Direct pp here. Just wanted to add that in my own more normal life with twice monthly cleaners, I would not call them the maids. I call them the cleaners. Calling them "maids" sounds like you are trying to sound rich. If we had a full time person then it would be a housekeeper

I think it is ok to use the term if you have a large full time staff. For example, my FIL had a major Domo, plus cook, and a head housekeeper with 2 or 3 other "maids". Usually everyone gets referred to by their names, but I could see referring to the workers under the head housekeeper as maids if talking about them as a group. But they are full-time and some live-in, and do wear a uniform. Usually it would be by their names but depending on what house it is, or from year to year, they change.

I see companies all over with "Maid" in the name; Merry Maids etc. I think maid service is a common term; I use it.

Anonymous wrote:Some services calls themselves maids: Maid to Clean, Maid Brigade, etc.

Merry Maids, also.

Anonymous wrote:I've debated w/ my husband about this. In his Indian family "maid" or "servants" are acceptable terms, but obviously they are not commonly used terms in the US anymore, especially servant.

My dh is Indian too and once he called them toilet cleaners

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Americans are funny. You lowball your help, pay them no benefits, and then think you're doing something special because you don't call them maids. Oh, ok.

Don't Americans pay their help more than most countries?? No data to support this, just anecdotally.

Not adjusting for cost of living and the lack of a social safety net (affordable health insurance, free or affordable child care, free or affordable good schools etc) that exists in other countries.

Anonymous wrote:Americans are funny. You lowball your help, pay them no benefits, and then think you're doing something special because you don't call them maids. Oh, ok.

Don't Americans pay their help more than most countries?? No data to support this, just anecdotally.

Americans are funny. You lowball your help, pay them no benefits, and then think you're doing something special because you don't call them maids. Oh, ok.

I have a friend who refers to her bi-weekly cleaning lady as "the maid". It drives me crazy and I always comment on "my cleaning lady" after she refers to her "maid".

Hillary.