We all know tipping is a great way to show support and appreciation! Which brings us to the question: How much do you tip for a house cleaning service?
There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. The amount you should tip for a house cleaning service can vary, depending on a few factors.
Following our previous article, where we discussed how much should you pay (or get paid) for a cleaning service, this time we wanted to talk about tipping house cleaners and housekeepers.
We all know the average tip for other services (e.g., bartenders and servers) is anywhere between 15% and 20% of the total cost. But does that apply to cleaning services as well?
Let’s find out!
How Much Do You Tip for a Standard House Cleaning Service?
We frequently hear comments and questions from both our cleaning artists and our customers related to tips. In general, they all want to know a fair number or range to get/receive a tip, available payment methods, and the circumstances where they should give or receive a tip.
If you want to know the short, quick answer, a tip is usually between 15% and 20% of the total cost of the cleaning service. If your cleaning service costs $150, then $22 to $30 is appropriate.
That’s a fairly easy and straightforward way of calculating a fair tip. Some people do more, some people do less. Some people do not tip. Remember: tips are completely voluntary and our cleaners are getting paid for their work. Dallas Maids’ professional cleaners should (and will!) always deliver exceptional work, no matter if you give them a tip or not.
However, tips have a positive impact on any worker’s morale and confidence. Plus, it could become an extra cash flow after having 2 – 3 customers tipping each day.
If you are still unsure, here’s a trick that can help you: turn the situation around. If you were the cleaner (or any service employee), how much would you expect to receive from a tip? What would you think is a fair tip for the service you just delivered?
This exercise might give you some perspective and help you decide on a fair tip for your housekeeper without burning a hole in your pocket.
Related: Unhappy With Our Housekeeper? Meet Our New Team!
How Much Do You Tip for Other House Cleaning Services? (E.g., Deep Cleaning, Move-In or Move-Out Cleaning, One-Time Cleaning)
For any other cleaning service that is not a standard, recurring house cleaning service, you might take into consideration other factors.
Usually, these services are a bit more expensive. This is because they usually take more time and energy from housekeepers. If you follow the percentage rule, it means the tip should also be higher as well.
However, this amount might go up (or down) depending on the performance and the specific cleaning tasks they had to perform.
Did you notice they had an area or task where they had to work extra hard? Maybe they had to deep clean your carpet floors or your kitchen appliances after months of delaying this task.
Maybe they had to come to work on a Saturday or in a bit of a time rush? Or perhaps this is a one-time cleaning related to a holiday or special event and you want to be a bit more generous with your tips.
In any of these cases, or if you just feel extra generous, you can increase the tip to 25% or 30%, for example.
Take all these factors into consideration and, in any case, you can always stick to the 15% – 20% range.
Related: Want to be Happy? Hire a Maid, Study Suggests
How Frequently Do I Have to Tip for a Recurring House Cleaning Service?
The frequency of a cleaning service is another important factor. This is because, for many customers, tipping a one-time cleaning service that you hire once every quarter is not the same as tipping someone 3 or 4 times a month.
In this case, you have different options. The first one would be tipping them each time they come to your house. If you want to, you can stick to the shorter side of the tip range, so it would be around 15% of the total cost. Keep in mind that a recurring service is usually cheaper than a one-time service, so you are already saving money in a way.
The next option is to tip them at the end of the month. If housekeepers come to your home 3 to 4 times a week, you can use the final week of the month as a reminder to tip them for their hard work.
Related: Is Your Maid Stealing From You?
What Is the Tipping Etiquette? How Do I Approach a House Cleaner to Tip Them?
This question is quite common among homeowners, as they don’t want to feel out of place when tipping someone. We sometimes make a situation more awkward than it needs to be!
As we mentioned earlier, tips are not mandatory, so do not feel pressured at all to tip them, even if you were happy with your service.
Suffice it to say, if you were less than impressed with the results of your service or if there were issues with the cleaning, don’t forget to contact us! We will come back to your home and fix it as soon as possible.
If you do decide to tip, remember to give the tip directly to the cleaner, or leave it in a clearly marked envelope. A “Thank You!” would be the perfect touch next to the cash.
If you are not sure about the tipping etiquette for a cleaning service in particular, or if this is the first time you are hiring/tipping a housekeeper, you can always ask your cleaning company directly.
Related: 7 Things Your Housekeeper Won’t Tell You
Alternative Ways to Tip for a House Cleaning Service
Even though monetary tips are the norm, there are many ways to express gratitude and appreciation. And they don’t always have to come in the form of cash!
It’s ok to think of alternative presents or gifts if that is what you feel comfortable with.
For example, you can give them a present based on special events or holidays that are coming up this month. This article from The Spruce has all the holidays coming in March. Believe it or not, there is one for each day of the month!
For example, March is Women’s History Month and a big part of our staff are women. You could come up with a gift based on this event, to show appreciation for their hard work and contribution to society.
Some people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this month as well! This is a big nationwide celebration, including Dallas, of course. Some St. Patrick’s Day cookies will be the perfect gesture near that date.
Plus, you also get to know your housekeepers with a recurring cleaning service. You could ask them about their interests and hobbies to think of gift ideas. Maybe you’ve found there’s a scarf they’ve been dying to get. Or you know their birthday is coming soon.
These are the perfect occasions to think of a sentimental item that you can give them instead of the typical cash tip. You can make someone’s day with the smallest gesture!
Conclusion
We hope these tips help you decide on a fair tip to give as part of a house cleaning service.
Remember: the usual range is 15% to 20%, but this could change depending on the quality of the service and any personal factors.
Because tips are completely voluntary, it is up to you to set your own ‘scale’ of what factors to consider.
Perhaps your main deciding factor will be how fast and efficient housekeepers are.
Or maybe the attention to detail and care they show for your furniture and your home.
Even just how attentive and friendly they are to you could be the dealbreaker.
One last tip: some cleaning services already include a gratuity fee in the total cost. Make sure you check that first with your cleaning service because, in that scenario, tipping will not be necessary.
However, if you consider their performance was exceptional, you can always add an additional tip. If you contact the cleaning company, you can ask what the average tip looks like, to give you a better understanding and help you decide a fair amount.
As always, remember to visit Dallas Maids’ main page to find out about our cleaning services. No matter if you tip them or not, our cleaning artist will always deliver great service and they will be happy to return next time to your home and make your life easier and happier.
We will be back soon with more cleaning articles!