Housekeeper Job Description in the Philippines: Duties, Skills, and Hiring Checklist

TL;DR: A good housekeeper job description in the Philippines does more than list cleaning tasks. It sets a practical scope, work schedule, pay and rest expectations, privacy rules, and a respectful process for changing the role—so the family and the housekeeper know what a fair working relationship looks like before work starts.

A housekeeper is a household worker whose agreed role is to keep a home clean, orderly, and usable. In a family home, that can include routine cleaning, laundry, linen care, light organization, and reporting problems—not an unlimited catch-all for every errand or care need that comes up.

This guide is for families hiring ongoing household help in the Philippines. It is not a substitute for legal advice or a current wage notice. If your home needs a yaya, caregiver, driver, or live-in kasambahay as well as cleaning support, define each responsibility plainly instead of using one vague title.

What this role is—and what it is not

The word housekeeper can mean different things in hotels, offices, and private homes. For a Philippine household, a job description should say which setting applies and what “done” looks like in that setting.

Most family-housekeeper roles combine recurring household upkeep with agreed routines: cleaning rooms, caring for laundry, making beds, keeping supplies organized, and flagging repairs or safety issues. A job description should separate those recurring tasks from occasional requests. That makes workload, time, and compensation easier to discuss honestly.

It should also draw lines around work that needs separate skills or agreement. Childcare, elder care, cooking for a dietary need, pet care, driving, heavy lifting, deep-cleaning after construction, and handling money are not harmless add-ons. They can change the risk, time, experience required, and fair pay for the role.

For Philippine homes, domestic work is covered by the Domestic Workers Act or Batas Kasambahay. Use its official text and current DOLE guidance for the legal details that apply to your household. This guide focuses on making the day-to-day role clear and respectful.

A ready-to-adapt housekeeper job description

Copy this structure, then change only the parts that are true for your household. Do not promise accommodation, a schedule, benefits, or duties you have not decided you can provide.

| Job-description field | Example to make it specific | | --------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Role and location | Housekeeper for a two-bedroom family home in Quezon City; live-out role. | | Purpose | Keep agreed rooms clean, safe, and organized on the agreed schedule. | | Core duties | Clean kitchen and bathrooms, sweep and mop, dust, do agreed laundry and linen care, and report broken items or low supplies. | | Exclusions | No childcare, driving, personal errands, handling cash, or deep cleaning unless agreed in writing. | | Schedule | State start and finish times, meal breaks, weekly rest day, and the process for overtime or schedule changes. | | Pay and benefits | State salary, pay date and method, and confirm that applicable legal obligations will be checked against current official guidance. | | Safety and privacy | Use cleaning products safely; do not share household photos, addresses, access codes, or family information. | | Review process | Check in after the first two weeks and monthly after that; document material changes before they become routine. |

The role can then read like this:

Housekeeper: We are looking for a reliable housekeeper to maintain a clean, orderly, and safe family home. The role includes the agreed daily cleaning routine, laundry and linen care, light organization, and reporting safety or maintenance issues. It does not include childcare, driving, financial errands, or additional household roles unless both sides agree in writing. The successful applicant will be treated respectfully, paid as agreed, and given clear expectations, rest time, and a private way to raise concerns.

That paragraph is a starting point, not a contract. Add your actual location, home size, household members, start date, schedule, pay method, and the duties that matter most. A vague line such as “all-around helper” can hide a workload that neither person has priced or planned for.

Duties: make the daily and weekly scope visible

Housekeeping work becomes more manageable when it is described by frequency. A daily list should be realistic for the home size, number of people, and equipment available. A weekly list should not silently become extra daily work.

Daily duties to discuss

• Clean and reset agreed kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and common areas.
• Sweep, vacuum, or mop the agreed spaces using products and equipment supplied by the household.
• Wash, dry, fold, or put away agreed laundry and linens.
• Keep entryways and walkways clear; report spills, broken fixtures, pests, or other safety concerns promptly.
• Let the household know when routine supplies are running low rather than buying items with personal money.

Weekly or occasional duties to plan

• Change bed linens, clean appliances, organize a cabinet, or deep-clean selected areas.
• Receive a delivery only if the family has agreed on a safe process and no cash handling is required.
• Prepare a room before guests arrive, provided the time and extra work are discussed in advance.
• Care for pets, cook, or support school-run routines only when those duties are specifically written into the role.

The difference matters. A housekeeper should not be expected to supervise children while using cleaning chemicals, lift unsafe loads, work through illness, or handle emergencies alone. If a family needs active childcare, start by hiring a yaya with a clear process instead of treating it as an unspoken extension of cleaning work.

Skills and qualities that are relevant to a family home

Experience can be useful, but a family should look for job-relevant evidence rather than a perfect story. In an interview, ask candidates how they organize a day, what cleaning products they know how to use safely, how they protect private information, and how they would flag a problem.

Useful skills include attention to detail, safe handling of household equipment, time management, clear communication, laundry care, and the ability to follow a household routine. For a home with young children, allergies, older adults, or pets, describe the relevant safety needs without asking an applicant to reveal unnecessary medical or personal details.

References can help confirm past work, but they should be requested with consent and treated as one input rather than a guarantee. A paid trial can be useful if its duration, pay, tasks, supervision, and transport arrangements are agreed ahead of time. Never ask a candidate to work a “free trial.”

Use a short, repeatable interview rather than relying on a long list of personal questions. Ask every shortlisted candidate the same work questions: Which tasks take the most time in a home like this? What would they report immediately? Which cleaning products or equipment do they prefer not to use without instruction? How would they organize laundry when several household members have different routines? Their answers can reveal practical judgment and make it easier to compare candidates fairly.

After an offer is accepted, walk through the home together. Show where cleaning supplies are stored, which spaces are private, how keys and access codes are handled, and which jobs need approval first. Give written instructions for products, appliances, and emergency contacts. A clear first-day orientation is safer than assuming that prior experience in another household translates exactly to yours.

Pay, schedule, contract, and lawful boundaries

Start the pay conversation with the real scope: live-in or live-out, hours, number of rooms, laundry volume, recurring care duties, and the skills required. Do not use a generic online salary figure as a promise. Regional rates and legal requirements can change, and market pay depends on the work and location. Use the Helpers salary calculator as a planning conversation, then verify current official requirements before making an offer.

For a domestic worker, put the agreement in writing before the start date. The full text of RA 10361 is the primary legal reference; it is worth reading alongside current guidance from the relevant government office. At a practical minimum, write down the job title, work address, start date, duties, salary and pay date, work hours, rest arrangements, leave, meals or lodging if offered, and how either person can raise a concern or end the arrangement fairly.

Use an agreed change process too. If the family’s needs change—such as a new baby, a move to Makati, or a shift from live-out to live-in—pause and discuss the scope, time, pay, privacy, and safety implications. A contract is not a reason to be rigid; it is a way to prevent one person from absorbing an unplanned change.

For SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG questions, use the current official employer pages for SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG rather than relying on a social-media checklist. Those programs and their procedures can change.

Privacy, safety, and a fair hiring process

A housekeeper may see children’s routines, addresses, medication, financial papers, family photos, and door codes. Treat that access as sensitive on both sides. The National Privacy Commission’s Data Privacy Act guidance is a useful reminder to collect only what is needed, explain why it is needed, keep it secure, and limit sharing.

Families should not ask candidates for account passwords, retain document copies without a clear hiring purpose, post a person’s details in group chats, or make a public accusation based on an unverified concern. Helpers should not be asked to hand over personal phones, original IDs, or documents as a condition of work. If identity or background checks are relevant, explain the check, obtain consent, use a reputable process, and keep the result limited to the hiring decision.

Set an emergency plan on day one: household contacts, building or barangay procedures, allergies or hazards that must be disclosed for safety, and who to call when a child, older adult, or household member needs urgent help. This plan supports the housekeeper; it does not make them the sole person responsible for a family emergency.

A hiring checklist before the first day

• [ ] Confirm whether the role is live-in or live-out, the work address, and the expected start date.
• [ ] List daily, weekly, occasional, and excluded duties in plain language.
• [ ] Agree on salary, pay date, work hours, meal breaks, rest day, and how overtime or extra work is approved.
• [ ] Put the agreement in writing and check current Philippine requirements for the household’s location.
• [ ] Decide how references, a paid trial, and any identity checks will be handled with consent.
• [ ] Explain privacy rules for keys, photos, family information, documents, and social-media posts.
• [ ] Provide the equipment, protective supplies, emergency contacts, and safe storage the work requires.
• [ ] Schedule a two-week check-in so either person can clarify the role before frustration becomes routine.

When you are ready to compare candidates, browse cleaner profiles and use the same written scope for every conversation. Consistent expectations make it easier to compare fit fairly and avoid pressuring someone into duties they did not agree to do.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a housekeeper job description include in the Philippines?

Include the home and work location, cleaning and laundry scope, schedule, rest day, salary, benefits, household rules, privacy boundaries, emergency contacts, and a process for changes to duties.

Is a housekeeper the same as a cleaner?

Not always. A cleaner may be hired for defined cleaning visits, while a housekeeper can have an ongoing household role that includes routine upkeep, laundry, organization, and agreed household support.

Can a family add childcare to a housekeeper's duties?

Only with clear agreement, appropriate experience, safe staffing, and fair pay. Childcare should be written as a separate responsibility, never assumed, and should not replace active parental supervision in an emergency.

Do families need a written agreement with a housekeeper?

A written agreement is the safest way to record duties, salary, work hours, rest days, benefits, privacy, and notice expectations. Philippine domestic-work rules contain specific requirements, so check current guidance for the household's location.

What information should families avoid collecting from applicants?

Collect only information needed to assess the role and protect it carefully. Do not ask for unnecessary account passwords, retain copies of documents without a reason, or share a candidate's identity details outside the hiring process.

Hire with a scope both sides can trust

The best housekeeper job description is specific enough to guide a normal Tuesday, not just an interview. It makes cleaning standards practical, protects privacy, respects legal and safety boundaries, and gives both people a way to discuss change early. When you have that scope ready, create a family account to start hiring and bring the same respectful expectations to every candidate conversation.