
We’re all thankful for the work that professionals do around our city, community, and country.
They work hard to ensure our safety and do their best to make sure everything around us is working as designed. This is what they get paid to do, but more importantly this is what they love to do.
Professionals do expect payment for their labor but are not expecting tips. Anything that is given above the amount owed for the service received is definitely a bonus for them.
In our country, tips are often given as appreciation for a job well done. Some jobs are heavily dependant on tipping as a source of income, such as a restaurant waitress. Other positions are not dependant on for a living and are just a symbol of appreciation.
A carpet cleaner is a service that does not depend on tips for income and is only given as a gesture for a job well done.
In this post, Tidy Ted is going to answer that pressing question that you are probably asking, should carpet cleaners be tipped and if so, how much should I give them.
Do You Tip Carpet Cleaners?
There is no real yes or no answer to this question. You are not required to tip a carpet cleaner because carpet cleaners are paid enough to meet their needs. Their salary isn’t structured in such a way that requires tips for them to make ends meet. With that being said, it is a nice gesture for you to acknowledge their hard work. Especially, if the person steam cleaning your house goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that your carpets are cleaned thoroughly – this person should be rewarded for a job well done.
Yet, it’s important to note that any carpet cleaning professional will not be expecting to receive a tip for their work.
Any competent professional should bend over backward to ensure that you are happy and that the job is done right. Tips are a great way to pay it forward, acknowledge hard work, and show appreciation for going beyond what is expected of them.
How Much Do You Tip Carpet Cleaners?
If you decide that you want to give your carpet cleaner a tip for their hard work, then a good percentage to remember is 20%.
This percentage seems to be a reasonable tipping rate for most services.
Often, the tipping amount depends on the individual or how much cash the person has on hand at any given time. There are times that I do not have cash to give, but I will buy them a coke, a coffee or even give them a gift card.
I know someone that has several $5 gift cards in a small drawer in their house that they use for tipping professionals. The gift card is just a small gesture of appreciation that goes a very long way. This can be used to purchase a refreshing beverage on the road or a coffee later down the road.
This is not something that is expected, but it’s appreciated.
If you are going to use a carpet cleaning service on an annual basis, then giving a tip is a great way to build a relationship with the service professional.
Just remember that no service professional will be expecting a tip from you at any time.
How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost?
If you’re looking to hire a carpet cleaner to clean your carpets, then you’re looking to pay about $25-$75 per room in your home. This number works out to be about $51 per room on average, and a whole-house project will probably cost you about $500.
Other Cost Factors to Consider
There are some other factors that you should consider that may increase the price of steam cleaning your home.
Stains
If your home has a lot of carpet stains that require extra attention, this may increase the cost to steam clean your house. Stains come in many different sizes and toughness, and sometimes need a lot of hard work to remove.
When I was in college, I started my own steam cleaning company for some extra cash, and I know how hard some stains can be to eliminate. Sometimes stains are too deep and have been there for too long that they are just impossible to remove.
If you have a really hard stain that you thought would never come out, and a carpet cleaner spends a lot of time and gets that stain out of your carpet – then you should give them a tip. They just saved you a lot of money.
When someone comes to your house to give you a quote, make sure that you show them all the stains that you would like removed.
The Steam Cleaning Method
There are different ways that someone can clean your carpets. The most popular method is steam cleaning.
Steam cleaning is pushing pressurized hot water into the carpet, mixed with a cleaning solution, and then extracting it into a holding tank.
Steam cleaning pulls up all the dirt and debris that’s hiding in your carpets, deodorizes them and leaves them smelling nice and clean.
The down-side of steam cleaning your carpets is that they are damp when your complete and it does take some time to dry. If you walk on a wet carpet, then the dirt will stick on it like a magnet.
You have to be patient and wait until it is dry.
Sometimes people want, not only their carpets cleaned, but also their curtains or upholstery steamed cleaned. Obviously, this is going to cost more.
Depending on how you want your carpets cleaned and how many stains there are to be removed will determine how much more it will cost to have your carpets cleaned.
How Much Do Carpet Cleaners Make?
Most carpet cleaners will make anywhere from $11 to $18 per hour for steam cleaning. Some companies also allow their employees to work for a commission on the work completed.
With this being said, most people that work at steam cleaning are well-taken care of, and make enough salary to provide for their needs.
A tip is not something that is needed for them to supplement their income, but it’s a nice thing to do, and a great way to say thank-you.
Conclusion
Carpet cleaners are hard working professionals that (if they are good at what they do) should do their best to ensure that your carpets are clean when they are finished.
They do not expect a tip, but tipping any service professional is a wonderful gesture of appreciation.
If you have some extra cash laying around, why not pay it forward, and make someone’s day.