Household activities in southern Florida sees an increase in wages as demand increases – NBC 6 South Florida

It's a lot of work to keep a house clean.

And in recent years, the cleaning and cleaning services industry has changed considerably. What was once considered as a less remunerated job is now a profession where you can of course the minimum wage.

And salary is not the only thing that has changed.

Yennifer Menesses has been working since Maidpro Miami For three months but has been a professional cleaner for a few years. In Spanish, she explained how the industry made a major change.

“I have been in Florida for 3 years, and when I started, it was about $ 14. With MaidPro, I earn about $ 16.50 an hour, but something that is important is that they give me compensation for all my gas,” said Menesses. “You must remember that we drive from home to house, and they give us this additional money for the time spent driving.”

At least, if Yennifer works 40 hours a week, in a year, she will earn more than $ 34,000, which does not include the advice or the compensation she obtains for gas.

For some, it may not seem much. But for those of industry, it is a big change compared to what cleaning professionals did.

“Seven years ago, someone in this work would cost $ 6 to $ 7 and it was a lot. The idea of ​​switching was not so commonly used,” said Menesses. “But today, we are paid more than double, and with additional advantages such as the flexible calendar and time for our families.”

A law adopted in 2020 increased the minimum wage of Florida to gradually increase to $ 15 an hour by next September. The same year, a pandemic took place and the request for clean houses skyrocketed while the work was at a shortage. This could be the reason for increasing remuneration in the cleaning industry.

“It was really difficult for us to attract superior quality people and continue to provide services to our current customers and new customers who called us for services,” said Carlos Ponce, who is a co -owner of Maidpro Miami with his wife Andrea.

The couple began to clean the houses 7 years ago with only 3 cleaners and around 20 recurring customers. Today, they have approximately 200 recurring houses and found a way to retain employees.

“The biggest change and the biggest expenses have been our remuneration, it must be attractive enough for people to want to come to work,” said Carlos.

In 2023 alone, there were more than 18,000 housekeepers in southern Florida, making an average salary of $ 15.58 an hour, according to The American Department of Labor and Statistics.

According to Ziprecruit, As of April 15, 2025, the hourly remuneration for cleaning services was about $ 12 an hour.

But there are other reports, Like the one directed by NBC News last year, which shares the extremes. In areas like Palm Beach, the typical cleaning wages increased from around $ 25 per hour in $ 45 to $ 45 or $ 50 an hour today, according to some agencies.

For the co -owners of Maidpro Miami, the cleaning services industry has not only changed in salary but in cost. Supplies and products have increased in inflation and now the prices are on the horizon.

“We are trying to plan and make a big purchase now to be prepared for what will come with all prices,” said Andrea. “We do our best to buy locally, but some of our items, our microfiber towels, some of our vacuum cleaners that we use are imported. So, we are now a little worried about the impact of our cost. ”

This is partly why customers might believe that their Clean costs have increased.

“Some of our customers call us and they get a quote for an apartment like this and we tell them” Oh it's $ 200 to be able to clean an apartment like this for example “. And they say” Oh, I paid my lady of cleaning at $ 100, and she was here all day and she did everything, “but these days left,” said Carlos. “But I think that even an independent cleaner who cleans by themselves without insurance and just his own cleaning products, will not clean the same house for the same $ 100 due to the cost of mobilization, the cost of getting there, the cost of parking.”

For the leads, the salary and the higher social benefits, she thinks that allowed her to live comfortably in a expensive city and have time for her son. She thinks that the demand for her work will only continue.

“I think it will grow. It will continue to be cleaning service companies because today people in this country, they do not have time. They do not have time to give their home and rather need to give their family time. So this industry is the one who has growth,” said Mennesses.