The term housekeeper encompasses many different positions. While most of them have the same base set of skills, the requirements do vary depending on what type of housekeeper you are looking at. Hotel housekeepers are responsible for cleaning the rooms as well as the common areas. Home housekeepers can be live-in and cover an extended range of duties or might just come in and clean a house once a week. There are also housekeepers in professional environments such as offices, hospitals and restaurants. In general a housekeeper is responsible for keeping their assigned area clean and tidy.
General Duties
Housekeepers are responsible for all cleaning, dusting, and washing of areas. This means picking up after the client and leaving the room or home better than it was previous. You might have specific assignments such as window washing that only come up once a month while other duties such as dishes or floors might be a daily or weekly task. You will be responsible for cleaning the beds and changing the linens when necessary. You need to scrub any areas that need extra attention and keep the bathroom in a clean and well-stocked state.
Empty wastebaskets and make sure there is no trash lying around in common areas. You need to stock cleaning supplies as well as prepare fresh linens and accessories for guest rooms. Depending on your particular assignment you will often have a checklist of things that need to be provided in each room and it is your responsibility to make sure everything is in order.
In-Home Jobs
For in-home jobs you might also take on the job of planning menus and cooking meals. You could be responsible for answering the door and the telephone. Some housekeepers also arrange the daily activities for the children or handle the incoming mail for the people of the house. You might also be responsible for grocery shopping, obtaining household items and keeping a log of all expenditures related to these activities. Doing the laundry might be one of your tasks.
Skills
You must be very detail oriented and great with time management. It is difficult to plan your day and make sure you have time to properly complete all the tasks. By coming up with a plan, you can often make your work more efficient and thereby easier to complete in a day. You must be good at negotiating especially for in-home positions. You have to set your boundaries for what you are willing to do and the price for adding additional duties to your roster.
Wages
Wages for housekeepers vary greatly. A typical hotel housekeeper makes in the $30,000 range but it can be much higher for an upscale hotel. An in-home housekeeper can make in the $50,000 range or more depending on the extent of your duties. A weekly housekeeper usually gets paid a flat rate per house that ranges from $50 to $80 per home depending on the size. If you run your own housekeeping business you can determine your own fee.
