To tip, or not to tip? Whether or not tipping your house cleaner is obligated is a question that has long sparked debate. And for good reason—it can be hard to know how much, if anything, you should give your house cleaner for their domestic cleaning services.
On one hand, you don’t want to over-tip and waste your money. On the other hand, you don’t want to under-tip and risk offending your cleaning lady or leaving her feeling underappreciated.
So what’s the right answer?
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The amount you should tip your cleaning lady (or man) will depend on a number of factors, and in this post, we’ll break them all down for you.
Should you tip your domestic cleaner?
First, let’s start with the basics: What is a tip?
A tip is a voluntary gratuity—a little extra money given to someone for providing a service. It’s not required, but it’s a nice way to show your appreciation for a job well done. Tipping is fairly common for a variety of professions, not just house cleaning. Jobs like hair styling, dog walking, and taxi driving all typically involve gratuities.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s move on to the question at hand: Should you tip your house cleaner?
As we mentioned, there is no easy answer to this question – it depends on a number of factors. There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind as you make your decision, which we’ll go over later.
Are you required to tip?
In most cases, tipping is entirely up to you. There is no law that requires you to tip your house cleaner, and there is no standard percentage that everyone adheres to.
That being said, there are some situations where you may feel like you have to tip. For example, if you hire someone through a cleaning service, they may expect you to tip. This is because the cleaning service typically takes a cut of the workers’ pay, so they rely on tips to make up the difference.
Related Read: Our Guide to Finding A Housekeeper in London
Another case where you may feel pressure to tip is if your cleaner comes to your home as part of a team. In this situation, the cleaners may divvy up their tips at the end of the day, so you may feel like you need to tip to make sure everyone gets a fair share.
Of course, even in these situations, it’s ultimately up to you whether or not you want to leave a tip.
6 Factors to consider before tipping your house cleaner
Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether or not you should tip your house cleaner:
- The type of cleaning service you’re using (one-time, weekly, bi-weekly, etc.)
- How long you’ve been using the service
- How many people are cleaning your home
- The size of your home
- The level of cleanliness you expect/require
- Your personal relationship with your cleaner
These are just a few of the factors that will affect how much (if anything) you should tip your cleaner. You’ll also want to consider how much work was done in the home: What tasks did your domestic cleaner do, and what was the difficulty of those tasks? Of course, ultimately, the decision is up to you.
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to tip your housekeeper, consider this: Would you tip a server at a restaurant? How about your hairstylist or taxi driver? In most cases, the answer is yes.
The same logic applies to house cleaners. If you’re happy with the job they’ve done, it’s a nice gesture to show your appreciation with a tip.
Related Read: How to choose your house cleaning service
Now that we’ve answered the question of whether or not you should tip your domestic cleaner, let’s talk about how much you should give.
How much should you tip your house cleaner?
As we mentioned, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The amount you should tip will depend on the type of service you’re using, how long you’ve been using it, the size of your home, etc.
Generally speaking, most people tip their house cleaners between $10 and $20 per visit. If you’re happy with the job they’ve done and you have a good relationship with them, you may want to give a little extra.
On the other hand, if you’re not happy with the job they’ve done or you don’t have a good relationship with them, you may want to give a little less.
There’s no magic number when it comes to tipping your house cleaner. How much you give will depend on a number of factors, including:
- The quality of the service
- How often you have someone clean
- Your budget
- Your relationship with your cleaning lady
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide how much to tip your house cleaner. Just remember, a tip is a voluntary gratuity—it’s not required. So if you can’t afford to give a tip, don’t feel like you have to.
Related Read: Hiring a Domestic Cleaner: How to find the Rare Pearl?
Benefits of tipping your house cleaner
While there is no obligation to tip your house cleaner, there are some benefits to doing so.
For one, it’s a nice way to show your appreciation for a job well done. If you’re happy with the level of cleanliness in your home, a tip is a great way to say “thank you.” Tipping can also help to build and maintain a good relationship with your cleaner. If you’re constantly leaving them generous tips, they’ll be more likely to go above and beyond to keep you happy.
On the other hand, if you never tip your house cleaner, they may start to feel underappreciated and could eventually become disgruntled.
Ultimately, whether or not you tip your house cleaner is up to you. Just remember, if you do decide to give a tip, there’s no need to go overboard. A few dollars here and there will suffice.
