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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Occupational Requirements Survey > Publications > Factsheets

Maids and housekeeping cleaners

Woman holding glass cleaner in one hand and wiping window with other hand 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.

For terms and definitions in this profile, see definitions of major terms.

Cognitive and mental requirements

The qualifications that workers need to use judgment, make decisions, interact with others, and adapt to changes in jobs.

In 2025, more than basic people skills were required for 0.8 percent of maids and housekeeping cleaners. Basic people skills were required for 99.2 percent.

Table 1. Percentage of maids and housekeeping cleaners with cognitive and mental requirements, 2025
Requirement	Yes	No
Work schedule varies	42.3	57.7
Ability to pause work (and take brief unscheduled breaks)	72.9	27.1
Working around crowds	<0.5	>99.5
Telework routinely allowed	<0.5	>99.5
Supervising others	0.8	99.2
Supervisor present in immediate work area	30.6	69.4
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

Education, training, and experience requirements

The minimum level of formal education required, credentials necessary, on-the-job training, and prior work experience necessary for average performance in jobs. The time associated with these requirements is combined to calculate the specific vocational preparation level needed for the job.

In 2025, prior work experience was required for 7.7 percent of maids and housekeeping cleaners and on-the-job training was required for 97.8 percent.

No minimum education was required for 69.3 percent of maids and housekeeping cleaners and a high school diploma was required for 30.7 percent.

Environmental conditions

The various hazards or difficulties that are in the area where workers perform their critical tasks.

In 2025, a quiet noise exposure was present for 19.1 percent of maids and housekeeping cleaners. Another 80.5 percent were exposed to moderate noise, less than 0.5 percent were exposed to loud noise, and less than 0.5 percent to very loud noise. Personal protective equipment (PPE) was used by less than 0.5 percent of workers to mitigate noise exposure and was not used by greater than 99.5 percent.

Physical demands

The physical activities required to perform tasks in jobs. The presence and, in some cases, duration of these activities are published.

In 2025, reaching at or below the shoulder was required for 98.6 percent of maids and housekeeping cleaners and was not required for 1.4 percent. For 0.6 percent of workers, reaching at or below the shoulder was seldom required, for 57.9 percent reaching at or below the shoulder was occasionally required, for 40.1 percent reaching at or below the shoulder was frequently required, and for less than 0.5 percent reaching at or below the shoulder was required constantly.

Performing work in low postures was required for greater than 95 percent of maids and housekeeping cleaners and was not required for less than 5 percent.

On average, maids and housekeeping cleaners spent 4.8 percent of the workday sitting and 95.2 percent of the workday standing.

Table 2. Percentage of maids and housekeeping cleaners with physical demands, 2025
Requirement	Yes	No
Ability to choose to sit or stand for tasks	<0.5	>99.5
Driving	13.0	87.0
Climbing structure-related ramps or stairs	36.1	63.9
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey