Do you need some help around the house but are confused when it comes to which type of service to hire? If so, you are not alone. Many people don’t know the difference between a maid and a housekeeper. If you are one of those people, you are in luck. Today, we are going to break down the differences between these services so that you can determine which is best for you. So make sure to pay close attention to the information you find below.
Maid Services
Hiring a maid to come into your home is a great way to tidy things up. Maids can be hired on a weekly, monthly, or daily basis, and they normally work with an agency. Working with an agency helps maids find jobs and it ensures that they are protected by insurance. One thing that sets maids apart from housekeepers is their length of hire. Most maids are hired for periodic heavy cleaning. Maids will come into the home and handle these deep cleaning tasks that are only required to be done a few times a year. A task such as shampooing carpets or cleaning behind the stove or other appliances are just a few examples of what maids can do. On the other hand, housekeepers often live inside the home and clean daily. Maids do all sorts of different cleaning tasks which you will find listed below.
- Vacuuming carpets, shampooing the carpet, mopping floors, and steam cleaning floors
- Heavy cleaning of the kitchen including but not limited to countertops, stoves, ovens, microwaves, sinks, walls, and floors
- Heavy cleaning of bathrooms including tubs, showers sinks, toilets, walls, and floors.
- Dusting of doors, cabinets, furniture, light fixtures, and baseboards
- Deep cleaning glass windows, window sills and glass doors
- Polishing chrome, brass, stainless steel, including fixtures
- Cleaning behind heavy furniture such as dressers, sofas, and beds
- Cleaning behind appliances such as dryers, washers, stoves, dishwashers, and refrigerators.
Housekeeping Services
When you hire a housekeeper, chances are you are looking for someone to work full time in your home. Housekeepers often become part of the family and live on site. Housekeepers are in charge of the household and do more than just house cleaning. Busy families who work long hours will hire housekeepers to keep things clean and in order while they focus on their careers. Below are just a few things that housekeepers do daily. Housekeepers take on a wide range of roles in order to keep the household running smoothly.
- Dusting, mopping and sweeping floors.
- Vacuuming carpets.
- Washing dishes and putting them away
- Making beds and changing the sheets
- Washing clothes, ironing, folding and putting them away.
- Running errands for the household including grocery shopping, picking up dry cleaning and more
- Preparing meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Walking the dog and taking care of other pets that live in the household
- General house cleaning and organizing
- Babysitting and helping with getting the kids off to school
- Taking out the garbage
- Restocking personal care items.
Which Service is Right for You?
Now that you have learned the differences between a housekeeper and a maid, it’s time to choose which one is right for you. If you need someone to come in and deep clean your home before a big event or get your home back in order, a maid service is a right choice. Maids are highly helpful in getting big house cleaning jobs out of the way so that you don’t have to deal with them.
You can hire a maid to come once a week or once a year depending on the needs of your household. Remember that hiring a maid through an agency is a great way to protect yourself and your home. These agencies often conduct background checks and they are often insured. On the other hand, if you need someone to handle your everyday household need, a housekeeper is your best bet. These helpful housekeepers can take a load of stress off you by handling the day to day things that you simply don’t have time for. They can help you take care of your kids and your pets and do all the cooking for you. While hiring a housekeeper will cost you more money, they are worth their weight in gold.