and elderly persons, depending on the type of job and location.

Common work activities

Maids and housekeepers perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Get information needed to do the job
• Perform for or work with the public
• Handle and move objects
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Teach others
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Evaluate information against standards
• Document and record information
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Assist and care for others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, maids and housekeepers:

Interpersonal relationships

• Are responsible for the health and safety of clients and guests. Good cleaning ensures sanitary conditions.
• Have a medium to high level of social contact. They talk to guests and supervisors throughout the day.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by other maids and housekeepers.
• Communicate mostly by face-to-face discussions.
• May work as part of a team.
• Sometimes have to deal with unpleasant hotel guests.

Physical work conditions

• Usually work indoors when cleaning. They rarely work outdoors. In some cases, they may be outdoors when walking from room to room.
• Sometimes wear a special uniform. This depends on the company they work for, and if they interact with the public.
• Are regularly exposed to contaminants and diseases or infections. They work with cleaning chemicals and clean soiled items.
• Make work physically near other maids and housekeepers, such as when cleaning the same hotel room.

Work performance

• Must fully complete and be exact in their work. If rooms are not clean, guests may not return in the future.
• Repeat the same tasks.
• Usually make decisions and set daily tasks and goals under the guidance of a supervisor.
• Must meet daily and weekly deadlines.

Hours/travel

• May work part time or full time. Schedules are typically established.
• May work days, evenings, or weekends.

Physical demands

Maids and housekeepers frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.
• Repeat the same movements.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Kneel, stoop, crouch, or crawl.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.

It is important for maids and housekeepers to be able to:

• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for maids and housekeepers to be able to:

• Understand the speech of another person.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Move arms and legs quickly.
• Determine the distance between objects.

Skills and abilities

Maids and housekeepers need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.

Work with people

• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Custodial Services
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations

Training

To work as a maid or housekeeper, you typically need to:

• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

No formal education is required for this job. However, many employers prefer that you have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

In some cities, unions or government agencies offer training programs. In these programs you learn how to select and use cleaning products. You also learn to operate machines such as buffers, polishers, and vacuums. In addition, you study safety and health regulations and learn how to work without supervision.

On-the-job training

Most maids and housekeepers learn their skills on the job from an experienced worker. During training, you start with routine cleaning jobs and learn more complex tasks as you gain experience. Training lasts up to a month.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements . You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Home Maintenance
• Institutional Maintenance
• Physical Education

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer to hire maids and housekeepers who are able to follow instructions and do simple math. Many maids and housekeepers work alone, so they must be able to complete tasks on their own. Math skills are helpful when measuring and mixing cleaning solutions. Employers also look for people who are hard workers and in good health. Employers require good communication skills for maids and housekeepers who interact with customers.

Many employers prefer workers with at least two to three years of high school and a stable work history. Previous experience is a plus for workers at hotels. However, each hotel has its own standards and methods of preparing rooms which have to be learned, even by an experienced worker. Some employers want housekeepers who can work on-call and on variable or rotating shifts. The ability to lift up to 50 pounds is necessary for some jobs.

#Added cmts on working on call, shifts & lifting up to 50 pounds from various ads on Job Central, 2/9/11, cj.

Tips

Employers look for applicants who are dependable. Cooperative work experience is helpful. Attending a training program will help in advancement.

Costs to workers

Costs may include comfortable shoes and union dues, if the worker is required to join a union.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

Maids and housekeepers who work at hotels and motels may receive tips from the guests whose rooms they have cleaned. Thus, wages for maids and housekeepers may be higher than these numbers suggest.

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The worker's responsibilities and experience also affect pay.

Full-time maids and housekeepers may receive benefits. Typical benefits include health insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave. 

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The outlook in Washington depends on the expansion of motels and hotels, hospitals, and recreational facilities, as well as the levels of commercial and tourist activity. Turnover in this occupation is high, however, and will create a constant demand for responsible, reliable workers. Demand increases in the summer in some areas, providing opportunities for students.

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Cleaning jobs may be found in all cities and towns. However, most of the jobs are located in cities where there are multiple office buildings, hospitals, and schools.

Major employers:

• Hotels and motels
• Private households
• Nursing and personal care facilities
• Hospitals
• Cleaning services

National outlook

Demand is expected to decline for this occupation. As more clinics and hospitals are built, some demand will be created. However, advanced technologies such as robotic vaccuum cleaners will decrease the need for maids and housekeepers. Companies that supply cleaning services on a contract basis will also experience some growth, as more of this work is being contracted out.

Job openings will occur as people leave this occupation for other jobs.

Other resources

Hospitality Careers Online 

Service Employees International Union 
1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.8592

UNITE HERE 
275 - 7th Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10001
212.265.7000

References

Career cluster

• Hospitality and Tourism

Career path

• Realistic (Technical)

O*Net  occupation

• Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (37-2012.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupations

• Cleaner, Hospital (323.687-010) 
• Cleaner, Housekeeping (323.687-014) 
• Housecleaner (323.687-018) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Realistic/Conventional/Social

COPSystem

• Service Skilled