Household help is readily affordable in Turkey and even those on a modest income often hire the services of a maid. Daily or weekly cleaning of your house is sometimes done by the Kapıcıs (the man that looks after your building) wife or by her relatives. Or you can get help from your neighbors. To ensure the safety of yourself and your belongings, when hiring someone new, you would be well advised to use referrals from friends and colleagues. Please keep in mind that maids are paid on a daily basis, not hourly.

If you employ a maid on a full time basis, 5 or 6 days per week, then you should agree on a monthly salary, in Turkish Lira, to be adjusted every four months to counter the effects of inflation. It is more economical to hire someone to work full time for you than it is to pay the higher fees for a maid that comes in two or three times a week (i.e. the amount a full time maid earns per day, working for one family, is less than if she were to charge per day for different employers).

If you are a foreigner, hiring a full time maid, you can expect that she will try to get you to agree to buy her health insurance. If you can somehow include her in your company, then fine, but otherwise, you are not expected and don't need to provide this. It is a sustantial bonus for your employee but often cuostly to provide. Check around with your friends and neighbors to determine the going rate for maid services.

Companies specializing in house cleaning are usually used after renovation or decoration and for furniture and carpet cleaning purposes. Addresses are in our yellow pages.

Here are some Turkish words and short sentences you may need while communicating with your maid. Don't forget to add the word lütfen (please) beore or after the sentence.

Wash the dishes Bulaşıkları yıka
Dry the dishes Tabakları kurula
Clean the top of the refrigerator Buzdolabının üstünü temizle
Clean the refrigerator a sponge Buzdolabının içini süngerle temizle
Clean the outside of the kitchen cupboards Mutfak dolaplarının dışını sil
Clean the oven Fırını/ocağı temizle
Clean the inside of the kitchen Mutfak dolaplarının içini temizle
Tidy up the drawers Çekmeceleri düzenle
Put everything away Herşeyi yerine koy
Sweep Süpür
Scrub Ov
Wipe up Sil
Shake the rugs Halıları silkele
Do not shake the rugs Halıları silkeleme
Clean Temizle
Use the vacuum cleaner Elektrik süpürgesini kullan
Don't use the vacuum cleaner Elektrik süpürgesini kullanma
Mop the floor Yerleri sil
Dust Tozları al
Straighten/tidy up Her tarafı topla
Do the laundry Çamaşırları yıka
Make the beds Yatakları düzelt
Empty the ashtrays Sigara tablalarını dök
Empty the wastebasket Kağıt sepetlerini dök
Clean the silver Gümüş takımları parlat
Polish Parlat
Wash the balconies Balkonları yıka
Tide up the drawers Çekmeceleri düzenle
Clean the wall Duvarları sil
Clean the toilets and the sink Tuvaletleri ve lavaboyu temizle
Change the bed sheets Çarşafları değiştir
Wax Cilala
Cook Pişir
Hang up the clothes Çamaşırları as
Wash the windows Camları sil
Open the door Kapıyı aç
Shut the door Kapıyı kapat
Open the window Pencereyi aç
Shut the window Pencereyi kapat
Please watch the children while I am not here Burada olmadığım zaman çocuklara bakar mısın lütfen
I want istiyorum Name or show what you want first then say istiyorum
For your maid to bring you an item or object, name what you want first then say getirir misin
For the maid to put something, name first the object, than the place and koyar mısın