Home care service
Light housekeeping & laundry
Light housekeeping is keeping the spaces your loved one actually uses clean, tidy and clear to move around — kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and walkways — along with laundry, linens and taking out the rubbish.
Is this the right kind of help?
You might recognize some of these:
- Clutter and cords in the walkways are a fall waiting to happen
- The bathroom and kitchen aren’t being cleaned to a safe standard any more
- Laundry is piling up because carrying the basket downstairs is too much
- The fridge has out-of-date food in it and no one’s clearing it
- Housework is using up all the energy they have for the day
If a few of those ring true, a conversation with a care coordinator is a good next step — there’s no obligation.
What’s included
- Wiping down kitchen counters, the bathroom, and high-touch surfaces and handles
- Light vacuuming, sweeping and mopping of the rooms in use
- Keeping walkways clear of clutter, cords and loose rugs to prevent falls
- Washing, drying, folding and putting away laundry
- Changing bed linens regularly and making a fresh, comfortable bed
- Washing up, clearing out expired food, and taking out rubbish and recycling
The exact tasks are set in a written care plan you approve, and adjusted as needs change.
How Selectives delivers it
This is light housekeeping — keeping an already-manageable home in good order, not a deep clean or heavy work like moving furniture, windows or ladders. Knowing where the line is keeps it safe for everyone.
We focus on the parts of the home that affect health and safety first: clear floors, a clean bathroom and kitchen, and fresh bedding, which matters for skin and sleep. The rest follows if there’s time in the visit.
Who it’s for
Light housekeeping suits older adults for whom cleaning has become physically hard or unsafe, people recovering from illness or surgery who need to save their energy, and families who want the home kept to a standard that reduces fall and infection risk.
Typical schedules
- A weekly visit dedicated to housekeeping and laundry
- A little each visit, alongside personal care or companionship
- Two visits a week during recovery from a hospital stay
Care agreements run for a minimum of three months, with two weeks’ notice required to cancel the agreement. Visits have a five-hour minimum and no weekly minimum. Please give 24 hours’ notice to change or cancel a visit; there is no late cancellation fee.
What it costs and how to pay
Pricing is provided after a nurse evaluates your needs. Visits have a five-hour minimum, with no minimum weekly hours. There is currently no additional rate for evening, overnight or live-in care.
Invoices are issued weekly or every two weeks, as agreed. We accept checks and bank transfers. No deposit or card on file is required.
Private pay is our primary focus, and we also work with long-term care insurance and Veterans benefits. Selectives also participates as a Maryland Medicaid provider under the Community Options Program; Medicaid services are subject to eligibility, authorization, program requirements, service availability and other applicable requirements. Contact our care team to discuss your needs and available options.
Light housekeeping & laundry: common questions
What counts as “light” housekeeping?
Everyday upkeep of the rooms in use: surfaces, floors, dishes, laundry, linens, rubbish and keeping walkways clear. It does not include deep cleaning, moving heavy furniture, cleaning outside windows, using ladders, or clearing hoarded spaces.
Will the caregiver do laundry, including bedding?
Yes. Washing, drying, folding and putting away clothes and linens is included, and we change and freshen the bed regularly because clean, dry bedding matters for skin health and sleep.
Can housekeeping be combined with other help?
Yes, and it usually is. A caregiver on a personal-care or companion visit will keep the kitchen and bathroom in order and run a load of laundry as part of the same visit.
Do you bring cleaning supplies?
Caregivers use the products you keep at home so nothing unfamiliar is introduced. If you’d like specific supplies used, just let the coordinator know.
Talk to someone today
A free, no-pressure conversation about what your family needs — call us, or start online and we’ll call you back.