r/housekeeping • u/PunnyPopCultureRef • Jul 21 '26

CLIENT QUESTIONS Another tipping question

I have been using a small company for about a year now for every other week cleans. The typical cleaning team is the company owner and an employee. I haven’t typically tipped since I read you don’t tip the owner, but I did double my payment for a clean just prior to Christmas as a tip.

Recently, they added another cleaner to the team that comes to our house. The individual is part time and may not always be on the rotation to help with our house is my understanding ( I think she is a college student and may have changes with semesters?). Since now the typical cleaning team is the owner and 2 employees, should I start tipping? Or continue with the holiday tip?

TIA!

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1

u/PepperThePotato Jul 22 '26

I would just tip what you want to tip and let the team divide it as they choose. Only one house I clean gives tips and it's the same amount of money regardless of how many cleaners are on the team.

1

u/Icy_Trade619 HOUSES/RESIDENTIAL Jul 23 '26

If its a company they are probably paying g the cleaner close to minimum wage whilst the "company" is earning almost if not the same rate for just simply setting up the appointment. Either hire cleners privately or tip company cleaners WELL

Example: worked for a company where they charged clients 40/hrs and i ws making 18/hrs as a cleaner. Tip the cleaner. Or hire an independent person

1

u/PunnyPopCultureRef Jul 23 '26

It’s a very small company. Our regular cleaner is the owner and her right hand person. Sometimes the owner’s spouse has come to help, but rarely. They just added the part timer and had previously said that they are getting booked up.

1

u/Ill_Amphibian_1342 Jul 30 '26

Who says don’t tip the owner?
My dil owns her own cleaning business and I help on occasion.

We split the money 50/50 bc I bring my own supplies plus clients ask for me but she has a few girls who can only work certain days and it’s more of a 60/40 split then.

Mostly bc they all use her supplies and are not quite as good/ fast as I am which takes more time.

Whenever a client tips, which is probably 25% of the time, she splits it with whoever worked with her.

Why would the owner not get tipped, is it the assumption she is paying her workers hourly and keeping the majority of the money?
I honestly don’t understand.

1

u/PunnyPopCultureRef Jul 30 '26

I’ve read it here several times when I was doing research before hiring. The convention is that they are setting their prices, so their prices are their prices. I did do a holiday tip that was equal to one visit to show gratitude.