Working as a housekeeper: Everything you need to know

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What is a housekeeper?

A housekeeper or a cleaner can work for individual families to help them keep on top of running a family home and make sure the house stays organised and clean. There are a variety of different roles which a housekeeper can take on, depending on the individual family’s requirements and the personal skills of the housekeeper. Some jobs might just include cleaning duties, others may involve running errands, cooking and grocery shopping or doing laundry.

The more services you offer the more attractive your services will be to prospective employers, so it is worth exploring all avenues of potential skills you might be able to offer. To find out everything you need to know about working as a housekeeper, from what exactly the role entails to who you can work for and more, check out our informative guide on ‘what is a housekeeper‘ here.

How to become a housekeeper

Becoming a housekeeper or a cleaner can be a relatively simple process as you are able to work as a self employed individual, finding your own employers and working for several different households at once. There are of course numerous other ways to get into the housekeeping service industry, for example you can apply to work in cleaning or hospitality for specialised cleaning and housekeeping agencies or for large venues who hire people specifically for cleaning jobs such as office buildings and hospitality venues.

Whilst direct experience in cleaning in often not required to secure one of these positions, there are certain skills which employers often look for in prospective candidates such as a strong work ethic, good time keeping skills, excellent organisation and high levels of attention to detail. If you think you have any of these skills, why not find out how to become a housekeeper with our ultimate guide on how to land a job as a housekeeper here!

Benefits of working as a housekeeper

There are so many benefits that come with working as a housekeeper as the job is often very flexible which means you can fit in your work around your existing schedule and complete other tasks and roles alongside your work as a housekeeper. Many people looking for part time work, such as students and mothers, often turn to housekeeping and cleaning positions as they can set their own schedules and decide how little or how often they would like to work.

As a housekeeper or cleaner you can also decide to work on a self employed basis, meaning you are free to set your own rates and be in complete control of your earnings. The choice of setting your own wages as well as your own schedule means cleaning and housekeeping roles are a great part time job for those looking to earn some extra money!

If you are looking for a part time job or a way to earn some extra money, check out our guide to the ultimate side hustle here!

How much can I earn working as a housekeeper?

Working as a housekeeper can be a great way to earn money as you are often able to set your own rates and command a relatively high hourly rate compared to other jobs in the care industry, especially if you work as a self employed individual and offer a wide variety of services.

The average rates for housekeeping vary depending on many factors, such as your location, the services you can provide, your experience, the number of hours you are required to work and more, however we always advise checking out the average rates of other housekeepers in the area to ensure you remain competitively priced and have the best chance of finding work.

The going rates for housekeeping vary at present vary from £10-£25 per hour depending on a variety of factors, but to gain as much information as possible about setting your rates as a housekeeper, check out our averages wages for housekeepers article here!

Find a housekeeping job!