Housekeeper
Sometimes people become so busy with careers, families and other responsibilities that they make the decision to hire someone to help with necessary daily activities, like the house cleaning. To help out, these people may hire a housekeeper. Housekeepers can also have a job in the hospitality business and work for a hotel or other public location. A housekeeper will help with chores and maybe do some extra as well, depending on the company or individual. Not all housekeepers are the same. There are classes available to become certified in housekeeping, but with many housekeeping jobs, an education is not always necessary. This is a very diverse career with several types of housekeepers who do different jobs.
Housekeepers may be employed by a company. One type of housekeeper is one that works for a hotel or bed and breakfast in the hospitality business. Businesses such as banks, offices, libraries and schools may also have someone they hire to clean the property. Some housekeepers work for a professional cleaning company. The company will hire several cleaners and pay them an hourly wage. Housekeepers can also be self-employed. They may advertise their services to a certain location and take calls from interested customers. Since they don’t work for a company, they set their own wages and may or may not provide cleaning products. There are also live in housekeepers who go beyond cleaning the house and help with other household tasks as well.
In hotels or other hospitality locations, the company provides cleaning products, vacuum cleaners and other housecleaning essentials. In hotels, housekeepers make the beds, take care of any garbage and clean the bathrooms. They usually provide fresh bed linens and towels as well. They check to see if guests need any soap, shampoo or toilet paper. Depending on the hotel, they may also offer other services, such as restocking mini-bars or delivering food. These housekeeping services are usually optional during the stay. If guests choose not to use housekeeping, the housekeeper will clean the room after the guest leaves.
Many housekeepers that work for companies or on their own will go into individual houses and do the basic household chores. They clean the kitchen and disinfect counters. They dust desks, tables, stands and other wood. They also sweep and scrub the floors. Housekeepers will clean the bathrooms, tidy up the living room and possibly the bedrooms. They vacuum the carpets and clean windows, doors and any glass. This leaves the house feeling clean and sanitary. Some housekeepers may also do extra tasks if requested, such as shampooing rugs or organizing cupboards.
Live-in housekeepers will be employed by one client full time and will be available more hours to clean and take care of the home. They wash the dishes and do the laundry. They might also change the beds. Housekeepers may possibly help organize the house. These housekeepers probably fix meals and may go grocery shopping as well. Some housekeepers may act dually as a nanny and take care of children. This type of housekeeper job may be more demanding, but they are also only dealing with one employer.
Since not all housekeepers are the same, it’s important to have a contract that’s signed and agreed upon. Hotels and cleaning businesses will have a contract between the business and the employees, but with personal cleaners or live-in housekeepers, this may be up to the clients and housekeeper. It’s necessary to know details about vacation time, sick days and if the housekeeper expects to be paid for holidays. Being informed about who supplies the products is important as well. Clients and housekeepers should also discuss the hourly wage and what clients expect for that wage.
Although a career in housekeeping does not require an education, it is still an important job with responsibility. Clients and housekeepers should have a mutual respect for one another. Letting someone into your home, hotel room or business shows trust. Housekeepers should respect that and take the job seriously. At the same time, clients shouldn’t take housekeepers for granted. Housekeeping is still a professional job and housekeepers expect to be paid on time, treated well and respected for their work. It’s not an easy job and requires skill and hard work. Housekeeping is an important career that improves living conditions in hotels, homes and businesses.
