How Much Should I Tip My House Cleaner?

Tipping your server or driver is standard practice, but navigating the expectations of tipping other workers, such as house cleaners, can be difficult. “A tip can go a long way toward expressing true thanks for a job well done,” says Thomas P. Farley, also known as Mister Manners. “House cleaners come into our homes and do the tasks we either don’t have the time to tackle, the talents to handle, or the determination to conquer."

In this article, two experts on tipping, manners, and cleaning offer insight into whether you need to tip your house cleaner and how much you should consider when showing appreciation for these workers. 

Do You Have to Tip a House Cleaner? 

In a word, no. You don’t have to tip your house cleaner. Unlike restaurant servers, many house cleaners are paid a standard wage by a company and don’t rely on tips the way a hostess might. 

“The acronym TIP stands for To Insure Promptness,” says Angela Brown, a “cleanfluencer” and founder of Savvy Cleaner.  “A tip is traditionally given for a service rendered to show appreciation beyond the job expectations.” Therefore, choosing to tip your cleaner is a matter of personal preference. 

“If the cleaning wows you and makes you fall in love with your home again, tip your cleaning technician,” Brown says. “If you are unsure what your cleaner did while at your home, don’t tip them. Psychology 101 teaches us that the behavior we reward will be repeated. In house cleaning, a customer who regularly shows appreciation and tips well will be cared for like no other client.”

On the flip side, Brown says it’s OK not to tip if you feel a cleaner did a poor job. 

Factors That Affect House Cleaner Tip Amount 

If you’ve decided to tip your cleaner, the next step is to determine an amount. While there are standard rates for tipping your driver or barista—somewhere in the range of 15% to 25%—it’s harder to know what constitutes a great job by a cleaner. 

“When weighing whether, when, and how much to tip a housecleaner, a variety of factors come into play,” says Farley.

Size and Condition of the Home: The size and condition of your home and how often you use the cleaning service will undoubtedly play a large part in your calculations.

“The messier your home and the more labor-intensive the job, the greater the impetus for a tip,” Farley says. “For example, is the cleaner doing a light dusting once a month or are they scrubbing grease from your kitchen floorboards and doing the much-dreaded windows?”

Frequency of Service: “For a one-off or occasional scenario, such as an annual spring cleaning or biennial steam cleaning of your furniture, a tip of up to 20% for the one-time service would be appropriate,” Farley says. “Alternatively, if you have the same cleaner coming to your house to clean it top-to-bottom weekly or bi-weekly, rather than tipping each and every time, you may also opt for an end-of-year gratuity.”

Where You Live: Your location will affect the rates for cleaning services, and you might also consider how far your cleaner has to drive to reach your home. 

“If you live in a high-priced, congested urban area, such as New York City, Chicago, Miami, or Los Angeles, the commute to your home or apartment will likely be more expensive and arduous than the commute to a suburbanite’s home,” Farley says. “There will be more traffic to contend with, parking fees to be paid, and possible mass transit to be taken. A customer should consider these as potential reasons for augmenting any tips they give.”

Is the Cleaner Self-Employed or an Employee? Consider whether the cleaner is self-employed or part of a larger company or service. 

“The rationale for tipping will be greater if the cleaner is an employee of a company. The cleaner is only earning a percentage of what you pay the company, versus an independent cleaner who sets their own fee, one which they deem fair compensation with or without a tip,” Farley explains.

Timeliness and Reliability: Brown also considers whether the cleaner is on time, reliable, and easy to communicate with.

Standard Tipping Rates for House Cleaners

Standard tipping rates for house cleaners are similar to those in restaurants and coffee shops. “The percentage you tip your cleaner is 15% to as much as you can afford,” Brown says. “If your cleaner does a spectacular job and you want to give them more, give them more.”

When tipping, Farley says cash is king and the preferred method of easy payment by most cleaners. “If no one will be home when the cleaner arrives, the tip can be left in a clearly marked envelope on the kitchen counter with a brief note inside, thanking the cleaner for making the home shine,” he adds.

Brown says you can often tip when paying electronically if you don’t have the cash. “Many cleaning companies have moved to automatic payments or online credit card processing. It is perfectly acceptable to overpay, and everybody knows what that means,” she says. “If the cleaning company’s software doesn’t allow or isn’t set up to receive tips, it’s OK to leave cash or send money via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App.”

Can’t Afford a Tip? Alternatives to Show Your Appreciation

If you can’t afford a tip but still want to show your appreciation, there are ways that don’t involve cash. 

Farley says you can provide snacks and water for cleaners while they work. You can also purchase cleaning products the cleaner recommends if they typically use the products you keep in stock at your home. This is especially thoughtful, “particularly if there are any chemical sensitivities to which they are prone,” Farley adds.

Finally, you can do a lot for your cleaner by recommending their services to others, either by word of mouth or through positive reviews on their business pages. Don’t forget the power of a written note of thanks. "“Many cleaners own their own businesses. Leaving them ratings and reviews is appreciated far more than a snack or a beverage," says Brown.