The U.S. Department of Labor counts housekeepers, house cleaners and maids as one occupation. What any of them actually does in your home depends on the list they work from, so here is ours, word for word.
Every task below is copied from the Hometress checklist, the same list our booking screen shows for each tier. We also cover what the list leaves out, who brings the supplies, and what a visit costs.
What Does a Housekeeper Do?
A housekeeper cleans the whole home on a set routine: dusting from ceiling fans down to window sills, disinfecting counters, cleaning the toilet, sink and shower fixtures, straightening bedrooms, emptying trash, and sweeping, mopping and vacuuming the floors. At Hometress, that routine is our Standard clean, a checklist of 40 tasks, 10 in each of four areas. Deeper cleans keep all 40 and add 10 tasks at a time.
| Area | Tasks on the Standard list | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Entire House | 10 | Ceiling fans, dusting up to 9 feet, upholstery, hallways and stairs, trash, floors, handles and switches |
| Bathroom | 10 | Toilet, sink, shower fixtures, shower curtain, counters, shelves, vents, towels |
| Bedroom | 10 | Straightening, floors, under the bed frame, blinds and mirrors, bedside tables, upholstery |
| Kitchen | 10 | Counters, refrigerator front, shelves, trash, vent covers, floors and carpet |
| Total | 40 | Every Standard visit |
The Full Task List, Room by Room
These are the 40 Standard tasks exactly as the checklist prints them, including its capitals. Where a task says "(up to 9ft)", that is the height limit written on the list.
Entire House
- Ceiling Fans Dusted
- Countertop Disinfected and Wiped Down
- Vacuum Upholstered Furniture
- Hallway & Staircases Vacuumed And/or Mopped
- Clean and Empty Trash Cans
- Dust Light Fixtures / Door Frames / Shelves (up to 9ft)
- Dust Room Decorations & Picture Frames (up to 9ft)
- Dust Window Sills / Ledges
- Floors Swept / Mopped / Vacuumed
- Wipe Down Door Handles and Light Switches
Bathroom
- Clean Showerhead, Faucets, and Handles
- Clean Sink Bowl, Faucet And Drains
- Clean Window Sills / Ledges
- Clean Bathroom Shelves
- Neatly Fold & Hang Towels
- Countertop Disinfected And Wiped Down
- Dust Closet Shelves And Hanging Rods (up to 9ft)
- Dust Accessible Vent Covers (up to 9ft)
- Clean Entire Toilet / Behind Toilet / Toilet Handle
- Wipe Down Shower Curtain, Rod and Rings
Bedroom
- General Room Straightening
- Hardwood / Tile / Vinyl Swept and Mopped
- Declutter of Walking Area
- Clean Bedroom Blinds / Mirrors
- Vacuum Under Bedroom Frames
- Dust & Clean Countertop / Bedside Table
- Dust & Clean Upholstered Furniture
- Dust Accessible Vent Covers (up to 9ft)
- Clean Window Sills / Ledges
- Spot-Check Common Dust Areas
Kitchen
- Floors Swept / Mopped / Vacuumed
- Countertop Disinfected And Wiped Down
- Clean Kitchen Shelves / Hangers
- Wipe Down Refrigerator Front
- Clean and Empty Trash Cans
- Dust & Clean Countertop
- General Room Straightening
- Dust Kitchen Vent Covers (up to 9ft)
- Clean Window Sills / Ledges
- Open Carpet Areas Vacuumed
You can see the same list on our Standard cleaning checklist page, and every tier side by side on the cleaning checklist page.
What a Deep, Move or Dream Home Clean Adds
The deeper tiers are not different routines. Each keeps everything before it and adds 10 tasks. The quoted time lines are from each tier's own description. We don't publish a fixed number of hours for any tier.
| Tier | Tasks | Built from | Cleaning time, as the tier describes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 40 | Four areas, 10 tasks each | The base visit |
| Deep | 50 | Standard + 10 Deep-clean extras | "Standard plus 50% more cleaning time" |
| Move-in / move-out | 60 | Deep + 10 Move-clean extras | "Deep plus 100% more cleaning time" |
| Dream Home | 70 | Move + 10 Dream Home extras | "Move plus 150% more cleaning time" |
Deep-clean extras (the 10 that make it 50)
- Wipe Down Major Appliances Exterior (2 Max)
- Wipe Down & Disinfect Shower Curtains
- Wipe Down Refrigerator And Cabinet Tops (up to 9ft)
- Detailed Dusting Of Common Areas (30-mins)
- Empty Closet Floors Vacuumed / Mopped
- Deeply Scrub Interior / Exterior of Toilets
- Deeply Scrub & Disinfect Bathtub / Showerhead
- Deeply Scrub Countertop Surfaces
- Deeply Scrub & Disinfect Inside / Outside Sink
- Deeply Scrub & Disinfect Stovetop
Move-clean extras (the 10 that make it 60)
- Clean Interior & Exterior of Oven
- Clean Inside of Refrigerator (must be clear)
- Clean Inside Cabinets (must be clear)
- Clean Interior Windows (6 max)
- Clean Interior Doors (6 max)
- Clean Finished Basement (30 mins)
- Spot-Clean Baseboards (30-Mins)
- Deep Scrub of Kitchen Countertops
- Clean & Degrease Air fryers
- Deeply Scrub & Degrease Stovetop
Dream Home extras (the 10 that make it 70)
- Disinfect Germ-Prone Areas
- Change Bedsheets (2 bedrooms included)
- Laundry Wash & Dry (2 Loads)
- Professional Organization (30-mins)
- Attempt Removal of Rust, Lime, or Calcium
- Pet Shed Removal
- Clean Knobs, Cracks, and Crevices
- Clean Outlets, Switches, And Vents
- Disinfect & Clean High-Touch Surfaces
- Disinfect & Clean Low-Touch Surfaces
Two Move tasks say "(must be clear)": the inside of the refrigerator and the inside of the cabinets need to be emptied first. Our guide to the 40-, 50-, 60- and 70-point lists walks through each step up in more detail.
Housekeeper vs. Maid vs. House Cleaner
The U.S. Department of Labor files all three under one occupation. Its O*NET profile for Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners describes the job as light cleaning that keeps private households, or businesses such as hotels and hospitals, clean and orderly. It says the duties may include making beds, replenishing linens, cleaning rooms and halls, and vacuuming. Housekeeper, cleaner and chambermaid all appear among the job titles it reports.
So the useful question is not which word a company uses. It is which list the visit follows. Here is how the common phrases map to what you can book with us:
| If you're looking for | At Hometress it's | Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| A housekeeper or maid for regular upkeep | Standard clean, weekly, every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks | 40 |
| A one-time top-to-bottom clean | Deep clean | 50 |
| A cleaning before or after a move | Move-in / move-out clean | 60 |
| The most thorough reset we offer | Dream Home clean | 70 |
Our housekeeping services page books the same Standard clean. Hometress works with background-checked independent cleaning professionals, so whichever word you search for, the person who arrives works from this list.
Do I Need to Provide Supplies for a House Cleaner?
No. Supplies and equipment come with every Hometress visit, and there is nothing for you to stock or provide. Our FAQ puts it plainly: plant-based, low-fragrance products and HEPA-filter equipment are the default on every clean, not an upsell. There is no supplies line on the price.
If you have a sensitivity or a product you'd rather we use, note it when you book.
What's Not on the List
Some jobs people associate with a household housekeeper are not on any of our 70 tasks, and the booking form sells no add-on for them either. We checked every task line and every add-on label for each of these:
- Ironing, cooking or meal prep, and running errands
- Watering plants, feeding or walking pets, and childcare
- Home repairs, including changing light bulbs
- Carpet shampooing, exterior windows, washing walls, the garage, and mold cleanup
A few other jobs are not on the Standard list but can be added. Dishes are not on any tier's list, so Wash Dishes is a $25 add-on for one sink full. Laundry is not on the Standard list: Laundry Wash & Dry (Per Load) is $20, and the Dream Home tier includes two loads. The inside of the oven, fridge and cabinets are Move tasks, and on a Standard or Deep visit they are add-ons at $35, $35 and $30.
Here is every add-on the booking form sells, with its price. Any tier can take any of them.
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Clean Inside Cabinets | $30 |
| Clean Inside Fridge | $35 |
| Clean Inside Oven | $35 |
| Organize Clothes Clutter (30-mins) | $30 |
| Laundry Wash & Dry (Per Load) | $20 |
| Pet Shed Removal | $25 |
| Clean Interior Windows (6 Max) | $60 |
| Sweep Finished Basement | $35 |
| Clean Finished Basement (30-mins) | $55 |
| Wash Dishes | $25 |
How a Visit Is Priced
The price is built the same way for every home: the tier's base price, plus a line for bedrooms, a line for bathrooms, and a line for the home's size band. Add-ons come next, then any recurring discount or offer, then tax at checkout. Here it is for one example home: a 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath Philadelphia rowhome in our Spacious size band (up to 3,000 square feet on the booking form), booked one time.
| Tier | Base | 3 bedrooms | 1.5 baths | Spacious | Total before tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $170 | +$45 | +$30 | +$30 | $275 |
| Deep | $255 | +$45 | +$30 | +$30 | $360 |
| Move-in / move-out | $290 | +$45 | +$30 | +$30 | $395 |
| Dream Home | $330 | +$45 | +$30 | +$30 | $435 |
Recurring plans take 15% off weekly, 10% off every 2 weeks and 5% off every 4 weeks, starting with the first visit. The same rowhome on a Standard clean every 2 weeks is $275 less 10%, or $247.50 before tax. Your own home's price depends on its rooms and size. The Philadelphia house cleaning cost guide prices more example homes, and the booking form shows your exact total before you confirm. It asks for your home's size band on the home step.
Questions People Ask About Housekeepers
What does a house cleaner clean?
Every room on the list: the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and the rest of the house. That means floors, counters, sinks, the toilet and shower, dusting up to 9 feet, trash, towels, blinds and mirrors. The four room lists above are the full Standard scope.
What do cleaners do on a first visit?
Whatever tier you book. Our Deep tier's own description names first-time clients, and it adds scrubbing tasks for toilets, tubs, sinks, stovetops and countertops. Standard is written for upkeep on a home that is already well maintained.
Is a housekeeper the same as a maid?
In practice, yes. The Department of Labor files both under the same occupation, and at Hometress both words book the same Standard clean. What changes the visit is the tier, not the title.
Do house cleaners do laundry or dishes?
Not on a Standard visit. Both are add-ons you can pick at booking: Laundry Wash & Dry (Per Load) at $20 and Wash Dishes at $25. The Dream Home tier includes two loads of laundry and changing the bedsheets in two bedrooms.
Do I need to be home while the house cleaner works?
No. Many customers leave entry instructions or a lockbox or smart-lock code at booking. Our guide to being home for house cleaners covers the options.
What if something on the list gets missed?
The checklist you book is the standard for the visit. Tell us within 48 hours, and under our White Glove Guarantee we re-clean the affected area free or refund that portion.
When you're ready, book a Standard clean and open the full checklist for your tier before you confirm. Every task above is on it.