ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

High-end home cleaners in the US are now commanding salaries of up to $100,000, according to global media company Bloomberg.

The super-rich are increasingly seeking operatives with specialist skills to care for their luxurious properties. And upmarket cleaners claim their job description has changed from purely cleaning and upkeep to maintenance and preservation - similar to that of a museum curator.

The current demand for cleaners with specialist skills follows a boom in contemporary art and high-end boutique furniture, according to Bloomberg. Householders are now realising that the cost of such statement pieces extends on after the point of purchase.

"There are now a lot of custom pieces and of course they're not replaceable," said one worker. "You have to know about art and antiques." And another cleaner added: "The value of these pieces has increased greatly, so I research everything before I touch anything."

Household surfaces also feature a huge variety of qualities and finishes that require special treatment, claim operatives.

A Toronto-based firm has responded by launching a five-week household management course for cleaners. The "Fundamentals of Household Management", run by Charles MacPherson Associates, incorporates modules on worker-employer communication, household organisation and security.

"Cleaning correctly is a skill that has to be taught and learned," said MacPherson. "Rich people are becoming richer and they are buying more delicate things because they want their homes to be more museum-quality.

"And then there's a lack of supply of trained people. You put those two together - it's supply and demand - and salaries go through the roof."