What tasks is my housekeeper allowed to perform?

The duties of an HHH must meet the following conditions. If any of these conditions cannot be met, the activity may be denied.

• Safe
• Hygienic
• Ergonomic
• Respectful
• Feasible within the allotted time frame

If in doubt, you can request coaching via coaching@easylifedc.be to have a specific situation evaluated.

The lists below are not exhaustive.

Permitted tasks

• Making beds and changing bed linens
• Cleaning, tidying up, removing dust bunnies, dusting, vacuuming, mopping, washing and ironing, light sewing,...
• Cleaning windows on the inside and outside on the ground floor (in combination with other cleaning activities)
• Velux windows (with and without a ladder) may be cleaned on the outside if they can be turned inward and locked in place
• Inside of kitchen cabinets and appliances, cleaning sink drains, polishing candlesticks and other objects (if using an approved product)
• Polishing wooden furniture
• Emptying trash bins equipped with a bag and sorting waste
• Sweeping and scrubbing the patio (if the patio is directly adjacent to the house)
• Exterior of the garage door (if the garage is directly adjacent to the house) and front door
• Stairs leading to the outdoor terrace on upper floors
• Small grocery shopping for the client’s daily needs at the supermarket, bakery, butcher, pharmacy, or post office
• Preparing meals
• Polishing shoes (if acceptable, i.e., no extreme mud or feces)
• Clearing the Christmas tree (max 2m)
• Cleaning grout (provided the product is permitted)
• Cleaning a vacant residence (at the home of a client who has just moved out)

Prohibited tasks

• Contact with bodily fluids from animals or humans (picking up condoms, pet feces, cleaning up pet urine, vomit, touching sanitary pads or tampons)
• Cleaning outbuildings (pool houses, furnished garages in the garden, etc.)
• Cleaning at family members’ or friends’ homes and at an address other than the one listed on the Service voucher
• Cleaning common areas (e.g., stairwells in apartment buildings)
• Cleaning student dorms
• Inside of a fireplace
• Dog bed and pillow
• Cleaning the outside of windows on the 1st floor or higher, even if they open inward
• Windows (as the sole activity)
• Cleaning roller shutters
• Cleaning professional spaces (e.g., doctor’s office, store, etc.)
• Climbing ladders, with the exception of a stepladder with a maximum of three steps and a railing.
• Standing on furniture such as chairs or tables
• Working/walking on roofs or balconies without a railing or with a railing that is too low
• Cleaning, emptying, or tidying up unfinished attics and basements
• Emptying trash cans that do not have a liner
• The exterior of the garage door and the interior of the garage (if the garage is not directly adjacent to the house)
• If the patio is not directly adjacent to the house, garden patio: turning and sanding
• Cleaning the driveway, garden path, garden shed, and garden furniture (even if the patio is directly next to the house)
• Working in the garden
• Cleaning the mailbox
• Mending and sewing with a sewing machine
• Grocery shopping for furniture, household appliances, audiovisual equipment, hot meals, newspapers, and magazines
• Taking glass, paper, and cardboard to the glass recycling bin or recycling center
• Babysitting
• Taking children to or picking them up from school
• Caring for the elderly or sick
• Disposing of a patient’s needles
• Using a product with a hazard symbol on the packaging
• Using defective or damaged equipment/cables
• Working in the vicinity of a dog running loose
• Cleaning a litter box (risk of toxoplasmosis)
• Assisting a disabled person or a minor with mobility
• Taking care of, walking, or grooming pets
• Administrative work
• Changing a light bulb
• Outdoor work in unsuitable weather conditions, such as extreme heat, cold, rain, or snow