Care.com Housekeeping: How to Get Jobs, Sign Up, and More

Care.com is a great way for housekeepers to connect with potential employers. Whether you have an existing business and want to expand your client base or you’re just starting out and want to find your first clients, Care.com offers a convenient way to connect with prospective employers and build experience as a housekeeper. 

Read on to learn more about how to get started, browse jobs, and earn money working as a housekeeper on Care.com. 

Can you see yourself as a housekeeper on Care.com? Apply now to a position near you. 

What does a housekeeper do? 

Generally, a housekeeper has similar responsibilities as a housecleaner but spends more time working in any given home than a housecleaner would — often twice a week or more. They stay on top of the home's day-to-day tasks and cleanliness and become a more permanent fixture in the home. Think of a housekeeper as a caregiver whose job is to care for someone’s home. 

They are often assigned a list of weekly duties to complete, which can include: 

• Keeping living spaces clean and tidy 
• Bathroom cleaning 
• Sweeping the kitchen, wiping down surfaces, and doing dishes 
• Doing laundry and cleaning bed linens
• Ensuring the home is kept well-stocked with home supplies like toilet paper

Some housekeepers are willing to take on additional tasks like grocery shopping or preparing meals for the family. Housekeepers should NOT be expected to perform any childcare duties; that’s the job of a nanny or babysitter (you can list yourself as both a housekeeper and nanny or babysitter simultaneously on Care.com). 

Though some jobs (for example, housekeeping for seniors or people with disabilities) may require more heavy-lifting tasks, this should be outlined in the job description. Housekeepers should never be expected to do anything that feels unsafe. 

Ultimately, you and the family that’s hiring you will determine the specifics of your responsibilities. It’s important to have clear and open communication with any prospective employer to ensure that their needs align with the services you offer. 

Kelly Snider, who has been using Care.com for over 3 years to find babysitting, housekeeping, and tutoring jobs, emphasizes the importance of clear communication when accepting a job. “It’s important that the specific tasks and responsibilities are delineated very clearly so that worker doesn’t experience job creep or feel taken advantage of," she says.

How to sign up for Care.com 

Signing up for Care.com is simple. You can apply here to become a housekeeper on Care.com.

Before signing up, make sure you meet these three Care.com signup requirements: 

1. Be over 18 years of age
2. Have a Social Security Number 
3. Be willing to complete the required background check

During the signup process, you’ll be prompted to provide your name, date of birth, email address, and location, as well as the type of work you're interested in (housekeeper jobs are categorized as “Household help”). 

Some of this information (your first name and the initial of your surname, your general location, the roles you’re interested in) will go on your public profile, which will show up when care seekers search for providers. You’ll also use this profile to apply for jobs. 

Do you have to pay for Care.com as a housekeeper? 

You may be wondering if you can use Care.com for free. There are two membership options for  caregivers on Care.com:

Care.com Basic Membership

The Care.com Basic membership costs only the fee for the Care.com background check (around $24.99). This background check will also cover any additional profiles you may want to create on Care.com, such as pet care or babysitting. 

Basic members enjoy many Care.com perks, such as: 

• Set up a profile visible to families looking for housekeepers 
• Browse jobs and apply 
• Respond to messages from premium users searching for a Housekeeper

Care.com Premium Membership ($15-30 monthly) 

Depending on the plan you select, Care.com Premium membership typically costs between $15 and $30 a month. 

In addition to the perks of Basic membership, a Premium membership offers: 

• Ranking higher in families' searches
• Cost of CareCheck included
• Sending and receiving messages with non-premium family users
• Priority job alerts 

For those hoping to find full-time work or similar using Care.com, the Premium membership does provide helpful perks. But it’s possible to find great jobs on Care.com with just the free, Basic membership. 

Care.com background check 

All caregivers on Care.com are required to complete a CareCheck — this is Care.com’s basic background check. 

After you create your profile, Care.com will prompt you to sign up for the check. If you’re using the Basic (free) version of Care.com, you will need to pay for the background check yourself, which is $24.99.

For Care.com’s premium users, the cost of the CareCheck is included in the membership fee. 

Care.com offers additional, optional background checks, which can be purchased by families directly through the site. Families interested in hiring you may choose to pay for an additional background check, such as a Criminal Records Check or a Motor Vehicle Check, before moving forward with your application. In this case, the added cost is covered by the family.

How housekeeping on Care.com works

Care.com essentially acts as a job board to connect housekeepers to prospective employers (families). 

During signup, Care.com prompts you to create a profile:

• Select the services you can provide from the list Care.com provides (for example, gardening or vacuuming)
• Include your level of experience 
• Indicate other criteria that may help determine if a job is right for you: for example, do you have your own transportation? Are you comfortable with pets? 

Answer these questions thoughtfully, as this information will be visible on your profile — and the first thing prospective employees will see when considering whether to hire you. 

Be honest when building your profile. Not every job will be right for you, and that’s okay. 

Next, you’ll be prompted to write your biography. A good care.com bio example includes your past experiences as a housekeeper or transferable or soft skills you might have. For example, you may have had several years of experience managing a three-bedroom house. Are you always on time? Organized and detail-oriented? Kind and dependable? Let them know in your bio! 

Finally, you will need to include a photograph of yourself in your profile. Make sure it’s a clear, well-lit photograph of only yourself (group photos are not allowed). Pick one that’s authentic, warm, and professional. Try not to include anything too distracting in your photograph, like a cluttered background or lots of make-up and jewelry. 

Note that if you're interested in multiple job types, such as housekeeping and babysitting, you'll need to create separate profiles for each.

Setting your rates 

You set your own rates using Care.com. The site does provide an overview of average housekeeping rates across the U.S., but Kelly suggests that these rates are well below average. “I’ve heard from other caregivers these rates are low,” she says, "and I would agree based on what I’ve seen listed for my area.”  

Given that rate-setting is largely dependent on experience and location, it’s hard to determine an average rate. Still, housekeeping can be a demanding job, and housekeepers should expect to charge more than minimum wage. 

Setting your rates can be a balancing act — you shouldn’t undervalue your work, but failing to get jobs because your prices are too high can be frustrating. To stay on track, take the following into consideration: 

• Your location 
• Your experience
• The services you can offer

Location is a significant factor when considering your rates. Care.com estimates the average hourly rate for a housekeeper ranges from $16.25/hr in Portland, Oregon, to $24/hr in Los Angeles. Explore other housekeepers' job profiles in your area on Care.com to get a sense of their rates. Consider adjusting yours accordingly. 

Those with more experience can reasonably expect to charge more. Collecting good housekeeping reviews on your Care.com profile over time will help justify a higher rate of pay down the line. 

If you’re new to Care.com and haven’t built up a strong review score yet, consider adding a reference to strengthen your profile. This will improve your chances of charging at least the location-average pay rate when starting out. “I personally believe that references have been the biggest factor getting families’ interest and jobs,” Kelly adds. 

Finally, consider the services you can offer as a housekeeper. The duties of a housekeeper can be broad. You may want to charge slightly more if you have access to transportation and are willing to do laundry or run errands. Those using their own transportation may want to negotiate mileage reimbursement from the family before accepting a job. 

How to find jobs on Care.com 

Job searches are location-based, and you set the distance you’re willing to travel. Once you’ve entered this information along with your ZIP code, Care.com will show a list of jobs in your area that could be a good fit. 

Jobs postings typically list:

• Location 
• Rate of pay offered (usually a range) 
• Schedule 
• If the job is full-time or part-time
• Hours per week time commitment 
• If you need to provide your own transportation

Similar to the bio in your profile, job postings will also include a more detailed description of what the job involves. Before you apply for any job, be sure to read the listing carefully to make sure you meet the listed requirements and the job is a good fit for you. 

Applying for jobs

Once you’ve found a job you’re interested in, click Apply to send a message to the family or individual who made the job posting. Depending on their Care.com membership plan, families looking for housekeepers may also be able to message you directly if they find your profile and are interested in hiring you. 

Do I have to interview for Care.com? 

Though no interview is required to use Care.com, the platform does encourage its care seekers to interview prospective housekeepers before confirming a job. 

An interview is also a great opportunity for you to get to know a family before committing and get a better sense of what it would be like to work with them. 

It’s always a good idea to vet a family before you begin work. An in-person interview conducted in a public space is a great way to do this. As with any job interview process, getting to know each other is a two-way street. 

Getting paid through Care.com 

Care.com only facilitates payments when you use the platform's booking feature, which is only available for babysitting and pet-sitting jobs. As a housekeeper, you will sort out payment off the platform directly with the family or individual who hires you. Care.com does not take any cut of your pay.

What is my employment status working as a housekeeper on Care.com? 

Given that housekeepers typically work longer and more consistent hours with one family than other types of workers on Care.com might, it’s important to be aware of your employment status and any associated tax implications. 

The IRS defines a household employee as a homecare worker whose schedule and work instructions are determined by employers. So, in many cases, housekeepers become W2 employees of the family they are working for and will need to supply this W2 form when filing their tax return. 

Housekeepers or other caregivers on Care.com may encounter families who are unsure of their tax responsibilities or are reluctant to deal with tax forms. Still, being paid under the table or failing to report taxable income is illegal, and caregivers should not hesitate to bring up concerns with a family if they feel uncomfortable with any payment situation.

If you are ever unsure about your employment status, it’s always a good idea to talk things through with a tax specialist to ensure you’re following the law and are being accurately classified. 

What about health insurance?

Being a W2 employee does not automatically make you eligible for health insurance through your employer, though some employers may offer this. Housekeepers who do not have insurance through their employers can sign up for health plans on the health insurance marketplace during open enrollment.

Housekeepers and other gig workers are NOT employees of Care.com, so they would not be eligible for Care.com health insurance.

Get started

Can you see yourself as a housekeeper on Care.com? Apply now to a position near you.