Should you hire a housekeeper or house cleaner?

Detailed cleaning of the kitchen from ceiling to baseboards is one of the many services provided by BD Homes as part of our 5 star service guarantee

You want to hire, but who do you choose?

When it comes to maintaining a clean and organized home, many homeowners turn to professional cleaning services for assistance. However, there is often confusion about the difference between a housekeeper and a house cleaner. In order to help you understand the difference and choose the right service for your needs, we’ve put together this guide to the key differences between housekeeping and house cleaning.

What does a housekeeper do?

A housekeeper is typically considered a more comprehensive position and is responsible for maintaining the overall cleanliness and organization of a home. This includes tasks such as dusting, vacuuming, laundry, and meal preparation. In addition to these traditional cleaning tasks, housekeepers also often handle other household responsibilities, such as running errands, grocery shopping, and even pet care. Housekeepers often work on a regular schedule, such as once a week or every other week, and may be responsible for managing the household budget and overseeing other staff members. In many cases, your housekeeper may actually live in your residence since they work so many hours within your home. 

What are the pros and cons of hiring a housekeeper?

From a budget standpoint, you’ll often find those that are housekeepers will charge less per hour since they’ll be using your equipment and supplies. They won’t carry insurance, which also means they can charge less, but you obviously take that risk. Since a housekeeper works by themselves, they can devote the entirety of their day to your home, which means they also won’t have other clients. If the housekeeper decides they no longer want to work this job, then they can simply quit, which can cause a lot of disruption. 

What do house cleaners do?

A house cleaner is typically responsible for dedicated cleaning tasks such as washing windows, scrubbing bathrooms, and mopping floors. They may work on a one-time or occasional basis, rather than on a regular schedule. These services are often more focused on deep cleaning and tackling specific areas of the home that may have been neglected, such as the kitchen or bathrooms. House cleaners are also often called in for special occasions, such as move-in or move-out cleaning, spring cleaning, or post-construction cleaning. 

What are the pros and cons of hiring a house cleaner?

From a budget standpoint, research shows that the national average cost per hour for cleaning is between $25-$45 per hour per cleaner according to Angie’s List (click here for full article). This number has fluctuated since Covid due to the increasing cost of protective equipment and cleaning supplies along with gas. Most cleaning companies are privately owned small businesses and operate in teams of 2-3 cleaners to maximize efficiency. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t a lot of independent solo cleaners as well. The advantage of working with a cleaning company is that they can clean very quickly, are mostly insured, and have great systems to create minimal disruption in your weekly schedule. However, many companies simply don’t clean certain areas of the home such as window glass or detail clean kitchens and bathrooms. They’ll do more of a surface level cleaning instead even in their “deep cleaning” processes. 

What if you could get the best of both worlds?

At our high-end home cleaning company, BD Homes, we understand that every homeowner has unique needs and preferences. That's why we offer both housekeeping and house cleaning services to meet the unique needs of our clients. We like to think of this as a hybrid service that has the attention to detail of housekeeping with the focused attention and efficiency of house cleaning. Our experienced and highly trained team can handle all aspects of housekeeping and are dedicated to ensuring that your home is always spotless and well-maintained much like a 5 star hotel. Whether you need regular maintenance and organization or a one-time deep cleaning, our team is ready to provide you with the highest quality service and ensure that your home is always looking its best. 

Ready to experience the BD Homes difference? CLICK HERE to request a quote today before our schedule fills up!