The ultimate guide for anyone looking to tip hired cleaning staff

One of the best ways of maintaining a clean home or office without having to lift a finger is to enlist the help of a local cleaning service. Not only does it save you time but, it can also save you money if get good discounts and rates. Many people will pay the cleaning company directly but, there has always been a debate about whether or not to tip the actual cleaners. To be honest, tipping is not a bad thing but, there are some things you should know before you do it:

Know how many cleaners are coming in to do the job first
A simple job such as regular domestic cleaning might only require 1 or 2 cleaners but with something bigger like the end of tenancy deep cleaning, you might need as many as 5 cleaners. Before you set your mind on tipping, it’s best to know how many cleaners will be coming in so you can divide your tip accordingly. If the cleaners are too many for your pocket, you can opt not to tip at all.

Understand the company’s tipping rules
While many companies are fine with customers tipping cleaners in cash, for example, some have taken extra steps to include tips in their working rates. What this means is, customers can negotiate the tip in their contract and agree on the amount before the job is carried out. The cleaners will then receive their tips later on as part of their pay.

Determine the difficulty of the cleaning job
If your home or office is particularly dirty, then it’s reasonable to make your tip bigger. However, if you require a simple surface office cleaning, for example, you don’t have to feel pressured to provide a large tip.

Not everyone deserves a tip
At the end of the day, you cannot be too generous with your tips. This is especially true when the quality of service is poor. As a guideline, I recommend saving bigger tips for exceptionally satisfying results and if you’re not happy with the job done, do not tip at all.

In general, tipping cleaners is a very common and welcome custom that many clients are encouraged to do if they want to. Just keep in mind that not everyone deserves a tip and if you cannot afford to tip, you should never feel pressured to do so.