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Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners

The occupation Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners covers people who perform any combination of light cleaning duties to maintain private households or commercial establishments, such as hotels and hospitals, in a clean and orderly manner. O*NET rates it as some preparation, which usually means a few months to a year of learning on the job. It leans on service orientation, time management, and coordination. Expect to keep storage areas and carts well-stocked, clean, and tidy. With a code of RCS, this is mostly a job for people drawn to hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Conventional interests also help, rated 4.6 out of 7. It tends to suit people who want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, and it offers little for anyone seeking research, analysis and working through hard problems.

What they do

Perform any combination of light cleaning duties to maintain private households or commercial establishments, such as hotels and hospitals, in a clean and orderly manner. Duties may include making beds, replenishing linens, cleaning rooms and halls, and vacuuming.

Main tasks

  • Keep storage areas and carts well-stocked, clean, and tidy.
  • Carry linens, towels, toilet items, and cleaning supplies, using wheeled carts.
  • Clean rooms, hallways, lobbies, lounges, restrooms, corridors, elevators, stairways, locker rooms, and other work areas so that health standards are met.
  • Empty wastebaskets, empty and clean ashtrays, and transport other trash and waste to disposal areas.
  • Sweep, scrub, wax, or polish floors, using brooms, mops, or powered scrubbing and waxing machines.
  • Replenish supplies, such as drinking glasses, linens, writing supplies, and bathroom items.

Skills

  • Service Orientation
  • Time Management
  • Coordination
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Speaking
  • Monitoring

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on service orientation and time management.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
  • You want to spend most of your time analyzing and researching. Investigative rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RCS takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Less than a High School Diploma. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Chambermaid
  • Cleaner
  • Cottage Attendant
  • Environmental Services Aide
  • Environmental Services Worker

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.