Personal Care and Services

Maids and housekeepers are responsible for keeping homes, workplaces, hotel rooms, and other types of environments clean and orderly. They vacuum rugs, sweep and mop floors, clean tabletops and appliances, dust furniture, empty wastebaskets, take garbage out to disposal areas. They change linens and make beds, and replace towels in bathrooms. Other responsibilities may include replacing supplies like soap and shampoo, washing and folding clothes, shopping for groceries, preparing meals, dropping off and picking up dry-cleaning, and other errands. Maids and housekeepers work full-time or part-time hours. Much of the work is physical and requires a level of fitness and stamina to avoid injuries and illnesses. Private homes employ maids and housekeepers directly through word of mouth or through employment agencies. There were 924,290 maids and housekeeping cleaners employed in the United States in 2018. Nearly 25 percent worked for the traveler accommodation industry.