Who refers to a housekeeper or house cleaner as a maid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carson

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the south everyone refers to once or twice a week cleaners as maids. We always had a maid growing up and so did everyone else I knew. I'm pretty sure that is still the most common term for weekly cleaners.

When I was little we had a woman who came several days a week and was called a housekeeper. She did more than basic cleaning, she also helped my mother with child care and shopping..

My mother's family is originally from NYC area. My grandmother called the woman who came in to help her daily a girl or a servant. I believe the woman was a recent immigrant from somewhere in Europe. That was in the 1920-1950s.

A house keeper is someone who works for you full time. A maid is someone who comes in once in awhile.

[Anonymous]

I use both "maid" and "cleaning lady." Didn't realize maid was offensive?

[Anonymous]

Cleaners

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious about this usage. Is it regional?

Me. I call them maids. They call themselves maids. So it's cool.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I call them maids too. That's not ok?

[Anonymous]

We have always called them domestics. But I hear maid or housekeeper equally- with 'housekeeping' or 'custodial' used for gov't or places of business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived here my whole life and always say maid. I didn't realize it was offensive, anyone I know who has a cleaning lady calls her a maid.

Interesting! Where do you live? Sadly I don't have a maid, but if i was to be so lucky, I would call her my cleaning lady. sigh...

[Anonymous]

When discussing their schedule I might say, 'oh the maids are coming tomorrow.' But it does not feel right so I have been trying to catch myself and say 'cleaners.'

[Anonymous]

We use a service called "maple maids" and when I tell my DH they're coming I always say the maids will be here this morning.

[Anonymous]

Only people who seem to use it are companies, such as The Maids, Maid Express, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think of maid as someone who wears a uniform and comes in the morning and keeps your house all day. They accept packages and take the dog out. I don't think they cook meals, that would be a separate person. I work in Georgetown and see them occasionally in the residential area. They have a distint look and I never mistake them for a pedestrian, resident or tourist.

This. I think of a housekeeper as a full-time employee, as well, like a household manager who does more than just clean.

Growing up, we only every referred to the person who cleaned multiple houses as a "cleaning lady." If you had a service, it was the "cleaning service."

[Anonymous]

In France people still say that: "la bonne" (maid) instead of "la femme de menage" (cleaning woman). The old distinction was that the maid lived in or was present for the whole day to clean, answer the door, and perhaps cook, whereas the cleaning woman only came for a couple of hours to clean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:British sometimes do. In England they'd say "cleaner", there are no airs and graces about cleaning as a "housekeeper" would live-in and cook, answer the door, and organize cleaners who would work for her.

I encountered a British family in Los Angeles who had a nanny / housekeeper and called her their "maid" openly and in front of her.

I am British and have never heard anyone refer to a "maid", other than in Downton Abbey etc. "cleaner" would be the usual term.

I'm the poster you mention and I'm British too. If you read my post, you'd see I said in England most people say "cleaner"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cleaners

This.