If you have ever wondered whether there is a difference between a maid and a housekeeper then the answer is yes. You only have to look at the home care services offered by professionals to see if they are listed separately.
What the Maid Does
A maid focuses on your home. Their primary job is to ensure it is clean at all times. As such, maids will develop special routines that allow them to effectively dust any room in a remarkably short space of time.
A maid will clean all the spaces in your home, including kitchens and bathrooms. They also clean all the furniture in the home. It should be noted that maids will be trained to evaluate each appliance and decide how often it needs to be cleaned.
For example, unless explicitly instructed otherwise, the maid will probably decide that the shower doesn’t need to be cleaned every day. Instead, they will focus their efforts on the areas that do.
Maids no longer wear the traditional black and white uniform. They will often be dressed casually although the employer can specify a uniform if they wish.
It’s interesting to note that the maid is an evolution of a cleaner. As with many careers, a more distinguished title became necessary thanks to the changing duties and the increasing accessibility of cleaners to the general population.
The Housekeeper
In contrast, the housekeeper doesn’t focus on the structure of the home, they focus on the day-to-day items that are essential for daily living. However, it should be noted that many housekeepers will offer the same services as a maid, and more.
The biggest difference in this respect is that a housekeeper will perform a lighter clean than a maid. They simply don’t have the time to perform deep cleans as maids can.
A housekeeper won’t just clean the house, they can also do a wide variety of chores.
This includes folding your clothes, ironing them, making beds, washing the dishes, looking after children, cooking, feeding pets, and even cleaning your appliances.
In short, choosing a housekeeper means that you can have your house cleaned but you’ll also have a helping hand with all the other essential daily activities.
This can make a housekeeper a more popular option than a maid.
It should be noted that a housekeeper is not automatically more expensive than a maid, it depends on the availability and several other factors.
Clarify The Details First
In all cases it is essential that you clarify the duties you wish them to do first, this will ensure that you are not disappointed or that your maid/housekeeper is not disgruntled as they are asked to do things that they don’t feel they should.
Identifying what you need help with around the house will also help you to choose the right service for your needs.
Remember, that in all circumstances you should remain professional and respect the job that your maid or housekeeper is performing.
